The Extraordinary Out of the Ordinary: A Christmas Poem

 


Nothing seemed out of the ordinary:
An ordinary night just befell an ordinary city,
A city bustled with census registrants,
All inns were jam-packed at this hour.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary:
Stars were twinkling above the desert sky,
Shepherds were keeping watch of their flocks,
Horses began to rest by their mangers.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary:
A nation was very much exiled in its own territory
Under the iron fist of the Roman Empire;
Prophets were only memories of distant past.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary:
When the baby boy came through the birth canal
His umbilical cord was cut from mother Mary;
He was swathed and placed nowhere but in a manger.

But, something happened extraordinary:
A conception like no other on planet Earth,
Having taken place 40 weeks before this night,
Now delivered the long awaited Seed of Abraham.

Yes, something happened extraordinary:
Angelic hosts were heralding the news
Of the humble arrival of the Messiah;
Son of the Most High became Son of Man.

Indeed, something happened extraordinary:
The city of David saw its prophesied Glory;
The Nation of Israel was to meet the Redeemer
Only to reject and nail Him in 33 more years.

For you, something happened extraordinary:
He was born to die on the Crucifix,
And died to rise again from the grave,
Offering remission of sins and hope of eternal life.

 

(Composed by Rumin Zhang on Nov.20, 2001)