In Spite of Viewpoints and Points of View

 PAD Challenge day 13: For today’s prompt, write a view poem

"When I grow up I'm going to live in the countryside"

declared an ecstatic four-year-old, delighted with his point of view

Our views are shaped by what we see

What we are taught, or not

The dynamics of family

The status of our lot

The things we have, the things we lack

The wars we win and lose

What we believe, twixt white and black

The attitudes we choose

Where side by side the whole world wide

In all we see and do

More than city or countryside

Will shape our points of view

For all the differences twixt

Creed, culture, class and breed

Still keeps our flesh-and-blood-forms fixed

In universal need

…of food and water’s sustenance

Where Hunger carves its hole

Of love and respect’s reverence

To feed the heart and soul

© Janet Martin

The Art of April...(Home of the Masters;-)

  PAD Challenge day 12: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “The Art of (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem 

 Every year Ontario-ans have a love-hate affair with April!

Artist that fuels the optimist’s grin

While colors duel twixt winter and spring

Sepia surface primed for floods of green

Suffers the surges of caught in-between

While high and low flings its yearly travail

Seasonal seesaw of zephyr and gale

Eager eyes scanning the soft-swelling bud

Waiting for wonders to fan from the mud

Where April’s artist, brush dripping with flow’rs

Teases the landscape with snow-stippled showers

Vexing and cheering with gold gilt then white

Unleashing tides of chagrin and delight

While hearts and temps, like golf-balls, soar then drop

Annual tug-of-war in Time’s weather-shop

Teaching the patron of petal-plumed flit

The fine art of patience while waiting for it

© Janet Martin

Ir's Master's Weekend! Looks like a good one. Enjoy!

The Art Of Happiness # 1

PAD Challenge day 12: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “The Art of (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem


 The Art of Happiness...

…is finding in the moment so much to be thankful for

…is wanting what we have instead of always wanting more

…is rejoicing with others in their hour of success

…is mourning with the sorrowing, not dodging their distress

…is doing, not as little but as much as best we can

…is being able to adapt to sudden change of plan

…is loving and leaving the rest to He who knows in full

…is not borrowing morrow’s trouble for today’s push-pull

…is cherishing the journey and not waiting for the goal

…is settling the account betwixt the Saviour and the Soul

 © Janet Martin

The Art of Temptation...

PAD Challenge day 12: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “The Art of (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem

Thought presents a small suggestion

Just a whim, ever-so-slight

Then it softens shock with logic

That would justify one bite

Thoughts defends with good intention

To soothe Guilt with Reason’s ruse

Where This Master of Invention

Hones the old art of Excuse

Then, before Conscience can triumph

Over evil’s well-dressed vice

Thought entices with nice visions

That will blind us to the price

Preying on Want’s thirst for pleasure

Thought twists truth, ever-so-slight

As its tests the best-laid logic

With the promise of delight

© Janet Martin

To The One Who Works Wonders Without Number

 Today's sunrise was phenomenal, spanning the north and eastward horizon!

 Who does great things, unfathomable,

 And wondrous works without number.

Job 9:10

 PAD Challenge day 11: For today’s prompt, write a dedication poem.

To You, who spreads the wings of daybreak over land and sea

Magenta-coral glory gilds dawn’s yawning awning, oh

And thrums the thinning darkness with The Painter’s Majesty

And runs awry the quiver filled with starry heaven-snow

To You whose Mercy, new each morning grants another try

Where law greater than Duty authors wonder’s rev’rent praise

To you who draws the Barge of Time toward the by and by

While eyes behold but whispers of Your worship-worthy ways

To You who ever-faithful, never takes Your eyes off we

Who without fee are privy to the wonders of the world

To You who lavishes the girth of sod and sky and sea

With Beauty, Lord, let worship be love’s heart-banner unfurled

To You, who none can order or exceed in deed or grace

Oh Lord, let our awe outpour in kind humility

To You, the Author and the Finisher of human race

Who heaps time’s thoroughfare with glimpses of Your Majesty

We give You praise, honor and glory forever, amen
To You, the Way, The Truth and Life, Creator, Father, Son
To You whose Spirit dwells within the redeemed sons of men
We raise a song of worship, Lord for You are God alone

© Janet Martin