the ivy climbs
on my grandparents cross
somewhere in the field—
kindled candles
shadows come to life
tanka by Mircea Teculescu from Albatross (2005), translated by Alexandra Flora Munteanu
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Spanish | In Romanian
Related quotes
The Field Of Mortality
The Field of Mortality
On a field, not far from here, I see millions of lit candles in long rows,
but only at night; in daylight it is a potato patch. A man, you may call
him god if you like, walks among the candles every so often he stops
and with his thumb and index finger snuffs out light; the skin on his
fingers are corned from this arduous work. Behind him new candles
spring up, sometimes he turns and go back waste some of them too.
He is heading for the part where the candles have been burned out,
only the wick flickers. He uses he thumb to bump them off; a spiral of
grey smoke in still air. He is old as time, sometimes he misses candles
that keep on burning, although they have no wick. As dawn begins,
behind the easterly mountain, the field of mortality turns into a potato
patch again, where an old man is harvesting spuds.
poem by Oskar Hansen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Many candles can be kindled from one candle without diminishing it.
Mater Dolorosa
JUST as of yore the friendly rain
Patters its old and frank refrain;
Just as of yore the world swings by
The little window where I lie
Watching the shadows wax and wane.
I see, beyond the Aegean main,
His cross upon the grave-scarred plain—
Yet still the dawn-flush climbs the sky,
Just as of yore!
His cross—and mine! They try in vain
With careful phrase to stanch the pain;
They say, ‘A hero’s death!’ But I
Long only for his footstep nigh;
Long only for my boy again,
Just as of yore!
poem by Sydney Elliott Napier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Darkness Is Falling
Verse 1:
When darkness is falling and shadows grow long
Its time for the children to sing this old song
It tells of the coming of wonders untold
Forgotten is winter, its fury and cold,
Hi-ho, hi-ho, well soon see the candles glow
Hi-ho, hi-ho, well soon see the candles glow
Repeat verse 1
When darkness is falling and stars fill the sleigh
The waiting is over and we all know why
Its time for celebrating and having a feast
Because of the tidings that come from the east
Hi-ho, hi-ho, well soon see the candles glow
Hi-ho, hi-ho, well soon see the candles glow
song performed by by Boney M.
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
A Fallow Field
I have kept this fallow field
When I must be a horseman,
A keeper of wills and minds
With no shadows, no designs.
Their hooves are planted
In the field so young in taste.
A fool clasps its mind
When evil shadows must be;
It must be the stallions
That bring joy to the very heart.
I am burdened by the boaster
Of this fallow field.
poem by Naveed Akram
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Candles
The days of the future stand in front of us
Like a line of candles all alight----
Golden and warm and lively little candles.
The days that are past are left behind,
A mournful row of candles that are out;
The nearer ones are still smoking,
Candles cold, and melted, candles bent.,
I don’t want to see them; their shapes hurt me,
It hurts me to remember the light of them at first.
I look before me at my lighted candles,
I don’t want to turn around and see with horror
How quickly the dark line is lengthening,
How quickly the candles multiply that have been put out.
poem by Constantine P. Cavafy
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Poem: Song to the Holy Cross
The cross of love:
The cross I love:
The cross I'd loved all life;
The wooden cross:
The holy cross:
The cross that bore man's strife.
The oaken cross:
The heavy cross:
The cross Jesus carried;
The cross on which
Christ Lord was nailed:
And bore man's sins indeed.
The cross of death:
The blood-stained cross:
The Savior, man, redeemed;
The cross of life's
Victory o'er death:
That souls on earth must heed.
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Dreams and Shadows
Flames, dreams, candles, shadows,
All dance in sight.
Flames on a far, dim hill, or near,
Close, in the night.
Torches, running in shadows,
Across the dry valley.
Candles nearby, flames alike,
Join in swift memory.
Lost wanderers, walking in realms,
Realms of cold darkness.
Stars fly to us, and dance, on the white,
Cold, flowing stillness.
Flames, and light, leap high, in the far,
Gray, hopeless distance;
On a ridge, hidden away, and dance,
Dance their reckless dance.
poem by Jerome Brooke
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.
quote by Alex Haley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Cross
Two fallen twigs when kept across
Can form a cross;
Two blades of grass just put cris-cross
Becomes a cross.
Two fingers placed atop the next
Looks like a cross;
A wire-mesh has umpteen crosses,
Like stars the sky across.
The cross is symbol of Christians;
The cross is pride of all baptized;
The cross instills love of Jesus;
The cross is feared by all devils!
The cross is sign of faith in God;
The cross means sacrifice like Christ;
The cross reminds of victory over death;
Carry your cross and follow Christ.
The cross can save the worst sinner;
The cross is sign of after-life;
The cross means Christ is Son of God!
The cross leads always to heaven.
Copyright by Dr John Celes 10-30-2009
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass;
Lift up your heads, ye gates of brass;
Ye bars of iron, yield!
And let the King of glory pass;
The Cross is in the field!
A holy war his servants wage,
Mysteriously at strife;
The powers of heaven and hell engage
For more than death or life.
Ye armies of the living God,
His sacramental host,
Where hallowed footstep never trod,
Take your appointed post.
Follow the Cross; the ark of Peace
Accompany your path:
To souls imprisoned bring release
From bondage and from wrath.
Uplifted are the gates of brass;
The bars of iron yield;
Behold the King of glory pass!
The Cross has won the field!
poem by James Montgomery
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
In My Field
Im in my field
Im in my stream
And Im love
Im in my tree
I take a walk
Nine hundred miles
I cross the stile
Im in my field
And Im in love
And its for free
Im in my field
Im in my field
Im in my field
Im in my stream
And I will yield
Im in my field
And Im in love
Across the stile
Come in my field
Just you and me
Well take a walk
Nine hundred miles
And Im in love
Well count the stars
Im in my field
Im in my stream
Well Im in love
Just you and me
Im in my field
Im in my stream
Well Im in love
Im in my tree
I take a walk
Nine hundred miles
I cross the stile
Im in my field
song performed by by Ocean Colour Scene
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Candles
i dreamt of candles
shimmering, dainty, romantic
....candles
all aglow lighting my path
melting away longingly
velvet ivory wax
licking the soft soles of my feet
...u came home to me
with diamonds and roses.
i dreamt of candles
ablaze, threating, ominous
....candles
all licking hungrily at my clothes
wanting to consume me
make me one with them
a charred cinder
.....u told me of her
with acerbic finality
i dreamt of candles
silent, suffering, perservering
....candles
all burning no longer a pretty yellow
just icy blue
plotting with precision
to set the stage on fire
....u called me repentent
i answered with laughter.
....'what goes around comes around'...
poem by Wardha Jawdat
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Shadows She Said
there's no more place to go
the other bars are closed
the night the stranger came to town
how do you know
when you're right or wrong?
how do you know
if you hurt or if you don't?
so many people say so many things
but nobody agrees on anything
there's no more place to go
shadows she said
there's no more place to go
shadows she said
this night's an empty shell
shadows she said
and all the shadows followed after her
you burned the book of life
the cradle and the tomb
how could you ever dare
there's no more turning back
your stars lit up in flames
there's gunsmoke in the air
and yesterday you bought a brand-new car
but you don't feel like going very far
there's no more place to go...
there's no more place to go
shadows she said
there's no more place to go
shadows she said
this night's an empty shell
shadows she said
and all the shadows followed after her
here they come...
shadows she said...
and all the shadows followed after her...
shadows she said...
song performed by by Alphaville
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
What The Poet Wrote
What the Poet Wrote
(Birth over an open grave)
A poet wrote: ”Mothers give birth over an open grave. I thought it was harsh, most
children live long after their mothers die. A young man driving behind me was edgy
wanted to overtake thought I was driving too slow. I kept as far to the right as I could,
he saw his chance, but he was not quick enough, front collision. He wasn’t wearing
seat belt, died on the bonnet of his car. So much blood, dark red and sweet, but his
eyes were open and they saw beyond to a place I have never been. His mother,
a widow, collapsed when the coffin was lowered into a an unfeeling ground, she had
given birth over an open grave. I see a field lit by millions of candles in rows a man
walks among them and ever so often snuffs out light with his thumb and index finger.
But behind him new light appear, sometimes he turn go back and snuffs the new
lights out, mothers who have given birth over an open grave. He is now heading for
the part of the field where the candles have burnt out, only the wick flickers, quickly
he snuffs them out, but misses some, of people who live too long, those who death
has cruelly missed. There is no light on my terrace, a car passes by and plants casts
shadows on the wall, they have no colours. I’m past caring; tomorrow will come
whether I’m there or not, mother will never know if she gave birth to an open grave.
poem by Oskar Hansen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Shadows
Walk through the night looking for your kind of smile
?Hoping to meet you I walk my love for miles
Your face, your eyes, I can't find the girl I look for
refrain:
Shadows can conceal you
you can't hide, so please don't try
Your life and my love
But to search just makes me cry
Life was so young and another day is gone
Love seems a lost word
How can my heart be strong
?When that was is again I wait for love to be there
refrain
Then in the shadows I see the face I look for
But then like the night you're gone just as before
A face in a crowd
A shadow once more
refrain
solo
refrain
(spoken)
...shadows...shadows..shadows..shadows...shadows....shadows....shadows....
song performed by by Deep Purple
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Love Field
You lie so unfolded
In a love field
With your contempt for any modesty
In a love field
In a love field
In a love field
You yield with your lips still sealed
In a love field
Lost in a sea of imaginary women
Everything youd want
From the dawn to the dimming
Breath comes sharp and heart beats faster
In a love field
Cold ground for a pillow
Under a blanket of stars
In a love field
In a love field
In a love field
Headlights that startled
This embrace of hours
In a love field
In a crooked house
Where things can be arranged
You think youre different from the rest
But you dont see how youve changed
Under an archway
On a road of white linen
In a love field
Feel the anxious rhythm of a functional stranger
In a love field
In a love field
In a love field
Shes so tense but its never mentioned
In a love field
song performed by by Elvis Costello
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Love You Grandchildren
Calling the grandparents,
May make them happy,
When calling itself a problem,
How to make them happy?
When the thorns were sown,
in the young hearts,
When the ill memories are planted,
in the young thoughts,
When the bacterial and viral words were introduced,
to develop immunity,
Children have become immune to love and affection,
when they are old.
Be kind to your grandchildren,
when they are young
so they will be kind to you,
when you are old.
Be neutral to your grandchildren,
when they are in the cousin crowd,
so they will be neutral to you,
when you are in the elderly crowd.
Be generous with love to your grandchildren,
when they are sick and troubled
and they will be generous to you,
when you are really ill and worried.
Be the grandparents to your grandchildren,
As they do not have any other grandparents,
but you.
poem by Veeraiyah Subbulakshmi
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Shadows of life! ! !
Com stay in shadows of mine
Shadows of life
Sun dawn at beach
Walkig on moon
Shadows of life
Day bright light aftr darkness
Wht can get it to go thru
Nuthng just an insane clip of my life
Shadows of life
Dunt stay in my life
Leave me alone
Thers nuthng I can offer u
excpt disapointmnt
Take it light or ruin it totally unvoid
There's nuthng I can describe
Shadows of life
Nuthing in my hands
Walking on moon
Day bright light aftr darkness
Wht can get it to go thru
Nuthing just a sweet attempt of urs
Shadows of life
poem by Somia Race
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Stand In The Shadows
Hearts which beat to a precise beat
Fading shadows on the wall
We'll cut our cards
Drive out bars
All for one, one for all.
Like teenage heat
And carnival cheats
With your heart on your sleeve
Well you know you wanna run
You won't hide
And you jump like a son of a gun
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Oh alone and lonely
Watching people on my wall
Well mama and dadda thought they had me fooled
I was thinking not at all
Well i got out
Not gonna stand
In the dark without a light
Forgetting love if you believe that chance
Sit and wait
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
In the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
And now the judge is down feeling
All around yeah
Lifting to a blast this sound
No preachers, teachers
Pick our minds
To the sounds of false alarm
They're here today
And they hear you say
You're alive and you're living with me
So don't try to hide
And don't try to die
In the dark of the night
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
In the shadows, in the shadows
Do not stand in the shadows
song performed by by Billy Idol
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!