Season's Greetings

For Mary, and for You and Me too


long journey. darkness. silence. doors slamming shut.

you most exhausted with your massive weighty belly: no way out.

worn out, disgusted by the barn, unwashed animals,

not even a small bowl of clean water or the tiniest lamp.


each of us has been here, wondered, why me? wondered, why go on?


yet the waters break by themselves.

into the dark manger of our fears, our shame, our divine new life is born.

not without excruciating labor, but when the bright new babe is in our arms

pain and past are washed clean, washed away,

in the starlight of joy,

the brilliance of the eternal present,

the sparkling magic of Christmas.