Perpetuum Mobile
Between people's ideals and their fulfillment
There will always exist a difference in level,
Which surpasses the highest waterfall.
Nevertheless we can use rationally
This fall of expectations by building on it
Something like a hydroelectric power station.
With the energy obtained this way,
Even if we can't do more than light our cigarettes,
Still, this is quite something,
As while we smoke,
We can seriously
Think of even greater ideals.
poem by Marin Sorescu from The Youth of Don Quixote (1968), translated by Catalina Iliescu
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Related quotes
But the egoist has no ideals, for the knowledge that his ideals are only his ideals, frees him from their domination. He acts for his own interest, not for the interest of ideals.
quote by John Buchanan Robinson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Much time has passed since the first colonists came to rocky shores and dark forests of an unknown continent, much time since President Washington led a young people into the experience of nationhood, much time since President Lincoln saw the American nation through the ordeal of fraternal war — and in these years our population, our plenty and our power have all grown apace. … Yet, as our power has grown, so has our peril. Today we give our thanks, most of all, for the ideals of honor and faith we inherit from our forefathers — for the decency of purpose, steadfastness of resolve and strength of will, for the courage and the humility, which they possessed and which we must seek every day to emulate. As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them. Let us therefore proclaim our gratitude to Providence for manifold blessings — let us be humbly thankful for inherited ideals — and let us resolve to share those blessings and those ideals with our fellow human beings throughout the world.
quote by John F. Kennedy
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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To be connected to America’s causes — liberty, equal justice, respect for the dignity of all people — brings happiness more sublime than life’s fleeting pleasures. Our identities and sense of worth are not circumscribed but enlarged by serving good causes bigger than ourselves. "Fellow Americans" — that association has meant more to me than any other. I lived and died a proud American. We are citizens of the world’s greatest republic, a nation of ideals, not blood and soil. We are blessed and are a blessing to humanity when we uphold and advance those ideals at home and in the world. We have helped liberate more people from tyranny and poverty than ever before in history. We have acquired great wealth and power in the process. We weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe. We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather than trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.
quote by John McCain
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Existing As Ideals
Dreams need no corporeality, a
dream fulfilled becomes one-
dimensional reality without
power to draw desire and
passion through us
I love dreams as ideas, romance
as mirage, an image in the mind:
therein lies its power, a vision to
be filed for later use when it fails
to entice
Materialisation shrinks infinite
dimensions of enchanting
vision, I cherish dreams
until threadbare,
I love
Ethereal ideals as Quixotic
schemes fighting windmills:
idea reigns supreme, reality
is but weak reflection of
grand ideals
Lamenting impossibility of love
means we miss the joy of
illusion and dreams
inspirational only
if unexplained
We live life in little routines
while existing as ideals
within a holographic
universe…
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Practice rather than preach. Make of your life an affirmation, defined by your ideals, not the negation of others. Dare to the level of your capability then go beyond to a higher level.
quote by Alexander Haig
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All musicians start out with ideals but hanging on to them in the face of media scrutiny takes real integrity. Tougher still is to live up to the ideals of your dedicated fans.
quote by Billy Bragg
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Twixt And Between Ideals
Twixt and between ideals.
With a wish to select those most appealing.
And give a toss to the ones...
Many will not welcome to approve them done.
Some ideals are too complex.
Especially those that connect,
To self reflection and accountability.
They are the ones the most distasteful..
The ones more acceptable,
Are those with counterfeited empathy.
You know...that kind no one commits to,
But forges upon others to believe.
Twixt and between ideals.
With a wish to select those most appealing.
And give a toss to the ones...
Many will not welcome to approve them done.
At least not the ones,
Remotely associated with reality.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Well We Might
There once was time to sit and spin
The dream without, the light within
When young ideals like creed and rote
Would wreathe their blue tobacco smoke.
When wine was certain at each sip
When answers leapt at every lip,
Such were the days, when we all knew
If we were asked, what we would do.
But life began to call us in
And time, as such, has grown so thin,
We rush to do the things we must
While dreams, ideals, are things of dust.
And soon we turn our backs on them
Those shadows that were once young men
Who never dreamt hypocrisy
Would spill their dreams, philosophy;
And rule them with a rod of steel
And teach them well how not to feel,
And lead them blindly through their days –
They spare no thought for younger ways.
And where that dream, ideal, that once
Was held to spell deliverance?
Well we might ask, and well we might;
It’s life, not death, puts out the light.
26 September 1986
poem by David Lewis Paget
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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If you reach for the highest of ideals, you shouldn't settle for less than the stars.
If all the rich and all of the church people should send their children to the public schools they would feel bound to concentrate their money on improving these schools until they met the highest ideals.
quote by Susan B. Anthony
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It is my pleasure to support a candidate who truly reflects our values and highest ideals.
quote by Martin Sheen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Joy & Pain We Caused
Chapter nine: Cataclysm - reading with
bated breath, too many facts to take in,
storyline developing, who can ever prove
one hypothesis more true than another -
only matters that conjecture is presented
coherently
The single criterion is the quality of ideals
formulated by a civilisation; though attempts
to carry out dreams demeaned by avaricious
minds; wonderful that people of integrity still
chase ideals, wondering how these dreams
came into being
I think relativity - time & space interwoven,
divine supernatural intervention as natural
law in manifestation - a conscious energy,
aware of all simultaneously, scattered clues
picked up by receptive minds - I love all
forms of ideals
From the Mabhabarata's advice on living a
moral life - Buddha's reverie under a tree -
a Hindu revering a pantheon of gods; glad
to be introduced to many religions in all
their beauty; quantum physics explains
infinite possibility
Anything can be made true by faith, no more
angry, jealous gods - but benevolent energy
providing abundantly, free choice determines
what we accomplish, in life after death we
experience all the joy and pain we caused
unto others - and
That is quite enough…
Act of God - Tutankhamun, Moses & The Myth of Atlantis -
The True Story of The Greatest Cataclysm to shape
Civilisation - Graham Phillips, Pan Books,1998
p.207 - 298
poem by Margaret Alice Second
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Uninvolved But With Kept Expectations
Few doubters are left sitting on any fence,
Unconvinced...
Cemented ideals can and will be bulldozed.
And whatever has not been put into practice,
Gets the ax.
Today...
This is not just an opinion.
Today this is a fact!
Pouters and mumblers can take two giant steps,
Backward with the others...
Who have spent their lives,
Living in a 'they' and a 'them' mentality.
Few doubters are left sitting on any fence,
Unconvinced...
Cemented ideals can and will be bulldozed.
A hand reaching to leech from the sidelines,
Uninvolved but with kept expectations...
Discovers,
Eventually...
How quickly to others it can disappear.
It is suggested,
That the inhalation done with deepened breaths...
The scent of reality,
Will quicken one's awakening...
From the strongholding grasp of delusion.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Poem about Poetry - Writing poetry for poetry's sake
does the waterfall fall
because it wants to be heard, seen?
does the mighty river flow
because it wants to be admired, painted?
does the rainbow arc over the sky
because it wants to listen to a love wish made in its name?
does the moon shine because it wants to be written an ode?
no, no, none cares for even an echo of a response from the world.
so should poet, shouldnt he?
poetry, yes poetry,
should run through him
like the river that pours out to sea
the water that cascades down the waterfall
the rainbow that colours the sky
the moon that subtly crowns, lights up night
without those ego/desire attachments
where buddha appends all human sufferings
real poetry runs from that part of our soul, world
that is a part of everybody's world
like the river, waterfall, rainbow and moon
admiration, if any, goes back to nature
where the poets belong
real poets as homo sapiens dont crave for them.
they are not instruments made for such low ideals
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Republic of Macedonia is being built on democratic ideals and values, not on ethnic groups. Those ideals and values include economic opportunities, language and educational opportunities, religious rights, and political processes.
quote by Boris Trajkovski
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Well, we have two major goals. The most important one is to get the station arm on board the station, because that's this really milestone in the space station building since from now on they will be using this arm to continue building the space station.
quote by Umberto Guidoni
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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That's what I do... Some people smoke weed, some people smoke cigarettes, some people snort coke... I pop pills, I smoke and I drink syrup, that's my twist.
quote by Beanie Sigel
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Want
I want the excitement and
adventure of creative en-
deavour, I want the same
feelings, not the same
dreams, my soul should
have been sold ages ago
for the highest passion
human beings can know
for adrenaline-laden chal-
lenge and new interest
taking me to new levels
of existence, I am in need
of a new consciousness -
the old awareness is all
worn-out, driven into a
rut of routine - I need
to formulate new ideals,
devise how to steal new
energy from the heart of
the gods, to embark
on a new course, change
tack to sail with the wind
instead of fighting the
undertow with my mind
poem by Margaret Alice Second
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Bio-Energy
Energy exists in different forms:
Thermal energy, electrical energy,
Magnetic energy, chemical energy,
Wind energy, solar energy and et al.
Bio-energy consists of chemical,
Thermal, electric, magnetic energy.
Bio-energy confines to bodies
And is distinct from their counterparts
That exist outside the living bodies
In that it as a unit cannot exist
Without the living mass in any way,
That it ceases when bodies disintegrate,
And that it transmits through reproduction.
Bio-energy is only expandable.
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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My Messages
Must a poet's word bring forth
a liturgy of high ideals?
Or is it just as important
to speak of how one feels?
Ideals are what we reach for.
We mostly come up short,
but still the reaching's important
which we never should abort.
Still my poet's mind must care
and create the scenes I see,
the world in pain that's everywhere
must be penned by me.
All cannot be rosy
although I wish it were.
And so these words I offer you
make me a messenger.
poem by Edwina Reizer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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