We walked all night through blue desert
Coral crunch of bleached ribs and skulls
On the shoreline of every village
The moaning of loss made the breeze
We followed the winking pole star
Our capes grown crude with sweat
Doused ourselves with myrrh
Snorted vapours of frankincense
In the dimness of the stable, we three were
Greeted by a mass of terrified eyes -
Bulbous horses as wide as a human's.
We adopted a solemn pose, "we are here
only to observe and to bring gifts"
They quietened, the woman pointed
to a box more coffin than crib
I looked in and failed to recognise
What should be a child
Eight limbs
Rude red body
My knees gave out
I sank in forced prayer
to whatever god
Made this in his image
