HANDICRAFT

We were truly amazed at
The parcel we received from mother,
Overstuffed in nature,
Though not heavy for it's bulk.
Inside, neatly rolled, not folded,
Packed with tender loving care,
The most amazing patchwork quilt,
Made with love by hands which ached
With each and every needle push and pull;
At times too much to bear.

Skills acquired from generations
Somewhere in the distant past
When necessity beget art and
Care was more than memory.
Handed down from mom to daughter,
Rarely placed into a book.
Hour after hour learning,
Bonding everlastingly.
Little wonder we are blessed
With such amazing gifts to keep.
When the seeds are sewn in youth,
Maturing years are sure to reap.

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

N*e*w**y*e*a*r*s**d*a*y

Now that the old year is passing away
Everyone seems to resolve a new day.
Wanting to make an improvement in kind,
Yearning for love or to gain peace of mind.
Each of us has a few things to arrange
As the old year goes out and the new one brings change.
Resolve resolutions... A promise to make.
Submit substitutions... A habit to break.
Deny the old ways.
Acknowledge the days that are changing.
Your New Year's at stake.

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

FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

I have an underlying passion for food.
Just look at my waistline;
It tells a tale
Of wicked obsession with
Oral delights tickling taste buds
To snap to attention.
Marvelous scents tease
Olfactory senses,
Begging, pleading,
Wanting for more.
Baked or broiled, fried or filleted,
Toasted or tossed to a turn,
Not to mention
I'm never left out when
They offer up seconds,
Or met a desert I didn't enjoy;
Obsessed with a fire raging out of control
Which no flood of water can possibly douse.
If this trend continues unchecked and unaltered
With no end in sight, no method employed to
Cure the beast that rages inside me,
I'm sure that I'll soon be
The size of a house.

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

WHITE PAPER / BLACK INK

My blank stare reflects off
The linen white paper,
Stiffened and dulled to a
Blind state of boredom.
A texture, minute,  barely detectable,
Plays on its surface,
So naked and bland,
'Til the ink from my pen
Finds it's voice and it's
Story flows on to the page
Like the rush of the tides,
Creating a tale of marvelous
Detail, splendid adventure
To share one and all.

Should the lily-white paper resist
The disfigurement?
Would it fair better to
Keep itself pure?
Life is a story which
Cannot be told until
Black ink and white paper
Learn to endure.

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

THE BEACHES OF CAPE COD

We strolled hand in hand
Over creamy white sand
Which captured our footprints
So briefly in time, 'til the tides
And the whitecaps erased
Every trace of our lingering gaze
Into endless expanse.

Hillside bedecked by a
Towering lighthouse, a
Monument offering course and direction,
Left to remind of the days
Of our glory;
Seafaring heroes who praised her reflection.

Stiff breezes piercing the October morning,
Riding the waves rolling in from the east.
The surf is alive with the voice of a lion,
Rising to crash like the jaws of a beast.
Yet, somehow serene,
Alive, Enduring,
Knowingly constant,
Meant to survive.
Never a worry on
These sandy beaches;
Joyous to celebrate
Being alive.

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

FULL MOON MADNESS

Once again the cycle is full.
The crescent has grown from
It's Cheshire cat grin
To a floodlight of madness
Filling the sky
With it's lunar reflection,
Blocking a billion
Stars from my vision,
Beckoning lunacy,
Calling the moonstruck
To walk in it's shadows,
To stumble about
Without clear direction,
Weeping and wailing
Without knowing why.

Werewolves and vampires,
The stars of tradition,
Reduce to a bit part
When Luna grows bright.
No one, it seems,
Can corner the market
When full moon madness
Captures the night.

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

...COMES IN THREES

Good news...
Bad news...
Comes in threes.
Isn't it the way?
Life is fine when good news rolls in;
One after two after three
'Til euphoria sets its sights
On a dizzied brain...
Sunshine so dazzling it
blocks out the rain,
Even forgetting how mortal we are,
How end comes
To even the gayest refrain.

So sad when tragedy strikes at the heart,
When it compounds event on event
On event 'til the tray is
Too heavy to carry the burden and
Balance is lost
As you crash to your knees.
Praying for miracles to lift
Your spirit. To set
Your ship on an even keel.
Life is a seesaw;
A balancing act.
Good news... Bad news... Comes in threes.

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

HOME

What better place to go....
When the trials and tribulations
Of the helter skelter day
Have led you to a state of weary
Far beyond all normal bounds;
Frustrations climb the highest peak
To strangle reason's lifeless bones,
And screams build up inside your
Spinning head until it reels,
What better place to go to than to home.

When boundless joy has entered
And laughter echoes memory's walls,
The music and the dance drain
Every ounce of energy,
The smile still lingers, whispers softly,
Speaks to every pore,
And life is good
And living fine
And peace resides within,
What better place to go to than to home.
Home is where all hearts reside.
Home is somewhere deep inside.

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

Kiss

The lips of my love are
The gateway to passion.
Ever so lightly they
Touch my soul
With a loving caress which can
Only be felt by
A kindred spirit
Who's arms enfold
And touch much deeper than
Mere flesh can know,
Finding a treasure
More precious than gold.

Sweetly the lips of my lover
Invite every passion
Inside me to rush to the fore.
Gently they touch,
Softly they urge as
Passion arises from every pore.
Kissing away every care we have known,
Leaving us spent,
But longing for more.

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

I'LL SMACK YOUR FACE

You, looking at me with that
Self-righteous grin,
Eyes leering in undertones,
Sure of a win.
Head tilted, nose upturned in the air.
Lips seething attitude
Offering to dare.
Arms crossed, knuckles white,
Shoulders rigid, poised and straight;
Feet planted firmly,
No shifting of weight.
So self-assured...
So confident...
Full of venom...
Logic spent.
So high above all forgiveness and grace;
So much in need of a smack in the face.

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

IN GOD'S NAME, AMEN

...Amazing what we humans do
And blame it on religion;
The way we take the word of God
And stretch it to our purpose,
Bending every syllable, each paragraph
And page to make the
Truth unrecognizable,
To rationalize our goals.

Just see how faith keeps changing
To suit the current times;
Sad reflection of our mores,
And not a guiding light.
Nations grow intolerant,
Perched high on their beliefs,
And, in God's name, prepared
To make a fight.

The God of my religion
Is compassionate and kind,
Tolerant and giving to the end.
And when I offer up a prayer
No enemies are mentioned;
Only thanks for what is given...
In God's name, Amen.

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

Last Love

You were not my first love
But, if fate is kind,
You will be my last.
Let us then grow old together
Counting seasons wrapped
Inside each other's arms
Listening to the music that
We know so well.
Hold hands and strolling
Along beaches in our autumn sun,
Watching as the seagulls work
Their magic with the wind
And wondering what secrets
Lie beneath the sands along the shore.
We are two,
Yet we are one.
Bound in spirit, heart and soul.
Heaven smiles on earth below
To bring together our last love.

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

The Fires of Beltane

The flames reach out in spite of the
Torrents of rain falling down from
The evening skies,
And you welcome me to your endless night
Filled with passionate pleasure
Beyond the moonrise.
Nothing can stop the fate that befalls
The lovers embracing
In ritual rites,
Gasping and grasping the smoke from
Her fires, engulfed in the flood of
Her pagan delights.
Gods and goddesses watch from their
Mountaintops neatly positioned between earth and sky.
Judging our worth from the weight 
Of our sacrifice.  Sealing our fate
In the blink of an eye.
We are the pawns.
We front the battle.
Never look back.
Never ask why.

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

Bested by the Best

Watch out girls!
He's on the prowl.
Looking for a little action,
A taste of carnal satisfaction
Somewhere in the endless night.

Searching without conscience
For his prey to take the bait.
He hasn't long to wait
To sate his animal delight.

Bad decisions are a fever
To which there often is no cure.
Desperation sometimes leads to pain
That one need not endure.

And you know all too well the kind of
Hell his lust can put you through.
You'll need to be strong to slip the wrong
That he has planned for you.

You can rise above, hold out for love
That truly stands the test.
You'll avoid the wreck of being
Bested by the best.

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

The Air That You Breathe

Sometimes I lie awake at night
Sensing no other presence than
The breathing in and breathing out
Of my true love lying next to me.

You have no idea that I'm waiting,
Listening to your life flow
In the gentle rise and fall
That touches my heart so tenderly.

The facts have a way of giving a little
Piece of themselves to every lost and
Wandering soul encountered as
Their patterns interweave.

And I am truly blessed to be
The one whose lips you kiss goodnight,
To hold you close, to touch your face
To share the air you breathe.

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

Pagan Lovers

Like the acts of pagan lovers,
Unabashed and unashamed,
Unable to stop our passion,
Unafraid to let it grow.

Delving into ancient custom
Where decorum has no name,
Naked to a prudish world,
Never caring who might know.

Dare I taste the fruit forbidden?
Shall I thirst to drink your wine?
Will you fill me up completely?
Beg my cup to overflow?

Without doubt and without reason
I accept your pagan love,
Giving up my mortal soul in tribute
For I love you so.

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

Cease to Smolder

When we met a spark ignited,
Passion bursting into flame,
A heat unleashed and running wild
To be a rival to the sun.

No emotion named by man
Could scant describe the
Overwhelming feeling of consumption
As our supple bodies merged as one.

Time is but a thief to passion,
Dousing water on its flame,
Reducing it to ashes left to
Smolder.  Still a spark revives

Just enough to light the way,
To be a comfort in the night.
We shall never cease to smolder.
Passion wins and love survives.

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

Baltimore - 3 A.M.

Something caused my eyes to flutter
From their deep and restful sleep.
I instinctively comply as nature
Causes me to rise and heed her call.
I glance to see the time is only 3 a.m.
The floor is cold against my heels
So quickly I complete my task and
Quietly return to cover. Barely wrinkling the sheets.
Hardly a creature stirs the night.
The stillness speaks in deafening tones
Of things nocturnal.  I can almost hear
Your heartbeat next to mine.
As I turn to face you, just before
I fade back into slumber,
Your peaceful face a silhouette of
Features I know so well,
I pause to count the blessings
And I count this time among the best.
Baltimore at 3 a.m., and love
That's truly stood the test.

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

Luna-Luna-lunatic

You lazy, hazy, crazy Luna
Edging slowing 'cross the sky.
Does your fullness carry beams
Of mania to blind my eye?
Can you stop, for just a moment
As I beg to question why?
Will you fill my heart with joy or
Leave me all alone to cry?
Luna, in your fullest cycle
Do not think to pass me by.
Bring to me your fondest favor.
Give me songs so I may fly
Among the stars of glory as
In wonderment, I pause to sigh.
Luna-Luna-lunatic,
How I hate to say goodbye.

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

The Four Seasons

In early spring when love is new
And hearts are light and troubles few,
We see the world in quick review
And dream of all we've yet to do.

The summertime is meant for play.
Sun and fun fill every day.
Worries can't get in the way
And rules are meant to disobey.

Autumn's harvest comes and goes.
Dawn to dusk the burden grows.
Where it may lead us, no one knows.
Still the labor is a rose.

A rose that stands the winter chill
To bloom defiantly until
The bitter winter winds are still
And peaks of snow dance on the hill.

Seasons come and seasons go
And who are we to think we know.
But love survives each bitter blow
From springtime bloom to winter snow.

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

Cry Yourself to Sleep

Will it ever be the same again?
Can your lonely heart return to when
The daylight brought you waking smiles
And you were set to play and win?
It was all so easy then.
You thought your love forever true,
Always coming back to you.
Lover's blindness blocked your view
To hide a multitude of sins.

Love lives on a two way street,
And true love never knows defeat.
It proudly holds its head up high
And lays the whole world at your feet.

Silently the heart may weep
With joy for all that it may reap,
But true love never leaves you all alone
To cry yourself to sleep.

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

The Road Back to You

Though I should trek a million miles,
Gathering a million smiles
From strangers met along the way,
Still I hunger for the day

When once again I touch your face
Clearing every fearful trace
Of doubt that I would soon be home
No matter how far I may roam.

You're the sunshine in my day
Chasing every cloud away and
Filling up my heart with glee,
Giving love so willingly.

Any wonder my heart sings
With joy for all the love you bring.
And so with swiftness I pursue
To road that leads me back to you.
  

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

Spring Reborn

The morning sun is warmer now.
It burns the chill of evening
Far more quickly to a level
That human flesh may tolerate,
Causing man to celebrate
The rebirth of his humble world
Rekindling the spirit that
For months lay cold and desolate.

Robins greet the morning dew
As daffodils reach for the sun.
Lilacs speak a fragrance
Unlike any other on this earth.
And I am left to ponder
All the wonders as I wander
Bearing witness to the miracle
Of newness, of rebirth.

Levels of emotion peak,
And love is in the springtime air as
Hope revives its' flourish
And anticipation grows.
Spring reborn inside our hearts
Is more than just a season.
Just where it may lead us,
No one knows.

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

Diabolical

It must have been a demon who
Made up this game and named it love.
All the crafted twists and turns
As subtle innuendo burns

Life's incense slowing smoldering
And you're left standing, shouldering
The weight of the entire world,
Another lesson sadly learned.

The field is never level, without
Bevel or uncertainty,
And we are left to ponder
As we wander across open seas.

It's all so diabolical
Steeped in psychological
Mind games between physical
Opponents biological.

Crushing blows than weaken will,
Broken egos slow to heal,
As curtains open to reveal
Emotions we're not meant to feel.

Though obstacles block every mile
Still the journey is worthwhile.
And we make it willingly,
For that's the way it's meant to be.

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

Balancing Act

Life's great see-saw…
Love commands the ups, the downs,
The turn arounds,
The outstretching hands with offerings,
The thrill that every new day brings.
The joy that every young heart sings,
Filled with wild imaginings
Of bold exhilaration as they
Blindly reach to grab the ring.

Foolish hearts secomb to pain
When disappointment causes rain to
Fall with vigor and disdain
And living becomes muddled.
Love can be a painful thing
When hearts insist on clinging to
A hopeless situation as
The mind becomes befuddled.

Seesaws tilt with ups and downs,
Counter weights and balances.
Filled with promise,
Filled with thrills,
But also filled with challenges.

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

Scream Softly

He makes you want to scream sometimes,
Doesn't he, girls?
Makes you want to place diminutive hands
Around his scraggy neck and squeeze
And shake some common sense into
That yard-thick concrete head.

No one ever said that it would
Always be so peachy keen.
That's why they sneak the ominous phrase
"For better or worse" into your vows.
And then they make you promise,
With the foresight of the ages,
To put up with his foolishness
Until one of you is dead.

But you took the vow so willingly,
And you mean to keep your pledge.  So,
Scream softly from the mountain's peak
As you approach the edge.

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

Blame the Creator

Breaking up, as they say, is hard.
No one has ever done it well.
No one has written a 'How To' book
About ending relationships once they are done.

No one's devised a scoring system to
Tell who's ahead and who didn't try.
Who was to blame for letting it happen?
Who's the big loser? Who won?

Truth is, in break-ups, everyone loses.
It's been that way since time began.
Blame the creator for making us different,
For drawing the line between woman and man.

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

Lonesome Souls

Sing yet another mournful song for
The lonesome souls in search of love.
Lift up your voices to make them feel
A little less naked and alone.

Be their redemption, a warm consolation,
Although a poor substitute for the real thing.
Moments of respite from cold desolation
Whispering softly a warm breath of spring.

Pity the plight of the lonesome souls,
Roaming this world never knowing the joy
Of sharing a heart, of building a dream,
Of being the light of the one you adore.

They never know the exhilaration
The sheer ecstasy of a love that is new.
High as a kite flying over the rainbow,
Reaching with gusto to open the door.

Sing them your song to make them feel better,
Although reality taunts and cajoles.
All of us dwell just a heartbeat away
From living the lives of the lonesome souls.

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

Walk Away Tall

Now that it's over,
As you say it's over,
Little is left to say or do.
Watching a dream disappear
In an instant,
Hope is a distant reminder of you.
There was a time when
I felt deep inside that
We were forever, you and I.
But no one can see how
The future evolves
Or know with assurance love will survive.
Only one thing is
Left for the doing,
The unwanted kiss of goodbye.
I'll walk away tall without
Looking back so you won't see
The tear in my eye.

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