It is utterly false and cruelly arbitrary to put all the play and learning into childhood, all the work into middle age, and all the regrets into old age.
quote by Margaret Mead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.
quote by Fred Rogers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Learning
I'm learning to say thank you.
And I'm learning to say please.
And I'm learning to use Kleenex,
Not my sweater, when I sneeze.
And I'm learning not to dribble.
And I'm learning not to slurp.
And I'm learning (though it sometimes really hurts me)
Not to burp.
And I'm learning to chew softer
When I eat corn on the cob.
And I'm learning that it's much
Much easier to be a slob.
poem by Judith Viorst
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I Don't Wanna Work
Well i give it little care
Does anybody out there even know
I'm in here?
I just keep my movement going
Somewhere
Like playing in the background baby
Like playing in the background baby
I play the game
You play the way that most men would choose
I'm surprised at you
Way back in the middle of a broken down love affair
You and i found each other
And we fell in love
I ain't never met a man and woman get along better
Than you and i when get together
Still i say
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not if it makes me cry
No no
See the lady walking down the street
She's got on high heel shoes
And her hair full of curlers
She's got stiletto nails
And some black mascara
She's got a push up and a pick up
I tell you that girl's working overtime
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not if it makes me cry
No no no no no no
I don't wanna work
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work it if makes me cry
Spent last night
Talking to myself in bed
Wondering why i do this over
Over and over again
I don't know
I, i, i, i don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work that hard
Not when it makes me cry
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work not that hard
I don't wanna work it it makes me cry
I don't wanna work that hard
I don't wanna work not that hard
I don't wanna work if it makes me cry
song performed by by Donna Summer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Innocent Childhood
soil soil and soil, , playing in the soil,
No fear of disease, no fear of toil.
What a wonderful days that was,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
Only friend no foes,
no thinking of what dont and what does.
No fear of future, no thinking of present,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
What was the past, leave it, it surpassed,
what has to happen, lets face when it comes.
Future planning! What is this?
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
Play was religion and play was God,
only thing which gave fear, was my fathers rod.
Crying crying crying a lot, then said love you pappa,
i always remember my childhood, my innocent childhood..
poem by Zeya Mallick
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Murdering Dreams
When no one is looking
I count the steps
in front of my house
no reason apparent.
I linger in front of photographs
that resemble you
and I allow
cruelly
the contrast
between you
and my present life.
Disappointment
is harder to bare sometimes
in real life
catapulting us
to alternative realities
concocted by our mourning minds
which seek those media dreams
of the perfect life
of escape from the flesh and blood realities
surrounding us
introducing to us
dripping disappointments
in self, others and family.
How guilt-dripping is this dynamic
where reality is seen to be
cruelly oppressive
compared to those media visions
concocted for us
by movies and tv.
Murdering false dreams
is what, therefore, the children
must do
in order to grow up
and become part of humanity.
Otherwise
a grieving shadow
that seeks that happily ever after
becomes a mind dripping
of false realities.
poem by Lonnie Hicks
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Childhood - The 21st Century
How advanced they are, these children of the future,
Like small adults, within their tiny frames,
They grow up in a fast 'speed driven' culture,
Where 'learning pressures' change their kind of games,
Where is their childhood, in all this hurly burly,
Where is their pure untainted view of things,
Why do they have to grow so old, so early,
And lose the joy that only childhood brings.
Our childhood was filled with thoughts of joy and gladness,
We lived our lives, oblivious to the world
And all the hardships, wars, the grief and sadness,
We stood, waiting for our lives to be unfurled.
We had time to grow, and gain an understanding,
Of each new phase, each change along the way,
As we grew slowly, our senses all expanding,
So with clarity, we slowly changed our play.
We had a framework on which to build and flourish,
Slow and steady, this was no rushed affair,
Taking each step, then step by step to nourish,
Our childhood, so finally adulthood we would share.
What will become, of these 'New Century' learners,
I doubt if they, a dreamy childhood see,
Will they then tell to all those bright discerners
Of their own, how they remembered their childhood to be.
poem by Ernestine Northover
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The Hands that Hang Down
O lord, I am so tired!
My heart is sick and sore.
I work, and work, and do no good—
And I can try no more!
I lay my treasures up,
And think they're worth such care;
And the next time I go to look,
There's only rubbish there!
I tug hard at the door
Of knowledge—strain and pant;
But, Lord, the more I seem to learn,
The more I'm ignorant!
Sometimes I am so vain
I set myself to teach;
But e'en the first beginnings lie
Utterly out of reach!
I am no use—no use!
I thought I might have been;
But now I know how small I am,
How poor, how false, how mean!
Sunk in the dust and mire
While aiming at the skies,
Only a thing to laugh at, Lord,
To pity and despise!
poem by Ada Cambridge
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No Regrets
I have no regrets for loving you.
There is nothing different that I would do.
I have no regrets for loving you
for my love has turned into
long time peace that came my way
and ever the chance to have my say
everything that's been on my mind.
Do you have regrets for loving me?
Is there anything different you'd do?
Do you have regrets for loving me
after all that we've been through?
Angry times and foolish words
that sometimes made us sad
gave me all that I needed to know
that things were never that bad.
There are no regrets when you're in love.
The goodness is always there.
There are no regrets that we have found
in this love we share.
poem by Edwina Reizer
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You Are The One
No i won't surrender
At any cost
You're something so sweet and tender
From my heart
Yes i've done my evil
I've done my good
Just believe me honey
I won't let go off you
You are the one
And there's no regrets at all
You are the one
And there's no regrets at all
We've had our share of misfortune
We've had our blues
And god is not on our side
Yes it's true
We keep forgetting baby
The others too
There is no one who can take that away
From me and you
You are the one
And there's no regrets at all
You are the one
And there's no regrets at all
song performed by by H.I.M.
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To God I Promise
My promise is to God for goodness
Is seen. It is muttered on the tongue,
Released by the heart, as it sways
To the bridge of eternity we cross.
I promise God to uphold the laws,
To guard the secrets best left on the heart,
For I need the kindness of a secret.
Let learning be strong for the adolescent,
Its filings are rough as pain, in the middle
Of twin figures we call religions.
Let learning be swift, the captor shall inherit
Peace, the fetter of heaven, the feet of a poem.
The caliph of learning has arrived,
With calculus, and music, and song.
For numbers force us into confusion,
And he uplifts his complexity from them.
Let him cry, let him madly love the strength
Of words, then convict him if he speaks from within
As a sinner, the very real reader of false books.
They are hydraulics of a soul, they are
Ready as plumage, and so appear beautiful,
But where is the beauty in that?
To intrude on the boudoir of fashion
Is to read volumes of work by the same author.
The caliph questions and resolves
According to taste, inside himself.
For the promise of better knowledge
Is upon him, that he consumes several beverages
Of the kind that make people happy,
And in love.
Never accept the man who loves knowledge
And asks for forgiveness from acquiring
Too much of it.
My promise is to God for goodness,
And the tongue shall speak all ills.
poem by Naveed Akram
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No Regrets
Harry tobias / ingraham
No regrets
Although our love affair has gone astray
No regrets
I know Ill always care though youre away
So now our happy romance ended suddenly
Still in my heart youll be forever mine
No regrets
Because somebody new looks good to you
No regrets
Sweetheart no matter what you say or do
I know our love will linger
When the other love forgets
So I say goodbye with no regrets
No regrets
Because somebody new looks good to you
No regrets
Sweetheart no matter what you say or do
I know our love will linger
When the other love forgets
So I say goodbye with no regrets
song performed by by Billie Holiday
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I'm incredibly boring; I had a very happy childhood. I never starved, nor did I have a silver spoon in my mouth. I'm one of those terribly middle-of-the-road, British middle class, South London gents.
My Childhood Garden
my childhood garden
my childhood garden
lush and green
it was so happy it made me scream
my joy and hopes
and all my mopes
my childhood garden
my childhood garden
with the ups and downs
when i jumped i could not touch the ground
with my purle ponys
it made it homey
my childhood garden
my childhood garden
flying high
with the little lies
the grass fine
up in the sky my kite
my childhood garden
my childhood garden
now in the past
i now know that it can never last
now as i get taller
it was differnt when i was smaller
my childhood garden
poem by Danielle Eager
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Our House
Father wears his sunday best
Mothers tired she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sisters sighing in her sleep
Brothers got a date to keep
He cant hang around
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...
Our house it has a crowd
Theres always something happening
And its usually quite loud
Our mum shes so house-proud
Nothing ever slows her down
And a mess is not allowed
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...
Something tells you that youve got to get away from it
Father gets up late for work
Mother has to iron his shirt
Then she sends the kids to school
Sees them off with a small kiss
Shes the one theyre going to miss
In lots of ways
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...
I remember way back then when everything was true and when
We would have such a very good time such a fine time
Such a happy time
And I remember how wed play simply waste the day away
Then wed say nothing would come between us two dreamers
Father wears his sunday best
Mothers tired she needs a rest
The kids are playing up downstairs
Sisters sighing in her sleep
Brothers got a date to keep
He cant hang around
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our ...
Our house, was our castle and our keep
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, that was where we used to sleep
Our house, in the middle of our street
Our house, in the middle of our street
song performed by by Madness
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Childhood Faded Away
Childhood Faded away,
to a far away land,
simple, so simple were we,
Days of Play,
Going our Way,
Having fun, no care,
for another day,
time for us stood still,
playing king of the hill
Childhood Faded away
thinking of another day,
summer time was fine,
when friends were kind,
swiming holes were filled,
our hearts were thrilled
Childhood Faded Away
to a time that makes me sway
many years have passed away,
since childhood faded to another day,
Childhood Faded to places,
UNKNOWN TO US
floating somewhere in time.
wrote 1-15-07
Growing Up
Growing up,
isn't what I thought,
I wish I'd never been,
eager to grow up.
I was foolish,
I was young,
I wish I had,
slowed down.
I want my,
childhood back,
I want to go back,
and live young.
I truly wish,
I was a child again,
I could run with the wind,
and I could play all day.
Now that I'm,
all grown up,
it's all work,
and no play.
poem by Katherine Bryce
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Choices
They offer you many things,
I a few.
Moonlight on the play of fountains at night
With water sparkling a drowsy monotone,
Bare-shouldered, smiling women and talk
And a cross-play of loves and adulteries
And a fear of death
and a remembering of regrets:
All this they offer you.
I come with:
salt and bread
a terrible job of work
and tireless war;
Come and have now:
hunger.
danger
and hate.
poem by Carl Sandburg
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Why Do Children Want To Grow
Why do Children
of now adays
Want to grow so fast
to look grown up
to think grown up
But still be a child at heart
I would live my childhood
OVER again just to be a child
to have pure heart
Pure minds, pure dreams
Instead of a childhood of distain
To play without a care
And see the magic of Mother Nature
And use imagination
To dance on rainbows
And white fluffy clouds
To play hide and seek
In the candy land of our dreams
To ride on unicorns
And sprinkle fair dust
To take a flight in
A midsummer dream
Why would children of today
Pass all this by
Just to be grown up
In a world like ours
Why lose the innocence
Of childhood sweet dreams
Just to rush into
The uncertainty of life
Why bypass your childhood
Just to be an adult of today
only to yearn the loss
of you childhood of yesterday
poem by Kaila George
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Science fiction writers put characters into a world with arbitrary rules and work out what happens.
quote by Rudy Rucker
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Childhood is the world of miracle and wonder; as if creation rose, bathed in the light, out of the darkness, utterly new and fresh and astonishing.
quote by Eugene Ionesco
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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