the unchanging manger scene

don’t stop me
if you’ve heard this

it’s a Christmas question
about the magi
and their placement
in the creche

because we tend to know
or to believe
or to opine
that these persons from
well
the east of east
did not find Jesus
for two years
or more
not maybe less
and then it was to visit
inside Nazareth of Galilee

and was the flight
to Egypt
by the way
before or after

well
the visit of the magi
anyway
after some time
after the shepherds
angels in the sky
though angels could return
whenever
called

so there might
in fact
be layers to the experience
history
and story

and yet we put them altogether
on church lawns
all the characters
in what we call
Nativity
because that’s what it is
a fancy word
for birth
fancy enough
for shepherds and for monarchs
(not meaning butterflies)
angels
and animals we say
could talk at midnight

and that’s the thing
I guess
each one is unique
and they all
come together
with the single purpose of
welcoming
the Christ-child to the world
of people
and animals
and now

c l couch


photo by Patti Black on Unsplash