Another poem for your Christmas pleasure

"The Gift" by William Carlos Williams

As the wise men of old brought gifts

     guided by a star

                to the humble birthplace

of the god of love,

     the devils

         as an old print shows

retreated in confusion.

     What could a baby know

              of gold ornaments

or frankincense and myrrh,

     of priestly robes

            and devout genuflections?

But the imagination

     knows all stories

               before they are told

and knows the truth of this one

      past all defection

The rich gifts

      so unsuitable for a child

              though devoutly proffered,

stood for all that love can bring.

       The men were old

             how could they know

of a mother’s needs

       or a child’s

       appetite?

But as they kneeled

      the child was fed.

            They saw it

and

      gave praise!

               A miracle

had taken place,

      hard gold to love,

a mother’s milk!

     before

            their wondering eyes.

The ass brayed

       the cattled lowed,

              It was their nature.

All men by their nature give praise.

       It is all

                they can do.

The very devils

      by their flight give praise.

                 What is death,

beside this?

        Nothing.  The wise men

                  came with gifts

and bowed down

         to worship

         this perfection.

I apologize to Mr.Williams for my spacing issues–this program won’t let me space the lines the way they ought to be written.