Poems

The Donkey’s Tale

A wedding was on the horizon,
Of Mary and my master Joe,
They had been engaged for a while now,
But, I think there’s much more you should know.

One night I awoke and heard voices,
One sober and yet it quite sweet,
The other was that of my master,
It stirred me right out of my sleep.

‘Do not be afraid to make Mary your wife’,
The voice of an Angel no less,
‘By the Spirit of God she has been overcome,
And of Mary she will be called Blessed’.

‘The babe she will bare is the firstborn of God,
Jesus is the name you will give,
His people to save from their sins he has come,
And through him God with us will live’.

The Government called for census,
Some work this really will make,
To count all the people in Israel,
A journey we now have to take.

Mary I carried (my precious load),
Joseph, he walked by my side,
Through valleys o’er hilltops the winding path went,
Till at last the Town we espied.

The streets are so busy in Bethlehem’s town,
Far more than a grand market day,
With donkeys and carts and a huge camel train,
‘NO ROOM’ the Inn keepers say.

I feared the worst, but they had one more try,
‘Sorry no room, oh! Just wait’,
With a quick look at Mary the fellow replied,
‘There’s a stable out back for you mate’.

‘I’ll take it’ said Joe ‘whatever the cost,
As long as it’s dry and not damp’,
He lead the way and what a surprise,
A cosy old shed, with a lamp.

The stable ooh, it was lovely,
Our journey at last at an end,
There’s sheep with some lambs, some cows and a duck,
Do you know? I’ve made some new friends.

During the night something strange did occur,
A star shone so bright overhead,
That very same night Mary gave birth to a boy,
And placed him where I’m usually fed.

What joy to behold right under my nose,
To the babe my heart wants to yield,
Then some shepherds came in with a story to tell,
Leaving their sheep in the field.

Peacefully watching their flock on the hill,
An angel appeared full of light,
‘Fear not for I bring you good news of great joy’,
Although he just filled them with fright.

‘For all people today, a Saviours been born
He’s the Lord, he is the Christ
The Heavenly babe in a stable you’ll find,
Glory to God in the highest’.

When all fear had gone they spoke of this news,
‘This thing that has happened let’s see’,
When they came in and saw what the angel had said,
They bowed and they fell to their knees.

They returned to their flock full of wonder and praise,
Spreading the news as they went,
Telling of all that the angel had said,
Of the Saviour that has now been sent.

Some time had passed by and more visitors came,
They’d searched and had come from afar,
With a visit to Herod to inquire of the king,
They’d followed that really bright star.

These fellows were magi from far in the east,
Trying to find out some news
Of the one they had come to worship and see,
The one who is King of the Jews.

Herod was cross at the thought of that news,
That the Jews would have their own King,
‘Where would he be born? He inquired of his seers,
The answers from old scrolls did bring.

‘Out of Bethlehem’, sire, ‘a ruler will come
For Gods people in Israel to care’,
And secretly asking the magi the way,
So he too may worship him there.

They went on their way and followed that star,
I t brought them right here to the boy,
Bearing gifts of incense gold and myrrh,
They bowed and worshipped, what joy!

Their mission accomplished they marvelled and smiled,
And wondered what all this could mean,
With thoughts of what Herod had said to the men ,
Their route home was changed in a dream.

Glory and Honour and praises abound,
Holy the Heavenly choirs sing,
With my story ended there’s no more to tell,
Except, Jesus is my God and King.

Poet Laureate – Elaine Woodward