Setting out in the early dawn

As the stones of the fire

Had grown cold like some of our hearts ~

Clearly upon this path,

Courage was required.

And yes, we did start

At the breaking of dawn

And the banishing of dark.

And the birds started singing ~

Every robin, sparrow, Blue Jay, and lark.

Now…. untold days later,

Following the arc of

The star of Bethlehem,

And with each warning fire

Our hearts were inspired

And cold hearts warmed.

Yet upon the lightening-lit-horizon

Dark storms swarmed

As upon our path

Beleaguered travelers forlorn followed us ~

Something terrible had happened,

Each one of them had sworn!

They told tales of a mother

And her child who had been born,

How he grew into a man

And ended up with a crown of thorns.

It had been just the day before,

Or so we were told,

Or it is lore ~

That he was hung upon a tree

And all our sins He bore.

Now the mother grieves as

All she can do is mourn.