Selected poems
No vacancy at the inn(or anywhere else in Australia) Please god of the fit and strong,forbid we should become'the un-lucky country'.Help us to conjure the nerveto say —There is no room for youhere in Australia.No vacancies. All full up. You will be turned awaywhile you are tryingto give your family respitefrom poverty or war. We have no room for you.We are using our spacefor shops.And Christmas trees.In Sydney one tree is 69 feet tall!As high as a six storey apartment block. The (artificial) trees look just lovely -lights illuminating the branchesweighted with synthetic snow.(The only snow we could find).Our taxes at workinspiring us to get in the spiritof good will and generosity.If only you could see everyonewhen Christmas day arrives.The unwrapping of papered gifts,pried open with scissorspulled from their plastic wombs —new technology. The custom iswe sort-of kiss and hug each other.(after all, it is only once a year). Where was I? …Yes, prayingto the god of the fit and strong.
Joseph's story As a carpenter, I am used to the outdoors —the smells of animals and hay.I am drawn to rough and cluttered sheds.I shape and whittle undressed wooduntil smooth as newborn skin. I was in Bethlehem to register for taxes.Mary wanted to come with methough it seemed unwise.That's how I became the 'midwife'.A not-yet-husband, teary and helpingto bring our baby into the worldinto an environment I love. There are stories told butfor all I know, the whole worldmight have been a choir.I wouldn't have heard them —I sobbed so much.
Hope knows what There needed to be three of them.One astronomer is surely not wise enoughto know if a new light is a hoax or star, so they conferred, packed supplies, set off — there was not a lot to lose — only three sore backsides on three trusty camels, a few homeless nights for the sake of hope-knows-what,aching necks straining to see a pathway sparkle throughthe darkest moonless blue. Perhaps the dubious star might slow and stopbefore their sandclogged eyes robbed their adventure.And surely enough when they perceived the star as piercing arcs of light intensely white and bright,the scientists hearts leapt in sweet anticipation.They found beneath the beaming star the most unlikely thing.
Marlene Marburg PhD is a spiritual director and formator at Kardia Formation in Melbourne, Australia. Her latest collection of poetry Grace Undone: Encounter is available through marlene.marburg@kardia.com.au