Christmas Every Week: Epiphany
Arnold Kellett’s poem reflects upon one of the New Testament’s most famous stories.
Three Wise Men, we say,
Three Kings ....
Not so:
Just who they were
And how many
We shall never know:
Magi from the East
Is all Matthew says:
No rank or number,
But three memorable gifts
Justify romance
And hint a royal visitation:
Gold, for they honoured a King,
Frankincense, for they worshipped a God,
Myrrh, for they glimpsed suffering,
Even death on a Cross,
Beyond the bright Star:
Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar,
So tradition names them . ..
But nameless, unnumbered,
We treasure the tale:
For, following the Jewish shepherds,
These were the first,
Just like ourselves,
Gentiles who honour the Christ,
Only we far less worthy,
Our gifts to each other
Amply awarding,
And our gifts to him...
Not worth recording.
