Original artwork by Deborah Dyer

O HODIE!
CHRISTUS NATUS EST

Make way!
Make room for Him!
Make way, without!
Make way, within!

Not in far-ago
Once Bethlehem,
Not only then,
In stable and in stall—

But in the raw and when,
The new and now--
Not only in the every and again,
But in the old and somehow,

Ah, then, shall He flesh fresh
At brink and break of dawn,
At sluice and slice of
        silver slivered moon—

Ah then, indeed, shall He indwell:
In hearth and home
In breast and bone
In blood and stone—

And Mary-wait give birth
In dearing-darkness
To the deep alluring
Word-Made-Flesh!

Ah then, ah surely then,
Shall He indwell,
Not in thralldom
But in freedom—

Born of “yes!”
And chaste consent
Give flesh
To Word-Made-Lovely.

Advent 2005
Carol R. Crawford