Pain............

I did the right thing today
…..and I cried
Why do the right things bring us pain
Before the peace of doing right?
Choosing the wrong gives us pleasure
Perhaps for a moment or two
But its reward is grief beyond measure…….
Tell me now, which should we choose?

Janet~

....sometimes it's 'tough love'
with our children...
and sometimes its 'tough love' with ourselves:)

Momentary.....

Like that time you stubbed your toe
Or missed the wood when you swung the axe
And you groaned and moaned ‘cause it really hurt
But life is just like that
Remember that face plant into the dirt
When you slid into second base
Those first few moments; how they stung and hurt
As you wiped unbidden tears from your face
But life is just like that
Remember the satisfaction and pride
The elation and joy of success
How the excitement bubbled from deep inside
In a well-spring of happiness
And delightful pleasure of saying thank-you
For the compliments and praise
As a sense of deliverance rolled over you
In a sweet, satisfying haze
But that was yesterday, before the dismay
Of chapters two and three
As you realize the fleeting prize
Of momentary security
Momentary pleasure, momentary pain
Earthly treasure is stored in vain
Momentary victory, momentary defeat
Momentary shadows or sunny retreat
Life is just like that........
A sequence of momentary things
Lest we forget, we will never be kings
So we dare not scoff at the one in the dirt
Or brush off another’s misfortune or hurt
We all are simply fellow-men
Part of a much, much greater plan
Than this life of momentary mystery
Tomorrow today will be history
Its moments, but steppingstones in a sea
Leading to the brink of eternity

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Stolen Moment.....

Come, my dear
The day passes by
Let's steal a small piece of it
Before the tender sky
Surrenders
To pink and coral hue
Let's steal away, life beckons
Beneath a pavilion of blue........
There will always be something better to do
But we are growing old.....
And can we really hold
Anything forever...all soon is dust
Time will sever and treasure will rust
There will never be a day born for wanderlust
The green tree laughs while it is spring
And summer unfolds like a priceless painting
But soon it is cold and everything
Familiar is strange
Under the brush of change
The hands we've held and lips we've kissed
Are echoes and shadows dearly missed
But now, you throb in the beat of my heart
The happiness of you tears me apart
Soon the laughter of this day disappears
And all that is left is the glimmer of tears
On a face that loved you yesterday
But somehow time stole it away

All rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Linked...........

We become linked to each other
In so many different ways
Sometimes in a moment of pleasure
Or untimely tragedies
Our paths cross, briefly or indefinitely
But we cannot sever
The myriad of memories
That stays with us forever

You were my teacher, you were my nurse
You were my first real kiss
You were the guy who returned my purse
You are the friend that I miss
You were a school mate, you were a pal
You were my best friend’s mom
Or maybe you were simply a gal
I met once, that night at the prom

You were my mechanic before I moved
You were the old man next door
You were the fellow that once I loved
Many long years before
You were the packer at the local food-mart
You were on my baseball team
You were the one who taught me the art
Of chasing an impossible dream

You were the doctor who said to me
Congratulations, it’s a girl
You were the one who once led me
To the brink of another world
You were the one who broke my heart
Before the one who stayed
You were the one who held my hand
When I was afraid

We become linked to each other
In various and sundry ways
Some memories stay with us forever
Some only for moments or days
A word, a touch, a handshake
A glance while passing by
Another link in an invisible chain
Reaching to the sky


All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

War...........

They called her four-eyes and tore two from her face
They stomped on them, kicked her and called her foul names
And each Sunday morning at Sunday School
They would be taught the golden rule…………
But the next day was Monday….and school

They called her a geek, clumsy and fat
Yanked at her braids and tugged at her hat
She sat beside one of them at church yesterday
Her mother asked if she would invite her to play
But she didn’t know about school………or Monday

She thought maybe war was a playground at school
No place to hide, no golden rule
Did battlefields have desks to take refuge in
Where they could talk to God and feel safe again
Cause bullies didn’t touch you in class….. BIG CHICKENS

Hurt feels the same whether you’re fat or thin
So do foul names, no matter what shade is your skin
Tears fall the same way no matter where you are from
Nobody wants to be called stupid or dumb….or worse
Everyone needs to be loved by someone

Janet~

Unwritten Tragedies.....

The newspapers don’t tell the story
No head-lines in bold display
No ten seconds of glory……….
As another love dies today
They won’t show the tear-stained faces
The heads bowed in dismay
Or all of the lives it displaces.
As another love dies today

No sound of shattered memories
No pictures of destruction
No humanitarian dignitaries
Or manual of instruction
Who can mend the heart that lies
In sad and tattered fray
Or wipe the tears from little eyes
As another love dies today

Guard it with your every breath
This treasure that you hold
The greatest gift upon this earth
Lies not in vaults of gold
But in the hearts of flesh and blood
In trusting, tender eyes
Cherish this great gift from God
Lest another love dies

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin


....now you can get a 'no fault' divorce.....

That Was Then....

Not so very long ago
He was running across the yard
Practicing his foot-ball throw
Tossing it far, tossing it hard
Not so very long ago
He had no cares upon his brow
But he has become a man
And he is a soldier now

Not so very long ago
He was just a little guy
But it is no longer so….
As a man’s tears dim his eye
Not so very long ago
He was proud, for he was ten
An innocent little boy….
No longer so….that was then

All Right Reserved
Janet Martin

Remember to remember…..
All the men and women
Who sacrifice their lives
For our freedom!!!
Do we pray for them?
Every day?

That's Life and Love

Sometimes a moment melts our hearts
Sometimes words cut like a knife
Sometimes truth tears us apart
Well, I guess that's love and life

Sometimes hope is a vault of blue
Sometimes rain pours from above
Every so often a wish does come true
Well, I guess that's life and love

Janet~

Greener Pastures.....

For all the things I’d love to be
And all the things I know I’m not
Teach me to live thankfully
Appreciating what I’ve got

For all the greener pastures fair
There’s a truth that must be told
We all breathe this thing called air
And every day we’re growing old

Dirt is dirt no matter where
God has planted us to grow
The grass is not much greener there
A field is just a field, you know

Janet~

Invisible Battlefield

There’s a war that rages daily
With many a battle fought
And it seems that no one really
Understands the foe named ‘thought’
He seems so small and passive
Sometimes he’s good and kind
But his evil can be massive
As war wages in our mind

It’s an invisible battlefield
No allies at our side
As the foe its power wields
We cannot run and hide
But we have a Great Captain
And He alone can see
Each battle and each out-come
Defeat or victory

It’s an invisible battlefield
But we have God’s true Word
We have faith’s invisible shield
We have the Spirit’s sword
The demons, darkness, evil forces
Strive to take control
But they cannot alter courses
With the One who saves our soul

It’s an invisible battlefield
No one to cheer with glee
As evil thoughts and armies yield
To inner victories
For many a tear-stained battle
Upon these plains are fought
With many a plea and many a prayer
Prayed for this foe named ‘thought’

Someday beyond these borders
This battle will be done
As God our foot-steps orders
We’ll fight them one by one
With Him, the foe we’ll conquer
He is a faithful shield
For He is Lord and Master
Of our invisible battlefield

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Remember............

Remember; the one who fought for you
Remember; countless lives lost
Remember every soldier who
Paid for freedom’s cost
Remember those who fight today
Preserving what was won
Oh, remember when you pray
Each daughter or each son……….

Remember; freedom is never free
It comes at a great price
If there is freedom there must be
Incredible sacrifice
Remember then to cherish
The freedom of this land
For many more will perish
To preserve our freedom grand

Janet~

Failure Guaranteed

The harder it seems I try to try
The easier it seems I fail
Though my good intentions
Are stacked a mile high
They are of no avail
If I try to do it on my own
And never bow before His throne
My list of excuses will continue to grow
We all need a higher Hand, you know

Janet~

I Understand.............

To smile and say that I understand
No matter how noble my thought
When I have not walked your mile in the sand
Or been taught what you have been taught
Is simply an impossibility
I cannot understand it then completely
But I can listen as you share
And I can sincerely care

To say that I understand or know
What you are going through
Can only be truly stated by those
Who have walked there too……..
But sorrow or loneliness feels the same
No matter what circumstance is to blame
So will you let me hold your hand?
In that respect…..I understand

We’ll taste, if we live long enough
The sorrow of regret
The agonizing side of love
Or words we can’t forget
I may not walk your mile or two
But in my life I’ve walked a few
And I would like to hold your hand
Because I know you understand

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Ode to the Seashore......

Farewell, sweet sun-drenched afternoon

Farewell to seagulls cry

Farewell to oceans far-flung tune

And turquoise lullaby

Farewell to winds that sweep the shore

Farewell, blue-dimpled breeze

Farewell, farewell blue troubadour

Strumming at my knees

Farewell to heavens warmest kiss

Farewell, soft azure eyes

Farewell coconut-scented bliss

And pomegranate sighs

Farewell to barefoot avenues

And flip-flop rainbows too

Farewell to bronze, yellows and blues

Oh, seashore I miss you

Janet~

This afternoon it was so warm on the deck

I closed my eyes and visualized another setting……..

Trouble

Trouble makes us sigh and fret
Trouble makes us hang our head
It can fill our hearts with grief
It will test our true belief
We can’t live inside a bubble
In this life there will be trouble

Trouble makes us moan and sigh
Bringing teardrops to our eye
It turns raven locks to gray
Steals the mirth of youth away
But Eve could not resist the apple
Hence, God said, there would be trouble

Trouble makes us weak or strong
Helps us seek the right or wrong
It seems to respect no one
Or serves us in equal portions
Some get less and some get double
Of this little thing called trouble

Trouble will not be in vain
All its sorrow, all its pain
How sad if we should leave this earth
Unaware of trouble’s worth
How sad if we should leave this sod
Never having needed God

Janet~

Heavenly Poem....

God sent me a lovely poem today
Written on parchment of blue
The ink was as gold as the sunshine of May
With only a stray cloud or two
The syllables whispered on fleet-footed breeze
Dancing as if it were June
I’ll take a whole volume of the same poem, please
At one o’ clock each afternoon

~Janet~

Consolation......

I miss it already and it is hardly gone
I miss the music-laden dawn
Melting 'cross a dew-drenched lawn
Unlike this silent shroud
As from every tree and rill
Nature's golden song would spill
Over every field and hill
Before this austere cloud


I miss the murmur of the breeze
The laughter of the willow trees
As the taunting zephyrs tease
Her green and golden tresses
Oh, I miss the fern-lined bower
And the sudden summer shower
I miss each smiling, sunny flower
In all their pretty dresses

They tell me that the summer's gone
But within me it lives on
I can see so far beyond
The brown hills of November
To the music of the sea
Flowing 'cross this frosty lea
In a sun-kissed melody
As softly I remember

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

The Parent

Put your nose to the old grindstone
So it goes till the work’s all done
Mouths to feed and bills to pay
Seems our needs don’t melt away
We get so tired, oh it never ends
Life can be hard with the toil it sends
But suddenly we realize
Responsibility is paradise

When we do it for brown eyes, green eyes or blue
Rewarded with soft hugs and I love you
Come on let’s face it, it’s not so bad
And we’d never replace it; being mother or dad

There is a measure of sorrow we earn
Maybe tomorrow we’ll see a return
As another wrinkle implants itself where
Youth once twinkled, unblemished and fair
Sweeping again, nobody cares
Extra hours put in at the job, in your prayers
Yet suddenly its cost becomes worthwhile
As you find yourself lost in a youngsters smile

And we’d do it again; in half a heartbeat
For the mischievous grin or a kiss so sweet
Back to the grindstone; aren’t you glad?
There’s work to be done ‘cause you’re mother or dad

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

I Should Be Happy......

We raked up the remaining leaves last night…..
For a while we just lay there in autumn’s delight
Inhaling the scent of a summer gone by……….
I should be happy, but I want to cry

The sky is the perfect shade of melancholy
The wind moans a lonesome melody
Wildly thrilling, this blue lullaby
I should be happy, but I want to cry

As we dashed to load up the leaves we had piled
The wind whipped large rain drops about; my son smiled
‘I like this’ he laughed and I said ‘me too’
I should be happy, but I am so blue

I love the scent of November; the wind and the rain
I love to lie here and remember……sweet summer again
I love the exhilaration of her cool, sullen eye
I should be happy…but......I want to cry

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Twelve Year Old Boy....or Mother's Prayer

Oh God, I stand gazing with affection and joy
At this little man-child, this twelve year old boy
His dreams are so noble, his passion unmarred
His vision untainted and his logic unscarred
His laughter is pure, and so is his mind
His worries are few and his heart is kind
His motives are humble and his slumber so sound
His faith is so simple yet deeply profound
Oh God, place your hand o’er him; for he stands at the door
Where soon he won’t be a child anymore
And he must decide which road he will choose
Which hand to accept and which one to refuse
Oh God, surround him with his mother’s prayers
There are so many pitfalls and so many snares……
Help him to do the best that he can
Keep Your hand on him as he becomes a man

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

I have this thought with every one of our children…
Twelve is a great age!.....old enough to have an opinion……
But mom might still know a teeny tiny bit………

Tonight I stood for a moment and watched him while he slept….
…..and wondered what kind of man he will be……

This Life...............

This life which may for a moment seem bright
In the twinkle of an eye can turn dark as night
There is nothing certain, that eye can see
No man can measure eternity
Yet this life is simply a quick prelude
To the here ever after…..so what should we do
Should we take it seriously?
Well, I would say, ‘yes’
But not so seriously as to be robbed of happiness
God never intended this life to be
A solemn road of drudgery
But He expects simply this; By His example shown
To walk in love, and He will make the rest known

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

The Picture......

There’s a picture of her baby
On the refrigerator door
She hasn’t seen him since the day
That he went off to war
But as she softly gazes
At his youthful, noble face
She knows her prayers will touch him
In that distant, foreign place

She can’t help but over-hear remarks
About freedom and war
She wonders if we understand
Do we care anymore?
And she prays for all the moms and dads
The precious sons and daughters
Who left the comforts that they had
To sail across the waters

She prays that God will care for them
And then she prays for peace
Without more love for fellow-men
There will be no release……..
She pleads with God to bring an end
To this earth’s cruel war
As she gazes at the picture
On the refrigerator door

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Far Too Soon......

Far too soon the lily sleeps
Beneath a coat of frost
Far too soon the red limb weeps
As its grand robe is lost
Far too soon the shadow lies
Across a tempered lawn
And far too soon the warm breeze dies
Within an autumn dawn

Far too soon the autumn glow
Must yield to winter’s shroud
Far too soon the north winds blow
From darkened, bullying cloud
But just as summertime and fall
Must yield to winter’s chill
Far too soon the robins call
As spring peeks o’er the hill

Far too soon the seasons come
And far too soon they rest
Far too soon my little home
Will be an empty nest
Far too soon the green and gold
Lay withered on the grass
Far too soon we’re getting old
As fleeting seasons pass

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

No Little Things.......

It’s the little drops of water
That fills the ocean wide
And little blades of grass and blooms
That decks the countryside
It’s all the little grains of sand
That makes a sandy beach
And little breaths make memories
Soon beyond our reach
Oh yes, in life the little things
Are the big things, it’s true
So there really are no little things
In anything we do………..

It’s the little unkind, thoughtless word
That breaks a tender heart
It’s little selfish acts incurred
That tears true love apart
It’s all the little ‘I love you’s’
Each pleasant little smile
That brings the joy to all we do
In each little mundane mile
Oh yes, in life the little things
Are really not that small
For somehow in the little things
We learn to stand up tall

The little acts of disrespect
Without small reprimand
With just a little more neglect
Will someday be a man
When a little kind, gentle reproof
A little patience too
May be the difference and the proof
When a childhood is through
Oh, yes in life the little things
Become oceans and men
And little things wrought in the ‘now’
Will soon live in the ‘then’

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

TCM was playing Annie, Get Your Gun, which I was
watching/listening to while fall-cleaning
the family room.....when a 'little' remark
started a big train of thought:):)

The Last Leaf Fell......

I think today the last leaf fell
No grand hurray, no sad farewell
No distant tolling of a bell
I think today the last leaf fell

Has autumn shed her final tear?
The rustling bed of memories dear
Ah, so it goes, another year
Has autumn shed her final tear?

I think today a teardrop fell
But who it is, no one can tell
Sorrow is a silent well
I think today a teardrop fell

Winter, spring, summer and fall
Splash their colors on us all
Painting memories on our wall
Winter, spring, summer and fall

I think today the last leaf fell
Where it landed, none can tell
Nature’s tears, a soundless knell
I think today the last leaf fell

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Today was a silent, stunning dawn.

Love, Joy and Peace.....

Love, joy and peace
Just a little more of this
Then this world’s fighting would cease
Our cares would be less and good will would increase
If we all put to practice more love, joy and peace

Love, joy and peace
Just a little more of this
And there would be a release
From the cold cruel wars and life’s bitterness
If we all gave a little more love, joy and peace

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

I keep telling myself I’m going to
Take a break from writing…….
Then ‘little girl’ hangs up an innocent painting……..

‘Out of the mouths of babes…..’

Let’s REMEMBER…..not only at Remembrance Day……
Or Christmas, but every day all year through!

Holding You.......

I prayed for you today, my dear
For in my prayer God brings you near
Though days and miles are in between
To God the distance is unseen
And so when I am missing you
There is one thing that I can do
I ask God to keep you in His care
For I can touch you in a prayer

~Janet~

Will You Marry Me?

Darling, I’ve got a question
I’d like to ask of you
It’s not just any question
So ‘ordinary’ will not do
And darling, what I’m asking
Must be answered carefully
‘Cause you’re answer is forever………
Will you marry me?

It’s not just a diamond
I’m placing on your hand
If you say yes, oh darling
You need to understand
That you will be the shining crown
Of all my happiness
There’ll never be another one
For me, if you say yes…………….

If you say yes I’ll do my best
To give you a great life
Oh darling, can you tell me now
Will you be my wife?
Will you let me be the one
To love you faithfully?
Darling, tell me if you can
Will you marry me?

Darling I’ve got a question
I need to ask of you
Will you let me love you
Each day, your whole life through?
Oh darling, by the grace of God
I’ll be all I can be
And I’ll love you forever
Will you marry me?

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Our neighbor proposed
to his girl-friend
on the week-end!!!
SHE SAID YES!!!!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Rob and Denise!



Hi Rob........I couldn't resist..........
This was very, very......nice:)

Some Things Never Change......

It’s been said of this old life
That nothing stays the same
And that the only constant
Thing in this life is change
But now that I am older
I would like to make this claim
As much as things are changing
Some things still stay the same

A dollar makes a young lad grin
And boys will still be boys
Full of mischief, life and vim
Energy and noise
Heaven still sends angels down
Wrapped up in little girls
Wisdom is our greatest crown
Above rubies and pearls

A baby is still innocence
Pure and undefiled
And there is nothing on this earth
As precious as a child
A mother in the kitchen
Is considered old-fashioned
But a home-cooked meal for dinner
Is still loved by everyone

A broken heart still hurts the same
As it did years ago
We still make dirt regardless of
The latest cool gizmo
Love is still the dearest thing
That everybody needs
Words can heal or injure
And our actions still plant seeds

Hand-written letters are still the best
And can be tucked into a pocket
You cannot smell an e-mail
Or put it in a locket
A sunset is still beautiful
As is a sudden smile
We long for our loved ones
We have not seen in a while

Constant is this thing called ‘change’
It changes oh, so much
Yet there’s a myriad of things
That change can never touch
God’s love is still unending
His gift of grace is free
And nothing changes one great truth
After life…..is eternity

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Thought..................

We cannot always pen in word
The thoughts that tease and plague or hurt........
Nor does it seem that I've been taught
How to derail my train of thought
Thoughts seem to have minds of their own
Drifting and tumbling when we are alone
Unhindered by distance, time or space
In them lingers the warmth of a face...............
Thought is our chief in command
Thought becomes the work of our hand
It can be pleasure or agony
The cradle of our destiny
Thought provokes and it inspires
Sometimes the smoke, more oft the fire
It is an endless avenue
Given to both the wise and the fool
Tis the thoughts we choose to entertain
Which lead us to ruin or wisdom’s gain

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Happy Birthday, Mom

How do I find the perfect words
To convey my thoughts
How do I thank a mother
For all the things she’s taught?
I gaze in thoughtful wonder
To distant stars above
And realize that mother
Is another word for love

To tell the fullness of her worth
Is like counting every star
For what is warmer than the hearth
Where loving mothers are?
The greatest treasure of this land
Does not fill jeweled vaults
But lies within a mother’s hand
As she her God she exalts

How do I tell you, mother
Of my deepest love for you
On earth there is no other
That can fill the spot you do
There are no words to tell you
But I thank my God above
As I realize that mother
Is another word for love

With love for my mother,
Happy 68th Birthday!

~Janet~

Hideout....

She made a little hide-out
To get away from the ‘crowd’
And on the outside she wrote
‘NO BOYS ALLOWED’………….

And it made me ponder
If I have a hide-out
With a sign on the door
Saying…..’NO GOD ALLOWED’

Janet~

Big Shoes..........

Dear God………….

Sometimes when I look at my children
I feel so very small…………
Funny…..because when I was a kid
I thought parents were tall!!!

….now the shoes that wait for me
Seem mighty big to fill
Dear God, help me to walk in them
According to Your will

Janet~

On some days its easier to see the humor in it
than on others:)

A Picture of Life......

It’s a kaleidoscope of color
It’s a quadrille of change
It’s a shift in the weather
It’s warm sun and cold rain
It’s a flaming vesture
Of orange, red and gold
Until it’s stripped of its rainbow
And left bare and cold


It’s cantankerous and moody
It’s laughing and gay
It’s stunning in beauty
It’s chilling and gray
It’s a landscape of emotion
It is grief and delight
It's contrast in an ocean
Of darkness and light

Life; I’ll compare thee
If, perchance I may
To the sorrow and beauty
Of an autumn day
Life is a season
Of laughter and strife
Oh the season of autumn
Paints a picture of life

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

As I drove my daughter to work this morning
The fields which not so very long ago
Were brilliant green and gold
Are now a dull and somber brown…….
But the sun was shining so when I returned home
I hung out a line of laundry…….
Twenty minutes later it was pouring a rain/sleet mixture….
So I dashed out to bring in the laundry!!!!
It’s sunny right now:)
My laundry is in the dryer!!!!

The picture collage was taken the other night
When the eastern sky was a deep foreboding blue
And the west flaming pink, purple and fiery gold!!!!
AND IT WAS RAINING!!!! It was eerily beautiful
Because of the tornado warnings!

Almost November

The perfumed haunts of late July
Lay cold and barren ‘neath the sky
A sky of moody blue and gray
Where low cloud drives the sun away
The sun which seems a little pale
It’s valiant beam a little frail


The purple pansy bows her head
Nestled in a leafy bed
She listens to the lonesome tune
Of winds that used to laugh in June
But now they sweep across the earth
Weeping with a chilling mirth

In the frigid morning hush
The paint upon the artist’s brush
Has turned from gold, scarlet and bronze
To cold and muted under-tones
Almost November……is what it would say
If the sky were turned into a painting today…………..

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

What Might Have Been........

Not for us to plead
For brilliant field
Or question cold and
Grievous streams
Tumbling by.......
All the fruit
That thought can yield
And all the yearning
Of vague dreams
In barren reaches lie
Does wisdom fall
To those who patiently abide
Trusting higher Hands
Life's undulating echoes call
Across the shifting tide.......
Life's shadows dance
And shimmer on time's whitewashed sands
With joy and sorrow drifting low
A transcient sheen
Not for us to clutch within our hands
The elusive glow
Of what might have been

What Was It?

What was it about that night?
Was it the way the pale blue moonlight
Was slightly diffused by the ragged cloud
That hung like a muse or a misty shroud
On the Shoulder of the autumn eve
Or was it the sight of that lingering leaf
Shivering like a lonely Straggler on the street
That is silent now, though all day busy feet
Moved by Him, and no one said ‘hello’
Was it the Sigh of the naked willow?
Or was it the ivy that clung to the wall
Where I could see the Shadow fall
Of the tree where the lonesome leaf still clung
And far-off on the breeze the town clock strikes one
And I should be sleeping like the fit and the wise
But for some reason slumber evades my eyes
For I cannot forget that mood in the air
Akin to that night I met You there
Ah yes, I remember it now…I do
What made that night special; it was You

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Janet Martin

I Suppose............

I suppose this searing, tender, yearning
gut-wrenching, inexplicable timeless ache
Beginning in my heart and spreading out to
the tips of every finger
is simply the part of love
that lingers
to remind me of how incredibly
incomparable to any other emotion....
.............love is
It cannot be described as a feeling
though initially it may leave us reeling
it indwells us like a Being,
It is the wonder with which we weep,
forgive, continue,cherish, caress, let go...
and yet forever keep
It is the hope which lets us feel
I suppose with love pleasure and pain
are eternally intertwined.....
I suppose................
I love you

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Janet Martin

No Words............

For all the deepness of a sigh
For all the weeping of the sky
For all the fondness in my eye
There are no words
For all the memories that I hold
For all the music, silent, cold
For all the yearning thought untold
There are no words

Janet Martin

Stepping Stones

We step on them in
Our fixed determination
To get to where we’re going
Our eyes focused
On our purpose and destination
And that’s too bad
Because hearts have never made
Good stepping-stones
We turn………
Our intent
To return the way we came
But instead
All that remains
Is a sea of red

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Janet Martin

Helpless....

I can never give too much
And I can never get enough....
Love
I cannot tire of its touch
Keeps me fragile, makes me tough......
Love
I cannot hold on to it
But I cannot let it go
It's harder to love a little bit
To love but never let it show
I've learned a few things about
Love
It can hurt; it can be rough
But no one ever showed me how
To un-love
It's hard to love sometimes, I know
But it's harder to un-love
And let love go

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Janet Martin

Solitary Confinement....

The solitude
Of a self-erected prison
Is indeed lonesome
The cold iron bars
Put carefully in place
Simply cannot keep out
The shadow of a face
Or the echo of a sigh
As the days, months and years
Pass silently by

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Janet Martin

Leaves.............

Leaves...........
If they were leaves
they would drift
aimlessly, on the breeze
then settle at last at our feet
or be that miniature raft
on a rippling avenue
its destiny; the great big sea
or a forgotten shore
where they would never be remembered
anymore
If they were leaves I could
gather them and burn them......
Destroy them.......
They would be so numerous
with none significant
in a soundless descent.......
and eventually
the last leaf would fall.......
and there would be
nothing
left
at all.................
to remind me of you
But thoughts are nothing like leaves
There will never be a last one to fall.........
and no matter how many thoughts compile
they will never be too numerous
to bury or crowd out
or make insignificant
my
every
thought
of you

~Janet Martin~

Muse's Fire

While bolder poets fan the flames

Of passion and desire

Quietly I will remain

Beside the muse’s fire

What comfort in the flickering light

What mysteries evoke

The painful hunger and delight

Within this flaming cloak


No Spartacus on stallion grand

Or gladiators glory

Weaving red trails on the sand

In some great, chilling story

I’ll choose to wear the luckless crown

And silently admire

The grandeur of a sigh far-blown

Beyond my muse’s fire


Within the flames I see the dance

Of dreams and memories haunting

I glimpse a form of Time and Chance

Swaying, laughing, taunting

But then I hear the echoing

Of murmurs that inspire

With wild and distant beckoning

From the muse’s fire


My arms would be your prison bars

But still I draw you near

I cannot teach my heart of hearts

To unshed every tear

For as the dew clings to the rose

And ivy to the spire

Darling, I will hold you close

Within the muse’s fire

Caught Looking......

What do you think about, dear little boy
Gazing off into the blue
Is it a dream of what you will be?
Or the things you are going to do?
I’m willing to bet in that far-off gaze
That you are not looking back
But looking ahead to your ‘glory days’
The future, a sparkling track

What do you think about, young woman, today
With that dreamy look in your eye
You look as if you could fly away
Like a beautiful butterfly
Is it young love whispering in the dream?
Fair hopes of what will be
Would you share the thoughts that silently gleam
But only you can see?

What do you think about, mother dear
Caught in sudden reverie
Are you looking ahead; oh when is that year
We begin to look back tenderly
What images drift before your eyes
In this momentary trance
Are you softly beginning to realize
How fleeting is this dance?

What do you think about, dear old man
As you sit in your rocking chair
Won’t you tell me if you can
Who it is that you see out there
Who is the voice in the echo that drifts
Over the hill and valley
Are you looking back…do you still look ahead?
I wonder what you see

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Janet Martin

So where exactly does it do the flip?.....
where we start to look back more often than we look ahead.

I Reckon......

I reckon there will always be
A thirst that can’t be filled
And I reckon the tranquility
Of the hours when daylight has stilled
Will always play a haunting tune
A sweet, sad melody
Rippling from the harvest moon
Across the land and sea

I reckon within every woman and man
Resides a trace of their youth
And I reckon we should still dream if we can
And never stop searching for truth
I reckon wisdom is life’s reward
When lessons are finally learned
I reckon we’ll never totally figure it out
Or get what we think we earned

I reckon there’s nothing new under the sun
Though there seems to be ‘news’ every day
I reckon that somewhere its all been done
By someone along the way
I reckon we’re never too old to learn
And never to young to try
I reckon there’s nothing we really own
Beneath the deep blue sky

I reckon freedom will never be free
Nor ever fully paid
I reckon we should live more thankfully
In this day the Lord has made
I reckon if we realized in full
How short this life will be
We'd care less for the temporal
In light of eternity

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Janet Martin

Education............

I learned how to crawl and I learned how to walk
I learned how to listen and I learned how to talk
I learned how to get up after a fall
I learned how to love without trying at all
I learned how to add, multiply and subtract
I learned how to read, how to write…..even act
I learned how to laugh and I learned how to cry
But I’m still learning how to say good-bye

~Janet~

Looking Back.........

We all have treaded that beaten path
The one we call ‘looking back’
As we silently gaze at the weathered maze
And the echoes along its track
Perhaps tis with tears we recall bygone years
Or with the trace of a smile
We hear the knell of that distant bell
Drifting across each mile

We recall the joy of a girl or a boy
The music of carefree laughter
Yet there’s nothing to say as it fades away
For we do not know until after
The years have met with cheer and regret
Then suddenly we realize
The undeniable truth; our childhood and youth
Are a faded paradise

So let’s cherish today; try to find a way
To make it the best it can be
Then as we look back across this track
To hear its melody
Though our hearts may ache they will not break
As its music stirs our mind
And we pause to look back across the track
Of moments we’ve left behind

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Janet Martin

Equality........

Today the cobalt wave
Which sweeps across the sky
Is hovering above
The lawn where carpets lie
The summer branch relinquishing
Her fair and leafy gown
No gain in distinguishing
The red leaf from the brown
They slumber now upon the grass
Where all the endless seasons pass………

Today the lonely grave
Lies still beneath a sky
Where heavens wind and wave
Each croons their lullaby
Human breath relinquishing
The ranks they held before
In death there’s no distinguishing
The rich man from the poor
They slumber now beneath the grass
Where all the endless seasons pass

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Janet Martin

Rich and poor have this in common,
The Lord is Maker of them all. Prov.22:2

Some Day.........

Some day someone will wander
Across this plot of grass
Perhaps they’ll stop and ponder
The years that quickly pass
They’ll say that they remember
So very long ago
How oft they used to come here
Then the memories start to flow
As they recount carefree hours
Spent romping on the lawn
How they used to pick the flowers
And they'll ask, ‘where has time gone?’
As they peek in through the windows
Hear the echo of a day
Gathered ‘round the kitchen table
In a childhood far away
They taste the milk and cookies
Of the distant faded years
Suddenly becoming vivid
In an eye now dimmed with tears
Oh, today the house is noisy
As they dash and yell and run
And the only thing important
Is the quest of having fun
While mother wipes the dishes
And the spills, footprints and tears
Yet silently she wishes
She could slow these speeding years
For she knows as she looks on them
In their tender hour of play
Far too soon their little freedom
Will have softly slipped away
And she wonders if they’ll wander
Someday across this grass
If perhaps they’ll pause to ponder
How the years so quickly pass…………

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Janet Martin