Penniwit, the Artist
I lost my patronage in Spoon River
From trying to put my mind in the camera
To catch the soul of the person.
The very best picture I ever took
Was of Judge Somers, attorney at law.
He sat upright and had me pause
Till he got his cross-eye straight.
Then when he was ready he said “all right.”
And I yelled “overruled” and his eye turned up.
And I caught him just as he used to look
When saying “I except.”
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Related quotes
Caught On Camera 2 (Fun Poem106)
Whenever we take a picture
on some subject mater
sometimes, it is not only the subject we get.
There are times when we catch
something we shouldn’t be getting
and only when we print the picture
we see what we have caught,
by accident I might add.
Someone answering the call of nature
or someone making an inappropriate gesture,
someone sticking their tongue out,
even someone examining their eyelids
with their mouth open while sitting in a chair.
Oh yes,
when I was in Canada I caught them all.
However their secrets safe with me.
We all know the saying
the camera never lies
and I ain’t telling who.
26 July 2009
Author’s note:
The reason I called this Caught On Camera 2 is because when I was in Canada, My Canadian Chronicles 14 is also called Caught On Camera.
DVH
poem by David Harris
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Rolling Cross
The cross stands for no ones mentor
Except a person who people call a debtor
Jesus died on a cross which stood upright
Peter died twice on a cross which stood upside down
Who will like to be hung on a rolling cross?
Who will like to die thrice rolling?
Such person's destiny is bent
Then there shall be lots of open doors
Open but narrow
And only the few that let theirs roll could pass
Their lives shall be like that of the rolling cross
And so shall can they change their fates
Now, who shall like to be hung on a rolling cross?
Therefore, who shall like to die thrice rolling?
Is there not change of opinions?
No one wants to die without gain
Until there is gain
Then one can withstand the pain
That is why man's mind is like that of the cross
Man is a rolling cross
A storm to his journey
A terrace to his erosion
Like feeding a lion with nuts
When the lion needs meat
And only if the cross stays upright
Or even upside down,
Even if man doesn't want to die rolling
All his life,
He shall be the rolling cross
poem by Ivan Chizurum Ezeigbo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Time After Time
From Clockstoppers Soundtrack.
Cyndi Lauper cover song.
Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
And I think of you
Caught up in circles confusion
Is nothing new
Flashback warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories,
Time after
Sometimes you picture me
And I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, and I can't hear
What you've said
Then you say go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows you're wondering
If I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
You said go slow
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
If you're lost you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you I'll be waiting
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
Time after time
song performed by by Uncle Kracker
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Red Carpet
Uh, yeah (ooh yeah-yeah-yeah)
Check one, two, it's the Piper, AKA Kels (ooh yeah-yeah-yeah)
I'm in the building right now and uh (whoo)
I'm looking for nothing but steppers
(Tell me where the steppers at)
So get on the dance floor and come on
(Where are all the steppers at?)
(Ooh-ooh...) uh, I feel good
(Ooh-ooh...) I mean, I don't mean to brag, but uh
Custom green suit, apple 'gators
Hundred thousand on my wrist (whoo)
Pinky shining, Coup reclinin'
White TL linen outfits (whoo)
Jump out styling, ladies smiling
Paparazzis everywhere (whoo)
Hummer, stretches, limo, Lexus
Pull up while people stop and stare
(The whole scene looks like we're all on TV)
Ooh sometimes life can be like a dream
When you're living on the big screen
Fancy cars, movie stars
Red carpet and big applause
Limousines and search lights
This is how we gon' do it tonight, so...
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
You and your partner are so, so clean
So take a picture for the memory
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Ooh I wanna go steppin' now (whoa)
Step contest you know I'm 'bout to clown (yeah)
(All I need is my partner; we go together like a hand in glove)
Ooh DJ put the record on (yeah) picture it's my favorite song
(Step in the name of love) (whoo) one more time (step in the name of love) yeah
(Oh the whole scene looks like we're all on TV)
Ooh sometimes life can be like a dream (like a dream)
When you're living on the big screen (big screen)
Fancy cars, movie stars
Red carpet and big applause
Limousines and search lights
This is how we gon' do it tonight, so...
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
You and your partner are so, so clean
So take a picture for the memory
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
You know us (you know us) whoa
(You know how we like to dress up) and go out
(And go out and hit the club)
I'm not leaving here 'til I take me a picture, whoa
(Camera man) oh yeah (just wait til I'm ready) oh yeah
(And then you can take a pic)
On three y'all, one, two, three, say cheese
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Fancy cars, movie stars
Red carpet and big applause (whoa)
Limousines and search lights
This is how we gon' do it tonight, so...
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
You and your partner are so, so clean
So take a picture for the memory (ohh)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Fancy cars, movie stars
Red carpet and big applause (whoa-whoa-whoa)
Limousines and search lights (oh)
This is how we gon' do it tonight, so...
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
You and your partner are so, so clean
So take a picture for the memory
Pause (flash) pause (flash) (oh)
Pause (flash) pause (flash)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home
song performed by by R. Kelly
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My First Fishing Day
I decided to out with dad to river that day
It was a sunny day of summer Sunday.
I had not fished before, thought I would
Held rod in my hand, got ready to pull..
Luckily, I enjoyed paddling around in
It was choppy weather so tough boating.
It was difficult to paddle, as much windier
Our Sandwiches were blown into the river.
To eat those, fishes gathered around
Variety of type, colour, size I found.
Was lost in watching their beauty and play,
Got happy in eating feast, easily got, they.
Missed video snaps, as no camera I had
Spent nice time not a single fish could catch.
Decided to go again, only with camera and feed
this time I made video films, enjoyed indeed.
poem by S.D. Tiwari
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A picture in the paper
A picture in the paper
~
it was your face
caught my eye
led my mind astray
there was something
I am still unaware
as to how best explain
but there in the paper
I saw your picture
became distracted
my mind wandered
as if aimless
a merry little way
into a thought
now I sit here
and remember when
if not quite how
I turned that page
you caught my eye
poem by Matthew Holloway
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Harmon Whitney
Out of the lights and roar of cities,
Drifting down like a spark in Spoon River,
Burnt out with the fire of drink, and broken,
The paramour of a woman I took in self-contempt,
But to hide a wounded pride as well.
To be judged and loathed by a village of little minds --
I, gifted with tongues and wisdom,
Sunk here to the dust of the justice court,
A picker of rags in the rubbage of spites and wrongs, --
I, whom fortune smiled on! I in a village,
Spouting to gaping yokels pages of verse,
Out of the lore of golden years,
Or raising a laugh with a flash of filthy wit
When they bought the drinks to kindle my dying mind.
To be judged by you,
The soul of me hidden from you,
With its wound gangrened
By love for a wife who made the wound,
With her cold white bosom, treasonous, pure and hard,
Relentless to the last, when the touch of her hand,
At any time, might have cured me of the typhus,
Caught in the jungle of life where many are lost.
And only to think that my soul could not react,
Like Byron's did, in song, in something noble,
But turned on itself like a tortured snake --
Judge me this way, O world!
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Time After Time
Lying in my bed I hear the clock tick,
And think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flashback--warm nights--
Almost left behind
Suitcases of memories,
Time after--
Sometimes you picture me--
I'm walking too far ahead
You're calling to me, I can't hear
What you've said
Then you say--go slow--
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
Chorus:
If you're lost you can look, and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows, you're wondering
If I'm OK
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
Chorus:
If you're lost you can look, and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
You said go slow,
I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
Chorus:
If you're lost you can look, and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I'll be waiting
Time after time
...time after time
time after time
time after time
time after time
song performed by by Matchbox Twenty
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Adam Weirauch
I was crushed between Altgeld and Armour.
I lost many friends, much time and money
Fighting for Altgeld whom Editor Whedon
Denounced as the candidate of gamblers and anarchists.
Then Armour started to ship dressed meat to Spoon River,
Forcing me to shut down my slaughter-house,
And my butcher shop went all to pieces.
The new forces of Altgeld and Armour caught me
At the same time.
I thought it due me, to recoup the money I lost
And to make good the friends that left me,
For the Governor to appoint me Canal Commissioner.
Instead he appointed Whedon of the Spoon River Argus,
So I ran for the legislature and was elected.
I said to hell with principle and sold my vote
On Charles T. Yerkes' street-car franchise.
Of course I was one of the fellows they caught.
Who was it, Armour, Altgeld or myself
That ruined me?
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Do not Judge me (First Poem Submitted)
As I stand before you
with the reality of the shame of my sins in my arms.
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
You do not know the pains I have suffered,
As you look at me like I am a demon from the pits of Hell.
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
Picture youself alone as I, needing the comfort and touch of another.
Would you not do the same?
Do not judge me.
You do not know me.
And my child has already been marked like a person with the plague.
Not given a chance,
Do not judge him,
You do not know him.
We all have sinned and it is not our job to judge,
So do not judge me.
You do not know me.
(I wrote this after watching Scarlett Letter)
poem by Tamara Daniel
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Time After Time
Lying in my bed
I hear the clock ticking
And think of you
Caught up in circles
Confusion is nothing new
Flash back warm nights
Almost left behind
Suitcase of memories
Time after some times you pictured me
Im walking too far ahead
Youre calling to me
I cant hear what you have said
Then you said
Go slow, I fall behind
The second hand unwinds
If youre lost you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you
Ill be waiting
Time after time
If youre lost you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you
Ill be waiting
I turn, my picture fades
And darkness has turned to grey
Watching through windows
Youre wondering if Im ok
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time
If youre lost you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you
Ill be waiting
Time after time
If youre lost you can look
And you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you
Ill be waiting
0
song performed by by New Found Glory
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Straight To Your Heaven
straight to your heaven
The steam is rising off the river
the night takes a big bite from the moon
The passion's burning in fever
and an angel's warming dope in a silver spoon
Straight to your heaven...
Tonight the gallows birds are happy
whistling the devil's weary blues
They don't need a goddamned penny
they're just twisting away in pointed shoes
Go straight to your heaven...
Fish headed guys came off a picture
Bosch with his dreampipe blessed them all
They're dancing tango with a vulture
gay spirits riding for a fall
Go straight to your heaven...
Lord came down with some angels
Up there He was sad and bored
He drank a coctail with a stranger
and then hit the road in the Devil's ford
Go straight to your heaven...
song performed by by Quimby
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Camera vs, Pencil
Exactly same and true
Picture of objects wonderful
The magical instrument
Captures the real image
But real things become still
Logics, camera can't fill
Images, camera only captures
Pencil gives birth to a picture
The sketches drawn by pencil
Speak and make you feel
Not only liveliness of the object
But compels one too, to interpret
Camera can't take image of soul
Pencil draws sketch of in and out
camera and pencil's combination
can fetch reality, feel and imagination
poem by S.D. Tiwari
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Lost
Lost my mind, forgotten my way
Cant tell the difference between night and day
Lost all meaning and driven with strife
Become a stranger to my own life
Lost when I stare empty into the mirror
And the person staring back is unfamiler
Lost the sense of what's surreal or reality
On the verge of losing my sanity
Lost in my will and in my soul
Cant think straight I lose control
Lost in a world full of pain and sorrow
Lost in a world were there is no tomorrow
poem by Nic Hillen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Will Get There
Ohohah
Hey
Yeah
I've been wanderin' 'round in the dark
Been lost somewhere where no light could shine on my heart
I have known a pain so deep
But I know my faith will free me
[Get there] And I'll get through this
[Get there] I'll find my way again
So don't tell me that it's over
'Cause each step just gets me closer
[chorus]
(I will get there) I will get there
(I will get there) I will get there somehow
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night (Oh, yes, I will)
And make it through to the other side
(Get there) Get there
(Get there) Get there
I've been in these chains for so long
I'll break free and I'll be there where I belong
Hold my head up high, I'll stand tall
And I swear this time I won't fall
[Get there] I will do this
[Get there] No matter what it takes
'Cause I know no limitations
And I'll reach my destination, I will get there
[chorus]
I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there (Ooh) somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night
And make it through to the other side
(Ooh, get there) Get there
(Get there) Get there
Well, the night is cold and dark
But somewhere the sun is shining
And I'll feel it shine on me
I'll keep on tryin', I'll keep on tryin'
I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow
Cross that river (Cross that river)
Nothing's stoppin' me now
I will get through the night
And make it through to the other side
Get there, get there
I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (I'll cross that river for you)
Nothing's stoppin' me now (OhwhoaI)
I will get through (Through) the night
And make it through to the other side (Ohhoohho)
(Get there) Get there
(Ooh, get there) Get there (Whoaoh)
I will get there (I will get there)
I will get there somehow (Somehow)
Cross that river (I'll cross it for your love)
Nothing's stoppin' me now (No matter what)
I will get through the night (I will get through the night)
And make it through to the other side
(Get there) Get there
(Ooh, get there) Get there
Get there
Ohhooh
I'll get there
song performed by by Boyz II Men
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Archibald Higbie
I loathed you, Spoon River. I tried to rise above you,
I was ashamed of you. I despised you
As the place of my nativity.
And there in Rome, among the artists,
Speaking Italian, speaking French,
I seemed to myself at times to be free
Of every trace of my origin.
I seemed to be reaching the heights of art
And to breathe the air that the masters breathed,
And to see the world with their eyes.
But still they'd pass my work and say:
"What are you driving at, my friend?
Sometimes the face looks like Apollo's
At others it has a trace of Lincoln's."
There was no culture, you know, in Spoon River,
And I burned with shame and held my peace.
And what could I do, all covered over
And weighted down with western soil,
Except aspire, and pray for another
Birth in the world, with all of Spoon River
Rooted out of my soul?
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I looked into the mirror today
I looked into the mirror today
and I just did not know what to say.
For the person looking back at me
was the person I'd turned out to be.
It was God's Word that I'd looked into
and was at a loss as to what to do.
Then, 'Come to me', I heard Jesus say
so to the cross I went straight away.
For sin had so disfigured my soul
and I needed Him to make me whole.
It required a miracle of grace
to remove all my wretched disgrace.
As I stood there feeling all my shame
I saw that He had taken the blame.
And His shed blood made me feel so clean.
The cleanest that I had ever been.
Yet I still sin in my stubborn pride
and His arms are there still open wide.
Why is it that I always delay
and don't gaze in that mirror each day?
Love You till The End
I just want to see you
When youre all alone
I just want to catch you if I can
I just want to be there
When the morning light explodes
On your face it radiates
I cant escape
I love you till the end
I just want to tell you nothing
You dont want to hear
All I want is for you to say
Why dont you just take me
Where Ive never been before
I know you want to hear me
Catch my breath
I love you till the end
I just want to be there
When were caught in the rain
I just want to see you laugh not cry
I just want to feel you
When the night puts on its cloak
Im lost for words dont tell me
All I can say
I love you till the end
song performed by by Pogues
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Objector
In line at lunch I cross my fork and spoon
to ward off complicity--the ordered life
our leaders have offered us. Thin as a knife,
our chance to live depends on such a sign
while others talk and The Pentagon from the moon
is bouncing exact commands: "Forget your faith;
be ready for whatever it takes to win: we face
annihilation unless all citizens get in line."
I bow and cross my fork and spoon: somewhere
other citizens more fearfully bow
in a place terrorized by their kind of oppressive state.
Our signs both mean, "You hostages over there
will never be slaughtered by my act." Our vows
cross: never to kill and call it fate.
poem by William Stafford
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Psalm 106
You can have what you will have
But have leanness of your soul
You can rebel against the Lord
And you will fall into a hole
O give thanks unto the Lord
For His mercy endures forever
If you trust in the Lord your God
You will surely cross the river
If you grumble and complain
And have eyes that cannot see
You will wander in the desert
And you never shall be free
If you praise Him in your trials
When He feeds you bu His hand
You will cross the mighty river
Into the promised land
But if you worship other gods
And fall down before their feet
God's wrath will come upon you
And you will suffer great defeat
Not all cross the river
Not all enter in
A precious few will worship Him
The rest are lost to sin
poem by Frank McEleny
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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