Itchy white sweater
A day before December
Bells are ringing,
Ringing, singing
“Hallelujah, Hallelujah”
The people are singing
Commotion and speed walking, don’t be late!
The first day of advent,
2 lowly snowflakes falling
Too early,
And they disintegrate into the cement.
Statues of angles, and Jesus, our savior.
The bells stop ringing
And begins, “Our father who art in heaven..”
My tongue knows what to say
But we are all silent in our sin
Sinning, remorse.
Then, miraculously
He cries
Or maybe it’s a she
A Little baby.
But their cry gives a weight to the words
“Our kingdom come”
Faces turn, including mine, all guilty
While the one crying has nothing on their record.
“Thy will be done”
Their mother is smiling, stressed, shushing her bundle of joy
Who’s singing sweetly for them, for us.
Crying, pouting
Peace in the innocence of her tears
Like those 2 little snowflakes that came alone, brave
Before their harsh, downcast winter storm
“As we forgive those,”
Voices fade
“Who trespass against us”
And light pours upon the sweet child
Loving arms hold her tight, away from everything around.
Time moves fast.
“And lead us not into temptation..”
Their cry becomes desperate, louder
The mother is pleading, “shh, shh, it’s okay.”
And I die inside.
Little baby sneezes
Then pouts, again.
The cry, carrying the problems of all
Every insult,
“But deliver us from evil.”
Every regret.
“Amen.”
Every forced smile and somber moment.
And everything sits down,
All the stars in the sky,
For the poor, poor child.
No worry in those eyes,
I wish she wouldn’t stop crying
For the evil in the world.
My heart cries along with her
And together we are reassured that love exists.
“Hallelujah,
Hallelujah.”