Dennis S. Martin's Blog, page 47

Honesty

Informationsaturation,

Overload…Overload.

Whatto think… who to believe.

Whichcan to kick down a dusty road.

 

Whendid sincerity morph into whimsy?

Wherewas integrity banished to hide?

Howcan I sort through the flotsam encountered

Whiletaming the beast in life’s carnival ride?

 

Truthis the pillar, the mainstay, the

Linchpinof human morality and intervention.

Whenhonesty waivers it dies of corruption

Tiltrust is destroyed beyond all recognition.

 

Andwe are the weavers,

Theguardians of truth,

Theprim and the pious who spearhead the way.

Wecannot cede or renounce our position

Lestdevastation conquers the day.

 

Andwhen in the end we come back to the fold

Wherelaughter and logic abound,

It’shonesty’s voice that gives us the choice

Tospeak out without making a sound.

 

Helpfulness

“CouldI get a little help here?”

            “Sorry.Much too busy, Man.”

“Maybeyou can spare a minute?”

            “No.Got some place I need to be.”

 

“How‘bout you? Can you assist me?”

            “Mister,I don’t even know you.”

“I’mjust someone in a bind.”

            “Sorry.No concern to me.”

 

“PardonMa’am, might I beseech you?”

            “What?Is that some kind of line?”

“No,I only need some aid.”

            “Oh,stick it where the sun don’t shine.”

 

“Isthere anyone who cares enough to

Granta little favor?”

Thesilence makes a lonely mistress

Ina bed of misery.

 

“Isthere no one in my life who

Ican count on not to waiver?”

            “Holdon friend. I’ll lend a hand, but

            Tell me, what’s in it for me?”

 

PerhapsI should not hesitate when

Somepoor soul cries out in need.

Theway life goes, one never knows, 

Thatpoor soul could one day be me.

 

Gratitude

Iwant to thank you very kindly.

Muchobliged… Much obliged.

Thisoverwhelming gratitude is

Likea cleansing breath of Spring.

 

ThoughI hate to feel indebted

Iwill take your gift in stride

Withall the foils and burdens

Magnanimitycan bring.

 

Can’tforget to give a shout out.

Thatwould be rude… Very rude.

Kindnessneeds to be rewarded

Elsewe fail all sense of grace.

 

Neverwant to lose perspective,

Everythingis attitude to

Quidpro quo and clearly know

You’veput a smile on someone’s face.

 

Kindnessnever should be slighted or

Treatedwith trite platitude,

Whenit takes but a moment

Toexpress our sincere gratitude.

 

Grace

Graceis a sunrise glowing with soft shades of

Crimsonand cream, magenta and gold,

Atreasure more precious than

Diamondsand rubies with

Moretranquil bliss

Thanthe seven seas hold.

 

Andmercy embellishes sweet symmetry

Betweenbashful benevolence and

Balefulbluster

Withall the allure and elegant import

Thesun and stars and moon might muster.

 

Awashwith propriety

Drenchedin decorum

Lusteredby dignity’s first blush of day,

Theclasses adore you,

Themasses adorn you with

Laurelsand accolades in disarray.

 

Onpoint and demure

Inboth taste and gentility,

Graceis the difference that brightens the way.

 

Gentleness

Noone should ever need to avert

Thattenderness, that sweetness

Ofnature, that curry of favor…

Thatgentleness.

 

Inthe calm gentle soul

Reststhe mover of mountains,

Theprophet of reason,

Theemblem of hope.

 

Barteringdiscord with steadfast demeanor,

Counteringarmor with soft eiderdown.

Whispersof wisdom that echo like thunder

Tilstorm clouds disperse and

Thewalls tumble down.

 

Banditsand beasts may

Runroughshod with ignorance

Brandishingbayonets meant to impress.

Butsouls without kindness are

Doomedto destruction,

Forlife has no honor

Withoutgentleness.

 

Generosity

Somesay the givers lot in life is

Oftenone of sad submission;

Alwaysgive, never take can

Makea lonely wayward waif.

 

Whetherfriend or foe or stranger

Reachingout with optimism,

Givingtime or toil or riches,

Anythingto keep them safe.

 

Butgivers have a secret motive

Takersnever realize,

Onethat leads to vast rewards

Thatcan’t be cyphered by their size.

 

Everygift the giver makes

Frombold benevolence and grace

Leavesbeads of bounty in its wake

Enfoldedin a warm embrace.

 

Thetruth of generosity is

Writtenin the wind.

Themore we give

Themore we live

Toreap its golden dividend.

 

Frugality

Thefrugal individual may

Oftbe viewed as miserly

Upto the brink of stinginess

Whenpoint and place are misconstrued.

 

Truthbe known, frugality may be

Aprecious asset with the

Valueof economy

Meticulouslyviewed.

 

ThisI want and that I need,

Butthese I can’t afford.

So,I must skimp and scrape and save

Toclaim my just reward.

 

Then,just when I have reached my goal

Soresolutely gleaned,

Someunexpected crisis comes along

Tosmash my dream.

 

So,I shall strive to live in thrift

Andstash my cache away

Andlet it grow

Forno one knows

Whencomes that rainy day.

 

Friendliness

Everyonecan use a friend

Tobe there at the end of day.

Ahand to hold,

Anear to bend,

Awarm safe-harbor hideaway,

 

Achampion ready to defend

Insituations, come what may

Withready-made advice to lend

Thatanswers like a ricochet

 

Tohit the mark,

Liftthe darkness

Settingold wounds on the mend,

Makingnew roads,

Speakinglost codes,

Babbleno one comprehends.

 

Everyseeker needs a shoulder

Whenthe weight of worlds descends.

Truthbe told, in leaves of gold:

Tohave a friend

Youmust be a friend.

 

Fortitude

Coachsays, “Gotta gut it out, Son.

Showme your grit and will to win.”

“Coach,”I say, “I give a hundred percent.”

Coachsays, “I want a hundred and ten.”

Fortitude.

 

I’vebeen knocked down a thousand times

Inlife’s pugilistic warfare,

ButI always rise, although battered and bruised, 

So,assailants be warned and beware.

Attitude.

 

Fearis a bastard that kills dignity,

ButI’ll never yield to his dare.

I’llmuster the mettle to overcome and

Givethanks through the power of prayer.

Gratitude.

 

Bracingagainst the impending storm,

Fullyaware and adept.

Readyto rebuild again and again.

Promisesmade.

Promiseskept.

Fortitude.

 

Forgiveness

I’llnot ask for your forgiveness

Fortransgressions on my part.

Theedict of exoneration

Onlycounts if from the heart,

Andmust be given voluntarily

Formotives to have weight,

Elsethe level of malevolence

Willonly tend to escalate.

 

Can’texpect you to forget, as

Memorycasts shadows long

Uponthe road to resolution

Inthe realm of quietude,

Andall reprieves need be recorded

Inthe strains of evensong,

Butforgiveness lives in grace and

Offerspeace in solitude.

 

Allthe pain,

Allthe bane,

Allthe strain required to live

Andfunction in a maddening world

Evaporateswhen we forgive.