This Is November

Last Post and Rouse

"This is November; the month to remember 

All those who fought for ‘true North strong and free’ "

What a blessing to be able to

cherish life's loveliness-es in a country where we are free to do so!

Free (covid-restrictions aside) to come and go as we please!

This freedom comes at a great price!

Lest We Forget

This is the season of silver-silk haloes 

Crowning milkweed in gauzy silhouettes 

Landscapes a-glimmer with stubble and furrows 

Shadows soft-stenciled like penciled vignettes 

This is the season of silence. Leaf-laughter 

Snuffed like a flicker from each woodland wick 

Now our senses are drawn to a rafter 

Now blue, now gray, now Day cut to the quick 

This is the season of tender surrender 

Baring of secrets that full foliage kept 

Doffed of the flower but never the splendor 

Where leaf-confetti is scattered and swept 

This is the season of Nature’s stark beauty 

Before heavens unfurl winter’s oriflamme 

Flinging white featherdown o’er town and country 

Muffling the brittle ballad of Autumn

This is the season of brook song refurbished 

Gone to seed thistle-weed-parachute flight 

Caught on a current of sunbeams, dusk-burnished 

Glint of gold gossamer soon lost to sight 

This is the season of Collected Treasure

Bloom dappled meadow, an echo of Thought

Playing back pictures of picnic-lunch pleasure 

Crooning a postlude of  'forget-me-not'

This is November; the month to remember 

All those who fought for ‘true North strong and free’ 

This is November; the last glowing ember 

On a hearth kindled with Expectancy 

© Janet Martin

An Oldie to remind us there is 

No 'Free' in Freedom

Somber and steady up a tree-lined street

A stream of solemn soldier-ranks are led,

As sun-beams dance to the drummer’s beat

Filtering through the branches overhead

Beyond the tears and past the arc of trees

The music of a small child’s laughter swells

Stark contrast to the mourning infantry

Bowing beneath the tolling of the bells

Then, as the weeping bag-pipe song exalts

The melody of sweet Amazing Grace

Then, as the banner-covered coffin halts

For it has reached its final resting place

Then, as the last note fades the cannon flies

Its echo fills the air from shore to shore

Yet pales in the wake of a mother’s cries

“There is no ‘free’ in freedom anymore

Put down your banners, lay down your guns

My sweet baby boy has died

Tributes, salutes, many battles won

Won’t bring him back” she cried

“Take away all the roses for nothing will be

Like it ever was before

The price of freedom is too hard for me

There is no ‘free’ in freedom anymore”

Freedom (part two)

Upon Golgotha’s rocky skull-strewn trail

A teaming, screaming throng of hatred surged

Swarming around a form blood-bathed and pale

Upon a place called Calvary they converged

Wild, wild with rage wages hate’s vicious roar

No one remains to defend Love unbound

Stark contrast to the cheers and praise before

Where palm-tree branches waved and decked the ground

Then as the violent blows of steel on steel

Accentuates the horror on the hill

Then, as they drive in hatred nail by nail

Against Love’s cries of ‘Father, not My will’

Then, as they praised and raised Life’s blood-stained cross

In victory, death’s maddened thousands roar

As Mary, his mother weeps for her loss

“There is no ‘free’ in freedom anymore

Take away your hammers, lay down your swords

My dear precious son has died”

As the lightning flashed and the thunder roared

There at His feet she cried

“Take away all your hatred, your jeers and chanting

For you have slain my Lord

Take away all your weapons and cease your ranting

There is no ‘free’ in freedom anymore”

There is no ‘free’ in freedom, Love pays a price

Where hellish horrors run

There is no ‘free’ in freedom, its sacrifice

Save in Christ, is never done

There is no ‘free’ in freedom, red the river

That flows on its behalf

There is no 'free' in freedom; its signature

A blood-stained autograph

© Janet Martin

Prayer-power

 

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession 

and thanksgiving be made for all people— 

1 Tim.2:1

last week's list just keeps growing!!

Did you feel God’s arms surround you with an ineffable peace? 

When the cry of my heart found you did your weight of worry cease? 

Did you sense Someone far greater step beneath your heavy load? 

Did you meet with your Creator on fear’s dark Jericho Road? 

Did you wonder at the whisper that seemed to come from thin air? 

Did you recognize your Master as He ministered through prayer? 

Did you feel His arms around you as you struggled up faith’s hill? 

When the cry of my heart found you, did He whisper ‘peace be still’? 

© Janet Martin

Our Father who art in Heaven

Grant us the courage to pray 

Thy Will be done

And faith to trust Your reply

For Thine is the Kingdom,

The power and

the glory,

 forever and ever,

Amen

One of my favorite renditions of this song!

Peace, Be Still

One Awesome God

 

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, 

the name of the LORD is to be praised.

Psalm 113:3

What a hallelujah hymn the heavens played this morning!!

"And so, once more Mercy’s compassion spills and fills the sky 

And holds back Heaven’s legions for the sake of you and I "

Today's Daily Bread Devotion,

The Triumph of Forgiveness

inspired today's poem with this line;

"There’s One whose arms are open wide to receive us 

when we acknowledge our wrongs and seek His forgiveness. "

There's One whose arms are open wide to welcome seekers in 

Where forgiveness is not denied when we confess our sin 

Where redemption and mercy meld in love’s atoning claim 

And salvation is not withheld from all who trust His name 

There's One who cannot bear quite yet, to seal Time’s Day of Grace 

And rend the veil twixt here and There when all will see His face 

For God so loved the world that He gave His Beloved Son 

To pay sin’s gruesome penalty for each and everyone 

There's One whose perfect will it is that none should be cast out 

When faith beholds the promises that many scorn and doubt 

And so, once more Mercy’s compassion spills and fills the sky 

And holds back Heaven’s legions for the sake of you and I 

© Janet Martin 

1 Tim.2:1-6

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession 

and thanksgiving be made for all people— 

2for kings and all those in authority, 

that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

 3This is good, and pleases God our Savior,

 4who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

 5For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, 

the man Christ Jesus,

 6who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 

There Is a Fountain

Settling the Doubt-Duel (With No Doubt About It)

Can you pick figs from thistles?

Matt.7:16

There is no doubt about it; By our fruits we are known 

Can we pick figs from thistles; or pluck grapes from a stone 

There is no doubt about it; we reap the seed we sow 

God is not mocked; and it is He who said that it is so 

There is no doubt about it; time is a transient toll 

And none can know the hour that shucks body from the soul 

There is no doubt about it; the tricks that we employ 

If we are apart from the Vine will never yield full joy 

There is no doubt about it; we fight an enemy 

Not flesh and blood but evil forces that we cannot see 

There is no doubt about it; Someday, the recompense 

Of Faith, the substance of our hope before the evidence 

There is no doubt about it; we prefer kiss to kick 

And comfort’s pretty flower to conviction’s thorny prick 

There is no doubt about it; we are a broken breed 

Dependent on God’s mercy to supply our daily need 

There is no doubt about it; waiting is hard to bear 

But oh, how oft its anguish authors our most humble prayer 

There is no doubt about it; in the fist-a-cuffs of life 

We start to seek a city better than this world of strife 

There is no doubt about it; the Lord gives and He takes

And we are called to bless His name for He makes no mistakes

For there's no doubt about it; we come with empty hands

And we can carry nothing past this cast of sea-swept sands

There is no doubt about it; the greatest of these, love 

No other power can eclipse or ever be enough 

There is no doubt about it; if we seek God, we find 

His peace, past understanding to guard our heart and mind

There is no doubt about it; no matter what we face 

If we believe, will never be beyond God's realm of grace 

There is no doubt about it; after life’s race, my friend 

A crown of righteousness awaits all faithful to the end 

© Janet Martin

God Is Love. Love is not God

Declaring the end from the beginning, 

And from ancient times things that are not yet done, 

Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’

Isa.46:10

His Love Cannot Fail...

Love does not annul the law.

Love is the fulfillment of the law.

Seems sometimes like we live in a world

that wants the fruit of righteousness 

without the righteousness

...wants the blessing of obedience

without the obedience

...wants the love of God

without the law of God

"well, I believe in a God of love"

said someone defending an immoral life-style.

God is love. Love is not God 

Love does not wrong-doing applaud 

Love is patient and Love is kind 

And true love keeps God’s decrees first in mind 

God is love. Love cannot lie 

Or wink at sin with easy eye 

Love does not defend negligence 

Or ignore blatant disobedience 

God’s love and grace are absolute 

His holiness, none can refute 

His love grants no excuse for pride 

Through Love’s/God’s righteousness man is justified 

God, author of salvation gave 

His Son the soul of man to save 

Love does not seek the wants of ‘me’ 

But is the pinnacle of true humility 

Love leaves no room for jealousy 

It honours God’s authority 

Love does not carelessly approve 

Of counterfeits masquerading as love 

Love is preeminent and just 

His confidence worthy of trust 

For love is noble, sincere, true 

Love needs not fear what a mere man may do 

Love fulfills; it does not annul 

The law and prophecy, faithful 

Love is the Perfect Judge because 

He, the perfect example proved love’s laws 

God is love. Love is not God 

Lest we love’s purity defraud 

We ought to repent of our sins 

And find the only place/grace where love begins 

© Janet Martin 

Love has no 'gray' areas...

Heb.13:4

Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; 

but fornicators and adulterers God will judge.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, 

for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. 

9 The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,”

 “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,”[a] 

and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command:

 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”[b] 

10 Love does no harm to a neighbor. 

Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

Romans 13:8-13

Fond Farewell-Forge

We are always on the verge of Fond farewells,

but hallelujah, we are also always on the verge of Hello's unfolding rose.

Farewell is love's most Bitter Sweet!

How, after all the autumns 

Where spent leaf-laughter lies 

Does Time’s meted momentum 

Still take us by surprise 

After being buried in snow 5 days ago

this autumn summer is ever so much sweeter!!

Ah, manifest momentum 

Of seasoned gravity 

The swaying of a pendulum 

We feel but cannot see 

Over harvest-cropped landscape 

A wave of hunger heaves 

Farewell is always taking shape 

In the summer of leaves 

How, after all the autumns 

Where spent leaf-laughter lies 

Does Time’s meted momentum 

Still take us by surprise 

…to force the heart to wrestle 

With tides it cannot vex 

Where Farewell is a vessel 

Laden with what is next 

Life’s white heat on love’s anvil 

Forges fond farewell’s art 

But cannot touch or trample 

The showcase of the heart 

So, as we ponder hours 

Where farewell fills the room 

Remember, hello’s flowers 

Are bursting into bloom 

…to steep life’s dusk or autumn 

With wonder to behold 

Gilding the most commonplace frond 

In etching of pure gold 

© Janet Martin

the past few dusk's have been 

drop-everything-and-behold 

beautiful!

as earth's echo-land is etched in gold

To everything there is a season, 

A time for every purpose under heaven:

Eccles.3:1

There Is No Getting Around It...

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.

Matt.5:5

Pass Me Not Oh Gentle Saviour

No matter who we are

However great or small

There is no getting around it;

Pride goes before the fall

No matter who we are

However rich or poor

There is no getting around it;

God's promises endure

No matter who we are

Humble or full of pride

There is no getting around it

God's laws and love abide

Janet Martin

Proverbs 29:23
A man's pride will bring him low, but a humble spirit will obtain honor.

Matthew 23:12
For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

1 Peter 5:5
Young men, in the same way, submit yourselves to your elders. And all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 8:13
To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate arrogant pride, evil conduct, and perverse speech.

Proverbs 18:12
Before his downfall a man's heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 11:2
When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

I Wasn't Going To But...(The Futility of Excuse)

 PAD Challenge Day 6:

For today’s prompt, write an in medias res poem. 

In medias res means in the middle of the narrative. 

Or think of it as starting in the middle of the story 

instead of at the very beginning or very end. 

Like at lunch time or half way through eating your soup.

The Futility of Excuse

Confessions of four

the morning after

The sleepover...

Because 

it was 

 Halloween

because

it was

 Krispy Kreme

It was easy to eat

three or four

Because

They were airy

It didn't feel scary

to devour

a dozen

or more.

***

Confessions of a Housewife...

I wasn't going to

but the afternoon

was gold and blue

and the wind was

mischievous 

and flirty

So I stayed outside

and therefore 

that is why

the windows 

and floors

are still dirty

***

Confessions of Concession

I wasn't going to

but then

I walked, smack-dab

into a pen

It looked at me

so pitifully

I couldn't just

walk by,

could I?

For in a pen

trembles, hidden

A veritable

world

We'd never see

If everyone

just used a pen

for things like

trigo-

nometry 

So when 

that pen

with silent plea

looked up 

at me

what could I do

but try to free

the agony

of poetry

hidden 

from view

© Janet Martin