Two haggard people straggled in
Upon a lonely winter night;
They pled their case before a man
Who found them both a dreadful sight.

“We journeyed over many miles
To register our family,
As Caesar did demand of us;
Please, grant us hospitality.

"My wife and I are weary souls
Who’ve risen up at break of day;
Our travels took us many steps,
With stress and turmoil on the way.”

The frazzled keeper of the hearth
Took notice of the woman’s girth
And felt compassion for the bride
Whose time had come for giving birth.

“My friends, I wish the news were good,
So I could grant your kind request;
But as it is, my inn is full,
And every room has been possessed.

"Nearby, you’ll find a resting place
With all the animals I own;
If not, you’ll find just empty plains
To rest your head upon a stone.”

The couple settled in to rest
Among the cattle and the sheep –
Too tired to take another step,
And yet could not succumb to sleep.

Instead, they gave their thanks to God
For blessings past and those to be,
But most of all, the Gift of love
Whose light shines bright for all to see.

© 2004 by Robert E. Blackwell