Poems (Kennedy)/Their Gifts
THEIR GIFTS
FRANKINCENSE they brought Him and gold and myrrh, Those men who came out of the dawn,Each tracking his way from a far-off landThrough lush of blossom or drift of sand To the manger where He was born.
Strange gifts for a child, but the wise men knew All the wonder the future would hold;For them His marvelous star had flamed white,And each, by its calm, transfiguring light Read the prophecies eons old.
And their three-fold gift they spread at His feet: "Incense for a priest," one cried;And one whose voice had a victory ringFlung down his tribute: "Here's gold for a king!" And: "Myrrh for healing," one sighed.
And the wise men's gifts foreshadowed His life— Each bearing its mystic part— Though His priestly robe was a mantle of scornAnd His kingly crown was a platted thorn, Yet He healed the world's sad heart.