The Days of Man

The days of man are dealt to him
One moment at a time
And none can know the sum of them
Or years that he may climb

In shades of summer’s afternoon
We long to live the hour
And by a blossomed meadow swoon
To drink its pleasant flower

We do not care to walk the road
Of rock and loathsome dirt
And none of us asks for the load
Of agony and hurt

But all the days of man are dealt
By He who holds the Door
There is no heartache we have felt
He has not felt before

Each day is like a chapter writ
No erasing or pretending
The Keeper knows the truth of it
And when will be the ending

How foolish is the man who trusts
In weak and mortal power
For we shall all return to dust
And no man knows the hour

Janet~

The Storm

You came from out of nowhere
Rolling in across a sea
Sullen clouds pervading
With a dark intensity
And suddenly I’m drenched within
A reckless aftermath
Of pounding hooves and lightning bolt
A harsh and sudden bath

A rising, falling tempest
Duel of contrasting desire
Stunning in your boldness
Shocking in your ire
You tear across the skyline
Like a stallion, never tamed
Plundering and thundering
Wild and free; unclaimed

You break through my defenses
Like a deep and raging sea
Bursting in upon my senses
And my vulnerability
I should have seen you coming
But somehow I never do
As you shatter the horizon…
…it was just a thought of you

J~

One Long Moment

There are moments looming
That I wish I could evade
But I must struggle through them
I cannot push them away

Then, there are little moments
I would re-live if I could
But to long for them is torment
And of little or no good

There are moments I am holding
That I’d cling to, but alas
Already they are folding
All their whispers in the grass

There are moments filled with laughter
Moments reaching for the sky
Forming one long ever-after
In the echo of good-bye, good-bye,good-bye

J~

Completely

Perhaps you thought it’s what you do
Or by the words you say to me
Darling, it’s because you’re you…
That I love you completely

It’s nice to hear your lovely words
Or be the bearer of your charms
But darling, it’s you that leaves me stirred
And longing for your gentle arms

Touch is such a tender gift
You touch me from across the floor
Instinctively our eyes meet
As we head towards the door

Perhaps you thought it’s what you do
And in some way, well it might be
But darling, it’s because you’re you
That I love you with all of me

Janet~

Here

When darkness overtakes the day
And the last glow of dusk is gone
When landscapes deepen to blue-gray
As earth and heaven become one…

When night extinguishes the sun
And stars like heaven’s candles gleam
When all our little toil is done
As willows sigh and children dream…

When sleepy pastures sprawl beneath
The silver murmur of the moon
When need and love and sorrow breathe
A low and melancholy tune...

When silence claims the thickening air
As breezes lose their energy
I embrace you in a prayer
And wish that you were here with me

J~

So it Goes

Hurry, wait
Early, late
Hope,pray
Night,day

Break, mend
Foe, friend
Laugh, weep
Wake, sleep

Sunshine, rain
Pleasure, pain
Happy, sad
Good and bad

Love, lose
Beg, choose
Pursue, wander
Save or squander

Rich, poor
Less, more
Give and take
For goodness sake

Husband, wife
Joy, strife
And so it goes…
…this is life

Janet~

I hurried because
I thought I was late...
But then of course
I got to wait...
...and wait....
....and wait!
Her exam went late:)))

Happiness

Happiness comes in moments
It is not a destiny
It falls in tender splashes
To soften misery
I would never realize it
If it became my quest
I could not recognize it
This soft aching in my chest
If not for life’s small heart-aches
Or the tear upon my cheek
Happiness is waiting
Even as life’s sorrows speak
It comes in tender whispers
In a kind touch or a smile
It sweeps across an azure sky
To brighten weary miles
It drops in sudden sparkles
Fragments tinged with hope and love
It comes in songs and flowers
Heaven’s laughter from above
It shines in childish innocence
And fills our hearts with glee
For happiness is something
Living inside you and me


Janet~

I just know it made someone happy to think
maybe Mom wouldn't notice
that the last item on the grocery list wasn't her hand-writing!!!

Quiet

We are quiet now
The day has had its final word
And all that there is left of it
Are its shadows, blue and blurred

We are quiet now
The stars in sequined splendor reign
My heartbeat next to yours
Needs no utterance to explain

We are quiet now
The deeds we’ve rendered to this day
Are like small seeds in the ground
Eventually they’ll have their say

We are quiet now
Rivers run and dark spruce sighs
But I have heard a thousand poems
Just by looking in your eyes

We are quiet now
Nighttime rises all around
The force of mighty hurricanes
Touches us without a sound

J~

Pondering Love

If we were assured of our children’s love
As often as we tell God of ours
Tell me, would it be enough
As long as time and life endures
If the children that we hold
Would show us in the self-same measure
Their devotion, shy or bold
Tell me, would it give us pleasure
As they told us of their love
Like we tell God; would it be enough?

If our children spent the time for us
We spend upon our knees to pray
If they in all exact amounts
Gave us what we give God each day
Would we be assured of their love?
Would our cups fill and overflow?
Tell me, would it be enough
What we give God; for us below
Would we bow when light is dim
Fulfilled with what we give to Him?

Janet~