To the Laborers Told - Poem by Raymond A. Foss

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you:
you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth
and lying in a manger.’
And suddenly there
was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God and saying,
‘Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace among those whom
he favors!’ When the angels had left them
and gone into heaven, the shepherds said
to one another, ‘Let us go now to Bethlehem
and see this thing that has taken place, which
the Lord has made known to us.’ So they went with
haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child
lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known
what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it
were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured
all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned,
glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told
them.

Luke 2:8-20

Wake the neighbors, tell the children;
tell all the people, or so you would expect
for this special, singular news
The birth of the Messiah, that night
in the Town of Bethlehem,
told instead to the laborers
in the field, working the third shift
the overnight laborers, watching over
their flocks by night
He who would be the Good Shepherd,
the heir of David, the shepherd make King
Revealed to shepherds in the field

Raymond A. Foss, November 4, 2007