Jeff Kyser Poet Quatrain

So Little Known of Mary's Man

So little known of Mary's man,
Only that he was righteous, just.
Betrothal gone afoul of plan,
He sought divorce, discrete, no fuss.

Did you have doubts of your betrothed,
A fleeting thought to cause some harm,
As you imagined her unclothed,
Tight in another man's strong arms?

And as the child in her womb grew,
As whispers, furtive glances came,
Were dreams by angels given you
Enough to overcome the shame?

When she was racked with labor pains,
With no rooms left, were you still able
To Mary joyfully proclaim
The Lord’s provision in a stable?

When came the pilgrims from the East,
Brought gold and frankincense and myrrh,
Did you see these for king and priest,
Or gifts to which you'd grow inured?

When called to Egypt in the night,
Just out of reach from Herod's clutch,
Did you in midst of desert flight,
Feel vulnerable or panic much?

Or were there times in playful fun,
Just you, your wife, your baby child,
See him as Christ, the Holy One
Through whom God's children reconciled?

With hammer, nails, at early age,
A carpenter, this child you taught.
Did it, in wildest dreams, presage
The means by which he ransom bought?

When you in haste to temple went,
And he told you in your distress,
"My Father's house,” where he'd be found,
Did his response provide redress?

And after, what became of you?
Some have suggested that you died
An early death, perhaps best too,
For who could watch son crucified?

Though Scripture does not much record,
The part you played was shortly done,
One can imagine your reward:
Eternity with God the Son.

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John Watt January 1, 2023 at 8:30 PM Jeff, I love how you consider the enigma of Joseph in this poem. It's hard to imagine what we would think if our fiance told us she was pregnant, but it's ok because it was by the Holy Spirit and she knew this because an angel had told her so! I like how you formed these stanzas as questions, almost as though they were a list of things to ask him when meeting him in heaven. Really enjoyed reading this, Jeff - going in my favs. Happy New Year ~ John Jeff Kyser January 2, 2023 at 2:49 AM Thanks, John - yes, the biblical record, in particular with the gospels, is sufficient for its purpose, but leaves a lot of questions in my mind. I always thought the whole dynamic of an earthly father tasked with raising the son of God an interesting one.

L Milton Hankins December 2, 2022 at 11:03 AM Beautifully-written, Jeff. Sounds like a poem a child might recite at a Christmas program. Or, considering the length, one stanza per child. Anyway, I like it and would consider using it like this.