A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas...
BEFORE THE JOURNEY
Sitting
quietly in the dim glow of an oil lamp
trying
to get comfortable
in
the sturdy wooden armchair
made
by her carpenter husband
Mary
rests both hands
upon
her taut, round stomach
and
smiles at the gentle rumbling within—
the
Son of God in utero
Although
this is centuries before sonograms
Mary
knows her babe is a boy child
and
that they are to name Him Jesus—
for
an angel told her so
Young
and bewildered, she wonders
what
her holy Son will look like and be like
if
he’ll want to work with wood
She
wonders about the cosmic plan
set
in motion by her “yes”
and
how a savior saves
She
dares not dwell too deeply
upon
what lies ahead
and
why so lowly a maiden as she
would
be highly favored
by
the Lord her God
but
she trusts Him
…and
she’s obedient
Joseph
is a good man—
She
watches as he sands smoothly
the
fine cradle he is building
and
appreciates that he stands by her
shielding
her from questions, innuendos
finger-pointers
and gossip mongers
Their
donkey is tied outside
the
humble dwelling in Nazareth
She
hears it braying and nuzzling at the door
It’ll
go with them tomorrow
on
their journey to Bethlehem
where
they must register
for
the census
She
sighs, thinking of the long
arduous
journey
especially
in her condition
Well, I’d better get
some rest
she
tells Joseph
as
she rises awkwardly from the chair
and
carries the lamp closer
to
where her husband is working
I’ve packed a bundle
of swaddling clothes
…just in case
Maude
Carolan Pych
"Behold the Lamb...poetically!"
by Maude Carolan Pych
Published by Elm Hill,
is available online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble,
CBD, etc.
Website: www.maudecarolanpych.net
Email: maudecpych@gmail.com
