Ass

We breathe
As He breathes
The ass on the road with this heavy load
One he did not expect. 
Thinking grass and leisure were his lot
Instead besot
With a rider, nay two, and journey with no telling when he would be stopped. 
Arriving was as anti-climatic as could be, for though the load diminished, the burden still he couldn't shake. These others he did not know, their smells unfamiliar and unwelcoming. He just wanted to go home, even if he had to go all the way back, with all the stoping and starting and gasps and concern. This was not his place, this was not his night and certainly not his grass. 

But then the noises ceased and a new one started. He couldn't tell what that baby wanted, but it wasn't feeling too fond of the straw, the ass knew that. Maybe if they put it somewhere more comfortable. You know, like, not in my manger, maybe if you held it he would stop hollering. 

Then the noise got worse instead of better!  For though the baby quieted down, the others started arriving. First the innkeeper, telling them to keep it down out there and not disturb all the paying guests, for heavens sake. Then these sheep herders, and MAN did they reek!  Brought some of their livestock with em and they weren't friendly either. Bleating and messing up the place even worse!  The people seemed happy to receive them though, after the herders told them what they'd seen. Whatever the reason, I wish they'd quiet down about it, the ass mumbles to himself. Come back tomorrow, I'm SURE we'll still be here. 

And then. Oh no then that was not even the end.  More men came. Now these, they smelled ok, like travel, but at least they had tried to cover it up with extravagant perfumes. Oh wait no, they left them here. Odd. Ok well at least they only insisted upon staying the one night, lord knows there wasn't enough room for them all.  

Ahh.  Peace and quiet now. Maybe I can finally drift off....nope. There goes that baby again. Man for being so tiny you'd think he wouldn't be so loud. Feed that baby, mamma. And please don't put him back in my manger. I might as well eat too now that I'm awake. His breathing rhythms and mine does too. The ass on Christmas morning.