Encounter

hail

o favoured
one
the Lord is
with you

little more
than a whisper

the voice was
clear
and steady

do not be
afraid

easy for him
to say that

this radiant
dazzling figure
who’d
mysteriously appeared
out of
nowhere

she began to
tremble

felt her own

sharp intake
of breath
before this
strange figure
who’d rudely
interrupted
her
daydreaming

he had the
shape and form

of a man
yet was
so very
different
nebulous
shining
his features
softened
by a
shimmering glow
and he
carried a presence
that
emanated
an
extraordinary peace

every nerve
in her body

felt on edge
adrenalin
coursed
through her
like a
mighty waterfall
she felt in
the presence
of something

terrifyingly
beautiful
spell bindingly
powerful
hugely frightening

and he said

simply
do not be
afraid

absolutely
nothing

could have
prepared her
for what
came next

you are to
bear a son

one who will
reign
over Israel
forever

he will be
the Son

of the Most
High

you are to
call him

Jesus

her mind raced
into overdrive

a heady cocktail
of confusion, questions
arguments
random
tumbling thoughts

and then

after a
split second
that felt
longer than a lifetime

relief

it was all a
mistake

this
terrifying encounter
had to be a
mistake
he had the
wrong girl
it couldn’t
possibly
be her
she’d never
slept with a man

but he
ignored her protests

carried on

the power of
the Most High

will
overshadow you
and make you
pregnant

your baby
will be holy

the Son of
God

the power of
the Most High?

a holy baby?

a million
emotions

battled for
attention within Mary
she wanted
to run like the wind
from this conversation
pretend it
never happened
get back to
being ordinary

and then an
echo of ancient scripture

voiced
itself in her head

the virgin

will
conceive a child

and suddenly

this crazy
scenario
all seemed impossibly
possible

could it be
true

that she was
the chosen one

and though
she didn’t begin to understand it

knew she
could never deserve it
had no concept
of the consequences
she wanted
to laugh, cry, dance
all at once
wanted to tell
everyone
about the
angel

and she knew

there was
only one response
she could
make

she heard
herself speaking

I am the servant
of Adonai

let it be to
me
as you have
said

.

ChristmasMaryPoetry
December 9th, 2012

Pat Marsh

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