Cara Mia, ti Voglio Bene

They all look so lovely
As they go strolling by
Ladies in long flowing dresses
And starlight in their eyes
Arm in arm with their lovers
What a sight to see
But love is not a painting in Venice…..
Or one act of grand chivalry

I’d love to ride the gondola
Down a moonlit avenue
‘Cara mia, ti voglio bene’
I would whisper to you
And the lights in the little shop windows
Would twinkle in reply
But love is not a street in Italy
Love is you and I

Love is not the perfect villain
Or ‘oh, my sweet Romeo’
Love is the sound of music
In the tender afterglow
Of a mountain we have a conquered
Or a storm as it rests in the sea
Love is the beauty in knowing
That love is you and me

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Pain............

I did the right thing today
…..and I cried
Why do the right things bring us pain
Before the peace of doing right?
Choosing the wrong gives us pleasure
Perhaps for a moment or two
But its reward is grief beyond measure…….
Tell me now, which should we choose?

Janet~

....sometimes it's 'tough love'
with our children...
and sometimes its 'tough love' with ourselves:)

Momentary.....

Like that time you stubbed your toe
Or missed the wood when you swung the axe
And you groaned and moaned ‘cause it really hurt
But life is just like that
Remember that face plant into the dirt
When you slid into second base
Those first few moments; how they stung and hurt
As you wiped unbidden tears from your face
But life is just like that
Remember the satisfaction and pride
The elation and joy of success
How the excitement bubbled from deep inside
In a well-spring of happiness
And delightful pleasure of saying thank-you
For the compliments and praise
As a sense of deliverance rolled over you
In a sweet, satisfying haze
But that was yesterday, before the dismay
Of chapters two and three
As you realize the fleeting prize
Of momentary security
Momentary pleasure, momentary pain
Earthly treasure is stored in vain
Momentary victory, momentary defeat
Momentary shadows or sunny retreat
Life is just like that........
A sequence of momentary things
Lest we forget, we will never be kings
So we dare not scoff at the one in the dirt
Or brush off another’s misfortune or hurt
We all are simply fellow-men
Part of a much, much greater plan
Than this life of momentary mystery
Tomorrow today will be history
Its moments, but steppingstones in a sea
Leading to the brink of eternity

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Stolen Moment.....

Come, my dear
The day passes by
Let's steal a small piece of it
Before the tender sky
Surrenders
To pink and coral hue
Let's steal away, life beckons
Beneath a pavilion of blue........
There will always be something better to do
But we are growing old.....
And can we really hold
Anything forever...all soon is dust
Time will sever and treasure will rust
There will never be a day born for wanderlust
The green tree laughs while it is spring
And summer unfolds like a priceless painting
But soon it is cold and everything
Familiar is strange
Under the brush of change
The hands we've held and lips we've kissed
Are echoes and shadows dearly missed
But now, you throb in the beat of my heart
The happiness of you tears me apart
Soon the laughter of this day disappears
And all that is left is the glimmer of tears
On a face that loved you yesterday
But somehow time stole it away

All rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Linked...........

We become linked to each other
In so many different ways
Sometimes in a moment of pleasure
Or untimely tragedies
Our paths cross, briefly or indefinitely
But we cannot sever
The myriad of memories
That stays with us forever

You were my teacher, you were my nurse
You were my first real kiss
You were the guy who returned my purse
You are the friend that I miss
You were a school mate, you were a pal
You were my best friend’s mom
Or maybe you were simply a gal
I met once, that night at the prom

You were my mechanic before I moved
You were the old man next door
You were the fellow that once I loved
Many long years before
You were the packer at the local food-mart
You were on my baseball team
You were the one who taught me the art
Of chasing an impossible dream

You were the doctor who said to me
Congratulations, it’s a girl
You were the one who once led me
To the brink of another world
You were the one who broke my heart
Before the one who stayed
You were the one who held my hand
When I was afraid

We become linked to each other
In various and sundry ways
Some memories stay with us forever
Some only for moments or days
A word, a touch, a handshake
A glance while passing by
Another link in an invisible chain
Reaching to the sky


All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

War...........

They called her four-eyes and tore two from her face
They stomped on them, kicked her and called her foul names
And each Sunday morning at Sunday School
They would be taught the golden rule…………
But the next day was Monday….and school

They called her a geek, clumsy and fat
Yanked at her braids and tugged at her hat
She sat beside one of them at church yesterday
Her mother asked if she would invite her to play
But she didn’t know about school………or Monday

She thought maybe war was a playground at school
No place to hide, no golden rule
Did battlefields have desks to take refuge in
Where they could talk to God and feel safe again
Cause bullies didn’t touch you in class….. BIG CHICKENS

Hurt feels the same whether you’re fat or thin
So do foul names, no matter what shade is your skin
Tears fall the same way no matter where you are from
Nobody wants to be called stupid or dumb….or worse
Everyone needs to be loved by someone

Janet~

Unwritten Tragedies.....

The newspapers don’t tell the story
No head-lines in bold display
No ten seconds of glory……….
As another love dies today
They won’t show the tear-stained faces
The heads bowed in dismay
Or all of the lives it displaces.
As another love dies today

No sound of shattered memories
No pictures of destruction
No humanitarian dignitaries
Or manual of instruction
Who can mend the heart that lies
In sad and tattered fray
Or wipe the tears from little eyes
As another love dies today

Guard it with your every breath
This treasure that you hold
The greatest gift upon this earth
Lies not in vaults of gold
But in the hearts of flesh and blood
In trusting, tender eyes
Cherish this great gift from God
Lest another love dies

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin


....now you can get a 'no fault' divorce.....

That Was Then....

Not so very long ago
He was running across the yard
Practicing his foot-ball throw
Tossing it far, tossing it hard
Not so very long ago
He had no cares upon his brow
But he has become a man
And he is a soldier now

Not so very long ago
He was just a little guy
But it is no longer so….
As a man’s tears dim his eye
Not so very long ago
He was proud, for he was ten
An innocent little boy….
No longer so….that was then

All Right Reserved
Janet Martin

Remember to remember…..
All the men and women
Who sacrifice their lives
For our freedom!!!
Do we pray for them?
Every day?