Shalom

*A playful poem meant to highlight Mary’s youth while also honoring her maturity and faithfulness, two reasons, I believe, she was chosen to bear and love Jesus*

Shalom was tired
as was I
“How much farther, Joseph?”
“Just a little bit,” he replied.

Dear man.
I’d come to learn
“a little bit”
was his way of managing
a lot

And I was a lot,
I knew.
Not his ideal bride
not an ideal time for a census

But at least we had Shalom,
my donkey,
he, barely out of babyhood,
the perfect parting gift.

At birth Shalom almost didn’t make it.
I slept with him through sickness
and he was lovely witness
to angel’s appearing and blessing

Poor donkey.
Born at such a time as this
to journey so many miles.
Ha, I mean
“a little bit”

Before night completely overtook us,
we arrive.
At last, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
an ironically fitting little town
for my little family

for though we are small
out of my womb will grow
the biggest love, hope, and triumph
the world has ever known

Jarringly interrupted from my dreaming,
I hear the words:
“There’s no room for you.”

-Oh.
My LORD, I get it,
I need to make more room
for You-

And so we laid our weary selves
down to sleep with
Shalom.