Fare Thee Well, November

November faded away in top form...
It turned out to be a perfect day to deal with a septic tank that needed pumping:)
...if there is such a thing as a perfect day for that; it could have been pouring rain or frozen ground
or snow storms, but it was a beautiful, sun-gold day!

November fades; a jaded rose

Surrendering to death’s repose

Like flowers in a garden where

Its bloom has bled each furrow bare

November dims; a solemn hymn

Drips from the stripped and dormant limb

Her dell is swathed in purple mist

A belle mantled and sorrow-kissed

November sighs; her tears run cold

And suddenly our eyes are old

And filled with visions of the past

Where stilled and sacred scenes are cast

November slips into the air

Like wisps of smoke climbing night’s stair

Into the vast and starry deep

To join past ages, fast asleep

© Janet Martin

Hope Is...

 Crank it up and praise Him!

There’s no right thinking apart from really thanking.

   A Holy Experience post by Ann Voskamp



Lord, let us learn to live a humble song of gratitude
Not by the What but through The Whom whereby hope is renewed
And let us not grow weary in well-doing for we know
That it is not through our power but Your grace, we go

Lord, let us learn to love in truth, and glorify the Name
That saves us from the curse of death, whereby we justly came
Hope, once a Sacred Stranger, suffered earth's vile dust of dross
His birthplace was a manger and His death-place was a cross

Lord, even in forgetfulness help us remember this;
Though fear and horror have their way, Lord, where You are Hope IS
Then let hope's thankfulness to You imbue each day we live
Lord, let us learn to be the love that only You can give

 Janet Martin

Advent Song

Upon the air an Imminence of celebration wings

Come one all as we prepare for heaven’s King of kings

The advent of a Savior from the curse of Adam’s race

Where hearts regain love’s favor through the power of God’s grace

Beyond the ever-winnowing rudiment we call Time

The Hope of Man is founded and grounded in The Sublime

Come, join the noise of joy we raise to He who hears our cry

And lent to earth His heaven-boy, God’s love to satisfy

Surely this love that saves us is a universal song

For God so rich in mercy gave us Jesus, His own Son

Come, no one is exempt from Hope beyond death’s cold, dark grave

But whosoever will believe in Jesus He will save

Upon the air an Imminence of Holy Advent hails

For Christ the Lord, Emmanuel, for Love that never fails

Prepare the Way for He who comes, not to be born again

But to unveil His kingdom, power and glory, Amen

© Janet Martin

November's Way

(yes, I must confess, 'I'm on a bit of a farewell tour... for November-ness:)

November has a way with hearts

It broods in hues of bronze, gray-blues

And often teases us with art

That only November imbues

It stirs the air with Bitter Sweet

And scrawls primitive silhouettes

Against the sky while ‘neath our feet

Its remnant laughter pirouettes

November has a way with words

My, how the poet rends its stance

Half-mad, her Muse is undeterred

An ink and wildling-wind romance

Where still, the will of quill half-poised

Rebels, and she returns to scale

The curves and colorless decoys

Huddled against November’s gale

November has a way with time

And suddenly we are aware

Of an ethereal pantomime

Swindling The Hour of precious air

This Thing that nobody can keep

Is soon like ashes in an urn

And ever veers toward That Deep

From which nobody can return

November has a tender way

Of showing us love’s hold-let-go

Life’s intermingled gold and gray

Depicts both wonderment and woe

Then, dearer is the darling day

Where summer’s rose and rondel spill

Because we know November’s Way

Is waiting over star-strung hill

© Janet Martin

From, For and To...God

We hold heaven's love-letter

Written, but not of ink

God dips His quill into yon rill

Hope spills in gold and pink 

His penmanship of passion

Encompasses the earth

It startles touch with mercy such

That none can spell its worth

The hand that cradles eons

Spans murmured moment-flow

And though we're small His All in all

Does not forget us, no

But, because He so loves us

He renders anew

A letter of unbridled love

From God, to me and you

***

From, For and To

A universal Due

From God

For us

To live

For Him

Today

From, For and To

© Janet Martin

That’s what today is;

A gift

from God

to live

For God

To give

From our hearts

To Him

Maybe We Should Think Again

Perhaps we think

When thought is thunk

That’s all there is…

Wink-blink-ker-plunk

But even thoughtless thought

Has a way

Of becoming the thing

We do

Or say

So lest we think

When thought is thunk

That’s all there is

Wink-blink-ker-plunk

Gone,

Like milkweed silk

Or rain

…maybe we should 

Think again

© Janet Martin