The Extra Guest (Poetry)

A knock one raw December night
came soft upon our door
the sleet it flurried through the dark
the old street lighting poor

And there hunched on our frosted step
a careworn figure stood
and gazed with such appealing eyes
from underneath her hood

‘I need a room ...’ words tumbled out
‘please don’t turn me away
I need somewhere to rest awhile
I have the means to pay’

Our boarding house already full
my father scratched his head
he was a kind and caring man
‘I’ve only this ...’ he said

He led her out into the yard
‘It isn’t much, I know
but better surely than the street’
the sleet had turned to snow

The shed was small yet sturdy set
against the house back wall
a storeroom clean and weatherproof
no draughts blew in at all

The girl then nodded gratefully
her breathing had grown wild
and as her blue cloak fell away
he saw she was with child

An understanding passed between
‘There’ll be no charge, my dear
I’ll fetch some things and try to make
you comfortable out here’

He brought a mound of blankets and
some pillows plump and clean
hung up a lamp and marvelled how
she settled so serene

while perspiration glazed her brow
pain widened weary eyes
then later as far church bells rang
a newborn baby’s cries

My little brother and I watched
as Father came and went
from our high bedroom window saw
this unexplained event

And there were other visitors
who braved the bitter night
our doctor and a midwife came
more footprints pocked the white

as strangers curiously dressed
arrived for news had spread
that something like a miracle
had happened in our shed

My little brother fell asleep
but awe kept me awake
I saw a rich procession ride
into our yard and take

gifts that glittered — precious, rare
inside while round that door
escaped sweet bursts of singing like
I’d never heard before

I crept downstairs and found my coat
so eager to observe
things for myself as shivers ran
and thrilled my every nerve

Shoes on and then a sudden thought
what gift had I to bring?
for it was clear that all who came
had brought the child something

I ran back up and searched my room
upon a shelf I spied
a treasured toy — a woolly lamb
with a blue ribbon tied

A little worn from so much love
but all that I could find
at such short notice and I guessed
the baby wouldn’t mind

So, clutching my small offering
I tiptoed out to meet
whoever gathered in our shed
and sang so strange and sweet

The sight before me stole my breath
and no words can convey
the sense of joy that filled the place
still warms me to this day

The mother looked so radiant
upon her lap her child
lay fast asleep — oblivious
to all the presents piled

While round about all shadowy
and crowding the small space
stood beings winged and wonderful
whose voices thrilled the place

She beckoned me to come and sit
then smiling took the lamb
and tucked it in beside the babe
just inches from his hand

A sigh, a murmur, eyes still closed
his questing fingers felt
the softness of that lamb laid near
as distance seemed to melt ...

I stayed but paid no heed to time
I nodded off and on
Dawn’s chill awoke me with a start
to find our guests had gone

Mother, child and all their gifts
had vanished — just one clue —
the ribbon dropped from the lamb’s neck
lay frayed and lost and blue

And where they went we never heard
no news is good they say
we talk about them now and then
their fleeting one-night stay

And Father smiles indulgently
whenever I describe
events I witnessed looking out
then afterwards inside

our plain old shed transformed that night
he nods quite solemnly
insisting vivid dreams can seem
just like reality

So I don’t argue — he won’t budge
but I know it was true
that I saw angels plain as plain
three kings and shepherds, too

Father must have missed them — he’d
so many things to do
and Joe, my little brother, can’t
remember who was who

except he said for certain
there was singing in our shed
and a star high in the treetops
hung exactly overhead