2011.12.25 Every Baby is God

Sharon's Christmas Prayer
by John Shea
 
She was five,sure of the facts, 
 
and recited them 
 with slow solemnity, 
 
convinced every word 
was revelation. 
                            

She said they were so poor
they only had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to eat
and they went a long way from home 
 
without getting lost.

The lady rode 
 a donkey,
the man walked,
and the baby 
was inside the lady. 
 

They had to stay in a stable 
 
with an ox and an ass (hee-hee) 
  
but the Three Rich Men found them 
  
because a star lited the roof. 
  
Shepherds came and you could 
  
pet the sheep but not feed them. 
Then the baby was borned. 
 

And do you know who he was? 


Her quarter eyes inflated 
to silver dollars
 
The baby was God.    
 
And she jumped in the air, 
 
whirled round, dove into the sofa, 
  
and buried her head under the cushion 
  
which is the only proper response 
  
to the Good News of the Incarnation.