When You Are Yesterday...

 PAD Challenge day 23: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “When (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write the poem. 

Part of me almost said 'yech' as I stared at the modest mundane awaiting my attention

...then a pang pierced me with conviction; I turn with grateful care, privileged to touch

Familiarity so common I almost miss it!

When you are far away from me

Save in the arms of thought’s embrace

And all that I can do is trace

The echoes of a memory

When you are there and I am here

To wear love’s worthy ache of want

And bear the miles that seem to taunt

Twixt farewell’s kiss and hello-dear

When words alone cannot atone

For words that I cannot retract

Or lessons learned after your fact

Where I cannot undo the done

Then I, with wiser, gentler care

Cradle the moments in my grip

Aware that soon they too will slip

Into your chamber of thin air

© Janet Martin

When We Begin To See

PAD Challenge day 23: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “When (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write the poem. 

When new day forges from dark deep

A gorgeous steppingstone

To lay beneath both sky and feet

The measure to move on

When new ways come to dis the old

And test the tried and true

With theories, daring and bold

And foreign to our view

When we begin to feel the sting

Of time’s insistent thrum

As we struggle to wear the Thing

We once felt so safe from

When we begin to see how thin

The veil that separates

Immortal soul from mortal skin

And Time from timeless gates

Then we begin to realize

The frailty of sod

And we, if we are meek and wise

Will seek the hand of God

© Janet Martin

 You have made my days a mere handbreadth; 

the span of my years is as nothing before you. 

Everyone is but a breath, 

even those who seem secure.

Psalm 39:5

Nature's Majesty

I took some scenic back-roads to run errands today...

 Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done,
And Your thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with You.
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.

Ps.40:5

The wonder of creation stuns with grand simplicity

Its plunder splays beneath the sun for everyone to see

And often when the heart, downcast, would drown in browns and grays

Creation with its colorcast replenishes our praise

Each season pours its Beauty from a univocal flask

Where every Reason does not always answer what we ask

Our whys and wherefores often hushed by Nature’s Majesty

Soft, soft, moon-silver brushes autumn’s ornamental tree

The hand of Time makes hearts more sentimental, so it seems

As we begin to rearrange our antiquated dreams

Because we sense how nonresistant our footwork plays

To that white mime of tick and tock outnumbering our days

And all that never really changes is the Word of God

It spoke to being everything that we with awe applaud

For all that we are able is possible but by He

Who turns the dial that turns this While into eternity

The wonder of creation stuns with grand simplicity

Its plunder splays beneath the sun for everyone to see

And often when we are downcast in both spirit and gaze

The Word that stirred the darkness stirs the heart to sing His praise

© Janet Martin

 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Gen.1:1

He said, 'let there be' and He saw that it was good. Gen. 1:3-31

Every so often I need to crank up this song til the house vibrates;-)

I like this version as well

Phil Wickham - Doxology Lyrics Video

 or this one

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Dedication Anthem)

Part of Us

We don't begrudge them their wings,

We don't intend to tie them down

But we miss them all the same:)

When you stand speechless but for ‘wow’

‘neath City’s alien dome

I hope, though you are ‘grown up’ now

You will still think of home

So long we helped you find your wings

And beckoned you to ‘try’

That was before we learned heart-strings

Don’t sever when you 'fly’

So every now and then, my dear

Though you are ‘on your own’

Remember you are still quite near

To all of us at home

You are a prayer poured from the heart

A wish upon a star

For you will always be a part

Of us; wherever you are

© Janet Martin

Hugs and prayers for all our 'far-from-home-dears)

Fellowmen (a Special thank-you to Anuj:)

What a delightful surprise in my in-box this morning! 

...from Anuj,

I would like to personally congratulate you as your  Another Porch ...A Poetry Blog  has been selected by our panelist as one of the Top 25 Poetry Blogs on the web.

I personally give you a high-five and want to thank you for your contribution to this world. 

This is the most comprehensive list of   Top 25 Poetry Blogs   on the internet and I’m honored to have you as part of this!

I humbly accept this award on behalf of all those who keep encouraging and supporting me and I am happy, Anuj, to share your site. Visit it here

 We are all, after all, each a small part of the big picture. I began trying to name each person who has impacted and encouraged me with poetry or to keep writing and the list ended up being quite lengthy, so thank you ALL for you know who you are~

No one is ‘the whole package’

But if we give our all

To uphold one another

We will fulfill our call

No person is an island

Ah, we all need each other

For in Mercy’s big picture

We all are sister-brother

Thus, with our share of favor

In any way we can

We should kindly endeavor

To help our fellowman

© Janet Martin