A More-Than-Christmas Prayer

 

A Wonderful Christmas Poem performed  by Johnny Cash. (we miss you, Johnny)

Teach us to make love more than a season we celebrate

Lord, let it be our way of life before it is too late

The hunger of this world is more than bellies lacking food

It wails for love; the kind that proves itself in humble good

The kind that gives and does not count its sacrifice as much

The kind that turns a blind eye to our glaring faults and such

The kind that stoops to help the one that flounders in life’s dirt

Instead of hurling stones and adding to their shame and hurt

Lord, teach us to be quiet when riot of words increase

So when this Christmas season passes; still, there will be peace

And help us recognize our fellowman as family

Let no one be a stranger when it comes to serving Thee

After this Christmas season, let the Love we celebrate

Be more than decoration that we pack into a crate

Amen

© Janet Martin

Wonder-world

"no more mud!" she announced 

Nature’s decorator

Tiptoed through the night

Leaving in each window-frame

Wonder-worlds of white

Without noisy fanfare

Nature’s nymph unfurled

Beneath wordless lisp and wisp

A white wonder-world

Now, where yester-morning

Earth was threadbare, brown

Every nook and crook is cloaked

In a snowy gown

Sing a song of seasons

Autumn flame grows dim

Nature tips from heaven

Winter’s wonder-hymn

© Janet Martin

The Wherewithal of Poetry

Sometimes your candour fills her thought

Yet will not set her longing free

Nor satisfy with twist and jot

The wherewithal of poetry

Your fluent undertow runs rife

With epic possibility

To paint the picture-scapes of life

And love in tongue of poetry

The poet craves the ink of you

To set to page pieces of heart

 To wage the wars of gold and blue

And capture want in works of art

But sometimes you evade her call

Without regard or sympathy

Ah word, the utter wherewithal

And paint-palette of poetry

© Janet Martin

How Little We Know

How little we know

How much God loves

He hears the prayer

That has no sound

His goodness

And mercy approves

Unfailing grace that

Knows no bound

How little we know

How much God sees

The good, the bad,

The ugly, oh,

Still, He abides

 In spite of these

He never will

Forsake us, no

How little we know

How much God knows

The heart of man

Is wicked, yes

But God, so rich

In mercy shows

With each new dawn

His faithfulness 

How little we know

How much God cares 

There is no need 

Too great or small

How little we know

How much our prayers

Are heeded by

The Lord of all

© Janet Martin

Of Fond-framed Forevers

Sometimes far-gone times and places

Faded faces, dim and gray

Return to tune thought's embraces

Almost like it was yesterday

Fond, with tender touch we travel

Back to friendships blurred by years

As moments betwixt unravel

Breadth of Bygone disappears

Then the air is filled with laughter

Faces missed, soft-kissed with tears

Where we wear life’s ever-after

Claimed and framed with mist of years

© Janet Martin

Neighbours for a few years... friends forever!