Showing posts with label laughter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laughter. Show all posts

Friday, April 23, 2021

Appointment With Laughter

 PAD Challenge 23: For today's prompt, write an appointment poem.

No matter how hard 
life is
Here's hoping 
now and then
it grants 
the goodness
of laughter

***

No matter how hard 
life is,
Here's to puppies 
and children...
because both have 
the beautiful, innocent 
ability 
of bringing the blessing 
of laughter

***






We have the neighbour's permission to 'enjoy' their pup
so Victoria loves playing with him till he's tired out...



These stomping grounds of dreams and dread
Confounds the bounds of heart and head
Where tug and hug wage wonder’s war
Midst beauty’s boast and duty’s chore

…where good intent is not enough
To reinvent the bent of love
Or the cement of moment-gold
As it pours into Bygone’s mold

These haves-and-holds of here-and-now
Of flying high and pushing plow
Is either ink of drudgery
Or patina of poetry

These stomping grounds of sound and sight
Abound with downer and delight
Yet, this grab-bag of groan and smile
Makes nabbing life’s coattail worthwhile

For appointments with hurt and hope
And dirt dappled with ‘nope-nope-nope’
Surprise us with sweet happiness
Because of laughter's ‘yes-yes-yes’

© Janet Martin



Sunday, April 11, 2021

We Laugh A Lot (among other things)


Sorrow will have its say
Time will have its way
Thank God for each serving from
Laughter's silver tray...

Something about mourning keens our senses 
to the immense wealth of simple things...


We open our hearts and arms to embrace
the moment, for Time guarantees nothing but its end!


This week had lots of messy moments,
but something about loss puts fresh perspective on
life's messes...especially if they're as easy to clean up as
chocolate-y faces or spilled tea, 




We laugh a lot
Though some prayers,
Still unanswered, stand in the room
Like an elephant
While we come to terms
Each in our own way, with
What we can control
And what we can’t

We work at Becoming
For He who has begun
Not finished yet
Sometimes we need
Undesired reminders
From Divine Authority
Lest we forget

Some laws, though
Initially inspired and
Intended to
Care and Respect
Are wrong, and sadly
In the end they
Damage (or kill) the very people
They sought to protect

Each step we take
Diminishes the
Distance between
What is seen and What Is Not
Taking God at His Word
Is the only chance
At lasting happiness
That anybody has got

We laugh between hurt-spurts 
That hone awareness of
Skin and bone heart-carts
Trundling, full of need 
We should not be slack
Concerning the promises
That we should give
Our uttermost heed

© Janet Martin

(puppy's repentance after being scolded
for giving Little Girl too many 'sloppy kisses'!)

Because neighbor's puppy is still a 'kid'
he happily disregards his owner's calls to 'come here!'
(with our assurance that it's okay)😊



Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
and comes down from the Father of lights, 
with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

James 1:17

Wednesday, October 9, 2019

For The Love of Laughter...


Of all the blessings we recall
That strew fond echoes after
I think the very best of all
Are those that ring with laughter

© Janet Martin

I really appreciated this gift of laughter tonight
 at the expense of hubby's frustration as he talk-texted to me...
I had asked him if wants a thanksgiving dinner at noon or for supper on Sunday
and he was trying to tell me it depends where he needs to drive to on Sunday night to load pigs early  the next morning...either to Kincardine or Ingersoll...
That talk-text translator was having a little trouble understanding😂






Tuesday, October 23, 2018

The Colour of Laughter


Are you longing for silver to brighten your gray day?
It's the smallest among us that can turn our blah to hurrah!

During a bit of before-nap boredom I dumped a box of stuffies on the floor.
She shrieked, giggled, tumbled and rolled while I laughed!

And sometimes
If only for
The lifespan of a bubble
We forget words like
Worry, heartbroken, trouble
While we laugh, like
Joy’s silver ribbons unfurled
As if we didn’t have
A care in the world

© Janet Martin

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

When Children Laugh...

  PAD Challenge day 23: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “When (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then write the poem. 


When children laugh it seems to me
That heaven bends its bars
To lend a glimpse of what will be
Beyond these earthy wars

The air is like a flower-storm
And warm with stars and smiles
As Innocence in purest form
Each somber soul beguiles

It teases from glum, time-warped face
Creases of gladsome grin
It kisses sorrow with God’s grace
And lets life’s sunshine in

When children laugh it seems to me
That heaven cracks its doors
To let us glimpse things heavenly
While on time’s earthy shores

© Janet Martin




Thursday, January 7, 2016

Like ...Laughter




Victoria and Matt's quirky senses of humor keep this home's laughter barrel over-flowing;-0

Don't you love it; the sound of laughter?!


Like silver bells
Or brook through dells
Or madrigals
Without a word
Like stars that spill
Where grief would will
Us to death’s chill
Without smile stirred

A splash of pearls
In shapeless swirls
As it unfurls
Uncurls a grin
Like flowers where
Duty’s grim air
Would merely stare
...its judgement grim

Intangible
Its wonderful
Canticle sparkles
Gilding gray
Where heaven’s rafter
Rings long after
The song of laughter
Has faded away

© Janet Martin


Thursday, September 3, 2015

Laugh, Little Aylan, Laugh

Ann expresses what I am sure is most of our hearts today...
and we  pour out our hearts in prayers and tears!


Dear Aylan,
Ignored in your life,
Immortalized in your death

All down the streets of gold
Laugh at the feet of Jesus
Where you will never grow old
Oh, let your laughter sparkle
Oh, let your brown eyes dance
Oh, let your chin tilt up as God
Wipes your tears with His hands

Laugh, little Aylan, laugh
Let heaven's sheer, pure joy
Heal each sob of horror and hunger
Fear and sorrow, little boy
Sit at the banquet table
Run over celestial hills
Play forever with your brother
Where no teardrop spills

Laugh, little Aylan, laugh
For you will weep no more
Safe in the arms of Jesus 
Far from death's cold, friendless shore
Now you are loved like we should have
...We stare at a photograph
Shouldering sorrow, guilt and shame
Laugh, little Aylan, laugh 

Janet Martin

In memory of every little child who never knew laughter...

How can we look at our children and not want to help the hundreds of thousands of those still among us like Aylan?!






Monday, March 10, 2014

While Driving to Drayton in our Old Green Truck...




 An hour ago I drove my son  Matt to Drayton to begin driver's training (he turns 16 in 2 mos.)...and we laughed as I craned my neck to see over the dashboard and steering wheel. (Someone had removed my cushion-hoist;) and I muttered some terms of endearment to this green, gas-guzzling beast and then we laughed...


We laughed
He and I,
And every dream that
I let die
For the sake of love
Was resurrected
And perfected

We laughed,
And worry's weight of wondering
Fell away
In the glorious sparkle
Of audible smiles
On a gray
March day

We laughed,
By music of living
Blessed
And in that moment
I wanted for nothing
As I held
It’s best…

© Janet Martin

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Submission, Love and Happiness





(Well, happiness might be a drink sometimes;)

Submission is the letting go
Of things held, not in hands but hearts
Without it we will never know
The perfect peace that God imparts


Love; manifold, grand mystery
Perplexing pauper, prince and priest
We cannot its true fullness see
Until we make ourselves the least
  

Happiness is not a drink
Or fate’s elusive destiny
Happiness is found, I think
In living's moment-melody

Laughter, under-rated bliss
Ah, how can we enjoy it more?
Submission, love and happiness
It seems, are at its very core

© Janet Martin

After putting this book down for a while because suddenly I was reading a few other books, I have returned to it, reading it slowly so I don’t miss a thing…

“You either see beauty or you do not”, said Peter in a sermon.
“If you do not, no amount of argument can make you see it”

Peter's life is an example of submission and the fruits thereof.

Want a good laugh today? Today's YDP will surely at the least stir a chuckle!

Submission is not outward conforming, but inward transforming

My Grandmother reminded me more than once that until we fully submit our will to God we can never be fully happy!


 He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God.
 Micah 6:8