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The First Christmas Present
by
Mark Lane |
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A spider spun a silver web
in a mound of golden straw,
Then hid deep inside the stack,
away from the wind so raw.
He yelled down to the sheep below
Who were trying to huddle close,
“It’s times like this that I wish there was
a fire for a mutton roast.
But I know that I’m the lucky one
For this straw will keep warm me tonight,”
He hoped that the bravado of his words
would somehow be proven right.
For winter had come upon the land
and now his barn was deathly cold,
He wasn’t sure if he’d survive the night
if the truth of it were told.
He tried to dream a dream of hope
to get him through the night,
But he couldn’t bring himself to sleep
because of a blinding light.
A star was shinning down on them
as if the sun in mid-day glory,
The little spider had yet to learn
of the coming Christmas story.
Below was a wooly ewe with her lamb
both snuggled up together,
Trying their best to keep each other warm
in the cold of the winter weather.
“I’d never trade places with you anyway,”
the mother sheep bleated out,
“Why are you so happy in your hate
to lend voice to pain and doubt?”
The light from heaven kept them awake
and staring in wide wonder,
When two weary travelers entered in
and the straw became their plunder.
The little spider became dislodged
as a nest of straw was piled,
And he could see that one of the travelers
was very great with child.
The spider and the sheep watched it all;
they’d never seen a human being born,
They were all surprised when at his birth
came the peal of an angelic horn.
A herald’s call went out to all the land
announcing the newborn king,
And the spider and the ewe shared a laugh
to think of such a thing.
Because this baby was so small
and his parents were both so poor,
Yet there was something about this newborn child
that neither could ignore.
The spider looked down on the ewe
and said in a voice too bold,
“This baby needs to be swaddled now
to keep him from the cold.
Good ewe I can spin for him a coat
if you’ll allow me to use your fleece.”
So together they worked to swaddle the child
on this first night of holy peace.
The mother smiled at them
as she took the blanket for her boy,
Then laid him in a manger poor
and they were overcome with joy.
The meaning of this wondrous event
was what made them both feel glad,
For they had brought the first gift to the Lord
by sharing what they had.
And the warmth, which they provided the child,
also kept them warm,
May the loving joy that they discovered
keep you this Christmas morn.
Merry Christmas!
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--Submitted by lanet on 2010-12-20.
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Julianne Carlile:
Great story.
Posted 12/21/2010 07:30 AM
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