For now you may love –
your child held against the wintry cold,
your dreams flickering before you in the fire.
Would you could hold him forever as on his day of birth
when he first looked into your eyes.
But, O Mother, though tears await you
and this son of yours be taken from you,
you will never forget his tender child’s touch,
his first crying or his last;
all his many words spoken to you
after a day of play or from a bitter cross.
On that day, Mary, as on the first,
you shall be joy-filled, God-bearing,
remembered with him for all time,
and we will join you in your song of praise.

1983-84 – Menlo Park, California

Fr. Peter Wm. Gray was a teacher of mine. In 1983 or 84 we collaborated on a Christmas card. His artwork, above, we did not use and I don’t know why because it is stunningly evocative. My poem accompanied the card with another piece of his artwork, also good, but not so striking as the piece seen here.