Mary Spain - Conscripted Angels

'An angel never wriggles, sulks or talks, '
The small boys' harassed teacher told her class;
Then marked out on the floor with coloured chalks
Where each of them should stand. 'Nor does he pass
His hamster round, ' she added testily.
The kings and shepherds waited, smug and proud;
How each rebellious angel yearned to be
A king, or at the least to have a cloud
To sit upon. The shepherds had their sheep;
The kings had cardboard crowns and gifts to bring;
And even Joseph had his wife to keep
Him occupied and stop him fidgeting.
That angels never moved or spoke, they knew;
But what, they puzzled, did real angels do?

Mary Spain

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/conscripted-angels/