Four Best Words

Tender little soft pink cheeks
Blue eyes and warm arms
Every night I am
The lucky victim of her charms
Girly-giggles, bed-time wiggles
I say, ‘time to sleep’
Bed-time prayers and teddy-bears
Good-night my dear, sweet dreams

As I turn to leave her room
She whispers ‘I love you’
And I can say these four best words
“I love you too”
In order to say these four words
Someone must first say three
And I am so very blessed
To have them said to me

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Janet Martin

It occurred to me last night ,
These truly are the best words in the world!
You can only say them if someone says
'I love you' first.
I get to say them EVERY night as I go down the stairs
After good-night hugs and kisses,
They wait until they hear my steps on the stairs
And they call ‘Good-night Mom, I love you’
And I always say,
“I love you too!”

The Waltons would be proud!

A Dying Soldiers Thoughts

The sky is such a lovely shade of blue in early May
The clouds look soft and fluffy; I’ll be touching them today
At least the grass I’m lying on is soft and emerald green
The color of the spring-time lawn back home in Aberdeen

God, there was so much that I had hoped that I could do
But it looks as if today I will be meeting you
And all the things I’ve thought worth-while seem suddenly so small
I can’t help but smile to think we fuss ‘bout life at all

The only thing that matters is this moment now impending
The seeds that I have scattered will grow though my life is ending
God, it is so little that man-kind will ever know
I'm glad that I am not afraid because You love me so

There’s a letter in my pocket, I suppose someone will find
And give to my beloved, ‘something I had left behind’….
Sure would have loved to see her, touch her soft cheek just once more
God, what a useless, bloody hell on earth, this war

Above me now an eagle flies on her majestic flight
I will pass her in the skies as I fly Home tonight
She will fly to some tall tree and to her faithful nest
I’ll fly to eternity and my eternal rest

The sky is such a lovely shade of blue in early May
I wonder what they’re doing in my home-town today
I wish that I could see them all and touch their lips again
Oh God, in death there’s no enemy, we are all just men….

......somewhere in his home-town way across the shining seas
The willow limbs are swaying gently in the evening breeze
And there somewhere is someone who cares none for spring so green
As she weeps into her pillow for something that could have been

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Janet Martin

Inspired by Hemingway, Dickinson, life and love

Perhaps Then....

If they had never invented words like darling,
And if the tender rose were black instead of crimson
And all the birds were starlings,
perhaps then, who knows…..
If eyes would not sparkle with emotion saying it all
with never a word
If all the force of the ocean could be quelled,
or a heart as its stirred,
If the power of the written word
Would never touch our hearts
Perhaps then, who knows….
If it were forever winter and the sun was turned to coal
And there would be no warmth at all
To melt the darkened soul,
Or whispers there to soften the cold and bitter edge
Of loneliness and heart-ache perhaps then…
...just maybe......
perhaps
I could stop loving you.

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Janet Martin

Last Walk

Across an emerald meadow-land
Kissed with the morning dew
I would love to take your hand
For one last walk with you
And in this tender moment then
One final chance I’d take
To try to make you understand
My heart, about to break

We’d sit perhaps in wordless gaze
Toward the softening sky
Its distant brink a misty haze
Reflected in my eye
For I know that before this day
Is tendered to the past
You and I will part for aye
Before its shade is cast

The lily in her splendid garb
And kissed with heavens breath
Unaltered in her perfect robe
Since first she graced the earth
Can hold no comfort now for me
Her glory holds no power
For I have sitting next to me
A far more precious flower

I would whisper one last time
My love for you undying
And try to make you understand
The reason for my crying
I would hold you close to me
Before I let you go
It would be the last time, you see
If you should still say no

As we take this final walk
Among the weeping roses
The door of hope about to lock
Forever, as it closes
My tears in crimson drops would bathe
Your unbelieving heart
As from My love you turn away
To hear the word, ‘Depart’

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Janet Martin

The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!"
And let him who hears say,"Come!"
Whoever is thirsty, let him come;
and whoever wishes, let him take
the free gift of the water of life.Rev.22:17

I Can't Un-love You

I can let you go a little, a little at a time
Open up the window then and say, fly birdie fly
I’ll know if you’re mine to love someday you will return
And I will trust the hands above to guide us as we learn

And I can wait and watch for you and trust the Lord above
To keep his vigil over you and all of those we love
Perhaps sometimes at even-tide beside the garden gate
Patiently I will abide and wonder while I wait….

I can keep your memory wrapped around my heart
When my tears get the best of me I’ll touch its softest part
And I can whisper countless prayers to the God above you
Trust the One who truly cares but I cannot un-love you

I cannot un-love you and the memories we share
If I must live without you that is all that I can bear
And by the precious grace of God I’ll trust His hand above you
I can let you go a little, dear but I cannot un-love you

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Janet Martin

Indecision

I can’t stay and I can’t go
Thus I’m tortured to and fro
God my God, help me to know
Which to choose and where to go

Right or wrong, wrong or right
None designed to bring delight
Pain or pleasure, black or white
Show me Lord, what’s wrong and right

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Janet Martin

Invisible Gift

He places in my erring hand
A very precious prize
A gift invisible yet grand
Before my wondering eyes
Oh, what a valued gift He gives
This miracle I’ve tasted
As He sees and yet forgives
His other gifts I’ve wasted
In mercy and in tender love
Soft as a butter-fly
A whisper from the clouds above
Or breezes drifting by
He reaches to me where I stand
Like a breath from Heaven
And places in my humble hands
Another precious moment

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Janet Martin

My Best Good Intention

I held in my pocket my grandest invention
It was my latest best good intention
I smiled as I stroked its colors with pride
How good it felt to know deep inside
Was my good intention to cherish and love
But my best good intention was not good enough

Deep in the deepest cloak of my heart
There my intention began falling apart
Blindly I ignored the hints of my weakness
My good intention would lead me to greatness
But other things vied for my affection and love
And my best good intention was not good enough

The smallest kind act, no matter how small
Is better than the grandest intention of all
Now I know the truth, yes I know it too well
Good intentions pave the highway to hell
Good intentions have no power to love
And my best good intention was not good enough

God, be the Master of my best intention
Help me follow through, see it to completion
And never to rest with my pockets lined
With the best good intentions of a great master-mind
For the best good intention has nothing to prove
And the best good intention is not good enough

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Janet Martin

Foot-prints

If my foot-steps left their trace
Like tracks upon the snow
And if someone should follow them
Wherever they should go
Would I be glad and satisfied
Or filled with shame and sorrow?
Should I look back to see my child
Following tomorrow

God, help me on this beaten track
To know that you behold them
Each step is like a foot-print
And I know that you will know them
For there is nothing hid from You
No dark and secret place
Guide me so I will not fear
If one my steps should trace

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Janet Martin

You discern my going out and my lying down.
You are familiar with all my ways. Ps.139:3

Let Me Be Your Friend

I noticed, as you turned and looked at me
There’s a hint of sorrow where your smile used to be
Would you care to share? You don’t need to pretend
I won’t betray you; let me be your friend

I’m missing the sparkle in your lovely eyes
The blue has deepened like grey in the skies
Sometimes all it takes is another’s hand
To cherish and hold; let me be your friend

Love is not love until given away
Won’t you let me give you my love today?
Tomorrow your eyes can be blue again
But for today, can I be your friend?

I noticed, as you turned and looked at me
There’s a hint of sorrow where your smile used to be
Pardon me for intruding but I know you understand
It takes one to know one, let me be your friend

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Janet Martin

Like You Do....

I’ve been given love in my life
I am a daughter, a mother and wife
I’ve been held and held love too
But there’s one thing I know is true
No one knows my deepest need
Hears my heart’s unspoken plea
No one understands like You
And no one loves me like You do

Blue skies, blue eyes, sun or rain
When we’re loved they’re all the same
Slow dance, soft glance, sand or snow
Loving makes each season glow
But in spite of love’s soft touch
From each hand we love so much
There’s one thing I know is true
No one loves me like You do

Soul-mate, so great, two hearts one
Sweetest love I’ve ever known
Love’s arms so warm, heaven smiles
God, you sure must love Your child
Cold night, hard fight, misunderstood
God, you are still great and good
Faithful, Wonderful, love so true
No one loves me like You do

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Janet Martin

God is love. 1 John 4:16

Sweet Sorrow?

Whoever said parting is such sweet sorrow
Can’t see the tears I am weeping
Maybe the sweetness awaits me tomorrow
In a vault ‘neath another’s safe keeping
For there is no sweetness in my misery
There is no comfort today for me
Only God can heal this agony
Is He then the ‘sweet’ in my sorrow?

Today there is no sunshine or sweet
In this darkened mile I am treading
There is no grass beneath my feet
No joy in the tears I am shedding
Tomorrow perhaps there waits for me
A rose to bloom through this misery
Only God knows why this must be
But who says parting is sweet?

How can parting be such sweet sorrow?
Sweet is sorrow’s knife?
Sweet, the thought of endless tomorrows
Without you in my life?
God, I trust that You hold the sweetness
Concealed for now in Your completeness
Hold me, hold me in my weakness,
For parting is not sweet sorrow

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Janet Martin

Praise be to the God and Father
our Lord Jesus Christ
the Father of compassion
and the God of all comfort...2 Cor.1:3