1986 Christmas Poem

The wooden box creaked
Not being designed
To carry such weight
It groaned
And then staunchly resisted
All attempts
Of gravity or movement
To precipitate its collapse
At times before it had
Borne the pressure
Of a muzzle or two
At the end of a weary day
But not like this
Then its burden
Had diminished
Now it remained the same
A little rolling
Bearing down here
And there
But no decrease
Until the hands
Lifted Him out
And after an admiring view
Once more
Placed back
Within its precinct
The glory
That it sheltered

- 3 September 1986