Morning-tide

We stand upon the shoreline of a vast mysterious sea

Gazing upon the rippling mien of what is yet to be

A gold leaf hovers on the air then drops into time’s ocean

In petal-grief of summer fair and love’s tangled emotion

As daylight eases o’er the deep and morning warms its tresses

We cast aside the shroud of sleep beneath virgin caresses

Upon the cusp of centuries we reach for Love’s kind favor

A cup to fill with memories; of moment-drops to savor

…before it slips into the vault of vast never-returning

 We take hope’s cup and lift it up to living, loving; learning

© Janet Martin

I wrote this poem this morning but my cup started filling with the days moments before I had a chance to post it;))

Tell Me Again

Tell me again,

Who formed the earth and heaven?

Tell me again

Who parted the Red Sea?

Tell me again, why is it I’m forgiven

When my birthright

Is my iniquity?

Tell me again,

Who left His throne in Heaven?

A perfect Lamb

To be sin’s sacrifice

Tell me again, why is it I’m forgiven

When it is I

So guilty of its price?

Tell me again

A thousand times I’ve heard it

The debt I owed

No riches could afford

Yet, I am free, not because I earned it

But through the blood

Of Jesus Christ the Lord

Tell me again

May I never grow weary

Of this great joy

Of this, a sinner’s boast

Creator, Lord, Redeemer, God of mercy

Left Heaven’s throne

Because He loves us most

 Cho. Tell me again,

Who formed the earth and heaven?

Tell me again

Who parted the Red Sea?

Tell me again, why is it I’m forgiven

When my birthright

Is my iniquity?

Tell me again

May I never grow weary

Of this great joy

Of this, a sinner’s boast

Creator, Lord, Redeemer, God of mercy

Paid sin’s great debt

Because He loves us most

© Janet Martin

Caught Off Guard

Another Minnesang  

You come to me a bit like that

A deluge pelting my reserve

You trickle in beneath my hat

To claim what you think you deserve

I cannot resist you so I allow you to slip

Like raindrops on a window over my lips

Who taught you to be a reckless thief?

Your boldness startles demure poise

And you will surely be my mother’s grief

She warned me, ‘daughter, watch out for those boys’

For you are not a placid, gentle-noon’s rainfall

You are a ‘let’s jump from a plane and free-fall’

You came to me a bit like that

I grew accustomed to your style

So I pick out my favorite hat

And wait for you; it’s been a while

The sun grows hot; and I begin to doubt

Nobody taught me what to do in case of drought

 Janet Martin

Life-gems

 A minnesang 

(my internet was down all day so I took revenge...and wrote:) It was fun.

I hope you come to me

Completely un-rushed

For I need you next to me

But not hurried or pushed

How do we love each other; let’s count the ways

Time is a priceless commodity these days

I hope you stop long enough

Oh, I hope you stay

Until we have run out of

All we need to say

And even then, you would find no reason to leave

As we listen to the night slipping over the eve

Moments are life-gems

We cannot count or number

Or know how many of them

Fill time’s vault ‘til we slumber

True sorrow is looking back to yesterday

Regretting the life-gems we threw away

© Janet Martin

Te Amo, Te Quiero (another Minnesang)

Another Minnesang

You discard each rampart that I secure

You breathe; I melt, acquiescent in your gaze

Your presence is more than I can endure

Yet, like a moth to flame I seek its blaze

Drawn to you, I thirst; love’s gall is bittersweet

For you remain oblivious; I wallow at your feet

“O senor, Te amo, O, Te quiero

Me Encantas,’ ach, what is the use

You hang your fedora over my heart’s window

Completely untaken by my Spanish ruse

I watch from behind you but you don’t turn around

So I must follow; an invisible shadow on the ground

Would one tiny glance be too noble a favor?

Is there any chance; or am I doomed unseen?

Must I remain at your mercy forever

To die in the hollow of what might have been?

I have one ploy left; ah, leave it to me

Senor, I will attempt to seduce you with poetry

© 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

A Part of the Whole

It does not hurt so much now

The echo of what used to be

For in time, some way, somehow

It has become a part of me

The distance measured by Time’s scope

In spite of its expanding plea  

Cannot diminish Love or Hope

As it becomes the whole of me

J~

Poet's Lament

Oft you evoke in my in-most being

Hollowed indictments I cannot ignore

Passionate pleading; rushing receding

Oceans of wonder and pondering roar

Desire dances in sanguine circles

Duty remands with a stiff, solemn grip

Wanderlust whispers; temptation trickles

I need a pen between my fingertips

A-h-h-h-h…

Smooth satisfaction probes inspiration

Pulses quicken with anticipation

Muse, oh languid and luring impression

Teasing and taunting the fringe of my thought

Do you seek kinship or mournful confession?

I feel you but to touch you, I can not

Are you the shadow that ruffles the willow?

Are you the Shepherd of star-spangled deep?

Or do you burrow beneath my pillow

Murmuring to me as I fall asleep

A-h-h-h-h

You are a rebel tormenter of men

Provoking the poet without a pen

Oft you evoke intangible beauty

Caught in the lilt and the bend of the breeze

Oft, in the middle of modest duty

You kiss the moment with sweet memories

I cannot hate you, therefore I must love you

Feed on the hunger of what you withhold

Darling, I am so empty without you

Tease me; torment me until I am old

A-h-h-h,

Poet, poor poet; are you blessed or cursed?

Caught in the vortex of life’s best or worst?

© Janet Martin

Written for Poetry Jam; love-hate relationship