Tuesday, November 27, 2012

November's Farewell Song





What is that song you play tonight?
It rolls across the cobalt eve
Where finger-tips of silver-white
Strum branches aching for their leaves

What is that melody we hear?
Of still and starless diadem
Tolling the waning of a year
In farewell notes of snowflake gem

Who plays this moody minuet
A sudden, surging solitude
Where daylight rests her weary head
As rushing winds are calm, subdued

Where is the Maestro that instructs
This tender, tortured euphony?
It trembles in the midnight arch
And drifts across the frozen lea

What is that song; a humble hymn
Autumn’s postlude, a lullaby
That trickles from the silent scrim
Of deep November-night good-bye

© Janet Martin






Love-wish





 I would love
To learn to love you
The way you
Would love
To be loved

© Janet Martin

Our Full Awakening





We see alas, through darkened glass
But oh, sweet resurrection
As from our knees we look to see
More than hope’s faint reflection

Through dim-lit skies our prayers arise
And make their heavenly journey
But on that day we’ll toss away
This load of mortal worry

Then we will pass through earth’s dark glass
To arms, loving and tender
We’ll lift our eyes to paradise
And heaven’s unmarred splendor

Upon our sight, the Lamb; the Light
Will rend night’s veil forever
And we will be eternally
Where death can never sever

© Janet Martin

Thank-you Sherry, I borrowed your Full Awakening theme.

In Search of Christmas Day




'Twas Christmas Eve and all through town the lights blinked red and green,
Snow was softly falling down where naked worlds had been,
Last minute shoppers rushed on home, discarding final lists,
While others packed up and left town to see dear folk they’d missed

Then, as I gazed on up the street I spied a form alone,
He wandered as if searching for something a long time gone,
He paused to view the festive scenes in windows twinkling bright,
Where ‘Merry Xmas’ signs were strung in honor of this night

Then up the silent street He trod, his steps were sad and slow,
Unlike the rush these walks had known a few short hours ago,
Past Santa’s smiling face he walked, past a twinkling Christmas tree,
Up to a window brightly lit where he could stand and see

Inside each person rushed about dreaming of Christmas day,
Dressing up the turkey or tucking last gifts away,
Dreaming of feasts, laughter and gifts, tables o’er-flowing with food
Trees laden down with presents for all, oh, what a holiday mood

Stockings were hung at the fireplace, everything was complete,
The table was set with cookies and milk for Santa’s special treat,
While folk all sang the Christmas carols and talked of Christmas cheer,
The stranger outside the window turned away and wiped a tear

Tis true, he cried, tis awful truth, I see it all too well,
The reason why they choose to cross out that first syllable,
Tis Merry Xmas, that is sure, the baby and Bethlehem’s star
Are simply vague traditions from the past, so faint and far

They’ve forgotten the ‘Christ’ is what this day is really all about,
That the true meaning is all gone if they choose to cross Him out,
They’ve forgotten, it is Christ, not Santa, that represents Christmas Day,
And in truth it is Merry Xmas if they choose to put him away

He wiped his tears and whispered, I’m sorry but I cannot stay here,
I simply do not feel at home amidst this festive cheer,
I watched him turn with broken heart and slowly walk away,
Twas then I saw the Man was Christ in search of Christmas Day

Janet Martin

You can purchase this poem performed by Scott Woods here. It is #16 on the CD.

Thank-you Scott!

Silent Night; Celtic Thunder

His Name is Jesus




With veiled eyes we strain to perceive
But as we glimpse Him we believe

Knowing full well from whence He came
And why; redemption could not wait

Hated of men; the Son of God

Holy of Holiest; bore our debt

He conquered the grave; the Son of God
Could not in rock tombs be restrained
To keep Eternal Life contained

Some people say Jesus was ‘just a man’
But He has promised ‘every knee shall bow
God is not mocked; Love’s perfect plan


The Lord is our Keeper



 Image Source:brianberlin.net

We cannot keep one moment
It passes through our clasp
The unknown becomes known to us
In forms we cannot grasp

The dawn dissolves the darkness
Life’s joy and sorrow feat
Awaits; and only God can see
The unknowns we must meet

We cannot keep from coming
Life’s goodness or its gale
But the God of the mountain-top
Walks with us through the vale

We cannot know His power
Until, in utter need
We realize that we are lost
Without His hand to lead

To keep us in His Keep

© Janet Martin


Of Hunters and Seekers



Photo 

The daylight seeks a moment
The hunter seeks his prey
The poet seeks and hunts for both
Before they slip away

The wise man seeks night’s slumber
The lover hunts for she
The poet cannot sleep tonight
Or yet the hunted be

The pauper hunts for fortune
The dreamer seeks his dream
The poet shares what thought affords
But pen can scarcely glean

© Janet Martin



The Villain and the Hero...Two-for-two Tusdays





Poetics Aside prompt; Here are Paula’s prompts: Write a hero poem. Write a villain poem. 

 Vexing Villain

Some poems need no syllables
To distract or beguile
Darling, I shape you against me
In a faint, tender half-smile…

The poet dreams in perfect want
For that elusive word
Darling, I’ve borne the perfect taunt
In sudden passion stirred

As the air, obscure around us
Seethes with possibility
Darling, is it not ironic
That love’s perfect poetry…

…is not mouthed in verbal creations
Of bland inequity?
For Muse is a vexing villain
Of hope and insanity

But now we have trumped her ineptness
Though the silence may drive us wild
Love’s perfect poem, oh darling
Exists in a faint, half-smile

The Hero...

You do not come crashing in
on a black stead or verbose and vile
But darling, you persuade me
with nothing, but a faint half-smile

...across the room I see you
My hero; come, let's go home
Our eyes meet; the air is full
Of love's most perfect poem


© Janet Martin