"What did He do?" asked the wide-eyed child,
Perched atop his father's shoulder,
"I don't understand." The small voice was lost,
In a crowd growing louder and bolder.

The unruly throng had gathered along
Both sides of the narrow, dirt road,
To watch a Man with a cross, twice His size,
Stagger and trip 'neath His load.

"HAIL TO THE KING!" mocked the jeering crowd,
As the Man with the cross drew near,
"MAKE WAY!" the soldiers shouted and shoved,
And prodded the Man with their spears.

The child stared at the struggling Man,
And gazed at His crown of thorns,
He hid his small face behind his small hands,
Such a terrible sight this morn.

"Look, father," the child pointed up in the sky,
The father looked up above,
He saw over the head of the Man with the cross,
A beautiful, snow white dove.

The soldiers hooted and raised their spears,
To shoo the white dove away,
But steadfast it was and flew high above,
Nothing could scare it away.

The Man stumbled and fell and dropped the cross,
He sank beside it to the ground,
The little white dove hovered above,
Making no effort then to fly on.

The lad jumped down from his lofty perch,
And ran to the fallen Man's side,
His tiny hands patted the Man,
Then he sat at His side and cried.

A soldier roughly picked up the boy,
And threw him back to the crowd,
The fallen Man then smiled at the child,
Sweet compassion upon His brow.

The father scooped up his tiny son,
Fearful he had been hurt,
He kissed away the baby tears,
And wiped away the dirt.

The dove above had followed the lad,
Till safe in his father's embrace,
Then it flew back to the Man with the cross,
And watchfully hovered in place.

The man with the child then fell to his knees,
And with tears unabashedly wept,
For his child - a cripple - had not walked before,
But with grace now had raced his first steps.

The Man with the cross stood up and moved on,
Still reeling beneath His load,
While hand in hand, the father and son,
Walked away from the scene on the road.

The snow white dove still fluttered above,
Revealing God's spirit and heart,
Then father and son saw it vanish,
When the earth shook, and the skies grew dark.

Virginia (Ginny) Ellis ©March 2005

Please visit Ginny at her website,"Poetry by Ginny"
For More Beautiful & Inspired Poetry

The beautiful picture on this page is by the artist - 'Cebarre'
~ Used here with his permission ~

Please visit Cebarre's Website to see more of his exceptional computer art.

The midi is graciously provided by Yuko and is titled: 'Prayer'
Please visit her site to hear her other lovely compositions and renditions