Written primarily in free verse, the seventh line of each stanza offers a slant rhyme with its neighboring stanzas. The middle stanza of seven words is a line of confession symmetric around the occasion and object of worship.

When royalty descends from palace to village,
Chances are, it’s for a coronation.
There’s an emerging incongruity about this one,
A rescue mission—rumor has it—but that would be reckless,
“A king sends horsemen for that sort of thing.”
At worst it would be fatal, at best it saves a loved one but still
Unwise.

When royalty rides out of the palace, adornments are world-class.
This one, they say, comes in pauper’s garments but
That would shame the wealthy, the movers, the influencers,
Would make a conspicuous mockery of their robes,
“If a king is wearing rags, who needs more?”
What’s worse, in due time, commoners would be empowered
To rise.

Now, if royalty came to dwell with villagers,
The royal court would be aghast with rumor,
How absurd to assume a position lower than the court¹.
Courtiers who trust would ponder in awe², others with side-eye,
“Has he taken this village project too far?”
It would draw the former to praise³ but goad the latter
To resign.

Oh how my Christmas wonder turns tepid.

Notice his corporeal arrival did not with staggering glory
Pierce the earth—he exerted only seven pounds. But when he
Pressed through the word-hardened, razor-thin mesh of time-space,
His eternal character riven into ordained parcels of suffering service—
Night one’s saliva-smeared bed, a starved wilderness, legion of demons, violent storm, his locust-breath baptizer beheaded, a smothering crowd, a friend dead too soon, blood in the pores, betrayal executed, abandonment swallowed, heel struck—
It became clear this side of his linearized expression, he was the one
Pierced⁴.

In the fullness of time⁵ he came with no pageantry.
The first touch he felt of royal purple cloak⁶, he wore it
Like the weight of the world—his mock coronation crushed him.
Yet take heed the ascendant pattern by which:
“I have overcome the world.”⁷
Self-attested living water⁸ poured all he had and accomplished rescue
In thirst.

The proud are scattered⁹. The ear that hears is upheld.
When his splendor comes to well up¹⁰ inside your core,
Chances are, it won’t be when you’re feeling rich.
You’ll find him far beneath the blinding lights—
Bathroom floor, hospital bed, weary with incompetence, alone at the holiday table, imprisoned by shame, paralyzed with fear, overwhelmed with regret, broken by abuse, poor in spirit, crippled by loss—
Where you lay, tangible as manger’s hay¹¹ or broiled fish¹², he’ll bivouac there¹³
First.

© Tanner Rinke 2023

Footnotes

1. “You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honor.” – Hebrews 2:7

2. “…things into which angels long to look” – 1 Peter 1:12

3. “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'” – Luke 2:13-14

4. “But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.” – Isaiah 53:5

5. “But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law…” – Galatians 4:4

6. “And they clothed him in a purple cloak, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on him.” – Mark 15:17

7. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

8. “Jesus answered her, ‘If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, “Give me a drink,” you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.’” – John 4:10

9. “…he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts…” – Luke 1:51

10. “…but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” – John 4:14

11. “And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.” – Luke 2:7

12. “They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.” – Luke 24:42-43

13. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us…” – John 1:14