African-American poet Countee Cullen is the text source Rosephanye has chosen to set to music and one understands why when the words are read. The title is used as a litany response, “Christ is born today” to other words that lift up the downtrodden in stark words without apology. “Christ must and will come to his own” is how it ends. Rosephanye’s music captures a flavor that respects the difficulties of her ethnic heritage. It is a wonderful and powerful statement in so many ways.
