Before Sentimental Surprise Took Me In Its Embrace...

poem-a-day challenge from Robert Lee Brewer @ Writer's Digest

For today's prompt, write a memory poem. 

My husband wants to get rid of

what he sees as a gnarly eye sore...

and I see as a work of art...

both Season-art and Memory-art.

maybe because another old apple tree 

from my childhood made me see this one

through wizened eyes...

This tree my Grandpa planted,

long before we bought it when we bought their house...

this tree my children climbed,

and now my grandchildren,

along with many others that passed through my care

Here's a bit of season-memory art...

I didn't know the apple tree 

of long ago would bend

With summer fruit, 

long after the pursuits

Of youth would end 

I didn't know the tree that taught

Us how to work and play

where apples fell 

like yellow snow

would never go away

...where mother's apron bulged as we

Helped fill its cotton cart

With pungent gold,

That we could hold

Forever in the heart  

Before I was blindsided by

Moment's momentous haste

 I thought that Time 

was on my side

With quite enough to waste

Before sentimental surprise

Took me in its embrace

And showed to me 

An apple tree

Is never commonplace

© Janet Martin

This photo and memory tidbit from a previous post HERE

The Harvest-apple tree on the old home place.
How well I remember its petal-snow,

before the dirt floor was covered in golden fruit, 

gathered up in our cotton-dress 'baskets'

 carried to the house for apple goodies, 

but mostly canned apple sauce.

Sometimes The Past Revisits Us

 poem-a-day challenge from Robert Lee Brewer @ Writer's Digest

For today's prompt, write a memory poem. 

The Past is not always done with

just because it was ages ago-

Third Girl, A Hercule Poirot Mystery by Agatha Christie

 Let's make the kind of memory that is second to none...

Jim couldn't resist the 'purple throne'😂💖

Sometimes, when I am feeling brave and strong, I gently trace

The outline of mementos that compile, year after year 

But, then I put them back where they belong; content to place

Them in Bygone's embrace, and concentrate on Now and Here 

Because time has a way of stealing seasons, still in hand

(How subtly they become part of what nothing can erase)

I want to feel the full force of Time's little tricks of sand

Composing the mementos that I sometimes gently trace 

Darling, the days that yet remain are dwindling one by one

Let's look each other in the eye, laugh more, indulge in love 

And make the kind of memory that is second to none

To gently trace, sometimes, when we feel brave and strong enough

Sometimes the Past revisits us, for better or for worse

Today is always new, rife with fresh opportunities

To bear in mind that which becomes a guest we bless or curse

Let's do our best to turn each day into fond memories

 © Janet Martin

A few sudden deaths recently,

 have reminded me of what I

 (not always, but sometimes)  

lose sight of;

 Us 💓

Darling Day (With Granddaughter) Memento

First thing this morning I had

a call from my daughter wondering

if I wanted the company of a grumpy little girl today,

and what would a grandma say to such a question but,

'of course! I would love that!'💓

Just like a change of scenery can work cheerful wonders in us oldies at times,

so too in a child. 😅💖

Whether discussing crispy-egg-deliciousness, 

or, rules to learn (about mushrooms)

Whether it is pausing besides a glorious sweep of gold wheat seas

To revel in sweet summer bliss,...

It might be choosing the right cup for outdoor tea party for two...

Or floating on a pretend lake to practice for Real-Lake-Come-True

It might be strolling very slowly down a holy garden path

While footfalls slip into the echoes that waft in its aftermath

It might be picking lavender...

 to add to our lemon tea...

Before we sit beneath the arbor while making a memory

Whether discussing crispy-egg-deliciousness, or rules to learn (about mushrooms)

Or how a robin knows exactly where to find a juicy worm

Whether it is pausing besides a glorious sweep of gold wheat seas

To revel in sweet summer bliss, oh, we are making memories

Whether we give it second thought, or not, life rolls through Time and Place

And it is up to us to make the most and best of moment-grace

Because the afternoon is soon a bubble bobbing on the breeze

Bearing away the Little Day where we were making memories

It might be choosing the right cup for outdoor tea party for two

Or floating on a pretend lake to practice for Real-Lake-Come-True

It might be strolling very slowly down a holy garden path

While footfalls slip into the echoes that waft in its aftermath

It might be picking lavender to add to our lemon tea

Before we sit beneath the arbor while making a memory

It might be disregarding chore-lists just to sing a silly song

For little girls and boys are never very little very long

Life is much more than duty's doleful left-foot-right to growing old

Ah look, within our very grasp is a nugget of moment-gold

Then, because we never know when our final fond farewell may be

Let’s try to spend it on a precious, Best-we-could-make memory

© Janet Martin

Serving up some 'thtrawberry-shortcake oil tea'😂

(after a five-star plastic lunch!!)

Like Sea-song...

 

Time rushes through heart doors and rolls like sea-song into memories

It roars through dreams where nothing seems to faze the toll it takes with ease

It grins and thins blue-sky July like pigment on a painter’s tray

While a collection of impressions, like blown bubbles, wafts away

And draws us nearer to that place we all approach with every breath

The grace of where we are is scarred with mementos of life and death

Magnificence of innocence soon stripped of luster of first leaf

How soon we start to recognize the bloom of every bud is brief

Ah, today does not bat an eye as it marches through you and me

Turning the future into past, cast in ethereal imagery

As, what was once so riveting and all-encompassing becomes

A trail of seasons scattered like flower petals and cookie crumbs

Where, while time rushes through us like sea-song that rolls across the shore

The older that we get we pause to hear its music more and more

© Janet Martin

Grace-berth/Birth

Yesterday's sunrise

So often so little distance seems to lie between dawn and dusk, doesn't it?!!

Yesterday's sunset

Days seem to fly by! 

So does life!!

Just a blip between the dawn of birth and the dusk of death!

(two visitations this week for friend's parents were a vivid reminder!!)

...and not one of us can see how near that Dusk is!

It can fall in the twinkle of an eye to young or old alike!

Thus, often much of life's focus seems to be 

on making every effort to 'Make (fond) Memories'

which really are precious!

...like picking pussy willows 😊

Canning sausage

Spending time with (aging) more precious-than-ever parents...

Because there are 10 children in our family, for mom and dad's Christmas gift

this year, each child is given a month to extra-bless them

 (not counting December (Christmas) and September 

when we hope to celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary all together)

March was our month. 

On Saturday we took them to my brother-in-law's sugar bush

 to watch modern-day maple-syrup making...

...and then we dropped by my mother-in-law's house where my sister-in-law served us supper;

 the best bean soup I ever tasted served with Vidalia onions, 

summer-sausage, fresh bread and cheese! A five-star meal!!)

...but, as dear as these memories are there is something

far more sacred in life to make, than memories...

We are called to 'make every effort' for something far more lasting!

2 Pet.1:3-10

His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life 

through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 

4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, 

so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, 

having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; 

and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; 

and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 

7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love.

  8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure,

 they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive

 in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  9But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, 

forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.

10Therefore, my brothers and sisters

 a make every effort to confirm your calling and election.

 For if you do these things, you will never stumble,

  11and you will receive a rich welcome 

into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

In light of this, Awareness beckons us behold today with 

more thankful, thoughtful, sacred soul-searching!

Behold the berth/birth where God’s grace is extended

Where Life runs rife with holy beck and call

Daylight dissolves heaven’s star-studded blanket

From mercy’s fount hope-forged stepping-stones fall

From He whose love cannot be comprehended

Today is bestowed by God, to one and all

Though want and woe’s what and wherefore may vary

Though no two roads of life are quite the same

No matter what composes cares we carry

Rest and redemption are found in One Name

For the deathless soul, none can burn or bury

Jesus, the Way, Truth and Life all may claim

Today is a common-ground charge, all must weather

Like a barge drawn over sky, sea and sod

Where soon the Harbour at Twilight will tether

Some to the slumber that morning will prod

Some through a gate that parts, light as feather

Over that last lowered gangway to God

Who can afford to be calloused and careless

When no one knows where time’s curtain will close

Pity the passenger, faithless and prayerless

Unready for what Last Breath will expose

Come, bid Today reawakens awareness

To behold berths/birth where God’s grace overflows

© Janet Martin

So off we go on a new Today!

How many remain,

 only the Giver knows!

Song of Silence

I had the honor and delight of being one of the hosts

this morning for our church's annual women's Christmas brunch!

(Faces blurred for privacy)

I forgot to take a picture of the food!

(It was a potluck event and it was so delicious)

After the laughter and chatter subdued

After food savored and fond farewells bade

Silence settles like a snowflake postlude

Over scrubbed kettles and memories made

After hello has turned into ‘so long’

After the treasure of fellowship ends

Silence follows, like a bittersweet song

Medley of echoes and pleasure of friends

After the loveliness of touch and sight

Slips from our fingers and fades out of  view    

Silence, like a flicker of candlelight

Wraps love's gold halo around me and you 

After the fabric of moments unfold

After ‘together’ turns into ‘apart’

Silence is like a picture book we hold

Every page in the shape of a heart

© Janet Martin 

Silence settles like a snowflake postlude

Over scrubbed kettles and memories made...