I would like to share a poem my mother-in-law wrote. One year ago today, I had the honor of reading it at her funeral…
No Fitting Place
They came to my town their taxes to pay
The weariness showed in their faces that day.
She was young and fair…with child, I could see
They came down the road, and came straight to me.
“Oh sir, we are weary and my wife’s time is near.
Could you tell me if there is room for us here?”
I pondered his question from all points of view.
The thoughts that I had I’ll share now with you.
Just a fire in the middle and stale, dirty hay.
It was only one room, full of people that day.
It was no fitting place for these people to be.
And especially a baby, just between you and me.
The guests were rowdy, and drinking, and crude.
Some of them were really abusive and rude.
A birth in their midst would make them unclean.
This delay to their travels might make them mean.
This girl was so innocent, inside me I knew
That a birth in this crowd would embarrass her too.
Still he looked at me hopefully, trust in his face.
“Couldn’t you make room? We won’t take up much space.”
I thought for a minute, then a plan came to me.
There was one place that offered some privacy.
My stable out back was quiet and clean.
No vermin or fleas that I’d ever seen.
They gratefully settled down in the hay
And that’s all that I saw of the couple that day.
The young girl gave birth to a boy child that night
And these old eyes had never seen such a sight!
A giant star hung over the place of his birth,
And folks came to see Him from all over this earth.
God first told the lowly shepherds out with their sheep
To come see his Son, their vigil to keep.
The angels came then and were singing their song
Of the birth of a Savior they’d awaited so long.
The Heavenly Hosts praised this victor from sin
And sang of peace, good will to men.
And then they were gone; all was quiet again.
Things could not be the same as they were then.
For the rest of my life I’d remember this day
Beautiful!!
Mary,
What a great peom. Your MIL must have been a really special lady. No wonder you loved her so much.
Thanks for sharing.
Tricia
Tricia, she was special! Thanks for sharing Mary!
That was very beautiful. thank you
She certainly had a gift to write. Beautiful!
What a wonderful perspective; that Mary and Joseph weren’t “banished” to the stable, but that it was a thoughtful choice, to give them some privacy and peace. Thank you for printing this beautiful poem, Mary!