IRONY

IRONY

HE WAS ALONE
THE OTHERS HAD GONE
IT WAS TYPICAL FOR HIM TO BE LEFT BEHIND
HE WAS THE ORPHAN AFTER ALL
THE ORPHAN FROM CYRENE
SENT BE HIS FATHER
FROM THAT CITY
TO HIS UNCLE
WHEN HIS MOTHER DIED

OH THEY DIDN'T TREAT HIM POORLY
BUT HE WASN'T ANYONE'S FAVORITE SON
SO THEY LEFT HIM BEHIND
TO TEND THE FLOCK
WHILE THEY WENT
WI TH GREAT NOISE
AND AMAZEMENT
TO SEE
IF WHAT THE ANGELS SANG ABOUT
WAS TRUE
WHILE HE
SITTING ON A HIGH SPOT
TO WATCH THE FLOCK
STUDIED THE STARS
AS IF THEY HELD A MEANING

REJOICE
REJOICE
FOR UNTO YOU IS BORN A CHILD
REJOICE

BUT WHY REJOICE
THERE WAS NO REJOICING
AT HIS BIRTH
ONLY TEARS AND HIS MOTHER'S DEATH
WHY REJOICE
I HAVE NO ONE I BELONG TO
WHY REJOICE

THIS EMOTION DROVE HIM
TO BE THE PARENT
OF ALL THE LAMBS ABANDONED BY THEIR PARENTS
TO ALL THE LAMBS
WHOM DEATH HAD MADE ORPHANS
LIKE THE LITTLE ONE
HE CRADLED NOW
WRAPPED IN HIS SHAWL
TO KEEP BOTH WARM
WHILE HE TOLD THE LAMB
ALL THE WONDERS OF THE NIGHT SKY
HOW HE PUZZLED OVER THE BRILLIANCE
OF THAT ONE STAR
HE COULDN'T REMEMBER WHEN IT WASN'T THERE
BUT HE KNEW IT WAS NEW
IT SEEMED TO BE THE ECHO OF THE ANGEL'S SONG
WHEN ALL THE SKY WAS FILLED WITH LIGHT
THAT LIGHT NOW SHRUNK TO ONE BRIGHT POINT
STRONGER THAN ANY HE HAD SEEN BEFORE

IT'S SAID
HE TOLD THE LAMB
THE STARS
CAN TELL THE BIRTHING OF A KING
IT WELL MAY BE
IT DOES LITTLE FOR ME
I SHALL NEVER MEET THAT KING

NO LITTLE FRIEND
YOUR FRIEND SIMON OF CYRENE
WILL NEVER MEET THAT KING

FRANK A VOLLMER