Salted Stillness

It is quiet

Save for the gale

That rattles the doors

As it sweeps ‘cross the dale

It is quiet

Save for the pall

That weighs down the air

Like a misty night-fall

It is quiet
Save for the ache
As elements tremble
Where Sea-hawk hearts break

It is quiet

Save for the tear

That shatters the stillness

Where Patriot fans cheer

© Janet Martin

 Image Source

Seattle Seahawks

NFL Super Bowl XLIX

Final - yesterday, 6:30 PM

University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona

New England Patriots (15-4)

28

Seattle Seahawks (14-5)

24

Time Is Not A Lover

Time is not a lover

And in the end its seems

Utter disappointment

Is the climax of its dreams

Time is not a beggar

Nor is it a thief

Joy and sorrow free-fall

In covenanted grief

Time is not a savior

Its undoing way

Rends the heart with hunger

In its come-what-may

Time is no pretender

And its no return

Rivets the contender

With a long slow-burn

Time is but a pittance

Neither friend nor foe

Ephemeral threshold

Before the letting go

…and herein is the cap-sheaf

As its pulses plea

Time is the harbinger

To eternity

© Janet Martin

"LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. "Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.…Ps. 39:4-5

Of Disappointment and Destinies

Disappointment is not a destination

But sets out its stepping-stones

To refine, strengthen, condition

The unknowns becoming known

Disappointment is a teacher

And though reluctant we may be

We will ever be her student

Learning her humility

Disappointment is a shadow

Not a wall; it will pass by

As its bittersweet life-lessons

Tune the heart and keen the eye

Disappointment; tough task-master

But when all is said and done

She will make us kinder, wiser

Teaching appreciation

© Janet Martin

Of Demons and Conquerors

 

When failure unleashes demonic persuasion

Clenching and quenching the song in the heart

When hope is tormented by cold accusation

Dredging the deeps for despair’s cruelest dart

When fumbles long-buried and almost forgotten

In one half-breath memory are keenly exhumed

When stumbles and tumbles of regret-to-wisdom

Startle and threaten to crush grace with gloom

When laughter is snuffed by a pitiless glove

We cling to one Truth; God is love, God is love

When cruelty slaughters while hearts remain beating

When longing rends eons while hope gently yearns

And we bear pain’s witness of moment-tears bleeding

Into secured fathoms where not one returns

Still, in this valley of onyx oppression

Light is not quelled; if we hunger and thirst

There is a Solace within dark depression

Conquering legions of enmity cursed

We turn to His pages; peace descends like a dove

Faithful through the ages; God is love, God is love

When we plead for mustard-seed faith and forgiveness

And turning the other cheek fills our mouths with dust

When daggers of insult repay our kindness

Still there is One in whose Word we can trust

He will not falter; His Truth is enduring

What He has promised no one can abate

Goodness and mercy, like glad light of morning

Cannot be conquered by sin-sabers of hate

Tender refrains stream from portals above

Kissing our tear-stains; God is love, God is love

© Janet Martin

Of Disappointment and Perspective

The sting of disappointment

Wanes as we remember

God does not see statistics

Or percentages or numbers

He is not interested

In the boast of our ‘smarts’

But rather, he searches

And knows our hearts

One cannot be

Both proud and wise

There is nothing hidden

From our Maker’s eyes

The boast of the mouth

Reveals many flawed parts

But God knows the truth

For He sees our hearts

The sting of disappointment

Is not quite so sharp

If we ‘trust in the Lord

With all our heart’

A foolish man looks

In the mirror and forgets

That God sees beyond

The face on his head

© Janet Martin

Camoflouged Cascade

A moment is not always what it seems

Sometimes the bad leads to the good

And the unfolding of our dreams

To taste success, if it comes and when

After disappointment and dedication

Will be much sweeter then

A moment is not what it may appear

Trial is the prelude to wisdom's crown

And joy forms the mien of the tear

Moments never sever from their flow

In their trial and error discourse

We learn what now we know

Moments; obscure morsels of God's grace

In them we fall and flounder

And in them we win the race

© Janet Martin

On Disappointment

 Image Source: quotepictures.net

Disappointment’s not the end

It is just a painful bend

In the road to future’s destiny

Disappointment’s not our fate

It just means we have to wait

God alone knows what must be will be

Disappointment’s not vile spite

To restrain us in our fight

Or to snuff our song is never its intent

But disappointment makes us strong

Though it hurts and feels so wrong

It often leaves us wiser in the end

Disappointment’s hidden good

Is oh, so oft misunderstood

Until miles down the road we turn to see

Forsaken dreams strewn in the dust

No longer near and dear to us

For God alone knew what was meant to be

© Janet Martin

I have a friend who experienced keen disappointment last night as he did not make it to the finals in the local singer/songwriter's competition. It was his first public competition and he learned a lot from it. ...'and you will by okay, my friend, because this was the beginning, not the end:)'