And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in the manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7 ESV
Spoken word is a performance art. Unlike written poetry it has less to do with aesthetics on the page and more to do with the aesthetics of sound. In this instance, I have written a prose dialogue. Find a partner and bring the word play to life with your own intonation and voice inflection!
The Birth of Christ is Hope
A Christmas Spoken Word
Danger, danger, danger! Feelin’ stress and anxiety of every kind—
the sky is fallin’ and fear is callin’—seek and ye shall surely find.
Palpitations reignin’ and we’re sowin’ what we reap—
’cause we’re needin’ to look and look and look again—just too afraid to leap.
But the baby’s in the manger!
Fake news abounds—bogus info circling round and round—
what you don’t know can hurt you and will surely take you down.
Illusions of insulation—substances are driving us to the brink—
we’re searching for peace everywhere—but there’s not a drop to drink.
But the baby’s in the manger!
Intolerance is threatening—there’s no patience with dissent—
we’ve lost our way—live and let live doesn’t seem to make a dent.
Alienation and isolation—these vultures are birds of a feather—
they tear our lives apart and cause us pain when they flock together.
But the baby’s in the manger!
Color of skin creates mistrust—so many racist pokes and pricks—
it’s easy to judge a book by its cover—old dogs refuse to learn new tricks.
Violence and cruelty—it’s not a pretty sight—
even in the name of religion—two wrongs don’t make a right.
But the baby’s in the manger!
Nature’s a rodeo—‘canes and ‘quakes are commonplace —
what goes ‘round comes ‘round to buck and kick us in the face.
Turnin’ like a top—tears are flowin’—we’re rejectin’ God’s design—
one stitch can’t help us now—can two or three or nine?
In all our darkness Christ is shining.
Let the shadows fall away and step into the light.
The baby’s in the manger
basking in the glow of the Christmas star—twinkling and bright!