A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas...
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 Judea…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 Judea
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
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