Time's Sorrow-gates

 Unexpected changes of plans are often great opportunities in disguise...

Our plans are packaged like a gift; new dawn’s half-waking stares

Of blue before the lending of its light to thoroughfares

Is still enough to stir within us hope for what yet waits

Of life and love to come a-tumbling through Time’s sorrow-gates

Twixt levees that cup frozen Past and hope’s wide-open seas

We plan our plans and pray our payers; ‘if-God-so-wills-it-pleas’

And oft upon the soft-ing dark before night quite deflates

We touch our toes to highs and lows poured through Time’s sorrow-gates

Life’s waves though staid beneath our feet toss people-plans adrift

Through the Gate-keeper’s hand time’s grand deluge of moments sift

We cannot barter with the charter of the Unknown preordained

Our plans are at the mercy of God’s mercy unrestrained

The heart and mind are intertwined as sorrow is with joy

Our utter longing undefined; dawn wakes now to deploy

Its untrained troop of moments to where hope accommodates

Untarnished New of gray-gold-blue poured through time’s sorrow-gates

© Janet Martin

As I slid deeper into blankets at the sound of the beeping alarm-clock I tried to pin-point what I’m reaching for; ah yes, hope for strength and grace for the day ahead and the Unknowns that disregard the best-laid plans.

The to-do lists at present are stacked with happy preparation-plans for two dinners we are hosting at our house this week-end. These ‘plans’ are always at the mercy of ‘Unknowns’. 

So far I have cupcakes done for the Sunday dinner and some Christmas cookies for both, but hopefully by tonight there will be a lot more food and cleaning completed!