The ox with steaming breath stood still that night,
The donkey’s ears twitched soft beneath the stars,
A lamb pressed close, all wool and warmth alight,
While straw-strewn air held peace that healed old scars.
They sensed no king, no crown, no throne to see,
Just quiet life, a babe in manger laid,
Their simple eyes caught hints of mystery,
A glow that made the cold and dark afraid.
The rooster hushed his cry till dawn awoke,
The mice crept near, their tiny hearts astir,
Each beast felt time itself bend soft and broke,
A moment vast, though wrapped in flesh and fur.
From stall to sky, they shared a wordless hymn,
The world reborn with them, and him, and him.