Thursday, August 5, 2010

Away They Went Rejoicng (Luke 2:20)



AWAY THEY WENT REJOICING

THE SHEPHERDS TO THEIR FLOCKS ABIDING

THEY NEEDED TENDING

AWAY THEY WENT

TRAILING THE SMELL OF SHEEP

SWEAT

AND CHEAP WINE



THEY PASSED A NOBLE CARAVAN

WITH ROYALTY PERCHED ON CAMELS

ONE SENSED CLEANLINESS

AND GOOD MANNERS

THEY NODDED AT EACH OTHER IN PASSING



SOME SAY

THE BIRTH NARRATIVES

ARE ROMANTIC FICTIONS

MEANT TO DRESS UP A DRAB

ORDINARY SCENE



AS IF TO SAY

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

WAS NOT MIRACLE ENOUGH



WE TAKE HIS LIFE

AND SIMPLE WORDS

AND SPIN AN UNRECOGNIZABLE TALE

AT WHICH THE SHEPHERDS

WOULD COMMENT

A COLLECTIVE

HUH



THE SIMPLE FACT IS GOD CAME



A SIMPLE FACT LIKE GOD

CREATED HEAVEN

AND EARTH



WE ARGUE OVER

METHODS AND DAYS

WHO CARES

GOD CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH



GOD BECAME A MAN

TO LIVE AN ORDINARY LIFE

TO SUCKLE AT HIS MOTHER’S BREAST

TO KNOW HEAT AND COLD

HUNGER AND THIRST

TO WORK AT A TRADE

TO PAY THE BILLS

TO SHARE OUR OFTEN MUNDANE LIFE



IN AN ORDINARY BIRTH

NO ANGELS AUDIBLY SING

NO TRADESMEN COME TO CALL

NO ROYALTY BRING GIFTS



AND CHRIST CAME TO BE AN ORDINARY MAN



I MUST CONFESS

THAT CHRISTMAS STRIPPED DOWN

HAS MERIT

BUT LIKE HARDY’S POEM





If someone said on Christmas Eve,Come; see the oxen kneel,



I should go with him in the gloom,Hoping it might be so







COME GENTLE JESUS COME

YOUR BIRTH IS ENOUGH FOR ME

MAY I BRING THE GIFT OF WHO I AM

AND THE GIFT

OF WHAT WE BOTH

SHALL BE

WHEN WE GROW UP







FRANK A VOLLMER

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