Love Me Tender...

PAD Challenge day 26: For today’s Two-for-Tuesday prompt:

• Write a love poem. Or…
• Write an anti-love poem.  

 (to hubby)

We’re broke: the coin of fancy words won’t fix our maladies

And promises for things we cannot change will not appease

Poor human-nature tendencies; tell me, what can we do

But simply this, my darling, to love tender, to love true

The dream-girl you invented when we were perfect; sixteen

Has long since disappointed Fantasy’s idyllic mien

And my Mr. Prince Charming was a frog, but I love you

And all that I ask in return is love me tender, true

We’re broke: and joke about it in our half-a-hundred years

And marvel at the way time plays with us then disappears

I shake my head at your small talk, you laugh at how I chew

…we’re perfect for each other, love is tender, love is true

© Janet Martin

I'm not gonna lie...we've had a roller-coaster relationship but we're in it for the long haul...pun intended.

(Hubby is a long-haul truck driver;-)

This Which We See...

This which we see is always more

Than we can realize

And every moment, like a door

Hinged to a future prize

Misunderstanding breeds our ‘why’

The picture that we see

Cannot with its portion descry

That which waits yet to be

How small the visage of man’s thought

How All-in-all is He

Who sees what earth-dimmed eyes cannot

Love’s flawless majesty

Then we who still see, but in part

From steppingstone to stone

Trust He who sees the perfect art

After His work is done

© Janet Martin

 For now we see through a glass, darkly; 

but then face to face: 

now I know in part; 

but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1 Cor. 13:12

Life's Getting Ahead Exercises

PAD Challenge Day 25; For today’s prompt, write an exercise poem.

One Step Forward,

Two steps back

Slip-trip, sprawl-fall

Try again, Jack

One day up, love

…next day down

Life, a mess of

Smile and frown

Work, work, work

And bills, bills, bills

Climb time’s line of

Hills, hills, hills

Kneel and pray

Then stand up tall

Life is a

Day-by-day call

Love, love, love

And give, give, give

These will measure

How we live

Government

Will almost break

Our will with

Take, take, take

© Janet Martin

Whenever you hear this; 'paid by the government of Ontario',

I reminded a student in our household, 'what they should actually be saying is, 'paid by the people of Ontario'.

Nothing is free.

This poem is an offspring of frustration over ever rising costs of living, hidden 'fees' and astronomical taxes which we seem to see less and less fruit of...

but this poem is also balanced with humble awareness of all we have to be thankful for:)

Hope's Hallelujah Hymn

 Though we are still waiting for this year's blossoms we know they will come...

It unfolds the horizon-line

Where new day spills applause

It probes the bud with spring sunshine

It orders nature’s laws

It braves with song, the darkest dark

Long, long before the light

It testifies in rainbow-arc

It goads blind faith with sight

It stuns in flower-rivers, oh,

It runs from yonder deep

And fills earth's rill with laughter

After winter’s icy keep

It bears both joy and sorrow

Nothing can replace its Stead

A mainstay we may borrow

When tomorrow groans with dread

It atones for our failure

And it cannot wane or err

A bulwark in an era

That is bent on change and fear

It cheers, timeless and tender

It wears sunrise and sunset

It ravishes with splendor

Mankind’s unrelenting debt

It coaxes from the furrow

The allotment of a seed

And it tends the tiny sparrow

As it tends man’s humble need

It dares us to be bolder

And it dares the heart to trust

As it dares our forms to shoulder

Life's Unknown on frames of dust

It is a gentle whisper

It is a chastening rod

And it abides forever

This;

The Promises of God

© Janet Martin

Rainy Monday Morning Motivation Excercise

PAD Challenge Day 25; For today’s prompt, write an exercise poem.

Trip-tumble,

Slip-stumble,

Grip-grumble,

Oh, wow

This is the edict

Of hand to the plow

Be tender,

Surrender,

Defender

Of joy

Beauty of duty,

…life's sun-rain alloy

Reach higher,

Inspire,

Dusk’s fire

Bittersweet

Heaven above us

Spills stars at our feet

Be patient,

Creation

Does not ask God

'Why?' 

Rains splays in windows

Reflecting hope's sky

Live lowly,

Give wholly,

Love slowly

And then

Treasure each measure

Of mercy,

Amen

© Janet Martin