Poem for Today

In the Dark of the Stable
It was there in the dark of the stable,
One night, in a land far away,
That a donkey stood with the other beasts, 
and worshipped the Child in the hay.
Long ears turned to listen
To each sound that the Christ-child made,
Sheep murmured their adoration,
Cattle lowed, and the donkey brayed.


It was there in the dark of the stable,
With a bright star shining above,
That the donkey and the others gathered
To sing out their chorus of love.
Nobody turned to hush them
As the gathered assembly prayed,
They all smiled at the tiny infant,
And still the donkey brayed.


It was there in the dark of the stable,
That God came down to earth;
He chose to come as a helpless child,
And the donkey witnessed His birth.
The animals, and Joseph and Mary,
Sweet murmurs of love they made,
As they gazed on the holy infant,
And still the donkey brayed.


It was there in the dark of the stable,
On the holiest night of the year,
That the shepherds came to worship
The Saviour lying there.
It’s said, through the animal kingdom,
That as the sleeping infant woke,
That, for just one fleeting moment,
The donkey finally spoke.


It was there in the dark of the stable,
That another miracle took place;
As the donkey worshipped the baby,
Through the power of God’s grace.
Perhaps, if you go to a stable
On the holiest night of the year,
And quietly listen at midnight,
Then his gentle voice you’ll hear.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh : December 2005