Spill-stream-run Song

 Forecasters predicted two weeks of this 'trickle-music'

The tree is gold with first-leaf flow’r

The lea is green with spring’s first frills

And overhead the sky is wed

With silver sea that spills and spills

The earth is like a luscious lake

It births the ache of garden-dreams

While all the while from yonder isle

The mirth of rain-song streams and streams

The hill is dotted with first blooms

Where daffodils like sodden suns

Bow ‘neath a sweep of leaden deep    

That fills a fount that runs and runs

© Janet Martin

Inept

Embrace today, it slips away

Into the hold of tender thought

Forbid we miss its feather kiss

Because we wished for what was not

Inept at keeping season’s sweep

The leaping child, like budded leaf

Unfolds the vim of heaven’s hymn

And then succumbs to earthy Chief

Inept at stilling hour’s will

Where thrilling firsts are hugged and kissed

And then set free, a memory

To flower in the dreamer’s fist

Inept at swaying age-old ways

Of day to day, or thwart the foot

That trips to time that strips the vine

That treads to wine its grinning fruit

Inept to drink, save wink by wink

The gold-blue-pink of dawn-noon-dusk

To climb with care the spiraled stair

That never returns days to us

© Janet Martin

Creed for Manhood...Happy 19th birthday Poem for our son, Matt

Regard none beneath your caring

But shoulder to shoulder trod

Son, be careful and be daring

For the kingdom of our God

Let love be your faultless weapon

Be not aimless in life’s quest

Run your race with grace-abandon

Seek the good and leave the rest

Learn the value of an hour
Earn the esteem you desire
Be the role model you look for
Be the man that you admire

Guard your heart from impure hunger

Always do the best you can

Love and gratitude works wonders

In the spirit of a man

Let the health of labor please you

Love your neighbor as yourself

Keep the Handbook from God near you

Not dust-covered on a shelf

When life riles you, look to Jesus

Pray often and trust His word

He, our help for human weakness

He, our true hope undeterred

Ah, He is always beside you

Wise and kind, forever-Friend

In each struggle, let Him guide you

He is faithful to the end

© Janet Martin

(they've come to expect it: a mom-poem in their birthday card:)

 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge;
            Fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Prov.1:7

What Happiness a Baby Brings...

…and so they grow

Grandson Brantley will be 4 mos. in a few days.

He loves to come and hang out at grandma's house with mommy, 

as they did today to while smile away a rain-dreary afternoon.

(but NO smiles for the camera:)

 (Brantley greeting daddy just home from work)

Praying God’s guidance and blessing

to young parents everywhere

in their new greatest mission;

parenthood!

What happiness a baby brings

The crown-jewel of common kings

Where lilied light of laughter rings

The song-bells of the heart

With love of loves and joy of joys

As weeny girls and teeny boys

Heaven’s magnum opus deploys

To earth, its purest art

God smiles into our hungry arms,

A miracle of dearest charms

Wonder, both young and old disarms

With mutual delight

Then all we want to do is kiss

And cuddle newborn baby-ness

Because nothing compares to this;

…a baby to hold tight

What sacred task a baby brings

God entrusts us with angel-wings

That soon entangle in heart-strings

As they learn how to fly

While we learn how to hold-let-go

And teach the love of ‘yes’ and ‘no’

And my, how fast sweet baby grows

Hush-hush and rock-a-bye

© Janet Martin