HE CAME, HE CAME

*Past Poems Celebrating the Birth of Christ*

HE CAME, HE CAME

He came; He came unto His own,

Angels descended, heavens shone,

Tired men tending their flocks of down sheep

Forgot tiredness, Forwent their night’s sleep

To visit the great Shepherd of all,

Nestled that night in manger and straw.

They told their nephew, son, and dad,

He came ─ Oh, their hearts were so glad.

2

He came; He came unto His own,

Grew, grew up, became fully-grown,

Introduced by John on Jordan’s bank,

Seen by poor, scribe, by men “of some rank,”

He fasted in the lone wilderness,

Faced three temptations with their distress,

Chose men His “fisher-men” to be,

He came ─ walking on earth and sea.

3

He came; He came unto His own,

The seeds for which had long been sown.

One prophet cried out in his own night,

Another called for coming of Light.

A virgin (not woman) was foretold,

A village named (was that a bit bold?)

Even His death they did not miss,

He came ─ but it was not all bliss.

4

He came, He came unto His own,

He was not received, was not known.

They saw Him, Healer for their sick kin,

As Filler for their stomachs so thin.

His friends saw Jesus a sound preacher.

Foes saw Him as dangerous teacher.

(Of course, He was both and much more)

He came ─ shut out of “His own store.”

5

He came; He came unto His own,

─ “Religion” wanted left alone.

So much they bristled at His sayings

Resented public, private swayings.  

Death “expedient for” His nation

(Unaware He loved all creation)

They got their cold, bloody desire,

He came ─ lived, and He did expire.

6

But He came, Came out of that grave,

No sword of Jew or Rome was brave

Enough to stop His “Vict’ry ascent,”

The year’s? No – all time’s Greatest Event!

He showed Himself to men in hiding

Ascended, and now is abiding

Beside God, where He so belongs,  

He came ─ Righting believers’ wrongs.      

– eab, 2004