(After Mategna’s “Night”) <br /> <br /> <br />Claim this night, <br />The silent night, holy night of Christmas that pierces through <br />The noisy night, unholy night of Empire. <br />The night of Empire is darkness of capitalist globalization; <br />Its voice, the loud lies of big business, the jingles of their ads, <br />Fascist bombs and the shrieks of torture in prison camps. <br />Its night of unholiness envelops factories and slums and war-torn countries; <br />Denuded forests and unfriendly genetically modified farms; <br />Hungry children and refugees and the unemployed; <br />The sick and the lonely; you and me. <br /> <br />The silent night, holy night of Christmas breaks through the night of Empire <br />And births light from light for us to see: <br />A Mother fascinated by new-born revelation cradled in her arms; <br />And a donkey of burden playfully displaying its profile for the Child of promise. <br />The night frames hope and joy for eyes long violated by imperialist media. <br />The deep silence sounds the song of Word-Made-Flesh <br />And Woman’s heartbeat of life and love. <br />The night is a placard of prophetic protest and good news of future. <br />Enter the glow. Will it so. <br />Claim this night.<br /><br />Francisco R. Albano<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/silent-night-holy-night/
