Saturday, December 22, 2012

Advent 2012 : Day 21




O Rex Gentium


One day, out of the blue

a caravan of travellers came to town,

exotic in their clothes and tongue.

They came in from the west – 

the road of dreams – 

but pitched their tents towards the east,

to indicate they came in peace,

as father Abraham himself had done.

They set up camp, and all the while

the eyes of every Bethlehem child

held every move: our sentinels.

All, except one: my son.

Like any boy his age, he did not lack

boldness of heart, inquiring eye...

but nonetheless,

he looked up from the dust

in which he drew – 

unfolding stories with a sweep – 

and then turned back

to his own occupation. Sure enough,

when they were ready,

they came to him.

They next day, they were gone again,

as suddenly as they had come;

off on their onward journeying,

in search of precious hope

and rising faith

and costly love.



O Rex Gentium

O King of the Nations, and their desire,

the cornerstone making both one:

Come and save the human race,

which you fashioned from clay.




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