December 19, 2008

"Christmas Evening" by Geoffrey Philp

Geoffrey PhilpTwelve Poems and A Story for Christmas describes the journey of a newlywed couple, Mary and Joseph, to their ancestral homeland where they are to be registered in a census decreed by a tyrant.

Mary is pregnant and Joseph knows that the child she is carrying is not his. As they travel through the harsh landscape, they are joined by strangers who have been summoned by dreams, visions, and supernatural events to bear witness to a child whose birth they are told is destined to change the course of human history.





Christmas Evening


Joseph still couldn’t understand
what the mystery was all about.
He’d been there when the contractions
shook her small frame, when she wailed,
and dug her fingers into his arm—called out
his name, then her water broke.
He slept beside her on the straw, waited for hours
until the screaming child came into the world,
gazed deep into his eyes, then placed him
between his mother’s breasts, soothing
his cries, and while she was falling
asleep, cleaned them up, cut the cord.

Now there were strangers from all over
the countryside coming into the cave
filling the air with more raw animal smells,
shepherds, sinners, and other neer-do-wells,
who were either drunk or mad,
claiming they’d seen visions
of heavenly hosts of angels, bright
as the moon over the Sea of Galilee.
Joseph shook his head, rocked the manger,
still waiting for the miracle that he’d been promised
when God held his finger and gurgled.




I'll be taking a break from blogging to be with my family and (non-virtual) friends. I'll be back on January 12, and I've got great things planned for 2009!

Until then, give thanks to all who have stopped by, subscribed, bought a book, commented on or linked to a post. It has been a pleasure to share some time with you and I hope the words from either this blog or my books have brought a little light, a little joy into your lives.

Have a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year!

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Give thanks! May the entire Philp clan have a blessed, restful, yet festive holiday. See you in '09, my friend!

Geoffrey Philp said...

Dear Lisa,

Give thanks & blessings i-tinually for you & all your loved ones.

1Heart,
Geoffrey

Rethabile said...

Merry Christmas to you and yours. And thank you for a wonderful blogging year.

Geoffrey Philp said...

The same to you, Rethabile...
All the best for 2009!

clarabella said...

Have a great Christmas, Geoff! Thanks for a great resource – such good reading and such excellent connections. Best to your family for 2009!

pam

Geoffrey Philp said...

Pam, have a wonderful Xmas and may all the possibilities you envision come to reality.

1Heart,
Geoffrey

the prisoner's wife said...

Happy Holidays, my friend! Enjoy this wonderful season.

Anonymous said...

Geoffrey,have a Irie Christmas and wishing you the best for 2009.Nuff respect1

Crafty Green Poet said...

That's a beautiful retelling of the Christmas story. Wishing you a peaceful and happy Christmas

Geoffrey Philp said...

Esteban, I am having an Irie Christmas...
Peace and joy to you and all your loved ones

1Love,
Geoffrey

Geoffrey Philp said...

My love to you and your family during this wonderful season, prisoner's wife!

Geoffrey Philp said...

Crafty, have a merry and green Christmas!
Ho Ho Ho,

Geoffrey

J.M said...

That excerpt really zooms in. Great stuff.

May all those hopes and plans bear some good fruit in 09 and beyond. Nuff love and respect.

Geoffrey Philp said...

Dear Jacqueline,

Thanks for the good words.
Yes, all good things in 09

1Love,
Geoffrey

Leslie B. said...

Merry Christmas!

Geoffrey Philp said...

Thank you, Leslie .Bless