Decisions To Make Janus, I seek answers from your forward-face,
The God who presides at all life’s gates -
I don’t wish to look back, except to learn…
So what is ahead and which way do I turn?
Do I choose wisely, as we oft hope in our visions?
Can you offer a direction to guide my decisions?
With eternal wisdom please help with this solution,
What in heck should be my New Year’s resolution?
By Sandra J. Little, Newbury NH
To A Future Loftier Being Fixed upon the cusp of New Year
lies a time tween now and then,
Tomorrow’s in the hands of cosmic Janus
vowed to no one, once again.
On New Year’s Eve we all resolve
to do things better, to make life sane,
Our good intentions come up short
when soon we run against life’s grain.
But it’s within us to shape change
for better future days,
We must look back to look ahead
to mend our foolish ways.
The great god Janus is example
looking forward from the past,
Now it’s time for new resolve
let’s make Olympus that will last.
By David Balford, New London NH
Janus Ring out the false
Ring in the true
-Alfred Lord Tennyson-
Oh two-faced God of duality,
soul mate to my Gemini spirit
in our kingdoms of plurality
we rule entrances and exits.
Beginnings and endings keep us busy,
knowing when to open or shut gates,
making hard life decisions easy
but hard for those we call our mates.
This month of January named after you
slams the door on the previous year
throwing open the portal to start anew.
Beginnings and endings cause us no fear.
Transitions are something we gladly bear
whether peace or war journey in the air.
By Dianalee Velie, Newbury NH
Pondering the Janus Gate
Why are these excavated ruins
Hung with fading stars?
Why are these surviving wraiths
still tethered to dark earth?
ii.
The gloved and laden hand
Keeps moving, pointing upward to
The flaring sun, the fate-pocked moon
Not pausing to set scores in rows.
iii.
Patient evergreen, surviving near
Earth’s crumbling walls, ash-tainted,
Stunned by shock of missile’s glare
Then mourning ruins in still afterlight.
iv.
O Elpis, bearer of fresh hope,
From earth’s pinions to the uncaged skies
Bear us who wander, through the Janus gate
To where the newborn phoenix rises.
By Joan T. Doran, New London NH Ode to Janus
It is that mystical twenty-four hours
when old becomes new, yesterday turns
to today, as I leave behind and gather again
like Janus in the ancient Roman countryside,
I am turning backwards and forwards. I imagine
your strong hand guiding me across the threshold
as I wait for the bell-ringing hour, as I call across
winter fields, joyous yet fearful of the new year.
I know you are the god of duality. How can I have
birth without death? A future without a past? You are
young and old at the same time, looking behind
at the last year while you walk into the present.
To you, Janus I raise my glass.
I honor this passage. You are
guide and mentor, gentle yet
insistent. I call to my future,
‘Happy New Year’
By Jennie Pollard, Windsor VT
Downtown Galway I'm confused.
Which way do I turn-
To hear her heavenly Irish voice or stare at his heaping, pitiful walk?
As she sang her voice imitated all of natures pleasures and sweetness.
Her words not hollow but filled the air with meaning
A human voice that conveys past joys that invoke tears in bystanders eyes.
Across Archway St. his walk was jerky, unbalanced, disjointed,on the edge of tipping backwoods.
Shuffling along as a good arm reaches for some imaginary, continuous rail.
A human body so twisted only a mothers love, keeps him from falling down.
Her songs so sweet it soothes the mind.
His courage so ingrained it inspires a struggling soul.
Peace comes to both between the bright and dark days of living.
Trust and truth blossoms in their hearts to live and survive.
By tom keegan
Bristol NH
Janus' Keys Exit---Enter
Womb World
Begin End
Await Awaited
Sunlight Darkness
Joy Sorrow
Laughter Tears
Love Hate
Gain Loss
Forward Backward
Spring Winter
Arrive Depart
Exit---Enter
By Amber Rose Crowtree, Grafton, NH
Its January, I Am Tired Steamy 6:00 am at the Deli in the dark
Speaking in fragments the owner gestures to the cook
Hands her a sesame bagel, motions cracking an egg and gives her sliced cheddar
Coffee fresh from the drip pots floods my mug
Dried oak leaf hides under the mat
Spots from the spotless rinse blur the rear window
Two pair of tinted driving glasses equal less than one pair of plain lenses
Which giggle of the gear shift gives me extra traction, S, LD, SD?
Trade tractor trailers on I 84 for sheer cliffs on the winding Taconic
Leopard print gloves ease the tension of holding the wheel
Warm tendrils of heat fan over the seat
Jewels of sweet garnet wait in my cup holder for the ride
Wanderlust in my heart
By Kathleen Skinner Shulman, New London NH The Two Faces of Janus On New Year’s Day we look ahead,
but, also we gaze back,
on everything that we have gained,
but, also on the lack.
Wisdom in the living of
another year of life,
yet, the loss of those held dear,
a mother, husband, wife.
Our challenge to endure the fire,
forging opposites to one,
the driving force of gale winds,
and, yet, behind the sun.
If we stay the course set forth
by the eternal sight,
the sky above will birth the dawn,
no matter depth of night.
By Patsy Barrett-King, Newport NH
The First Traffic Engineer
In charge of intersections,
He was the first traffic engineer.
When it came to moving people,
Janus could always keep them clear.
Soon the crossroads were over crowded,
and people began to shout and fight,
Janus kept his cool, however,
and installed a traffic light.
This worked until the baby boom
even he began to doubt.
But inspiration struck
and he created the first round about.
By Doug King, Newport NH
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