Autumn Wind

I embrace you, taunting, wild You dash from off the ridge In carefree gambols, like a child I race beneath the bridge Then suddenly, the bittersweet Snatches away my laughter As I see the sad retreat Of summer’s ever-after You tease the hunger in my soul My cheek longs for your kisses Your wanton ardor makes me whole Yet I spurn your caresses An imposter and a thief You charm with reckless fervor Mindless of the ragged grief Within the heart of summer If I were a marionette Then oh, how you could move me I would twirl and pirouette As you seduce and love me The passion in your cobalt eye Would fill this wretched hunger But you can never satisfy A true blue heart of summer All Rights Reserved Janet Martin

Better Way...

Seems like everyone is searching
For a better way
Better job, better hours
And of course, better pay
Better stuff, better house
Better lover, better wife
Better pastures in the distance
In a better, better life
Better music, better books,
Better kids, better dreams
Better clothes, better figure
Better waits or so it seems
Yet we miss the better, better
As in steadfastness He waits
While we gaze in futile longing
Past a better, better Gate
Better hope, better peace
Better joy, better love
Better riches that increase
In better mansions up above
Better promise, better glory
In a better, better day
For Jesus is the Only
And the better, better Way

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

The Order of Things.....

Betrayal brings hurt
Lost love brings sorrow
The sun in the west
Will bring us tomorrow
Hard work brings fatigue
The rain makes things grow
And a smile brings sunshine
Wherever we go

Words hastily spoken
Will oft bring us shame
And a promise broken
Will ruin a good name
A seed that is planted
Will bring forth its fruit
Life taken for granted
Is misunderstood

Doors will open
But they also close
The higher the moment
The lower the lows
Love freely given
Will ever increase
But the miser's dungeon
Will never know peace


Feelings are a luxury
Few can afford
The devil’s debauchery
Seduces hands that are bored
Reaching to help others
What healing it brings
Yes, life has a natural
Order of things

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

There Is......

There is no fountain of eternal youth
There is only Heaven and hell
And there is only one real Truth
Within us we all know it well
There is only here and now
The rest is what was or will be
There is only one true God
And there is eternity

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

oh yes.....I forgot one thing....
There is coffee:)

Ponderings......

We are no more able to live in the past
Than we are to touch tomorrow
And all the memories we hold fast
Are thorns and jewels we borrow
The fleeting dance of yesterday
May claim no safer care
Than in our memory, tucked away
Yet, it is simply air

There is but one true gem we hold
Before it too is taken
To rest in vaults of useless gold
For if tomorrow we waken
The gem which now we call today
Will simply be a whisper
Of moments gathered yesterday
Before they’re gone forever


(optional last verse)
So to thyself and God be true
In this day you’ve been given
Joy and sorrow both are few
In our prelude to heaven
Yesterday is dead and gone
Tomorrow just a glimmer
Today we hold a priceless crown
Before it’s gone forever

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Voices.....

This is the voice of September’s dawn
Weeping its memories across the lawn
Torrents of sweet melancholy
Laugh upon this faded sea
Who can touch the stars above?
And who can force a heart to love?

This is the song on the wavering breeze
Torn between summer and beckoning leaves
Whispers of passion and lovers’ tears
Tuning the sorrow of a hundred years
Who can change one leaf to red?
Or who can make a heart forget?

This is the plea in the dying sun
Knowing indeed that summer is done
Taming the heart of vagrant youth
Weaving a shroud of silent truth
Who can make an old man young?
Or find the tombs where Time has gone?

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Angel.....

I held her a little while ago
Sun-kissed and sleepy
Her eyes have closed
And what she whispered
Only heaven knows
As I quietly turned to go…..
But….
……. when I tiptoed to the door
I heard her sleepy voice once more
The sweetest words she said to me
“Oh mommy, won’t you pray with me?”
And in the silent evening
I think I heard the angels sing

All rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Sleepless....

There’s moodiness in the wind tonight
A hunger in the moon
And in the trickle of starlight
I catch a somber tune
The shadow ‘neath September’s eye
Deepens in the dusk
And on the breeze I think that I
Can taste a hint of musk

Beyond the cricket’s serenade
The deep blue midnight lies
If you were here then we would wade
Into her endless skies
But on the breeze I feel a tear
Who knew the wind could weep
Yes, I wish that you were here…
…it sure beats counting sheep

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Retrospect.....

I would fight for what we love
But sister, what’s the use?
Gold hails from the walnut grove
And pine-cones from the spruce
We're powerless against the rule
Of times allotted hours
And sister, we would be a fool
To rearrange God's flowers

The trail of daisy and blue-strife
The barley fields of gold
Become the portraits of a life
As we are growing old
For we were green and carefree too
In pastures of our youth
The day was long and deep and blue
Before life’s somber truth

And though we fight with all our might
Summer turns to fall
And all that there is left of it
Are memories to recall
Sister, in life’s silver streams
We'll toss a restless sigh
For in its course we see our dreams
Of youth go drifting by

We could fight for what we love
But sister, summer’s dying
The faded bloom is living proof
And there’s no use in crying
The shadow lengthens on the wall
A cool wind draws our hand
Yes sister, it will soon be fall
But wasn’t summer grand?

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Written for my sister, Carolyn
who turned 40 two days ago!!!

Maybe Tomorrow.....

Maybe tomorrow…..
I will write a poem
About sunshine and laughter
And memories that linger
Long after the pain
Maybe tomorrow…….
I’ll write about dancing
Through red and gold memories
Fluttering from the treetops
In carpets of glory
And I’ll smile again
Maybe tomorrow…
My cup will run over
With all of September’s
Grapes on the vine
And I’ll say that September
Is surely a lover
As I sip the nectar of
Autumn’s wine….
…and that will be fine
But today I will drink
My cup of sorrow
The scarlet may flow
In my chalice tomorrow
Today it flows out of
The gash in my heart
Because August and I
Have been torn apart….

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Yes...I'll need a moment;
or a day.......or a YEAR!!!!
I LOVE August:(:(:(