Here I Am

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin's name was Mary. And he came to her and said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God." Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her. Luke 1:26-38


Here I Am

Here I am servant of the Lord
woken and frightened in the night
specters speak to me with promises
I shutter feeling so all alone.

I cannot do but what God has asked
yet shame and heartache will greet me
my neighbors will be friends no longer
and even the faithful will have their doubts.

I will hold the child of God within me
it will feed and grow within this frame
once born I will have to keep him safe
fed and educated in a world of scorn.

How will my family my beloved act?
will they turn away from me in horror
wag their heads and sigh at my delusion
send me away so as not to see their shame?

 Here I am servant of the Lord
weeping in fear and totally alone
I will stay and watch until the morning light
for I can do nothing else but follow now.