Dennis S. Martin's Blog, page 42

Tolerance

Youthis not a fruitful season for

Open-mindedtolerance.

Theliberal creed of leniency

Isnot an inbred social trait.

 

It’smore of an acquired nature

Summonedthrough experience,

Althoughit seems some never grasp

Theaptitude to watch and wait.

 

Stumblingthrough my tender years

Ifelt the angst of restiveness,

Engagedin animosity with

Bickeringand baleful brawl.

 

Andthough I made it to adulthood

Withall my teeth, I must confess to

Tryingmuch too hard to

Runmy raucous race ere I could crawl.

 

Andstill I find it difficult to

Turndeaf ear

Orsuffer fools,

I’vemade a point to find the wrench of

Toleranceamong my tools.

 

Thrift

Somemay scoff and think me cheap.

Ichoose to call it thrifty.

Prudencecourses through my veins

Andnourishes my simple brain.

 

Whileskimp and scrimp and saving form

Theessence of economy,

Tisonly pure parsimony

Thatowns to keep me wholly sane.

 

Neverbeen a gambler,

Neverpressed my luck to strike it rich.

Rathersave my pocket change for

Daysbeset with pouring rain.

 

Andno one claims it requisite

Tosuffer in austerity, or

Ifyou dock in poverty,

Inpoverty you must remain.

 

Manyplague me with advice on

Howto ride the treasure train,

ButI have everything I need.

Littleto lose, but

Lessto gain.

 

Thankfulness

Weset aside one day each year

Tocelebrate our thankfulness;

Anadmirable affirmation of

Theblissful grace we savor.

 

Aprayer for all the bounty and

Theblessings, softly offered up,

Beforea feast of plenty gives me

Causeto seek His favor.

 

Gratefulfor the joyful comfort

Inthis crazy, karmic world,

Hopefulfor a bright tomorrow

Fancifulwith filigree.

 

Crazedto praise the hand of fate

Andfaith that makes things possible,

Knowingthat the love I give will

Findits way back home to me.

 

Makesme wonder wistfully

AsI saunter life’s highway.

If‘tis comely once-a-year,

Whynot be thankful every day.

 

Temperance

“Everythingin moderation,”

Citesthe model of restraint,

Dubbedthe perfect archetype of

Self-denialand temperance.

 

Admirable,this stoic manner,

Thissymbol of sobriety

Sacrificingsatisfaction for

Excessivevigilance.

 

Inthe mastery of forbearance

Iconfess a fatal flaw that

Leavesme less than perfect

Inthe realm of prohibition.

 

Iam no teetotaler

Pledgedto master and abstain,

ThoughI fall far and fair removed from

Blatantbreakout exhibition.

 

Findingabsolute control and

Tempered-toughdiscretion is

Morethan just a pastime.

It’sa permanent progression.

 

Tact

Itisn’t always what we say,

Buthow we choose to say it

Thatstokes the fire and

Raisesire to levels meteorical.

 

Acareless choice of adjectives,

Anill-advised inflection,

Aquery spit in anger and

Regardedunrhetorical,

 

Everysituation, conversation,

Clashor clumsy quarrel

Wieldsa double whetted sword

Onpuzzling possibilities.

 

Andprudence pushes pause if

Weare anchored analytically to

Findthe peerless pressure point

Whereevery advocate agrees.

 

So,I will parry not to judge,

Butgently speak with suavity,

Conversingwith my fiercest foes

Inechoes of diplomacy.

 

Steadfastness

Staunchand steady as we go,

Nomatter how the gruff winds blow,

Wecruise the archipelago of

Intimateddreams.

 

Steadfastto a certainty

Befitsthe peerless pedigree

Toclaim the crown of loyalty

Inpattern, plans and schemes.

 

Wherewill your devotion land when

Timegrows nigh to make your stand?

Willyour veracity withstand the

Testof ice and fire?

 

Shallconstant vigil rule the day

Andswift allegiance show the way?

Orshall temptation carry sway

Tocurious desire?

 

Faithfulto the very end

Ivow to be your fervent friend.

Worldly,wary, tried and true

Wewaltz the streets of Xanadu.

Spontaneity

Sometimeson impulse,

Nomore than a whim,

Rideswonderous, uninhibited joy.

Singingan anthem of improvisation,

Offon a lark like

Achild with a toy.

 

Discreteinclination comes

Moochingon musings,

Pensivewith longing but

Inwant of sense.

Leftunrestrained to

Ad-libits abandon

Canfly on a scheme

Beyondexpedience.

 

Buttasking a tendency

Tomoderation and

Pinchingit short of extreme,

Thenatural course can

Becomea resource

Eclipsingthe heart’s fondest dream.

 

Sincerity

Iam the purveyor of

Outrightgoodwill,

Ashonest and heartfelt as

Sacredconfession.

 

Withgenuine candor and

Perfectveracity

Nonemay refute my

Unfeignedintercession.

 

Prophetof probity,

Merchantof modesty,

Agentof earnestness,

Tradesmanof truth,

 

Iam the guardian,

Iam the lion,

Iam the conscript of

Pubescentyouth.

 

Authenticin ardor,

Impartialin view,

Straightforwardin discourse,

Majesticin might,

 

Safeand reliable,

Simplesincerity

Ownsthe cognition to

Dowhat is right.

 

Simplicity

Easyis a trick trap door

Thatsinks to shadows dark and deep.

Andthough it may seem effortless

Itmakes a promise hard to keep.

 

Tobe the sum of many parts

Andknow the answer plain and pure

Thekeeper fills his goblet with

Enlightenmentto long endure.

 

Thus,the gift of foresight lends itself

Toshrewd sagacity and

Shredsthe bolts of burly cloth

Tothreads of soft simplicity.

 

Braveto dwell in austere comfort

Cloakedin spartan modesty,

Dancingnigh to innocence,

Sustainedby practicality.

 

Unpretentious,

Minimal,

Voidof complicated toil,

Feedsthe need to simplify,

Tosow and grow

Infertile soil.

 

Silence

Lulledto stillness,

Taciturn…

Insilence.

Hushedin quiet meditative peace.

Mutedto a wistful world…

Ofsilence.

Joyfulfor rare sensory release.

 

Praisethe calm of zephyr winds…

Sweetsilence.

Breathethe smooth, serene tranquility

Enclosedinside the soundless

Stealthygrotto of

Amind allowed to wander

Fullyfree.

 

Stiflingthe rumor’s road…

Tosilence.

Viciousinnuendo born in Hell.

Betterto stay speechless

Andunknowing, and

Letthem rest where

Lonelysecrets dwell…

Insilence.