Monday, May 15, 2017

In Praise of Green




 Green and gold seem in sort of a duel for dominance these days but this poem is in praise of green


Green spreads its grace across a place that long was void of vim
The slumbering bud and seed wakens whispers to sod and limb
Where hallelujah songs of nature nurtures thankful gaze
As color-wheels of mercy thrill the humble heart with praise

God kisses earth with favor; where green sweeps were held at bay
He breaks the dam that wakes the land that long was brown and gray
Across the countryside a tide impeccable in shade
Most glorious, victorious, gilds mortal's promenade

Hope’s divine intervention renders living proof, green-spun
He never forgets to send spring when winter’s fling is done
Now blue sky is a timbrel and the golden sun a gong
And man a humble minstrel chiming amen to each song

Janet Martin






Sunday, May 14, 2017

Treasure Your Mother



 This poem was made possible because a daughter became a mother,
and now I see not only through daughter's forgetful, well-intentioned embrace
  but also through a mother's devoted and forgiving grace

  My mother and her daughters on my mom's most recent birthday
(Mom on far right then us girls standing in order from oldest to youngest)

Treasure your mother
And while you still have her
Tell her you love her
Again and again
Who knows which morrow
May turn into sorrow
When oft you will hunger
To tell her, in vain

Talk to your mother
Dear son and dear daughter
She fed, clothed, held you
And tucked you to rest
So while you still have her
Be kind; don’t forget her
For she like no other
Desires your best

Cherish your mother
Her life’s love and labor
Deserves highest honor
Where memory imparts
The echoes that weather
What none can untether
For she lives forever
In her children’s hearts

© Janet Martin

I have many friends who’ve bid their dear mothers
Their final earthly farewell
Forbid we leave our thank-yous unuttered
And mourn, too late the words we did not tell

Another Mother's Day poem here, by Ann Taylor

 Happy Mother's Day 
 

Friday, May 12, 2017

Can We Help?





Hebrews 13:16 “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”


 No one can do everything but everyone can do something!
No one can say yes all the time but everyone can say yes sometimes!


Imagine if, when asked for help
Everybody would go
From here to there without kind care
And answer no, no, no

Imagine if nobody walked
The way of second miles
How sad this life of troubled strife
How empty of its smiles

Imagine if, when down and out
The cry for help would plead
But everyone would hope someone
Besides themselves would heed

Imagine if, when asked for help
Nobody would reply
How hard the way of day-to-day
Would be for you and I

Imagine if, when asked for help
With heartfelt friendliness
Heart-cries would cease, stilled by love's peace
Because we all said yes

© Janet Martin

We (our church-family) has a facebook page that from time to time holds these words 'Can you help?'
Imagine if everyone said 'no'.
Imagine if everyone said 'yes!'
God bless those faithful and sometimes few 'yeses!'

Spring-love






Oh tell me, does the valor of new morning dipped in gold
Bestow hope’s color to your heart that harbored somber hue
Does gladness soothe the sadnesses that ways of life unfold?
And does the hug of spring-love get the better of you too?

Does wonder heal heart-hunger with the art of leaf-laced loom?
Oh tell me, when life’s green umbrella world unfurls once more
And buds break into flower-laughter, after winter’s gloom
Do you fall into spring-love like a song-struck troubadour?

…and are we all poets perhaps, without ink-chartered Must
Does duty don a kinder beauty in nature’s rebirth?
And tell me, does the praise that flows from days of dust-to-dust
Inspire lays of spring-love to the Teacher of the earth?

To linger by the shallows where the swallows dip and dive
To drink from brinks of pink where More out-pours in morn’s ahoy
Tell me, does this not make you feel so glad to be alive?
Where treasure from the trove of spring-love fills our souls with joy

© Janet Martin


Hoping for you, a happy-heart day:)

Thursday, May 11, 2017

If We Could See



If we could see the hand that cups
The way we walk, our fears would fade
If we upon our shoulder touched
The Touch of He whose Hand is stayed

If we with naked eye could trace
The Presence of Essence we trust
How holy-wholly we'd embrace
The nail scarred hands that hold our dust

If for one breath, faith would allow
A glimpse of mercy’s Majesty
Then we, without a doubt would bow
Beneath the hand we cannot see

© Janet Martin

 My times are in Your hand; Psalm 31:15