October Lullaby

The weightless leaf grows heavy ‘neath the tears of autumn’s sky

Filling leaf-swollen levies; fall exhales a lullaby

Of heaven-tinted awning dropping soundless to a berth

Where the echo of the ages slumbers, layered in the earth

A metaphor of moments trickles from the weeping limb

Relinquishing the beauty of the bud and blossomed scrim

The hour adjusts its images to nature’s perfect rule

And mortal searches, scrimmages for shadows on its pool

There is no bugle blowing; no salute to Time’s demise

As sod and stream are flowing with the tears of fall good-byes

But quiet preparation glimmers in the silver air

In raw juxtaposition of keen triumph and despair

The weightless leaf grows heavy; soon the laughing tree is mute

As winds scatter its bevy of bygones without dispute

And we behold the Truth within its stark and unclad form

The summer of fair youth is but the prelude to life’s storm

© Janet Martin

A Minnesang... Emaciation

Poetic Bloomings invites us to attempt a Minnesang

The MINNESANG (Middle High German - minne = love) is a courtly love poem. But it was usually depicting unrequited love. The verse was cultivated by the nobility, and often built around the theme of a brave knight's attempt to court a lady who doesn't return his favor.

The Minnesang was meant to be sung but the melodies were not well documented and mostly only lyrics are left.

The defining features of the Minnesang are:

• stanzaic, written in uniform stanzas although the number of lines in the stanza per poem is variable, sixains were popular.
• metric, often iambic tetrameter with the last line of each stanza a longer Germanic line (Long lines written in a minimum of 7 metric feet, Accentual meter and often composed as 2 short lines in 1 usually separated by caesura) , iambic heptameter or octameter.
• rhymed, variable rhyme schemes were used, ababcc was common another was abbcaa .

You keen my senses, remove my defenses

Ravish perception like a tree in the fall

My mind is blind to half-love recompenses

I drink foolish hope from its chalice half-full

While subtly you strip the smile from my lip

I remain, a devoted beggar on your fingertip

Beneath your caress, casually you undress

The dearest and deepest measures of my heart

But I am a fool and oh, you are so cool

I gulp the pleasure purposed blindness imparts

While you seem to linger just out of my reach

From the tip of your finger I beg and beseech

You move through me, an invisible tempest

While my wanton tears wash your body; your feet

I do not feel the chill of disinterest

Until you have stripped me; your mission complete

I cannot hide; my emaciated form

Stands exposed; naked limbs reach to embrace sorrow’s storm

© Janet Martin

Sapling

Young sapling, we must nourish thee

For someday thou wilt be a tree

And if thou wouldst bear worthy fruits

We must establish wholesome roots

If we provide soft sand for thee

Life’s storms will toss you to the sea

Lord, teach us how to nurture best

This tree, so it may stand life’s test

© Janet Martin

 Psalms 1: 1-3

Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,  
 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Confessions~

I run my fingers

Over your rugged lines

I am taken by your beauty

You grow more beautiful with time

Oh, I will not blush

For I am shamelessly in love with you

And in the sacred midnight hush

I know

You love me too

J~

Mr. Willow

I never told anyone

That I gave you a name

And you always reached for me

Whenever I came

As you read my thoughts

You would nod and sigh

At night in my bed

I heard your lullaby

You would listen patiently

When no one else would

And I never doubted

That you understood

© Janet Martin

Poetics Aside Prompt: Trees/forest

The Parable of Trees

Poetics Aside Prompt: Tree or Forest

In winter you're a barren twig

In spring a new-born flower

In summer-time a cool retreat

And in the fall...a shower

Winter, a crown of pristine white

In spring, a floral cutie

Your summer-gown, chartreuse delight

But autumn; oh, ravishing beauty

I have fallen in love once

A thousand times each season

Oh mighty tree, for you ensconce

The whole of Nature's reason

There is a season for all life

The bud, the bloom; surrender

Yet, here we earn in living's strife

The crown of wisdom's splendor

Janet Martin

Trees at Dusk

Like stalwart sentinels they stand

To guard the waning day

Their shadows stretched on muted land

Enfolding work and play

Dark, raven spires reach to brush

The portals where the moon

Lolls in the periwinkle hush

Of day’s retiring swoon

Silhouette, precisely-sketched

Against the crimson dusk

Their flawless detail clearly etched

In shades of dewy musk

Faithful, four-season master-piece

Of intricate design

Timber art rivets our gaze

To dusk's horizon line

© Janet Martin