Mary Of Christmas
I know not how, dear Lady love,
To offer you my praise,
I cannot fashion as I wish
The words that I world raise.
You stand afar, celestial Queen,
The stars are in your crown,
They spangle at each gesture's path
And dust upon your gown.
Perhaps I might recall the night
You knelt beside the crib,
The night when doors and casements shut
And left a mountain's rib,
Alone, exposed, to hoard you close
Beside the new-born Child
And seek in Joseph's kindly eyes
For something worldly-mild.
To counteract such mundane chill
I hereby set my heart,
Dim mirror of an Infant's warmth,
Its flaming but a part,
A small, sad part of Endless Love
That came on Christmas day
To show a mother wonder-bright
To guide us on our way.
A Moment of Nativity
by Virginia Kimball
It is a tender grasping little fist
that wraps her finger mightily that day,
so small and warm, holding tightly on ...
timely bond of mother with newborn life.
This mother's love is ageless, a sweet kiss
on a son's cuddled, moist head her way
...discovering a gift of love upon
a red birthing mat in that darkened cave.
I He's a gift of light from God...of touching,
a truth divinely lent as she nurses,
creation's miracle always spinning
at fresh moments of eternal birthing.
So fondly in a brief glimpse of clutching,
the infinite bubbles out. And curses
of darkness, cold separation in winds
of loneliness from God, are bathing
in the midwife's washing pool
which thrusts her child, like a fool
into frigid water of our days
soon surely swirling with the Spirit's warmth.
Can we remember what the prophet says?
We forget. Forget ...As the mother's breast
spills calming milk into his rooting mouth,
we hope for God's strength in the coming test.
She smiles. Timeless little one gurgles.
Through that door of hope, a door ajar,
Life forms creation's gentle realm of flesh,
enlightening the mother's waiting heart,
insight to GLORY in the Christmas creche ...
| 
