The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.
Related quotes
A grain does not fill a sieve, but it helps its fellow.
The Jumblies
They went to sea in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they went to sea:
In spite of all their friends could say,
On a winter's morn, on a stormy day,
In a Sieve they went to sea!
And when the Sieve turned round and round,
And every one cried, `You'll all be drowned!'
They called aloud, `Our Sieve ain't big,
But we don't care a button! we don't care a fig!
In a Sieve we'll go to sea!'
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
They sailed away in a Sieve, they did,
In a Sieve they sailed so fast,
With only a beautiful pea-green veil
Tied with a riband by way of a sail,
To a small tobacco-pipe mast;
And every one said, who saw them go,
`O won't they be soon upset, you know!
For the sky is dark, and the voyage is long,
And happen what may, it's extremely wrong
In a Sieve to sail so fast!'
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
The water it soon came in, it did,
The water it soon came in;
So to keep them dry, they wrapped their feet
In a pinky paper all folded neat,
And they fastened it down with a pin.
And they passed the night in a crockery-jar,
And each of them said, `How wise we are!
Though the sky be dark, and the voyage be long,
Yet we never can think we were rash or wrong,
While round in our Sieve we spin!'
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
And all night long they sailed away;
And when the sun went down,
They whistled and warbled a moony song
To the echoing sound of a coppery gong,
In the shade of the mountains brown.
`O Timballo! How happy we are,
When we live in a Sieve and a crockery-jar,
And all night long in the moonlight pale,
We sail away with a pea-green sail,
In the shade of the mountains brown!'
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
They sailed to the Western Sea, they did,
To a land all covered with trees,
And they bought an Owl, and a useful Cart,
And a pound of Rice, and a Cranberry Tart,
And a hive of silvery Bees.
And they bought a Pig, and some green Jack-daws,
And a lovely Monkey with lollipop paws,
And forty bottles of Ring-Bo-Ree,
And no end of Stilton Cheese.
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
And in twenty years they all came back,
In twenty years or more,
And every one said, `How tall they've grown!
For they've been to the Lakes, and the Torrible Zone,
And the hills of the Chankly Bore!'
And they drank their health, and gave them a feast
Of dumplings made of beautiful yeast;
And every one said, `If we only live,
We too will go to sea in a Sieve,---
To the hills of the Chankly Bore!'
Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live;
Their heads are green, and their hands are blue,
And they went to sea in a Sieve.
poem by Edward Lear
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A wise woman puts a grain of sugar into everything she says to a man, and takes a grain of salt with everything he says to her.
quote by Helen Rowland
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
I'm Old Fashioned
I am not such a clever one
About the latest fads
I admit I was never one
Adored by local lads
Not that I ever try to be a saint
I'm the type that they classify as quaint
Im old fashioned
I love the moonlight
I love the old fashioned things
The sound of rain
Upon a window pane
The starry song that april sings
This years fancies
Are passing fancies
But sighing sighs holding hands
These my heart understands
I know I'm old fashioned
But I don't mind it
That's how I want to be
As long as you agree
To stay old fashioned with me
(bridge)
I'm old fashioned
But I don't mind it
That's how I want to be
As long as you agree
To stay old fashioned with me
Oh won't you stay old fashioned with me
Oh please stay old fashioned with me
song performed by by Ella Fitzgerald
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought.
quote by William Osler
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Look wise, say nothing, and grunt. Speech was given to conceal thought.
quote by William Osler
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
My Thoughts
Thought in the eyes,
The ears.
Thought in mind,
The brain,
Thought in heart,
The soul.
Great thought is great
when it becomes great deeds.
With my thoughts within
Building my world within
Learning with thought;
Is great learning wisdom.
Learning without thought,
Is opportunity lost.
Thought for others
Thought for God
Thought for good
Thought for God’s blessing
Thoughts teach me,
Thoughts educate me,
Thoughts clarify me,
Thoughts enlighten me.
Thoughts make me wise
Thoughts make me patience
Thoughts make me trust others
Thoughts make me clam.
Thoughts before act
Is smart and wise
Act before thoughts
Is stupid and foolish
That’s my thoughts
They make thinking clear
They make belief deepen
They make confidence high.
In thoughts, my world
In my world, make my thoughts.
In thoughts, my words
In my words, make my speech
It’s my thoughts count
Counting my thoughts
To endless counting thoughts
Thinking the thoughts endlessly
My thoughts and thoughts again.
poem by Lawrence Hiung
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A Grain Of Sand
Do you see this grain of sand
Lying loosely in my hand?
Do you know to me it brought
Just a simple loving thought?
When one gazes night by night
On the glorious stars of light,
Oh how little seems the span
Measured round the life of man.
Oh! how fleeting are his years
With their smiles and their tears;
Can it be that God does care
For such atoms as we are?
Then outspake this grain of sand
'I was fashioned by His hand
In the star lit realms of space
I was made to have a place.
'Should the ocean flood the world,
Were its mountains 'gainst me hurled
All the force they could employ
Wouldn't a single grain destroy;
And if I, a thing so light,
Have a place within His sight;
You are linked unto his throne
Cannot live nor die alone.
In the everlasting arms
Mid life's dangers and alarms
Let calm trust your spirit fill;
Know He's God, and then be still.'
Trustingly I raised my head
Hearing what the atom said;
Knowing man is greater far
Than the brightest sun or star.
poem by Frances Ellen Watkins Harper
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Dawn Of A New Day
The thoughts from yesterday - forgotten
I like the way this new skin feels
Bring me splinters of tomorrow
Collect the parts where I win
Against the grain, against the odds
I'll rise and I won't trip again
The dawn of a new day never looked
As good as this
Concrete breath and dust filled tears
A one-way ride to inner peace
I never thought, I'd join the others
Those who use the dice to solve
Against the grain, against the odds
I'll rise and I won't trip again (x2)
The dawn of a new day never looked
As good as this
Against the grain, against the odds
I'll rise and I won't trip again
Against the grain, against the odds
Against the grain, against the odds(x2)
I'll rise and I won't trip again
Against the grain, against the odds(x3)
song performed by by In Flames
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Clio's Sieve
How fine the mesh of Clio's sieve!
How deft; sifting teeming epoch
To one parchment, in it to live
Distilled, a lost world in one book.
An epic lives in one last line
Of plucked hexameter, to stand
For seven thousand not so fine.
The remnant Library fills one hand,
One scroll immortal of millions
Dust and ash. Or is it Eris,
Random goddess, her selections
That we pore over and caress?
Our faith is, we've the gold, not dross;
We could not else bear feel the loss.
poem by Mark Sauer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Mr Wise Guy
(r palmer)
Whod ever guess to look at her?
They say shes a dancer but they dont fool me
You thought you knew it all, cos youd been there
Thought she was a flirt you didnt know her
You kissed the girls and made them cry
You thought you would be only hello-goodbye
But now a twist of love has changed your world
Till I kissed her I was just another wise guy
You thought you were so cool
(wise guy)
You had all the right moves
You said beware shell break your heart
Shes about to turn around and prove you wrong
You thought you had the map, shes off the chart
Try to keep up with her if youre such a wise guy
Her kisses gave you the clue
(wise guy)
And now you know what to do
Didnt gamble, never won a prize
Rush to judgement and you pay the price
How could you presume to be qualified
If it bit you wouldnt recognise it!
You said love was for fools
(wise guy)
Then she broke all your rules
Whod ever guess to look at her
They shes a teaser but they cant fool me
Because I met my match when I met her;
Hast la vista mr wise guy
You misjudged her so eat humble pie
Your opinion wasnt justified
You were cautious, youd been hurt inside
Wouldnt risk it so you just criticised her
You said love was for fools
(wise guy)
But love knows better than you
(wise guy)
You thought you were so cool
(wise guy)
But now we know whos the fool
(mr wise guy)
song performed by by Robert Palmer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Speech is external thought, and thought internal speech.
quote by Antoine Rivarol
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Will I Ever See You Again
Will i ever see you again?
Standing at the railway station
Eyes smiling just for me
In that blue summer dress sensation
When I'm dreaming of our used to be.
Love urged our lips to touch
As our two souls merged in bliss
I'd trade my life as such, for just one lingering kiss.
Caught standing in moonlight blue
As our bird of paradise flew.
I had waited all my years
Thought that you would dry my tears
In lonliness my heart would burn
I could hear the pages turn
The last chapter of my life
Fate holds roses or a knife.
Now this castaway like sunset in the bay
Is fading with the day.
Will i ever see you again?
My heart whispers it wont be so
My head told me long ago
When Cupid allowed one more throw.
Knew my dreams cruel winds would blow.
And the only hope left in the sieve
Before our love is sifted away
Is one moment we could live
To share again for just one day.
No goodbyes or that closing door
To treasure what we were created for.
poem by Kevin East
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Grain Tribute
There came an officer knocking by night at my door
In a loud voice demanding grain-tribute.
My house-servants dared not wait till the morning,
But brought candles and set them on the barn-floor.
Passed through the sieve, clean-washed as pearls,
A whole cart-load, thirty bushels of grain.
But still they cry that it is not paid in full:
With whips and curses they goad my servants and boys.
Once, in error, I entered public life;
I am inwardly ashamed that my talents were not sufficient.
In succession I occupied four official posts;
For doing nothing—ten years’ salary!
Often have I heard that saying of ancient men
That “good and ill follow in an endless chain.”
And to-day it ought to set my heart at rest
To return to others the corn in my great barn.
It Was My Uncle Soul Sifting
it was my uncle soul
sifting in a leaned back
all the way chair down
by the old family lake
taking trout we spent
all day chasing through
reeds and lilies, dodging
loons and other birds
trying to outmaneuver
them in their own home
it was my uncle soul
sifting, lifting trout
entrails, rinsing off
blood and fish and dirt
in the cold lake water
telling me it used to
be a game of his, how
many fish he could trick
before the sun set.
it was my uncle soul
sifting, telling me his
favorite night was years
ago and how he had
only caught one lone
rainbow and was
sitting there, gutting
the heart out listening
to the radio the night
Roy Eldridge died.
it was my uncle soul
sifting, saying he forgot
how many fish he caught
just sat there listening
to old dead Roy play
while the fish cooked
over his burnt coal fire
it was the only way he
knew how to say
goodbye he said, and
tonight it’s me out
there soul sifting, lifting
bits of crumbled dirt and
dust, feeling a part of me
is out there still, the
big blue welling up
inside you, the hole
gone and filled up
with sky.
poem by Ben Paynter
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Lets Take An Old Fashioned Walk
Lets take an old fashioned walk, Im just bursting with talk.
What a tale could be told if we went for an old fashioned walk.
Lets take a stroll through the park, down a lane where its dark
And a heart thats controlled, may relax on an old fashioned walk.
I know for a couple who seem to be miles apart,
Theres nothing like walking and having a heart to heart.
I know a girl who declined, couldnt make up her mind.
She was wrapped up and sold, coming home from an old fashioned walk.
song performed by by Irving Berlin
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
That Part Of A Whole
it is a tiny part
as tiny as a grain of sand
you hardly give it
attention
you keep on saying
what is in this grain of sand
that philosophers
say contain this universe
something so tiny
yet to contain everything
and so you hold the grain of sand
against the light
and revolve it around your fingers
little finger planets
to the sun grain of sand
you cannot believe what you
felt and saw
and so you throw away that grain
of sand to the air
eating it like a big mouthed monsters
you are lost
your world dissolves
like ice
you turn to air
and there you are
gone.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Painful Wail
Consumed with grief I am, I get relief in no way
O circumambient waters of the Ganges drown me
Our land foments excessive mutual enmity
What unity! Our closeness harbors separation
Enmity instead of sincerity is outrageous
Enmity among the same barn's grains is outrageous
If the brotherly breeze has not entered in a garden
No pleasure can be derived from songs in that garden
Though I exceedingly love the real closeness
I am upset by the mixing of waves and the shore
The miraculous poet is like the grain from the barn
The grain has no existence if there is no barn
How can beauty unveil itself if no one is anxious for sight
Lighting of the candle is meaningless if there is no assembly
Why does the taste for speech not change to silence
Why does this brilliance not appear out from my mirror
Alas! My tongue poured its speech down
When war's fire had burnt the garden down
poem by Allama Muhammad Iqbal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Without You
Without you...I walked in darkness
Though, I thought that I could see.
Without you...I was but half a man
missing the better part of me.
Without you...I held tightly
to all the pain that I'd been through.
I would have never known what 'forever' meant....without you.
Without you....I sifted ashes
vainly looking for the flame
Without you...I searched through others eyes
but they all looked the same.
Without you...I thought that second best
was the best that I could do
I could never lay that lie to rest....without you.
Without you....I'd still be wondering
if love was truly real.
Without you....I'd never really know
just how perfect this could feel.
Without you....I'd still be lonely
and my joys would be so few.
I never want to know a single minute...without you.
poem by Perry Biggerstaff
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!