I saw a light low in the sky, through leafless winter trees,
that called me forward, drew me on, that sent me to my knees.
I knelt then, hardly dared to move, not sure what I had seen;
and as the world grew dark around, looked where the light had been.
A flake or two of snow fell, soft and cold upon my face;
the breeze had dropped away to leave a stillness in the place
which felt serene and holy, like the half-forgotten past,
like childhood dreams that seem so real, then fade and do not last.
Another world I nearly touched, an almost opened door,
the briefest glimpse of glory, then the sky grew dark once more.
A light once shone when angels sang to shepherds in a field,
and in the east a rising star brought tidings long concealed
to men who studied astral charts in some exotic land,
and sent them searching for a king across a waste of sand.
One week to go till Christmas Day, as from my knees I rose
to make for home and fireside, and to the love of those
who are the lights that light my life, I knew this to be true,
that God whose angel spoke to shepherds calls to me and you,
and though the world’s grown dark and cold, and full of sin and pain,
the light of love will never die, the day will dawn again.
The baby born in Bethlehem, and hailed with angel song
would as a man bear on a cross the weight of worldly wrong.
And Christ once laid in manger bed and nestled round with hay
seeks to be born within our hearts, to lead us in his way,
that we may light the darkened world with love and Christian cheer
not only at this holy feast, but through the coming year,
that we may walk the way of faith, and speak of hope and peace
to those who dwell in chains of sin and long for love’s release,
until that day when angel song fills all the golden sky,
when comes again the man who on a cross was pleased to die.
(Picture - setting sun over the Vistula, Krakow, taken in January 2010)
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