Mary stood in the kitchen
Baking a loaf of bread.
An angel flew in the window
‘We’ve a job for you,’ he said.
‘God in his big gold heaven
Sitting in his big blue chair,
Wanted a mother for his little son.
Suddenly saw you there.’
Mary shook and trembled,
‘It isn’t true what you say.’
‘Don’t say that,’ said the angel.
‘The baby’s on its way.’
Joseph was in the workshop
Planing a piece of wood.
‘The old man’s past it,’ the neighbours said.
‘That girls been up to no good.’
‘And who was that elegant fellow,’
They said. ‘in the shiny gear?’
The things they said about Gabriel
Were hardly fit to hear.
Mary never answered,
Mary never replied.
She kept the information,
Like the baby, safe inside.
It was the election winter.
They went to vote in the town.
When Mary found her time had come
The hotels let her down.
The baby was born in an annexe
Next to the local pub.
At midnight, a delegation
Turned up from the Farmers’ club.
They talked about an explosion
That made a hole on the sky,
Said they’d been sent to the Lamb and Flag
To see God come down from on high.
A few days later a bishop
And a five-star general were seen
With the head of an African country
In a bullet-proof limousine.
‘We’ve come,’ they said ‘with tokens
For the little boy to choose.’
Told the tale about war and peace
In the television news.
After them came the soldiers
With rifle and bombs and gun,
Looking for enemies of the state.
The family had packed up and gone.
When they got back to the village
The neighbours said, to a man,
‘That boy will never be one of us,
Though he does what he blessed well can.’
He went round to all the people
A paper crown on his head.
Here is some bread from my father.
Take, eat, he said.
Nobody seemed very hungry.
Nobody seemed to care.
Nobody saw the God in himself
Quietly standing there.
He finished up in the papers.
He came to a very bad end.
He was charged with bringing the living to life.
No man was that prisoner’s friend.
There’s only one kind of punishment
To fit that kind of crime.
They rigged a trial and shot him dead.
They were only just in time.
They lifted the young man by the leg,
Thy lifted him by the arm,
They locked him in a cathedral
In case he came to harm.
They stored him safe as water
Under seven rocks.
One Sunday morning he burst out
Like a jack-in-the-box.
Through the town he went walking.
He showed them the holes in his head.
Now do you want any loaves? He cried.
‘Not today’ they said.
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Comments
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Ballad of the breadman
From guest Rhysmog (contact)
I think the "nobody seemed hungry, nobody seemed to care" line reflects modern societies predjudice fro religion in general. be honest if jesus turned up today most people would shake it off as a publicity stunt or a hoax. i think this poem highlights peoples lack of beleif. -
Ballad of the Breadman
From guest Emma Robinson (contact)
i'ts called poetic license! dont take it seriously, it's not the bible but its a modern version so he's done pretty well -
Ballad of the Breadman
From guest Spero Katos (contact)
A friend pointed out this poem with which he was uncomfortable. I read it through a few times & share his concern. Such a sacred Person does not deserve the flippant & irreverent treatment this poem gives Him; some examples: God "suddenly saw you (Mary) there" - accusing the Almighty of acting on the spur of the moment; "the old man's (Joseph) past it" - possibly agreeing with a legend that Joseph was an old widower with children needing a young wife to care for him (totally unsubstantiated from the Gospel records); the 5th verse implies that the angel Gabriel was seen by others entering & leaving Mary's house - no such impression is given in the Gospels; the magi are likened to a bishop, a general & an African head of state - the wise men came from the east, not the west, & the church with its bishops had not yet been instituted; "nobody seemed hungry, nobody seemed to care" - compare that with the large crowds who devoured every gracious word of our Saviour's teaching. There have been MUCH better poems on the subject written over the years. -
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Ballad of the Breadman
From guest Kate Curtis (contact)
I performed this poem over 20years ago for a Christmas party at a Youth Club in Downend, Bristol. The kids were absolutely blown away by it and I was asked to perform it again the following year. I just love this poem. 20 years on I intend to perform it at my sheltered housing Christmas Lunch, and I'm sure it will go down just as well as it did all those years ago. -
From guest Ralph Rogers (contact)
I first heard this poem in a pub in wales around 1985 on an eavening called poems and pints. during that night we heard some funny and very thoughtful poems this is one of them. very glad to have found it again -
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From guest Deborah-Lynn (contact)
I read this at school in about 1985- always admired it. Became a 'real' Christian in 1988- now trsining for the ministry, as it happens, and suddenyl thought of it again tonight. I love it more than ever, it's really profound and clever, even (dare I say it?) anointed. Those who find it offensive are modern-day pharisees who don't know Jesus. -
From guest natalia (contact)
This poem is in my anthology for my Gcse exam I DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT ITS ABOUT. why is it so long why why why! -
how brilliant the peom is!
From guest Alex D (contact)
i love love the poem so much! i cant go a day without it other wise i feel so depressed! even when im on holiday! i think it should be voted the best poem ever love it again! :] -
Wow.
From guest Mute (contact)
This poem is really touching in many ways. it gives us and insite on what the lord means to some people. it has very good rhythm. i might just annotate this poem tbh. excellent. -
Ballad of the breadman
From guest Debbie Eales (contact)
This poem is so nostalgic for me. I remember it being in an anthology called Voices. My mum was studying it at teacher training college. I found it and wrote a rock ballad to accompany it, which was performed at my school, Chatham Grammar. It's nice to rediscover these verses. They stand the test of time. -
From guest Lyn (contact)
I remembered this poem from my school days and just wanted to read it again. -
From guest Nichola Simpkin (contact)
As i studied this in Secondry school, i found the poem amusing.We are told the life of jesus in an up dated version. Yes it gets the message across in away everyone who has hered the story of christ can find this amusing. Nichola Age 17 -
From guest Gina (contact)
This is very moving - a powerful comment about our world now, as much as 2000 years ago. -
From guest Jean Webster (contact)
I love this poem especially at Christmas. It grabs children's attention too. -
the poem
From guest robyn xxx (contact)
i think this poem is very touching and i new it was about jesus straight away. -
Certainly a different version to the most popular one - but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It's lilting humour makes it very pleasant.
Von -
A very clever poem, very clever indeed.
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7.5/10
In this line there is an error: 'After them cam the soldiers' 'cam' is 'came' I think if a 'site helper' ever sees this they should correct it.
It has a good flow to it, it is a bit bumpy in vernacular on some parts, but, overall it has a good tone to it.
A lovely piece written.
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Love this poem
Love this poem
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