Before they set out, met br to start their long hard journey from that East, br they knew their tasks, their gifts br to those whose very language, metaphor: br br three gifts to speak of soul’s eternal life br about to be refreshed in human life: br gold for the soul’s first task, br resplendent in reflection of All that’s divine; br br frankincense, for the soul’s gift to survey br All above and all below as One; br myrrh, that preserves the state and memory br of the passing body, servant of the soul; br br these are on their way to Him; horsehooves br now ringing sharp on flint; now sighing into sand; br stars in a velvet winter night br telling of three dominions and cosmographies; br br a fortnight’s journey yet to mark the lifetime, br waytime, truthtime, held br in tomorrow’s birth in scent of hay; br br divine moment; that in human life must yet hold br an empty cave as tomb; a pile of clothes still warm; br dawnlight on the garden, reflected as from gold; br lingering, the scent of myrrh and frankincense.