Millennium Lullaby for Baby Jesus

In the morning I shaped green boughs into a wreath nailed to the wall
sprinkled with tiny stars to sparkle through the night.
Bright bubbles in rainbow colors found their place upon the tree
and with lacy garlands like filigree adorned the hall.
In the evening I baked cookies, filled a pie, shaped candied fruit
in tiny balls while bread was kneaded hard and sweet upon the plank
and little eager faces and floury hands helped make the season right.
At midnight I placed your tiny body in cold manger bed
and listened for the voice of angels singing Gloria.
Yet, all I could hear was soft cries of babies being born
into a new millennium in so many Bethlehems around the world.
May all of them have a nativity and infancy and adolescence
where hope, and peace, and joy will reign
where soldiers sharpened swords and Herod's cruel hands
will never deign snuff out the tiny flames.
Sleep, little baby, you are one of us
We cradle you in fleshy arms, swaddle you with love
shower you with gifts wrapped in gold
surround you with frankincense and cinnamon and bathe you with myrrh
as a reminder -- a shroud will one day your body enfold.

Heleni Pedersoli