A CHILD IS BORN

ALL THE WORLD IN SILENCE LAY

OR AT LEAST IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

BUT BUSY BETHLEHEM

THOUGH IT WOULD EVER RUE THE DAY

GAVE NO THOUGHT TO HIM


THE TOWN WAS FULL

WITH ROOMS AVAILABLE AT A PRICE

THAT JOSEPH COULDN'T PAY

AND THROUGH THE MANY STREETS HE WENT

LOOKING FOR A PLACE TO STAY


NO PLACE -- NO PLACE

WITH MANY A SLAMMING DOOR

NO PLACE ~- NO PLACE

TILL HE COULD STAND IT NO MORE

TILL HE DOUBLED UP HIS F1ST IN ANGER

TILL HE FELT A GREAT AND SURGING ANGER

A NUMBING HOLLOW FEELING

WHOSE NAME HE DID NOT KNOW

TILL MARY SPOKE HIS NAME

AND THE ANGER FLED LIKE SUMMER CLOUDS AFTER RAIN

AND HE TOOK THE DONKEY'S BRIDLE

AND SOUGHT A PLACE OUTSIDE OF TOWN


THEY CAME UPON A FARMER'S WIFE

WHO LISTENING TO THEIR PLEA

MOVED AN OX OUT OF ITS STALL

AND WELCOMED COMPANY



BUT JOSEPH SHE QUICKLY PUT OUTSIDE

TO BUILD A FIRE AND WATER BOIL

WHILE THE GOOD MIDWIFE WENT BACK INSIDE

TO WAIT AWHILE

.
THE COLD MOON'S RAYS WERE SILVER NOW

THE HOOTING OWL, A FUNNY CALL

THE GOOD MIDWIFE WITH BUSTLING PRIDE

ANNOUNCED TO EACH AND ALL

A CHILD IS BORN



TO EACH AND ALL, WHICH REALLY MEANT
ONE OX, ONE ASS, THE FAMILY SHEEP

A GROUP OF DOVES WHO RAFTER DWELT;

TO MARY, CERTAINLY, WHERE SHE LAY--

CONTENT THAT NOW HIS TIME HAD COME,

AND TO JOSEPH ON HIS WAY TO FETCH A PAIL OF WATER

THE LIGHTNING FLASHED, FOR ONE BRIGHT MOMENT

A JACOB'S LADDER TO THE SKY

THEN ALL WAS STILL SO VERY STILL
AND JOSEPH HEARD THE ANGELS' SING

SHEPHERDS CAME
AND WISEMEN TOO
AND EACH ONE BROUGHT HIS GIFT
FROM SOME CAME GOLD, FROM OTHERS MYRRH
FROM OTHERS FRANKINCENSE

SOME CAME
WITH HEARTS OF LOVE
OVERFLOWING
FROM MOST OF US CAME NOTHING
WE WERE TOO BUSY BACK IN BETHLEHEM

BUT GOD HAD COME TO CLAIM HIS OWN
AND A MANGER WAS HIS THRONE
FOR ROYAL GARMENTS: BABY CLOTHES
HIS RETINUE AN OX AND ASS
HIS COUNCILOR A CARPENTER
FOR FRIENDS--SO VERY FEW
SO MANY OF THEM MISSING
WHERE WERE YOU?