A-Poem-a-Day Until Christmas
Image credit: PBS
THE WINGED ONES
There’s a
sudden swirl
of fragrance
and smoke
as Zacharias
tends
the temple
altar of incense
Lo! A
resplendent angel
appears
before his eyes—
It is Gabriel
who stands in
the presence of God
The winged
one startles the old priest
by proclaiming—
Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear a son…
He will be the forerunner of Messiah
Astonished at
the announcement
(for his wife
is advanced in years)
Zacharias dares
question
God’s
messenger
and is duly
struck dumb—
and will not
utter another word
until the
Heavenly proclamation
comes to pass
As
grey-haired Elizabeth blossoms
with
approaching motherhood
Gabriel
alights again
all wings and
gleam and glory
in a visit to
Mary, a Nazarene maiden
He foretells
that she, too, will be with child—
She has been chosen
to be the virgin mother
of the Holy
Son of God—
Breathless,
Mary runs
to Joseph,
her betrothed
eager to tell
of the angelic visitation
and Gabriel’s
marvelous word to her
but it is too
much for him to comprehend—
Feeling
deceived and disheartened
he considers
ending their engagement
until one
night, while tossing in sleep
an angel of
the Lord appears in a dream
to assure him
Mary is
indeed pure and righteous—
miraculously
overshadowed
by the Holy
Spirit of God
so Joseph
marries her
and together
they await the coming
of the Savior
of the World
and when that
wondrous event occurs
a multitude
of angels fill the Heavenlies
with most
glorious splendors
The Bethlehem
night becomes brilliant
startling
lowly shepherds
reclining in
fields with their flocks
and all the
beautiful celestial beings
with wings
and robes and gladness
proclaim good
news of great joy
for all people:
Glory to God in the
Highest—
Jesus, the Messiah, is
born!
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