Friday, April 30, 2021

Good-bye Is a Gateway...

 PAD Challenge day 30:For today's prompt, write a goodbye poem.


Adios Amigo






We pave the path to aftermath with joy and sorrow’s tears
How fleeting is the filigree that weaves whispers to years
Where hello always turns to farewell far too soon it seems
And we are always learning how to readjust our dreams

I love the way life dishes out surprise; I hate it too
The color of goodbye flows in a thousand shades of blue
Where nothing new under the sun still stuns us all the same
And time will always be a rebel that no one can tame

Darling, let’s take the long, slow way to farewell’s parting kiss
I know we both knew from the start that it would end like this
But we are poets; life runs wild with opportunity
Thus good-bye is a gateway to tomorrow’s odyssey

© Janet Martin

 

 

Country Clothesline Contentment



My sister called this morning.
she needed a country clothesline poem😘😊


This can be one long poem or four short!
It is written from the passer-by's vantage-point


Something ‘bout a country-clothesline
makes a body feel content
Happiness sparked by the flutter
of sun-kissed accomplishment
Where the carefree waltz of towels
tossed against the big blue sky
Seems to sing a home-sweet chorus
to the winsome passerby

***

Something ‘bout a country clothesline
speaks of domesticity
An appealing, ageless hallmark
of a happy family
Of dear father and kind mother,
dash and dance of girls and boys
In a hymn of meek thanksgiving
for sunshine and simple joys

***

Something ‘bout a country clothes-line
feels like endurance unfurled
Images of rural living
grounded in a changing world
Framed in blue sky without borders,
cotton rainbows pirouette
Kindling a sweet, kinship-feeling
with friends we have never met

***

Something ‘bout a country clothesline
speaks of honest, humble folk
They, the kind that do not mind
a bit of wholesome dirt and work
And though, not hon’rably mentioned
in the list of finer arts
Something ‘bout a country clothesline
captivates both gaze and hearts

© Janet Martin

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Twilight Tableau

 PAD Prompt 29: For today's prompt, write an evening poem. 




The rush of morning-tide to dusk softens its color-show
The artist picks a velvet brush to paint twilight’s tableau
With coral hues and purple-blues, and periwinkle tulle
The edges of the earth are tucked beneath night’s crepuscule
With kiss and hug he bids each sleepy fledgling sweet goodnight
Then dabs a curve of silver, crescent moon as a nightlight

© Janet Martin



Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Memory-Matrix

 A bit of today's moment-glitter snared as it sparkled by...

'Of Little Girls'


....and raindrop pearls


...and birdie's tweet-tweet-tweet...




Memories are 
precious keepsakes
waiting to be cast
And moments are 
like golden glitter 
pouring to the past
While we are tasting 
tears and laughter, 
while a season spills
Into an ever-after rafter, 
memory’s matrix fills
…with sweet and spicy, 
tart and bitter,
 thorny stem and rose
A motley mix 
is memory glitter,
 shaping mementos
With glints of springtime 
seed we scatter; 
tints of fall fruit felled
We smile while welkin- 
whispers shatter 
what we briefly held
A merry-making, 
heart-string aching 
undertaking, oh
A hush-a-bye, 
then my-oh-my 
how far-too-fast you grow
Then make the most 
of what soon decks 
the halls of yesterdays
For memory-glitter 
falls like snow 
on begging, gaping graves 
 April is 
nature’s harbinger 
to summer’s bloom parade
Of petaled fireworks;
 buds flower, 
dazzle, fizzle, fade
Where pretty violet 
starlight stipples 
green’s first vivid hues
Where woodlands burst 
with feather-frescos
 etched on 
boundless blues
…where we look up 
to catch the colors 
from a cup that tips
gossamer glitter 
sparkling through our 
eager arms and lips
Into a mold 
that holds the marbled mist 
of days gone by
Unfolding precious keepsakes 
in the twinkle of an eye
…as we become 
the curator 
of Time’s collected toll
Where memories 
fill galleries 
that only thought can stroll
Reminding us 
not to get lost
 too long in what is spent
Lest precious moment-glitter 
gilds sad sighs 
of discontent
For April always 
turns to May, 
then May to June-July
Time never takes 
a holiday 
as hours hasten by
A fount that overflows 
with farewell’s font, 
it's melodies
The glitter that 
is turning moments 
into memories
Of little girls 
and raindrop pearls 
and birdie's tweet-tweet-tweet
Of Happiness 
in lunchtime messes,
 pudgy baby feet
Of work and play 
and hope and praying  
'if the Lord so wills'
We're making precious memories 
as moment glitter spills

© Janet Martin


Second line-split option-

Memories are precious keepsakes waiting to be cast
And moments are like golden glitter pouring to the past
While we are tasting tears and laughter, while a season spills
Into an ever-after rafter, memory’s matrix fills

…with sweet and spicy, tart and bitter, thorny stem and rose
A motley mix is memory glitter, shaping mementos
With glints of springtime seed we scatter; tints of fall fruit felled
We smile while welkin whisper shatters what we briefly held

A merry-making, heart-string aching undertaking, oh
A hush-a-bye, then my-oh-my how far-too-fast you grow
Then make the most of what soon decks the halls of yesterdays
For memory-glitter falls like snow on begging, gaping graves

April is nature’s harbinger to summer’s bloom parade
Of petaled fireworks; buds flower, dazzle, fizzle, fade
Where pretty violet starlight stipples green’s first vivid hues
Where woodlands burst with feather-frescos etched on boundless blues

…where we look up to catch the colors from a cup that tips
Gossamer glitter sparkling through our eager arms and lips
Into a mold that holds the marbled mist of days gone by
Unfolding precious keepsakes in the twinkle of an eye

…as we become the curator of Time’s collected toll
Where memories fill galleries that only thought can stroll
Reminding us not to get lost too long in what is spent
Lest precious moment-glitter gilds sad sighs of discontent

For April always turns to May, then May to June-July
Time never takes a holiday as hours hasten by
A fount that overflows farewell’s momentous font with ease
The glitter that is turning moments into memories

Of little girls and raindrop pearls and birdie's tweet-tweet-tweet
Of Happiness in lunchtime messes, pudgy baby feet
Of work and play and hope and praying 'if the Lord so wills'
We're making precious memories as moment glitter spills

© Janet Martin

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Will You Believe?

  PAD Challenge 27:

For this Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
Write a believe poem and/or...
Write a don't believe poem.

John 14:27

John 16:33




This world
will wound
And disappoint
And betray
And pretend
But I 
will bind
Grief’s gap
-ing groans
And be 
Your 
Faithful 
Friend

This world 
will pass 
away;
This life 
on earth
Ephemeral
But I AM 
Alpha
and 
Omega
I AM 
Eternal

This world 
at best
Brings out 
the worst
In mortal’s 
sin-cursed 
glove
But I 
transform
Fear, 
doubt,
and hate,
Into 
faith, 
hope 
and love

This world 
is chaotic 
and cruel
with wars 
that will not 
cease
I AM gentle
patient 
and kind
I AM
Your perfect
peace

This world
makes promises
that it 
cannot keep
or control
I AM
the Word, 
Way,
 Truth 
and Life
the Daddy
of your
Soul

Will you 
embrace 
this world's 
illusions; 
trust death's 
loveless 
lies 
Or will 
you believe
 and receive
 life's
 everlasting
 Prize?

Love, God

© Janet Martin

Compact Version😊

This world will wound and disappoint and betray and pretend
But I will bind grief’s gaping groans and be your Faithful Friend

This world will pass away; This life on earth Ephemeral
But I AM Alpha and Omega; I AM Eternal

This world at best brings out the worst in mortal’s sin-cursed glove
But I transform fear, doubt and hate into faith, hope and love

This world is chaotic and cruel with wars that will not cease
I AM gentle, patient and kind; I AM your perfect peace

This world makes promises that it cannot keep or control
I AM the Word, Way, Truth and Life, the Daddy of Your soul

Will you embrace this world's illusions; trust death's loveless lies 
Or will you believe and receive life's everlasting Prize?


Love, God 

 © Janet Martin

John 1:12

But as many as received Him, 
to them He gave the right to become children of God, 
to those who believe in His name:





Onus of Belief (and unbelief)

 PAD Challenge 27:


For this Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
Write a believe poem and/or...
Write a don't believe poem.



 


Some are afraid to Believe
For the onus it will bring
Because belief is grounded in
The soil of reckoning
And reckoning becomes
When this mist-kiss is through
The price of Belief’s soldered sums
Not in the what, but Who

Still, some avoid Belief
As if this will annul
The Soul that cannot die
And reply's inevitable
They scorn love’s Beckoning
Disregard the reward
But oh, unbelief's reckoning
Ought not to be ignored

© Janet Martin

John 3:16-21

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,
 that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 
 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, 
but to save the world through him. 
Whoever believes in him is not condemned, 
but whoever does not believe stands condemned already 
because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 
 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, 
but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 
 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light 
for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 
 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, 
so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done 
has been done in the sight of God.


Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

that if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord,"
and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,
you will be saved







Beauty of Believing...


For this Two-for-Tuesday prompt:
Write a believe poem and/or...
Write a don't believe poem.

For Beauty of being is climbing the hill
But then, taking sweet time to enjoy the view


Believe in the largeness of faith's little leaps
Of finish-lines not too far-off to forget
For Beauty of living lies not in yon deep
But Here, in Now's Very Present Pirouette

Believe in a Power that surpasses thought 
Believe that God's goodness will never depart
In Beauty of loving; its masterpiece wrought
Not in fairness of form or face, but the heart

Believe in small syllables like 'us' and 'we'
Believe in the potent potential of ink
The Beauty of learning in poetry
In eth'real elixirs, sky blue, gold and pink

Believe in Becoming; not in standing still
Braving the battle of Seasons, strange and new
For Beauty of being is climbing the hill
But then, taking sweet time to enjoy the view

Believe He is able, Who breathes life to dust
And spreads out a feast for taste buds of the soul
Beauty of Believing accomplishes trust
While poised on Percussion of Unknown's drum roll

Janet Martin

Ephes.5:15-17

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 
 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 




 


Monday, April 26, 2021

Echo-mementos

Blessed are those who mourn. 
Matt.5:4

(my daughter's friend's dad)
this community mourns the loss of a husband, dad, son, brother...
reminding us anew to cherish each other
because none of us are guaranteed tomorrow!



This making of mementos as momentous moments meld
Is quite an under-taking of things granted and withheld
Like clay upon the potter’s wheel or knife on whetting stone
We wear the stars and scars of love and living’s grin and groan
And often do not give much thought to what its grit bestows
Until our breath is stolen by sweet echo-mementos
And we are then compelled to look more closely at the sand
And all the color-sparkles of love’s moments in our hand

© Janet Martin

Wonder-Full World

  PAD Challenge 26;


For today's prompt, take the phrase "(blank) World," 
replace the blank with a word or phrase, 
make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem.


Somehow 'firsts' of a season always fill me with fresh wonder...
first snowfall, 

first buds,

 blooms and bouquets,


first garden crop sprouts,

...
 then first pickings

... to first fallen leaves

the world is wonder-full!

'something to stare at in earth's every crease...


Wonderful wonder, how wondrous art Thou
Melding the mundane to Marvelous Wow!
Stealing the thunder of man’s vanity
Breath-taking wak’ning to Your majesty
Yielding to You honour and glory’s due
Worship in its purest form, tried and true

Wonderful wonder, the world is a fount
Brimming with Beauty, too ‘bundant to count
Who can step over the threshold of day
Into a morning, wild with Mercy’s yea
Never astounded and never amazed
By over-under-around-us, un-phased

Wonderful, wonder-full world at our door
So much to experience and explore
Something to stare at in earth’s every crease
Winter to spring, bud to bloom masterpiece
Heavens above hills and rills, land and sea
Thund’ring with wonder still waiting to be

Wonderful, wonder-full gateway to awe
We, lavished by love’s extravagant law
Dare not become so numb as not to feel
Hands of the Potter ‘round clay on the wheel
Smiling, methinks, as He opens our eyes
To the glad wonder of life’s next surprise

© Janet Martin





Wonder-World


For today's prompt, take the phrase "(blank) World," 
replace the blank with a word or phrase, 
make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem.


I wonder what today will bring
As morning spreads glistening wings
Above earth’s-re-emerging bars
As heaven blushes away stars
And darkened awnings thin until
Dawn fills a worldwide windowsill

I wonder at mercy renewed
My heart, a cup of gratitude
That while we slept God didn’t scorn
His promise and withheld new morn
(Though we have made a sorry mess
Of reverence and righteousness)

I wonder at the way the world
Now wide awake and dew-drop pearled
Invites the likes of you and me
To endless possibility
As sky-wide gates are flung ajar
And mercy meets us where we are

I wonder at the world at large
Where we, aboard its season-barge
And fellow-travelers; as such
I wonder why we fight so much
Instead of using Time’s Short-Sweet
To help each other to our feet

I wonder what today will bear
Before it slips into thin air
And earth is tucked beneath a quilt
Of stars on blue and echo-gilt
I wonder, nay, pray it will be
Memento-of-love memory

© Janet Martin


Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, 
who alone works wonders. 
And blessed be His glorious name forever; 
and may the whole earth be filled with His glory. 
Amen and Amen.
 – Psalm 72:18-19


Sunday, April 25, 2021

Thought-scope/scape

 

 PAD Challenge 25For today's prompt, write a thought poem. 

A thought can be...a bloom bouquet
(first fresh-picked bouquet from my garden)
I love these cheery little pansy-pixies 
that wander at will through my flower-border
and eagerly burst into smiles as soon as the snow is gone!



A thought can try to fool us into trusting our own eyes
Or not; a thought can climb above complaint, or criticize
A thought can be a candle in the dark, a bloom bouquet
A blow below the beltline or a high-five hip-hooray
A noose around the neck of dreams or hope and trust’s lifeline
A labyrinth of vengeful schemes, both trellis and the vine
A lavish wander-land of want, a ladder to the stars
A dungeon where dark demons taunt, a cart that bumps and jars
A thought, intangible at first, but if indulged at length
Can be an unquenchable thirst, great weakness or great strength
A thought can be a comrade or a bitter enemy
A playground or a battlefield, it’s up to you and me

© Janet Martin

To Hosts of Homage

 PAD Challenge 25For today's prompt, write a thought poem. 



'Everything we do/become begins with what we think,
and which thoughts we entertain! we do not fall prey to
a passing thought, but the one which we indulge'
our father would caution us, as teens.
'We all have terrible things that enter the mind but as the old
proverb goes;
Just because a bird flies over our heads
doesn't mean we need to allow it to build a nest'

***
So many thought-guests drop by!
We need to be careful to whom we offer a chair!

***
We become what we feed thought...
Such a huge buffet!
choose well

Something like this is nice for
thought's breakfast...




One life to live;
A gift to give
Our uttermost attention to
Where thought gives birth
To waste or worth
Of everything we say and do

Thought entertains
In boundless veins
Guests of both honor and deceit
Its rendezvous
(no matter who)
Soon bursts through gates of mouth-hands-feet

This control tow’r
Of holy pow’r
All other boasts of might exceeds
Therefore, we ought
To give much thought
To what we think and where it leads

© Janet Martin

Whatever is noble, 
whatever is right, 
whatever is pure, 
whatever is lovely, 
whatever is admirable — 
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy —
 think about such things.

-Philippians 4:8


Saturday, April 24, 2021

Dear Child, Why Do We Spend Precious Time With You?



Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

For today's prompt, write a question poem. 

Bird-watching/learning

Grampa-trampa-line...

Aunty-secrets

Order up; Pine-cone Corndog

puppy-love

Next two photos; photo credit Brittany Ruppert
Uncle antics...

Aunty-acrobats



Why do we walk, talk, read, sing, pray
And spend precious time patiently
With you? Because, sweet child, someday
The sapling will become a tree

How swift the seed begins to sprout
To crucial pliability
Thus, it takes love’s diligent clout
To train the tendrils of a tree

…the kind and gentle touch, the knife
To prune weak offshoots faithfully
So, you can weather storms of life
When you become a full-grown tree

How brief the shaping season is
How swift the tender sapling grows
Why do we scold, hold, hug and kiss
To make you strong when life's wind blows

© Janet Martin

Why Do I Look The Way I Look?

 To Whomever it may concern😂

For today's prompt, write a question poem. 

So while a scale horizon-lines...

Why do I look the way I look?
Well, I get lost in thought your see
My mind is like a picture book
When thinking gets the best of me

So, if my gaze seems far away
Though we are sitting, eye to eye
And I miss most of what you say
And make no sense with my reply

Forgive me, if you can, my dears
I am still learning the fine art
Of fitting words inside my ears
When I am lost in worlds apart

So while I scale horizon-lines
And fail to listen, please be kind
And smile as I wrangle with vines
 Tangled in mazes of my mind


© Janet Martin

Why Do I Love You, Poem-hon?

 

Sometimes Poem does not want to be
only the lover, but the loved!

For today's prompt, write a question poem. 

(for my poem-hon)😊 



Why do I love you, 
Poem, so?
Your sweep and surging
Ebb and flow
Fills nooks and crooks
And crannies of
Life’s lackluster layouts
With love
While the world seems
To fall apart
You stay the course
And cheer the heart

You are courageous
And uncouth
And not afraid to
Tell the truth
Yet when you do
You are not cruel
Or treat the student
Like a fool
But with the woo of
Lilt and rhyme
You tune the truant
To the crime

You test and tame
And teach and tease
And vex and calm
With melodies
Drawn from a fresco
Flushed with stars
Or siphoned from
Dusk-brumal bars
You train me how
To dance or fight
To fly, to fall
To read and write

You make me brave
When I am not
Dare me to dredge
The grave of thought
Or surf the turquoise
Wave of dreams
To take me where
Brigadoon gleams
Like ancient castles
In the sun
You are my prince
Dear Poem-hon

You are a leaf
A silhouette
Of Grief and Wonder's
Pirouette
You twist fear's fist
 To figure-eights
As ink and sigh
Amalgamates
You are a candle
On a sill
A flicker on
Wicks of 'Until' 

Why do I love you,
Poem-hon
Your empathy
Second to none
You lend an
Understanding tear
Your page
A patient, listening ear
You spill and thrill
And fill time’s toll
With treasures chiseled
From the soul

© Janet Martin

Friday, April 23, 2021

Appointment With Laughter

 PAD Challenge 23: For today's prompt, write an appointment poem.

No matter how hard 
life is
Here's hoping 
now and then
it grants 
the goodness
of laughter

***

No matter how hard 
life is,
Here's to puppies 
and children...
because both have 
the beautiful, innocent 
ability 
of bringing the blessing 
of laughter

***






We have the neighbour's permission to 'enjoy' their pup
so Victoria loves playing with him till he's tired out...



These stomping grounds of dreams and dread
Confounds the bounds of heart and head
Where tug and hug wage wonder’s war
Midst beauty’s boast and duty’s chore

…where good intent is not enough
To reinvent the bent of love
Or the cement of moment-gold
As it pours into Bygone’s mold

These haves-and-holds of here-and-now
Of flying high and pushing plow
Is either ink of drudgery
Or patina of poetry

These stomping grounds of sound and sight
Abound with downer and delight
Yet, this grab-bag of groan and smile
Makes nabbing life’s coattail worthwhile

For appointments with hurt and hope
And dirt dappled with ‘nope-nope-nope’
Surprise us with sweet happiness
Because of laughter's ‘yes-yes-yes’

© Janet Martin



Date With Destiny



PAD Challenge 23: For today's prompt, write an appointment poem.



This date with Destiny
That no one can deny
Or somehow go unnoticed in
That Ledger in the sky

This date with Destiny
Ought to make us think thrice
About filling each moment with
Love’s gentle sacrifice

For what we leave behind
Becomes our legacy
While each breath draws us closer to
This date with Destiny

Ah Death! None can escape
The Reaper’s Swinging Scythe
Or the Appointment that awaits
As we step from this life

Then, pray that we prepare!
For Exodus Profound
For death is life's one certainty
The grave, it's common ground

This dust we stir with feet
Soon claims its due return
As Deathless Soul transcends time's toll
Far from earth's umber urn

The shadow that still falls
Across stone-stippled lea
The sacred image of the Soul
Awaiting Destiny

© Janet Martin




Heb.9:27-28

And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 
 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, 
will appear a second time, not to deal with sin 
but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.