Poems of Advent

For the next three days I will be sharing my Advent Poem, “Hope is Born”.  This has been somewhat modified for use here from its full musical form as a cantata.  I have twice had the joy of directing choirs in singing the full cantata.  Please enjoy these joyous psalms of Christmastide. 

Mary’s Dream:

Young Mary the virgin was dreaming, she was dreaming a dream that was fair

She was dreaming of her promised Joseph and the life of love they would share

Yes, young Mary the virgin was dreaming of a future so pleasant and bright

But there was a greater joy than she knew then, for she would bear mankind’s Light.

Angel’s Song:

An angel stood by and awoke her and then the angel said

“Woman you’ve been chosen of God, chosen of God, chosen of God

Woman you’ve been chosen of God to bear His Son, to bear His Son

Joseph’s Dream:

And you shall name, and you shall name, and you shall name Him Jesus

And He shall save His people, save His people, and free them from their sins

Man’s lament and hope:

Oh what a wretch is man, Oh what a wretch is man, Oh what a wretch is man!

He sinned and fell short of God’s glory, He sinned and fell short of God’s glory!

But God loved Him and sent His Only Son to be born as a man

To be a savior for all men as a light in the darkness, as a light in the darkness,

So came He amongst man 

(From the Cantata: “Hope is Born” by David Craig, © 1975: renewed 2013; from the book “Exclamations of Praise” © 2013)