swaddling cloths had soothed active limbs to stillness; in
the drowsing darkness there was not a sound from him
but the steady in, out, in, out, of infant breaths.
All articles filed in advent
for to us
and now stand we all upon the brink of mystery
for to us, the empty-handed, there has been a child born
uncreated, He has entered human history
life eternal, swaddled in the flesh that we have worn
filled
wonder-wrapt, she walked the rocky road as
it wound its way between the hills to a stone house
tucked between the trees.
O Bread of Life
O Bread of Life, You are the
true food that satisfies our hungry
souls.
the light of dawn
the old man’s hunger had left his stomach hollow.
how am i to know this? he had asked the angel.
elizabeth’s womb lies barren; no seed
has ever taken root. and i am no better than a wizened stem.
o Love ever-burning
Who will lift the shroud of night
heaven’s light fresh to reveal
overcome death’s with’ring blight
deign our wounded hearts to heal?
o Love gentle
o Love gentle, patient, kind
make us once more wholly Thine
vanquished is the lonely night
look, light has broken
on the darkened world
vanished is the lonely night —
eternity dawns
everything — and us
poor, his bed is not
even his to claim
at least in human reck’ning
could this be the one
ev’ry soul longs for?
eternity sleeps
here on a hay bed
open eyes shine black
peering from a tiny face
even still womb-wet