Poem: Christmas Gift 2018

Christmas Gift Poem 2018                           Thomas E. Wilson

Advent Lessons and Carols. 23 December    St. George's Episcopal, Engelhard, NC

Slowly, God turning dream to song

singing Word, creates Galactic stew,

image-ing us from stardust of earth,

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

Fearfully, Mary turns to see the angel

kneeling, hailing “Girl dressed in blue,

we know not why, but you are favored.

to hear “'My love is my gift for you.' ”

Joseph wakes in God's ongoing dream,

informing of task; a child to raise true

of heart, mind and soul as precious son

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

The Innkeeper's wife sees the couple

with no place to stay and time is due,

she offers finest stable straw, and then

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

The shepherds sense the angels invite

them come to Bethlehem and to view

a child to be their hope, peace and joy

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

Mary holds all these things in her heart

seeing visions of both pure joy and rue,

raising their child to live and to die and

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

From the East the Magi come placing

gold, frankincense and myrrh in queue,

leaving quietly as wisdom allows them

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

We walk away from wrapping presents,

our fingers sticky with glitter and glue

hoping we'd have grace either to say or

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

The outward packages are never enough

to proclaim what's in our souls we knew;

reason we are together is we were lucky

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

We are older, the children have grown and

under the tree shows presents as very few,

yet turning to each other, we pray or kiss

to hear, “My love is my gift for you.”

This new year is a time for us to promise

that each day we'll choose to begin anew

forgiving the hurts, treasuring the joy and

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

At the service, an offering plate comes

as way giving to God and neighbor too;

but best gift is living in way for God

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”

The day'll come when my table place

will be empty as I bid the world adieu

and on the other shore, again a chance

to hear “My love is my gift for you.”