When We All Work Together...

 

A month ago we watched in horror as this dairy barn full of cows and crop burned to the ground...

Both silos lost as well.

Ten days later I drove by in the morning...

...the next evening

See the new silo almost up?!

A month later...(well, not quite a month)

When we all work together

Comrades, side by side

We are able to weather

Whatever betides

When we all work together

To a common good

Then we accomplish

Those things that we should

When we all work together
...change personal plans
To help one another
However we can

When we all work together

No matter our place

Our kindness will better

The human race

© Janet Martin

Our Cup Runneth Over

So much to share, my dear

So much to do,

So much to bear, tis clear

Before life is through

So much to touch and taste

So much to choose

So much to use or waste

Before Ordained Dues

So much to teach and learn

In living’s school

So, so much no-return

On each season-spool

So much to bud and bloom
Before Winter's Quick
So much to plant and prune
So much to pick

Upsy-doh, down we go
So much slip-trip
So much of yes and no
Testing our grip

So much to have and hold

So much let-go

So much of growing old

Still startles us so

So much to love, my love

Why do we hate?

So much to give, enough

To fill every plate

So much to hope and trust

So much gold-gray

In daily dust-to-dust

Of so much to pray

© Janet Martin

Dressed For the Best.... Life Has To Offer

We wore our best intentions

And put on our best smiles

But could not find the skylines

Where Fortune beguiles

We took off best intention

And doffed vain fantasy

Then settled for the laugh-lines

Of an almost-memory

© Janet Martin

On Filling Dawn's Framework...

Dawn breaks night’s dark fathoms,

Pink flare on the air

Then it pales; blue-gray gambrel

Pitched over earth’s isles

Duty’s silent summons

Bridles fancy’s stares

Where we are responsible

For time's fresh-birthed whiles

Then praise God and thank Him

For something to do

Be glad for toil’s favor

And purpose to prove

Morning to evening

Melts like drops of dew

In hands full of labor

And hearts full of love

When night’s jet-black finger

Refurbishes skies

And brushes this come-and-go

To eternal rest

When at dusk we linger

To watch its demise

Pray we will be glad to know

We gave it our best

© Janet Martin

 Psalm 23

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell^[a] in the house of the Lord
Forever.

October in Ontario

October in Ontario offers photo ops at every turn!

(click on collages to enlarge)

October shimmers

And glimmers and laughs

Scattering love-poems

On worn garden paths

October whooshes

And swooshes and grieves

Winnowing Nature’s

Umbrella of leaves

October dances

And prances, its looms

Weave ballerinas

In rainbow ball-rooms

October shivers

A quiver of frost

Glazes the flowers   

Of sweet summer-lost

October dashes

And splashes and wails

Running its rain-song

Through rose-colored sails

October quiets

A riot of bloom

Leaving a bouquet

Of leaves on earth’s tomb

© Janet Martin