Poem December 22, 2008 Issue

The heart of Christmas

Alfred Gemrich

At the hearth of hope,
in the manger of the humble mind,
on the Sabbath of everyday,
in the holiness of everywhere,
in the evergreen of time no longer,
in the whispering praise of stars
(one silver shining for each of us),
at the eternal moment of divine conception,
in the unfolding of continuous creation,
the annunciation of abundance,
the trumpets of heaven's windows' raising,
is the end of longing for belonging,
the visible beginning of invisible grace.
     In the gift of the giver, the present of the presence,
     the outward embrace of indwelling Love,
     all things become lamb-white and new.
We are born over and over in the beauty of perfection,
crowned kings and queens, princes and princesses of peace,
open unspeakable gifts on the altar of exceeding joy.
     The child-heart leaps in wonder and welcome,
      beating with the great heart of Christmas.