"three lights in Union Station" by uBookworm, on Flickr

Three Parts to the Season
by Susan Palo Cherwien

There are three parts
to this season:
the waiting
and the waiting
and the waiting.
Waiting for the Christ child to come,
to be sure,
who we know already came.
Waiting for the burning coming
of the Christ in our hearts,
for the I-am-with-you-always.
Waiting for the great coming
of the reign of God
when each table is a banquet
and bread lines are no more.

There are three
comings to this season,
and three waitings,
and three yearnings.
And God the answer
to them all.