The Wisdom of Martial

The things that make a life to please
     (Sweetest Martial), they are these:
Estate inherited, not got:
     A thankful field, hearth always hot:
City seldom, law-suits never:     
     Equal friends agreeing ever:
Health of body, peace of mind:
     Sleeps that till the morning bind:
Wise simplicity, plain fare:
     Not drunken nights, yet loosed from care:
A sober, not a sullen spouse:
     Clean strength, not such as he that plows;
Wish only what you are, to be;
     Death neither wish, nor fear to see.

- Martial 10.47

Stuck There

It is nearing 10.

It had been a long day, last night's sleep hadn't been good.

And she hadn't come online.

He rubs his eyes and yawns.

Perhaps it's time to call it a night,

Or maybe wait just a little longer, just in case.

Then, on the corner of the screen, something changes.

There she is!

His fingers fly in a flurry to the keyboard

and pause.

The nightly uncertainties appear in his head -

Does she really want to talk to me?

Should I disrupt her once again?

Once again, he decides to continue.

It is worth every minute of it.

He loses himself in the conversation,

like a soul lost in paradise, all his cares

dropped away, and his worries left behind him.

Not a hint of emotion is betrayed in his careful words,

as he hides his heart, hoping it might one day be found,

yet not for a moment considering

that his eagerness may be his undoing.

They talk about things, times, trifles, and the clock quietly ticks by.

It is nearing 12.

He finally, reluctantly, said his goodbye.

But even as he shut his eyes, her face swam before him in his mind

and the sound of her laugh echoed around inside his head.

And he knew with a sense of delight and apprehension

that this night's sleep wouldn't be good.

Because she was there,

within his mind,

stuck there,

still.

The Eagle

A lonely eagle flying high surveys the earth below,

And silhouetted 'gainst the sun, he's just a speck to most.

But from the sky he sees the world, its happiness and woe,

And to a load of thoughts and feelings he too is a host.

He watches as a pair of dolphins frolic in the sea

And leaping through the water in each other's company.

A matching pair of butterflies flit nonchalantly past

And never let the space between them grow a bit too vast.

Amid the trees a doe is nestling, calm, upon her knees

And guarded by her loving stag, watchful of enemies.

Two swans glide gracefully across a lake, sharing one mind,

and bind them together with their necks strongly entwined.

Oh look! The eagle spots a mate (maybe she'll be the one),

And starts to change his course of flight so he may catch her eye.

But he had scarcely made a move when someone else flew by

And wooed her by some other other means - her heart he soon had won.

The eagle took wing overhead, above our house this morn,

And went unseen by many here, but not ignored be me.

It seemed to me that like the eagle, some are thusly born

And destined to be solitary ... some, perhaps, like me.

Alone

Two clouded eyes look into cloudless skies;
Past swirling mist they stare up at the stars
In search of answers true. The recent scars
Still flash obscurely in the past, and cries
Of warning echo through the wintry dark.
So is it worth the foreseeable pain,
To try to tread the trail of love again?
When every touch of ardour leaves a mark
Perhaps it's one temptation to resist?
The mind still stumbles, anxious, in the shroud.
The heart restrained and skeptical with doubt.
Is anyone out there who may assist?
But, the stars stay as they are, silent as stone.
The answer I must find in me, alone.

A White Road

Dedicated to Olivia Clair Manning

Sometimes the world turns to grey, and we can’t see past the gloom.

Barely anything shines for long, and for light there’s little room.

The past seems somewhat shadowy and the future sombre too.

The present is like an endless tunnel that we have to trundle through.

Looking in the mirror, not much seems worthy of praise.

Try to conjure up something positive, and it’s hard to find a single phrase.

Paths that once were straight and true, now seem to go the wrong way.

And feet that once trod a road well planned, have suddenly gone astray.

Once again the cliche sayings are promptly set before us.

People on all sides chant them like an old repetitive chorus:

‘There’s a silver lining on every cloud, and a light at the tunnels’ end.’

You ask them where they’re to be found, they say ‘just around the bend’.

But often it is not that easy, to discover the real way out.

Our own thoughts and feelings leave us even more in doubt.

Therefore we must take the plunge and look at ourselves well.

To find out what is truly wrong and discover what the sayings tell.

Often when we look inside, everything seems dull and bland.

And we tend to miss the treasures hidden deep under the sand.

We point out all the defects, and criticise every fault.

Not realising that we’re grinding ourselves to a halt.

Everyone around us just seems so much better off.

And when they try to convince us otherwise, all we do is scoff.

We end up picking all the problems and ignoring all the rights.

And so we deepen all the shadows and forget about highlights.

So what happened to the things we ignored, the things that we forgot?

If we just leave them there, then they will begin to rot.

What’s the use of having IQ, when there’s no EQ behind it?

No point in being completely smart if you’re as apathetic as a bandit.

What use is there in talent, when there’s not appreciation?

Even the best performer can’t give himself a big ovation.

Why be rich and famous, if you have no one with whom to share?

Even those in high places need friends to be with them there.

And so when life appears to treat you badly, and everything is down.

We must look at all these qualities to make a smile and raise the frown.

When you focus on them, they are often as sweet as candy.

They can sometimes be hard to find, but that’s where friends are handy.

If anyone can be totally honest with you, it will be them.

So don’t push them away when they tell you parts of you are a gem.

All the good things about you they know better than any.

So even if you just see few, they will still see many.

In the end, life is just one long bumpy hilly journey.

And at times it can feel just as though you’re caught in a tourney.

Then you have to fight the dark black shadows of the night.

So that the right wins out and you can reemerge into the light.

There may be times when you feel like thinking you just don’t belong.

But then you have to convince yourself that that is only wrong.

Throughout all time there’ll only be just one of you, just one.

And no matter what, there’s always a place for you under this sun.

A Storm

My first sonnet, that my brain felt like churning out in an emotional burst:

The sky transformed from blue to darkest black,

With longing thoughts that clouded up the mind.

There was no certain answer he could find

To certify why she had turned her back.

With loneliness he wallows in despair;

All hope is washed away amid the rain.

There seems to be no way out of the pain

Unless he found one more such flower rare.

Yet, when time had finally settled down the storm,

He looks around again for something warm.

Soft rays glance meekly through unseeing blinds,

And birds are singing about other kinds

Of flowers beautiful that he could try.

Looking outside, a blossom caught his eye.

The Holy Alphabet

Although things are not perfect

Because of trial or pain

Continue in thanksgiving

Do not begin to blame

Even when the times are hard

Fierce winds are bound to blow

God is forever able

Hold on to what you know

Imagine life without his love

Joy would cease to be

Keep thanking him for all the things

Love imparts to thee

Move out of "Camp Complaining"

No weapon that is known

On earth can yield the power

Praise can do alone

Quit looking at the future

Redeem the time at hand

Start every day with worship

To thank is a command

Until we see him coming

Victorious in the sky

We'll run the race with gratitude

eXalting God most high

Yes, there'll be good times and yes some will be bad, but

Zion waits in glory... where none are ever sad!