Midnight Messenger

Once upon a midnight dreary,
As my eyes were growing weary;
Actually I’d just begun to snore.
Suddenly there came a tapping, 
Gently first, and then a rapping,
Came a rapping at my cottage door.

Confused I stumbled from my bed,
My heart was thumping--full of dread,
Afraid to learn what man or beast was there.
For ‘twas it not the witching hour
When ghosts and goblins came to power?
I muttered low, beneath my breath, a prayer.

Now there came a louder knocking
As I lit the light, threw back the locking,
And hesitantly opened up the door.
A boy stood there, not yet a man,
A piece of paper in his hand.
I breathed a sigh--a boy, and nothing more.

“Now what is this?” I snapped at him,
“Why are you making such a din?”
He looked at me with eyes so full of love.
‘Twas then I softened, shook my head,
My heart no longer full of dread,
For on his shoulder sat a pure white dove.

“What do you want? Why have you come
At this ungodly hour, son?”
He smiled at me and stepped inside the door.
“I’ve come to give you this,” he said,
The dove now sitting on his head.
“We’ve banished hate and war forever more.”

“Who’s banished hate and war,” cried I?
“Have they forgotten what rained from the sky,
That September morn not so very long ago?
That horrendous deed we must avenge,
On our enemies we must take revenge,
We must blast them all to sundry parts below!”

“This edict comes from high above,”
Spoke this young lad, “You must love,
Forgiveness is the best revenge,” said he.
“Hatred will kill the innocent,
And your enemies still will not repent,
For hatred breeds more hatred, can’t you see?”

“We children now will rule the land.
Please, take this paper from my hand;
Everything you need to know is there.”
I took it then, my mind awhirl,
And then the room began to twirl;
I dropped it as I stumbled to my chair.

What wondrous words inscribed in gold!
An invitation, I am told,
Extended to each one from Him above;
World peace has been declared today,
Fall to your knees and let us pray,
Then follow me to the Festival of Love!

I heard the Heav’nly choirs singing--
Oh drat! ‘Twas just my alarm clock ringing!
‘Twas just a dream--a dream and nothing more!
Yet what is that, that bit of white,
Beneath my bed just out of sight?
Is that a snow white feather on my floor?

And over there, next to my chair,
A piece of paper, I declare!
Just like the one I held within my hand!
‘Twas just a dream? A dream, you say?
Fall on your knees and let us pray,
For peace has been declared throughout the land!

Author: Linda E. Newman
All rights reserved.  ©March 1, 2003
Used with author's permission
Read more of Linda's Poetry Here:
 

Music "No More Sorrow"
Used with permission  Bruce DeBoar