Ephemeral Exchanges

The wind that blows the storm to shore

Will bear it back to sea

The dearth that draws you from my door

Will bring you back to me

The stream that steals my now-to-then

Will carry on its tide

The virgin morn waiting its When

As night and day divide

The breath exhaling to the blue

Replenishes its space

Where missing you and wanting you

And loving interlace

The wave that rolls across the beach

Dissolving in a gasp

Is like that moment out of reach

Yet slipping through my grasp

© Janet Martin

Do you ever feel this? I did just now as my daughter left for work.

Winter Quietude

Gone, gone, the laughing leaf of auburn fall

Bronze timbrel tucked into white solitude

The crinkled creek, a placid, polished hall

Its melody of merry May subdued

The song-bird choir that heralded the morn

Is mute; its choristers far, far away

And fields, stripped of wild-bloom and rippling corn

Roll soundlessly to skylines dull and gray

Forgotten fronds shiver, bereft of smile

Betrayed, it seems by winter’s gilded guile

On street or field our muffled footsteps fade

Stillness of white blankets hushed countryside

Somewhere bare feet pause in kind, crooning shade

Where heaven’s eyes are blue and open wide

Here, where the zephyr teased bracken and bloom

Now winds wander earth’s stricken emptiness

Searching through nature’s whitewashed living-room

For something more than stiff, stoic witnesses

Beneath the spell of sequin-silver kiss

The world is wrapped in winter quietness

This is the hour of tranquility

Do not despise the door that leads to spring

The barren tree in meek humility

Trusts He who holds and molds each season-thing

Though stalk has rendered its bloom to the sod

Farewell is not its death, hope fills the seed

It slumbers where the faithfulness of God

Does not forget for He beholds each need

While now we wait; our wanting will subdued

In cathedrals of winter quietude

© Janet Martin

Because my mind is racing this morning I decided it would be good to focus on quietude! :) Merry Christmas all, and may your days leading up to His Birthday Celebration be peaceful and bright!

Soliloquy

I like the way you come to me

So far away and yet so near

You whisper soft against my ear

A winter-night soliloquy

I like the fire in your eye

The way you look, just standing there

Etched tender on the frost-keened air

You warm the dark with summer’s sigh

I like the way time cannot steal

The fellowship of memories

Where you and I like midnight’s breeze

Dance soft and slow on winter’s field

I like the way you touch me, dear

The silence would be crass and cold

But for the echoes that unfold

In white moonlight against my ear

© Janet~

I Love You Too

 

When you speak them to me

No other words will do

So I reply; those four best words

“I love you too”

Three words are wonderful

And forever new

But I tremble at four words;

“I love you too”

We cannot speak these four words

Out of the blue

But they fit perfectly after three;

‘I love you’

“I love you too”

© Janet Martin

Beyond Today...

Beyond today we cannot say

What will befall or if perchance

We might be drawn from moment-spawn

For living’s ephemeral dance

Does not foretell when Time’s farewell

Will place its kiss upon our brow

We cannot see beyond today

The only thing we have is Now

And none can wheedle or demand

One glimpse beyond today’s firm hand

Beyond today we cannot say

What colors fill The Artist’s tray

The gold and gray that slipped away

Is nothing now but yesterday

And we, the love-and-learning squad

March ever onward up to God

Beyond today; a curious thought

Of fantasy and faith unwrought

We tremble twixt the ‘what-has-been’

And the ‘beyond-Today’s-unseen’

Beyond today oh, none can say of wise-man,

Soothsayer or sage

What Life will spill of good and ill

Upon its far and phantom page

Paris in June? Love’s Brigadoon?

What will it be? Ah, none can know

Its filament is lent and spent

Within a gasp that we call Now

And we can never snatch the thread

From He who gives our daily bread

© Janet Martin

Of Green and Gold and God

Behind facades of gold and green,

Of fields bathed bronze in early light

Or season-tides that surge unseen

Disguised as morning, noon and night

Within life’s little tick-tock share

Of hurt and hunger, laughter, grief

We stretch our hands but cannot snare

The nuances which fill Time's sheaf

The clock strikes twelve; another year

Slips soft into the atmosphere

The canvas where we oft laid bare

Love’s stunning attributes of trust

Its ravishment of hope, despair

Its pinnacles of want and must

Is snuffed by nothing but the chime

Of midnight and while wise men sleep

The subtle dictation of Time

Claims one more year within its keep

Futile to clench or shake the fist

We cannot cling to moment-mist

Is life but extolment of prayer?

While dream-slayers and sages vie

We stumble, fly and soon stand where

Another year whispers good-bye

Spring’s bully-green is winter-white

And youth, ah youth is borne away

Upon this morning, noon and night

And vapor shaping yesterday

Blessing and burden coalesce

To teach us trust and happiness

Ah, see the sun rise from the trench

Of twilight on a beach somewhere

Mercy and love’s compassion drench

Morning; ‘tis more than scripted air

And we are more than young and old

Marching toward death’s ether clime

Where history is but the hold

Of tick-tock chant and moment-mime

This green and gold season-facade

Unfolds the road that leads to God

© Janet Martin

Of Crosses and Comfort

 

We cannot bear life’s cross alone

Kind Mentor of our moments here

You understand each wordless groan

And count each solitary tear

The silent sorrow of the soul

My Father, is not hid from Thee

Come to us now. Comfort, console

Carry us in Your kind mercy

Sorrow and joy, complex alloy

Dear Father, help us meekly bear

Love’s mother-load; lest we destroy

The tender hearts placed in our care

 Guide us in each step of each day

Constrain our fears beyond its reach

And help us not to pull away

From love-lessons that life must teach

Oh God, alone we cannot bear

The hidden sorrows of the heart

But, as You hear our groaning prayer

Dear God, I pray, Your peace impart

© Janet Martin

Jesus!

 

Jesus, was ever there a name that didst such love and wonder stir?

Of Christ-child clad in mortal skin; the son of God, Mary, mother

He left His throne to be a Lamb led to the slaughter, meek and mild

Jesus, was ever there a Name such as was given this Christ-child?

Jesus; and He will save mankind from sin and death; how can it be?

The Godhead leaves His place to become ransom blood for you and me

As angels glorified the Father for salvation’s wondrous birth

Jesus Christ laid in a manger; King and Lord of Heav’n and earth

Jesus; name above all names and Hope whereby mankind is saved

Jesus, our debt of guilt and shame by grace through His shed blood is waived

Jesus; whoever shall believe will not perish in that last breath

Jesus; and by no other name can we escape damnation, death

Jesus; was ever there a name that didst such love and wonder bring?

Of Christ-child born in humble stable where the poor could come to Him

Ah Jesus, Alpha and Omega born to suffer Calvary

Ah Jesus; name above all names be praised throughout eternity

© Janet Martin

Listening to Christmas music as I work around the house...oh, what a name to sing. Jesus!