At some point during it, Joseph went missing from the nativity scene.
A couple of days earlier, I'd had a smaller (all things being relative) gathering of ten for Christmas eve / day which had been also filled with so many beautiful moments, and during which the nativity scene had been augmented by home made shepherds and sheep and a wide variety of other toy animals.
Another few days later we had another party ... one of the group had told me she had never had a birthday party or birthday cake so we were determined to give her a celebration to remember: another houseful (though only 33 this time!), more good food, more silly games, more music and dancing and karaoke and disco lights. Joseph did not reappear. The angel has now disappeared too.
A couple of days earlier, I'd had a smaller (all things being relative) gathering of ten for Christmas eve / day which had been also filled with so many beautiful moments, and during which the nativity scene had been augmented by home made shepherds and sheep and a wide variety of other toy animals.
Another few days later we had another party ... one of the group had told me she had never had a birthday party or birthday cake so we were determined to give her a celebration to remember: another houseful (though only 33 this time!), more good food, more silly games, more music and dancing and karaoke and disco lights. Joseph did not reappear. The angel has now disappeared too.
In between times there were other lovely smaller gatherings with friends and family, and quiet days to myself with lots of preparing, sorting and tidying to do, but also space for the gathering of thoughts and space to rest and relax.
I have often (last year being an exception) written a poem for Christmas and if I was going to write something this year, I really wanted it to capture the beauty of these Christmas celebrations with all these wonderful different people who I have in my life. I wanted it to capture the chaos and the joy, and perhaps a little of the in between downtime too. I wanted it to capture that this, for me, was a most fitting celebration of the incarnation and the kind of celebration Jesus would approve of and want to be in the midst of.
I have often (last year being an exception) written a poem for Christmas and if I was going to write something this year, I really wanted it to capture the beauty of these Christmas celebrations with all these wonderful different people who I have in my life. I wanted it to capture the chaos and the joy, and perhaps a little of the in between downtime too. I wanted it to capture that this, for me, was a most fitting celebration of the incarnation and the kind of celebration Jesus would approve of and want to be in the midst of.
The thought that "Joseph is missing" was a starting point which might capture some of that began to flicker around in my head. That, gradually became this, and as I am fully embracing the idea that the Christmas season lasts until Candelmas, I don't think it is too late to call it a Christmas poem.
Joseph is missing
And the elephant,
Joseph is Missing
Joseph is missing
And the elephant,
Yes, the one from the nativity scene,
Has lost a leg
He might turn up
Has lost a leg
He might turn up
But he wasn't under the table
With the widely-scattered popcorn
With the widely-scattered popcorn
With the biscuit crumbs and sprinkles
Nor, seemingly, on the draining board
Or in a kitchen drawer
Put away
Helpfully, unhelpfully,
In the wrong place.
It's unlikely he's been eaten
But you never know
But you never know
There was so much food
He might turn up
And Joseph is still missing
Jesus is smiling.
Which I'm sure tasted better
Than a wooden Joseph
But nestled in the branches of the Christmas tree
A half-eaten bauble,
But nestled in the branches of the Christmas tree
A half-eaten bauble,
Souvenir of another party,
Suggests others have different taste
He might turn up
Suggests others have different taste
He might turn up
Tucked amongst the tinsel, perhaps,
Or at the bottom of a box
With the toy cars and the lego bricks
With the pencils, the pompoms and the plasticine
Or down the back of the sofa
The one where Santa sat
And inner children were embraced
He might turn up
But there's a pretty high chance
That as the music played
That as the music played
And the chaos reigned
He was bundled up,
Helpfully, unhelpfully,
With the pass the parcel paper
And thrown away.
The elephant has,
And thrown away.
The elephant has,
Definitely,
Been thrown away
Sharp edges didn't pass the risk assessment to stay
But the zebras are still here
Worshipping the Christ-child
With the cows
And some time later
When the chaos has calmed
Fairy lights still twinkling like stars
The magi also arrive
Sharp edges didn't pass the risk assessment to stay
But the zebras are still here
Worshipping the Christ-child
With the cows
And some time later
When the chaos has calmed
Fairy lights still twinkling like stars
The magi also arrive
And Joseph is still missing
But I can't help thinking
That looking out
That looking out
From this unconventional nativity scene
Jesus is smiling.
