Retired

Retired…
         No longer mired in
The ever-vexing void of daily drudge,
The oily sludge of slippery slopes,
Of muddled hopes
And put-off dreams with threadbare seams,
Trying desperately to cope.

No clock to tease,
No boss to please,
No daily deadlines left to squeeze
A harried pace.
The only race deciding when and where and how
The day begins,
And when it ends
Resting peacefully in place.

The only causes are my own,
The battle choices, mine alone.
I choose (or not) to be inspired.
It is my privilege…
         I am retired.

On Being Free

Somewhere in the vast expanse of
Earth, air, sea and sky
The fires born of freedom soar
And beg to question why.

And banners wave as flags unfurl
And anthems waft the air
As those who paid the price
Are eulogized with loving care.

The faithful find her favor

As the doubters weigh her fate,
While the soft sweet song of freedom
Lays her feast upon my plate.

And grateful for her kindness, 
And thankful for her grace,
And longing for her loving smile
To bless the human race;

To fill every corner with her light
And issue her decree, to
Give every heart a moment
To reflect
                   On being free.

Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Amazon Author's Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-S-Martin/e/B004SXY4LG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394055582&sr=1-2-ent

Tenth anniversary

My blog will soon be celebrating its' tenth anniversary. Check out the archives for poems posted over the last decade. No doubt you will find something with which you will identify.
 

Move On

The sadness has a part in it,
Especially at the start of it,
The grieving at the leaving and
The strength it takes to cope.
The going on without
Begets a constant nagging doubt,
The struggle not to lose all sense of hope.

There are memories to keep,
Lasting memories so deep
Filled with caring,
Never sharing with the crowd,
Like a sweet breeze gently blowing,
Kind reminder filled with knowing
Silent promises that no one speaks out loud.

And the healer takes his measure,
Always vigil with such treasure,
Oh, so clever
Heaven never comes undone.
And the soft sweet scent of heather
Gives the promise of forever
And the humble strength to quietly
Move on.  

Snow Days

Snow plows and shovels
Clop-clanging on concrete
Disturbing the reverent silence as we
Learn the days breaking story,
The forecast, the details all
Measured in inches
Right down to the hub.

Exposures and closures
Await smiling children with
Thoughts of sown angels,
Snow forts and snow battles in
Mittens and mufflers with
Snowmen companions, they
Race hills and canyons of
Fresh fallen flurries.

No workday to bother,
No wretched commute, just
A clearing of sidewalks
To get to the curb, then
Watching the splendor, the
Trees dippy-dancing.

I sip my hot cocoa
And quietly smile.

Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/
Amazon Author's Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-S-Martin/e/B004SXY4LG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394055582&sr=1-2-ent

Sunshine and Butterflies

Life doesn’t always bring sunshine and butterflies,
Pink clouds and starry skies are
No guarantee.
It can all disappear right there before your eyes,
Whippoorwill softly cries,
“Just let it be.”

There will be better days
Waiting ahead
Wafting in sweet harmony,
Banking off promises,
Memory’s fed,
Whispering softly how good life can be.

No more excuses.
No more sad alibis
Followed by lonesome sighs,
Washed by the breeze.
Off tilting windmills beyond
Where the eagle flies,
Sunshine and butterflies
Fill all my dreams.

Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/
Amazon Author's Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-S-Martin/e/B004SXY4LG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394055582&sr=1-2-ent

Dreams We Left Behind

The flame of youth so brightly glows.

Where it may lead, nobody knows,

Ah, but hope fills meadows as it grows

In heathered fields of dreams.

 

The whispering breeze from every tree

Offers a love song for you and me,

Oh, and life feels just like eternity

On feathered angel wings.

 

But winds of change come swift and low

To leave us in their afterglow

And our dreams are left to mellow

In the wine.

 

But we move on without regret

To roads we haven’t travelled yet,

Walking hand in hand we won’t forget

The dreams we left behind.

 

Our future moves into the past,

Dreams to memories, sweet at last,

And we reminisce as we hold fast

To dreams we left behind.

 

Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/
Amazon Author's Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-S-Martin/e/B004SXY4LG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394055582&sr=1-2-ent
 

Buster

Buster came a to bless our souls but a short tim
Early in our lives;
Just one among a litter,
Nothing special, not as I recall.
‘Bout two shades shy of adorable,
A flop-eared, stumbling, bumbling pup;
Long-tongued, face-lapping beagle hound
With a touch of bird dog wanderlust.
 
Ravenous, bottomless biscuit chaser
Eager to please when food was about.
Relentless hunter leading the pack,
Howling while others lagged yapping in tow.
Fearless protector of all his domain,
Loyal to those who belonged to his court.
Even his feline companions were cherished
When danger drew near to require his defense.
 
Buddy. Companion. Guardian. Friend.
A king in his kingdom.
A pauper at heart.
We thought that our brotherhood would last forever.
If only he hadn’t loved chasing cars.
 
Lulu Storefront: http://www.lulu.com/dsmartin
Plays: http://sites.google.com/site/playsbydennissmartin/
Amazon Author's Page: http://www.amazon.com/Dennis-S-Martin/e/B004SXY4LG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1394055582&sr=1-2-ent