Smiles

Bursting through the cloud
The night sky blazes
The sheep just stand and stand
And stare and stare
Dazzling shafts blind shepherds
Who huddle and cower in fear
The sheep just stand and stand
And stare and stare
Mumbling and stumbling down their hill
The shepherds hasten towards the quickening dawn
Bidden not to stand and stand
And stare and stare
Seers and sages from the East
Gaze at the light on the dark horizon
In awe of the moment, and stand and stand
And stare and stare
Sheltering in the lee of a dune
Their camels shift and groan
Glad for a chance to stand and stand
And stare and stare
The people of the towns gather and jostle
In crowds at the cross roads
To gossip and point and stand and stand
And stare and stare
The weary camel train plods and sighs
Turbaned, fierce eyed, the riders glare
At the unknowing, come to stand and stand
And stare and stare
The rumour of a mysterious event
Travel stained dark strangers excite
Folk become too restless to stand and stand
And stare and stare
The road fills with questing travellers
They have left their work and homes
No longer content to stand and stand
And stare and stare
All are watching the exotic strangers
In whose wake they hurry
And gape at the instruments, when they stand and stand
Through which they stare and stare
Of an evening a shout goes up, an arm points
Low in the darkening sky, a star flares
The crowd halts and huddles and stands and stands
And stares and stares
The pace picks up, bridles jingle, horses snort
Tired feet are lighter, eyes are brighter
No one now has time to stand and stand
And stare and stare
At last they come to a place, shabby and low
Where the light coming down seems to meet a light going up
Stilled by the radiance, they all stand and stand
And stare and stare
Through the glow and hush of night
The cry of a child, a mother’s murmur
The women all smile, the men just stand and stand
And stare and stare
Excited children and sheep mill about
Through the open door, a stream of the curious
Who on sight of the child just stand and stand
And stare and stare
Over the stall the cattle shift and fret
All this fuss and disturbance, and for what
Leave us be to stand and stand
And stare and stare
In the soft low light, a mother croons
And bends to tend her child, wipes the mouth
Soothes the cheek, and the baby smiles and smiles and smiles.

Alexander Hamilton