If Only We Had Known

 Isaac -- It was tax time in Bethlehem

We were busy as we had ever been

Naomi --Folks came from miles around

Descended on our quiet town

 Both  -- Not a single place, not a single room 

Could be found

Not even at our little crowded inn

I --They showed up at our door

Ragged, cold and poor

 N --I could see the girl, barely past her teens

Was with child and just about due

  I -- I felt bad for them, we both did

But what were we to do

There was no place to put them

There simply was no room

 Both --And we stood there, not quite willing to shut the door

Bewildered and confused

 I --Then mama said to me,

N --“What about the stable?”

I --“The stable? That dirty, smelly place”

N --“Well, it’s better than leaving them on the street”

I --I thought for a moment, “I guess you’re right

I have to agree, though it’s just a step above the street

If you ask me

N --“You kids wait here 

I’ll go fetch a blanket so at least you’ll have a bed”

 I --And I’ll put down some hay to soften the ground

It’s the least I can do so at least you can lay down

 N --And while you’re at it, clean out that trough

This mother may need it

 I --Clean out the trough, where the animal feed, it …

Then she gave me that look (Kathy give him that look)

Okay, okay, I’ll do what you ask

Together we got busy to see to our tasks

Both --Now let’s pause for a moment

For those who would judge us

I --“You should have saved a room for them”

 N --Assuming that we knew

Both --But we truly did know

We didn’t have a clue

So let us ask you friend

What would you have done,

If it was up to you?

(Sung)

If only we had known

They’d be coming to our inn

We would have done our very best

To treat them as our welcomed guest

The royal treatment, nothing less

We would have saved a room for them

If only we had seen

What the shepherds saw that night

Choirs of angels, dazzling lights

A glorious, breath taking sight

Just like some kind of wonderful heavenly dream

But we didn’t know, we could not see

We did not realize

This birth would be a Holy birth

The Blessed One, The promised King,

The Lord of life,

God’s tiny precious Son

Still we did what we could

We offered them a place

It’s wasn’t much at all

We’re both ashamed to say

But deep within our hearts

We believe, we pray

God understands

We were willing to care

And though a stable was no place for him

He truly honored us and blessed us

On that starry, magical, mid-winter night

In a manger there

O Holy Night

George Gagliardi, December, 2019