The Babe Poem by Julie Dant

The cabin smelled of woodsmoke, roast mutton, and tallow
The hearth fire casting bright places of yellow
but 'twas in the dark corners his eyes desparately darted
for the months had passed slowly since the time they had parted.

In the shadows she waited, struck dumb with emotion
his arrival at her door giving proof of devotion
Can a heart beat this strongly and not come through the chest?
She drank him in deeply and silently blessed

the creator for sending her love for this man.
So overcome she was, her eyes dropped to her hands.
The searching grey of his eyes, suddenly stilled
as the firelight glinted on her tears as they spilled

down her blushing red cheeks leaving wet trails to her mouth
and as he beheld her he was realeased of all doubt.
In three strides he was before her and as he knelt
he lay his black curls on her lap and she felt

his trembling and yearning and great love, all mixed
and knew, like the moon and the stars, it was fixed.
Then breaking the silence there came a small cry.
She took up his hand and watched as his eyes

Moistened and spilled and it was his turn
to weep with the joy of it. In his heart love burned
with an intenseness that swelled 'till he felt he might burst
as his gaze fell on the babe. His son. His first.

On the bare puncheon floor the couple there knelt
and thanked God for this miracle that they beheld.
And the angels in heaven rejoiced, then, to share
as all three were aglow in the firelight there.