He sat upon a hill that cold and moonless night,
Watching a star address a silent earth.
Tiny it was, and eastward far away.
The shepherd boy was peaceful in his heart,
Caring for restless sheep and wondering why they moved
In night time when they were at peace on nights before.
The other grownup shepherds sat around the fire
Warming themselves against the chill of winter eve,
Talking of lambs to come, of hay, of grain and barns,
While watching the canopy of stars.
The shepherd boy was drawn to one small star,
All by itself above the eastward hills,
Thinking he must do errands for his mother
When daybreak comes.
But that one star seemed brighter than before.
Indeed, it seemed to change before his eyes.
How could it be?
He called to Uncle Simon sitting by the fire,
“Look up, there along the eastern hills”, he said,
“A star is growing bright,
It’s moving toward us; how can this be?”
The shepherds, all of them, then saw the star,
But wondered if the boy was telling tales,
He was not above such pranks and tricks on former days,
They, too, watched that special star
Hanging there above the village to the east.
And sure enough the star was moving close!
Brighter and then still brighter it became!
Closer and closer still!
The shepherd boy stood very still and watched,
Staff in hand, eyes peering at the sky,
Fear and awe rising in his heart.
The sheep more restless still!
The shepherds rising with alarm!
What is it? What is this brilliant light
Piercing the dark of night?
And then it stopped!
“Where is it stopping?” asked the shepherd boy
And Simon slowly answered “Over Jonah’s stable,
Just beside his inn!
We’d better go and see what this is all about.”
(December 1993)