The First Week of Advent, Thursday

Today, on the fifth day of Advent, we have our fifth and final poem on hope:

“The Risk of Christmas, 1973”

by Madeleine L’Engle

This is no time for a child to be born,
With the earth betrayed by war and hate 
And a comet slashing the sky to warn
That time runs out
and the sun burns late.
That was no time for a child to be born,
In a land in the crushing grip of Rome;
Honor and truth were trampled by scorn--
Yet here did the Savior make his home.
When is the time for love to be born?
The inn is full on the planet earth,
And by a comet the sky is torn--
Yet Love still takes the risk of birth. 

Before you go, just a reminder that throughout Advent, the daily poems and Sunday roundups will be free for all subscribers. The Friday essays, however, which tie the poems together with the week’s theme, along with the special Advent and Christmas recipes I’ll be sharing, are only for full subscribers. Until December 7, you can upgrade your subscription for 35 percent less than normal. Along with having full access to the Advent retreat, you’ll also have full access to the archives and all posts for one year. I want this retreat to be as affordable as possible for everyone, so hopefully this helps.