Monday, December 07, 2009

An Advent Poem

Joseph's Choice
Bryan Davis

A stone, O Joseph, cast a stone;
Obey the law she must have known.
A pregnant girl cannot deny
Her pose of virtue shouts a lie.

We stand beside you, stones in hand;
Just say the word to rid our land
Of harlots soiling God’s good name
By saying Yahweh is to blame.

O son of David, close your ears
To angry shouts that feed your fears,
For mercy calls with heaven’s breath
To rescue her from bloody death.

Believe her words; she tells no lie.
This virgin birth is prophesied.
Conceived by God is this new life;
Embrace her, take her as your wife.

Then Joseph looks upon his bride
Lamenting, sobbing at his side;
A stone in hand, the judge prepares;
Decide for wrath or grace to spare?

The law is clear, the sinner dies.
Yet who can judge with perfect eyes
This weeping girl who serves so well
And claims to bear Immanuel?

Believe a dream, an angel’s song?
Or trust the scribes and screaming throng?
Choose life and suffer scornful men?
Or death and never sleep again?

Again he looks at stone in hand,
A piece of rubble from the land;
It speaks of law, unyielding walls,
And spurns the sound of mercy’s calls.

While Mary weeps in sorrow’s gloom,
She carries grace within her womb,
The stone who comes to set men free,
A rock, a fount of liberty.

Then Joseph drops the stone from hell
And sets his hands on Mary’s swell.
“Believing you,” he says with tears,
“The only choice that wrests my fears.”

“And now I hold this stone of grace
Within a vessel fair of face;
I know you bring the Law of love
Who comes to us from God above.”


11 comments:

ElizabethMarieKauffman said...

Wow! That is REALLY good!!! I love the pictures it gives so eloquently. :)

Assr vĂ­sa ykkarr or∂.

~ElizabethMarieKauffman~

Good_devin said...

Wow. That's cool! Can I try to put it to music on Piano? Forwarding to friends and family.

Katie said...

That was stunning, Mr. Davis!!! I love it!

Bryan Davis said...

Sure, GD. Go ahead.

Kirsten Erin said...

Wow! Amazing poem! Great job!

Kirsten Erin said...

Just want to leave a comment and let you know that I posted a link to this article on my blog on a post entitled "A Few Good Reads".
http://www.livingwaterke.com/2009/12/few-good-reads.html

Anonymous said...

OH MY GOSH!!!! That was amazing!! You are truly one of the best authors of our time or any time in my opinion! You really know how to paint a picture in a readers mind!! Keep up the good work!!
Book Worm~

Bryan Davis said...

Thank you, book worm. I appreciate it.

Anonymous said...

i just wish i could convey the feeling u put into writing Mr. Davis! it was amazing and i could really picture Joseph looking at the stone with a confused expression on his face. i could c him walk up to Mary and hold her shoulder. it was magical!!
Michaela Swedberg (mikayla swedburg)

Bryan Davis said...

Thank you, Michaela. :-)

Anonymous said...

welcome! i loved the part where u said he "dropped the stone from Hell." it was very moving!
Michaela Swedberg