Stripling Warrior - Poem

Stripling Warrior

Fathers sent sons forth in their stead,

   Their swords, in covenant earth, laid to rest.

Old hatreds purged; their hearts made clean,

   Nobel sacrifice and faith; in Christ redeemed.

Untested youth, chose to follow God's plan,

   Life and freedom defended within foreign land.

Their straight, fearless valor, a sight unseen.

   This was the stripling warrior creed.

Their strict obedience to every command,

   Rallied and inspired other soldiers to stand

On Christ's mighty power, and boldly lean.

   This was the stripling warrior creed.

Not one of two thousand sixty sons perished,

   Teachings of their faithful mothers they cherished.

Strengthened and shielded by angels' unseen

   They witnessed what miracles God did achieve.

True, exact, sober, obedient, upright,

   Pure in heart, faithful, valiant in fight.

Never before witnessed and never since seen,

   This is the stripling warrior creed.

Janice Harten

September 2018

Alma 24:15-19, Alma 53:20-21, Alma 57:25-26

Puddles of Sorrows - Poem

Puddles of Sorrows

Puddles of sorrows

from rivers of tears

attempt to drown my suffocating heart

Master of shifting waves

grasp me from these frightening depths

and fill my breath

With whispers of hope for

a pained, hardened soul

to be softened, redeemed and made whole

Janice Harten

22 Feb 2025

Isle of Jekyll - Poem

Isle of Jekyll

River of blowing, flowing soft sand
races barely above dusty floor, creating foggy shore
wispy white and low
sweeps for a moment then gone, suddenly invisible

Sand dunes swollen lumps upon seawall shielded row

trap and swallow palms, grass, gritty dock and all

wherever powdery grain blows

in slow undetectable, unrelenting motion

Vanishing, persistent footprint chases curling wave

and gentle foam crawls then rolls away

enticing, drawing intrepid toward underworld mystery

and bold stories longing to be told

Moist shell dollar, oceans unburied treasure

momentarily scooped and gathered

not intended to be kept or captured

disintegrates and dissolves back into natures ashen matter

Hidden crabs peer somewhere

from within watery pinholes

tiny movement reveals sand bubbling, quickly refilling

their presence exposed

Draped Spanish moss sways

twists and dangles in waltzing, danciful delight

from mighty boughs of grand ancient oaks

adorned in lacy flowing grays

While elsewhere, stark exposed wood skeletons

lay perishing in creeping graveyard from salt and sea

enormous roots imitate fractured branches jutting skyward

ghostly stoic fascination

Bundled historic tall-tale buildings with elegant checkered past

view dots of distant cargo, luxury and fishing ships

dozens of pelicans lined in graceful flight

glide each evening in wistful, silent dusky light

From peppered balcony, salty wooden tables overlook worn pier

where local fishermen with romping, curious children

laugh, play, position poles and hope to reel in

and grill daily tasty minions

Turtle-slow, quaint and simple

topped with tart key lime green pie

sudden rumble, flash and downpour, then momentary drizzle

unpretentious life on Jekyll

Janice Harten 4 May 2025

Earthen Sundae - Poem

Earthen Sundae

Chocolate mounds
plopped, stacked and
tottering
ready to be licked
before they drip
onto smothered
crunchy
red and green sprinkles

Leaning
cavernous sloppy scoops
arched and
balanced wondrously
precarious
topped and peering into
wispy
cream and blue

Heaping perilous creation
of delicious consumption
too much to swallow
in one view

Janice Harten
23 May 2024
Arches National Monument

Knockout - Poem

Knockout

Loud, Boisterous

and bloviating Anger

rush from one corner

and crowd into my space

Pushing, jousting, jabbing

out of order

demanding to be heard

shouting "Justice!"

With red-faced lather

and puffed-up blather

shoving Peace aside

causing Pride with Enmity

to colide

While in opposing corner

blissful Hope

patiently chooses

strategic moment

And with deft side-step

followed with repeated

padded Faith

applies leverage

to disable, disorient

subdue opponent

then grasp them in firm hold

and whisper --- let Peace

unfold

Unbalanced

on the ropes and then

collapsed to the mat

exhausted

Ten counts declare

punctured Pride and Anger

knocked out

High Hope

united ringside

with

persistent Peace power

remain the victor

Janice Harten

22 May 2024

Shawl - Poem

Shawl

A father lifted protective shawl

off his shoulders

To gently drape

onto crown of departing daughter

His heart and love wrapped

into one little bundle

round her face

then to each side

one fringed edge atop the other

finally tucked over her shoulder

Covered against world's icy chill

Gray homespun cloth of no particular worth

now held his greatest treasure on earth

Moist lingering gaze

bestow cherished blessing

And plant within each of their hearts

prophetic threads that weave and bind

through unmeasured distance

of eternal place and time

Scene stirs remembrance

of a sacred pattern

and veiled moment

near Kolob's door

When glorious Father there bid good bye

with moistened eyes and anointed blessing

upon His beloved child

leaving for earth's distant shore

Who one day upon her temple shelf

like protective shawl

discovered garment and robe

pure white

shield from world's bitter foe

With apron, sash and flowing veil

He covers and crowns her head

with power, glory and light

Christ, the anointed

bearing marks

direction and pathway straight

Beckons to follow Him

back to Father in Heaven's heart and home

Enveloped within His shining place

and His tender love's embrace

Janice Harten

3 Mar 2024

Morning Dew - Poem

 

Morning Dew

Peace of morning grant me while the earth is still

As quiet light rises upon my windowsill

Gentle warm breeze floats my whispered prayer

Along ethereal wave toward heaven's ear

Thoughts lodge in deep corners of the heart

Private wonderings and ponderings about life's part

Awe distills and covers like morning dew

Glimpse through cloudy windows clearing view

Janice Harten

8 Jul 2023