Mary & Elizabeth

Day #2

A-Poem-a-Day

Until Christmas...

Mary & Elizabeth

MARY & ELIZABETH

A young virgin

from Nazareth was roused

by the flapping of wings

a manshape in moonbeams

and a perplexing salutation:

Greetings favored one!

The Lord is with you

It was Gabriel

an angel sent by God

who told Mary she would conceive

and bear a boy child, Jesus—

the Son of the Most High

He spoke of the Holy Spirit

and overshadowing

and of her relative, Elizabeth

who though barren

conceived in her old age—

for nothing is impossible with God

Awestruck, trembling

needing to tell someone

who did Mary go to first?

Her mother? Father?

How would they receive such news?

Or did she run to her betrothed, Joseph

expecting him to understand?

Oh, he wanted to understand

wanted to believe, but

it was unbelievable, preposterous

So, stunned, disappointed

feeling utterly deceived, Joseph

contemplated quietly sending her away

Then Mary remembered the angel

had spoken of her dear cousin, Elizabeth—

Is that why Mary hurried off

on a brave trek to the hills of Hebron…alone?

Of course, it had to be Elizabeth

aged, wise, expecting

and now acquainted, herself, with miracles

When Mary arrived at the home

of Zacharias and Elizabeth

Elizabeth’s unborn baby

leapt for joy! in her womb

and in a whirl of wondrous ecstasy

Elizabeth knew of Mary’s pregnancy

before being told

…then a psalm-like lilt of praise

sprang from Mary’s lips

extolling the great things

the Mighty One had done for her

Tender were the next three months

as the household awaited Elizabeth’s travail

(and the birth of John, the baptizer)

The women prepared their layettes

folded the swaddling-clothes

shared their magnanimous miracles

and confided maternal aspirations

as their bellies swelled

…and I like to think

Joseph ran all the way to Hebron

one day expressly to announce

his own angelic vision in a dream—

that he was to take Mary as his wife

and they would await

the miraculous birth of Jesus—together

Maude Carolan Pych