This year
We signed our gifts
“from the homeless Dunns”
But really
That’s not accurate
When I think of

Mary giving birth
In a stable
- I had a hospital

Or the Magi
Following the star
- our wandering is only a month

And refugees
Fleeing ISIS
- we have more than we can carry,
And more over the ocean.

And civilians
Escaping Mosul
- we’ve always had a roof.

And in Aleppo there are
Broken bodies
Under broken roofs.
Then woe is me, poor child, for thee.

And my infant
Not sleeping from jet lag
Theirs will sleep
Forever
By by lully, lullay

My darkness
Of raging hormones
Nothing like theirs
Or the mothers of Bethlehem.
Why is there so much darkness
At the start of new life?
And ever mourn and say

But the Light shines
in the darkness
And the darkness
Does not overcome Him.
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night

the Healer does not crush
the bruised reed
But binds up
the broken.
And death’s dark shadows put to flight

The Herods in our day
and His
May batter their people
But He
is good -
is God -
With Us.
Rejoice.

(for more Christmas art check out www.headpiecestraw.blogspot.com/)