I WONDER AS I WANDER

This post was written for Five Minute Friday

Word prompt--WANDER

Five minutes to free write about it

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The moment I saw this week's FMF prompt, the haunting melody and first few words of "I wonder as I wander" started playing in my mind.  It kept repeating itself over and over in continuous play mode as I tried in vain to recall the rest of the words, where I had heard them, or even just what type of song it was. Finally, I gave up and consulted Google.

According to Google, those words belong to an old Christmas hymn written by folklorist/singer, Jacob Niles (1892-1980). It was inspired by the garbled fragment of a song he heard a young girl singing about the wondrous gift of Jesus at an evangelical fundraising meeting he attended in Southern Appalachia.

I wonder as I wander, out under the sky,

How Jesus the Savior did come for to die

For poor on'ry people like you and like I.

I wonder as I wander, out under the sky.

When Mary birthed Jesus, 'twas in a cow's stall

Came wise men and farmers and shepherds and all,

And high from the heavens a star's light did fall;

The promise of the ages it then did recall.

If Jesus had wanted for any wee thing,

A star in the sky or a bird on the wing,

Or all of God's angels in heaven to sing,

He surely could have had it, 'cause he was the king.

Enjoy!