The question Abbie asks here is a good one. How much thought is given to what happened to all the places which were of great import back then? Let’s see what Abbie’s poem has to teach us.

What Happened to the Barn in Bethlehem?
by Abbie Johnson Taylor

In a cave below the Church of the Nativity’s main altar,
is the place where Jesus was born,
marked by a star with fourteen points, symbolizing fourteen generations
from Abraham to David to the Babylonian exile
to Christ, as mentioned in the Gospel of Matthew.
Above, lamps continuously burn,
maintained by different Christian denominations.

A few steps away is the Manger,
where Mary laid Jesus after his birth.
Nearby stands the Altar of the Magi,
commemorating the Three Wise Men’s visit.

Thousands come every year, especially at Christmas,
kneel to pray in solemn stillness,
as the story lives on.
***
Author’s Note: Last year, my local Third Thursday Poets were prompted to write a poem inspired by a picture of a barn. The stable in Bethlehem where Jesus was born popped into my head. After doing some research, I wrote the above poem.
***
About the Author

Abbie Johnson Taylor has published three novels, two poetry collections, a memoir, and a collection of short stories. Her work has appeared in The Weekly Avocet, Magnets and Ladders, and other publications.
She is visually impaired and lives in Sheridan, Wyoming, with her robotic cat Joy, where she worked as a registered music therapist with nursing home residents and in other facilities. She also cared for her late husband, who was totally blind and suffered two paralyzing strokes after they were married. This is the subject of her memoir and many of her poems.
Visit her Website.