Away They Went Rejoicng

AWAY THEY WENT REJOICING
THE SHEPHERDS TO THEIR FLOCKS ABIDING
THEY NEEDED TENDING
AWAY THEY WENT
TRAILING THE SMELL OF SHEEP
SWEAT
AND CHEAP WINE

THEY PASSED A NOBLE CARAVAN
WITH ROYALTY PERCHED ON CAMELS
ONE SENSED CLEANLINESS
AND GOOD MANNERS
THEY NODDED AT EACH OTHER IN PASSING

SOME SAY
THE BIRTH NARRATIVES
ARE ROMANTIC FICTIONS
MEANT TO DRESS UP A DRAB
ORDINARY SCENE

AS IF TO SAY
THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
WAS NOT MIRACLE ENOUGH

WE TAKE HIS LIFE
AND SIMPLE WORDS
AND SPIN AN UNRECOGNIZABLE TALE
AT WHICH THE SHEPHERDS
WOULD COMMENT
A COLLECTIVE
HUH

THE SIMPLE FACT IS GOD CAME

A SIMPLE FACT LIKE GOD
CREATED HEAVEN
AND EARTH

WE ARGUE OVER
METHODS AND DAYS
WHO CARES
GOD CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH

GOD BECAME A MAN
TO LIVE AN ORDINARY LIFE
TO SUCKLE AT HIS MOTHER’S BREAST
TO KNOW HEAT AND COLD
HUNGER AND THIRST
TO WORK AT A TRADE
TO PAY THE BILLS
TO SHARE OUR OFTEN MUNDANE LIFE

IN AN ORDINARY BIRTH
NO ANGELS AUDIBLY SING
NO TRADESMEN COME TO CALL
NO ROYALTY BRING GIFTS

AND CHRIST CAME TO BE AN ORDINARY MAN

I MUST CONFESS
THAT CHRISTMAS STRIPPED DOWN
HAS MERIT
BUT LIKE HARDY’S POEM


If someone said on Christmas Eve,Come; see the oxen kneel,

I should go with him in the gloom,Hoping it might be so



COME GENTLE JESUS COME
YOUR BIRTH IS ENOUGH FOR ME
MAY I BRING THE GIFT OF WHO I AM
AND THE GIFT
OF WHAT WE BOTH
SHALL BE
WHEN WE GROW UP



FRANK A VOLLMER