Mary and the Innkeeper's Wife

by Marilyn Eynon Scott

As Mary wrapped the Child in swaddling bands
And laid him tenderly upon the straw,
Her mind recalled the journey's harsh demands,
How she left behind the pale blue shawl,
The coverlet and matching small white hood,
The woolen gowns and shirts that she had sewed,
The cradle Joseph built of fine grained wood,
Too burdensome for travel on the road.

The innkeeper's wife watched Mary and the Child,
Her barrenness more poignant in her breast.
But as she hastened to the inn, she smiled,
And in her room she dusted off a chest.
With loving care she lifted out each thing...
Her treasured dream, she knew, would befit a King.