CHRISTMAS POEM 2024

CHRISTMAS POEM 2024

Bruises on the newborn’s flesh  

                The tender baby cries

Like violet lesions on His back  

                That marks the day He dies

Natal blood on infant’s brow

         Reminder of the day

When regal thorns will pierce His skull

                Adored in mocking way

The crib betrays those newborn sobs

                Mere echoes of the tree

From which He’ll wail apart from all

                ‘Thou hast forsaken me!’

Now see the lonely place of birth

                The haunt of sheep and cows

A foretaste of that blood-teared grove

                Where God incarnate bows

A feeding trough His sunken bed

                An emblem of the grave

Whence springs His flesh the bread of life

                God’s nourishment to save.

Man sees that baby lying there

                But only faith looks through

And sees a nail-scarred babe turned man

                 Who died for me and you.

rgh