***
Where is it, the sad lyre which follows the quick flute?
Down endless lanes where the cherries flower, on a bank where the willows droop.
The lady of the East house grows old without a husband,
The white sun at high noon, the last spring month half over.
Princess Li-yang is fourteen,
In the cool of the day, after the Rain Feast, with him behind the fence, look.
...Come home, toss and turn till the fifth watch.
Two swallows in the rafters hear the long sigh.
poem by Li Shangyin
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Related quotes
Spring Night in Lo-yang Hearing a Flute
In what house, the jade flute that sends these dark notes drifting,
scattering on the spring wind that fills Lo-yang?
Tonight if we should hear the willow-breaking song,
who could help but long for the gardens of home?
poem by Li Po, translated by Burton Watson
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Reaching High (demo)
I stand alone
on the street Where I have walked you home alone
I see your house, I hear your main gates moan
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
And then you're gone
Your name upon the door, the heartbreak's home
I make a call, you disconnect the phone
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
Reaching high, reaching high
My love was once a flame
Now I'm putting out the fire, with a pocket full of rain
Yea yea
I don't know why
you kept me hanging on all this time
I hear the drums on Radio Goodbye,
I watch the shadow dancing in the night, tonight
I see the car,
your hunter rides a silver Jaguar
And how I'd like a star before the sun.
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
Reaching high...
song performed by by Roxette
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Reaching High
I stand alone
On the street where I have walked you home alone
I see your house, I hear your main gates moan
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
And then youre gone
Your name upon the door, the heartbreaks home
I make a call, you disconnect the phone
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
Reaching high, reaching high
My love was once a flame
Now Im putting out the fire, with a pocket full of rain
Yea yea
I dont know why
You kept me hanging on all this time
I hear the drums on radio goodbye,
I watch the shadow dancing in the night, tonight
I see the car,
Your hunter rides a silver jaguar
And how Id like a star before the sun.
I watch two silhouettes turn into one
Reaching high...
song performed by by Roxette
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Sun Sets in Molten Gold
The sun sets in molten gold.
The evening clouds form a jade disk.
Where is he?
Dense white mist envelops the willows.
A sad flute plays “Falling Plum Blossoms.”
How many Spring days are left now?
This Feast of Lanterns should be joyful.
The weather is calm and lovely.
But who can tell if it
Will be followed by wind and rain?
poem by Li Ching Chao
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Blackjack Davey
1. black jack davey come a-riden on back,
A-whistlin loud and merry.
Made the woods around him ring,
And he charmed the heart of a lady,
Charmed the heart of a lady.
2. how old are you, my pretty little miss,
How old are you, my honey
She answered to him with a lovin smile
Ill be sixteen come sunday,
Be sixteen come sunday.
3. come and go with me, my pretty little miss,
Come and go with me, my honey,
Take you where the grass grows green,
You never will want for money
You never will want for money
4. pull off, pull off them high-heeled shoes
All made of spanish leather.
Get behind me on my horse
And well ride off together,
Well both go off together.
5. well, she pulled off them high-heeled shoes
Made of spanish leather.
Got behind him on his horse
And they rode off together.
They rode off together.
6. at night the boss came home
Inquiring about this lady.
The servant spoke before she thought,
Shes been with black jack dave,
Rode off with black jack davey.
7. well, saddle for me my coal black stud,
Hes speedier than the gray.
I rode all day and Ill ride all night,
And Ill overtake my lady.
Ill bring back my lady.
8. well, he rode all night till the broad daylight,
Till he came to a river ragin,
And there he spied his darlin bride
In the arms of black jack davey.
Wrapped up with black jack davey.
9. pull off, pull off them long blue gloves
All made of the finest leather.
Give to me your lily-white hand
And well both go home together.
Well both go home together.
10. well, she pulled off them long blue gloves
All made of the finest leather.
Gave to him her lily-white hand
And said good-bye forever.
Bid farewell forever.
11. would you forsake your house and home,
Would you forsake your baby?
Would you forsake your husband, too,
To go with black jack davey.
Rode off with black jack davey?
12. well, Ill forsake my house and home,
And Ill forsake my baby.
Ill forsake my husband, too,
For the love of black jack davey.
Ride off with black jack davey.
13. last night I slept in a feather bed
Between my husband and baby.
Tonight I lay on the river banks
In the arms of black jack davey,
Love my black jack davey.
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Way You Want It
From the shelter of your home
As you walk into the rain
Send a message that you know she'll hear
Though she's far away
Even though you have been wrong before
She'll hear now you
You know she will
But you don't know how
From the shelter of the rain
As you walk into the tube
As you think of how you wonder if
She thinks about you too
Even though you've waited so long to see the day
When she will turn to you again
So long my friend, is what you'll say
And I don't know why you feel so bad
Where is the life you once had?
And still this horrid feeling grows and grows
The way you want it to
Even though you've waited so long to see the day
When she will turn to you again
So long my friend, is what you'll say
And I don't know why you feel so bad
Where is the life you once had?
And still this horrid feeling grows and grows
The way you want it to
You're a fool though, why you feel so bad
Where is the life you once had?
And still this hollow feeling grows and grows
The way you want it to
song performed by by Keane
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Eastern Rain
Rain comes from the east one night
We watch it come
To hang like beaded curtains
Till the morning sun
Water dripping from our clothes
You with raindrops on your nose
Ask me sadly please dont go away now.
Till the rain is done, I say
Ill stay now.
Rain outside but inside we dont mind at all
Shadows by the fire slowly climb and fall
Kisses fade and leave no trace
Whispers vanish into space
The dawn will send me on a chase to nowhere
Why cry as if I were the first to go there
And I know I shouldnt be here
Yes, I know I should go home
But that eastern rain drones in my brain
And Im so all alone, so all alone
Morning comes up from the east
We watch it come
And far away now rolls the ancient rain gods drum
You with daybreak in your eyes
Afraid to speak for telling lies
I watch you search for some reply to lend me
But when the rain is done
Theres no pretending
And I know I shouldnt be here
Yes, I know I should go home
But that eastern rain drones in my brain
And Im so all alone, so all alone
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rowers Chant
Row till the land dip 'neath
The sea from view.
Row till a land peep up,
A home for you.
Row till the mast sing songs
Welcome and sweet.
Row till the waves, out-stripped,
Give up dead beat.
Row till the sea-nymphs rise
To ask you why
Rowing you tarry not
To hear them sigh.
Row till the stars grow bright
Like certain eyes.
Row till the noon be high
As hopes you prize.
Row till you harbour in
All longing's port.
Row till you find all things
For which you sought.
poem by Thomas Sturge Moore
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Rower's Chant
ROW till the land dip 'neath
The sea from view.
Row till a land peep up,
A home for you.
Row till the mast sing songs
Welcome and sweet,
Row till the waves, outstripped,
Give up, dead beat.
Row till the sea-nymphs rise
To ask you why
Rowing you tarry not
To hear them sigh.
Row till the stars grow bright
Like certain eyes.
Row till the noon be high
As hopes you prize.
Row till you harbour in
All longing's port.
Row till you find all things
For which you sought.
poem by Thomas Sturge Moore
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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That Quick Little Brown Dog
that quick little brown dog
jumps over the fence
near the bank of the river,
it is not your dog,
but you happen to be there when it
jumped,
over the fence near the bank of the river
into the river
that deep river with a overrunning
of the water
the dog was struggling to swim back
to the safety of the bank
but it failed and the dog was taken away
by the river and
it was gone,
you wonder why until now you think about that
dead dog
it is not yours but it sticks to your mind
as though it is yours
somehow you think as though you own it
and that you feel so painful about such loss
and you cannot sleep
and then you dream about that quick little brown dog
that drowned
it is barking so hard trying to be alive again
you wake up
with lots of cold sweat
somehow you think again
inside that dream
the face of the quick little brown dog
that jumped over the fence
into the deep river
is yours.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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We to Sigh Instead of Sing
"Rain and Rain! and rain and rain!"
Yesterday we muttered
Grimly as the grim refrain
That the thunders uttered:
All the heavens under cloud --
All the sunshine sleeping;
All the grasses limply bowed
With their weight of weeping.
Sigh and sigh! and sigh and sigh!
Never end of sighing;
Rain and rain for our reply --
Hopes half-drowned and dying;
Peering through the window-pane,
Naught but endless raining --
Endless sighing, and, as vain,
Endlessly conmplaining.
Shine and shine! and shine and shine!
Ah! to-day the splendor!--
All this glory yours and mine --
God! but God is tender!
We to sigh instead of sing,
Yesterday in sorrow,
While the lord was fashioning
This for our To-morrow!
poem by James Whitcomb Riley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Black Jack Davey
Black jack davey come running all night
Whistling loud and merry
he pray the bells around him ring, and shone the heart of a lady,
Shone the heart of a lady
How old are you my pretty little miss, how old are you my honey
She answered him with a loving smile: I'll be sixteen on sunday
Said I'll be sixteen on sunday
Come and go with me my pretty little miss, come and go with me my honey
I'll take you where the grass grows green, and you never will want for money
said you never will want for money
HOI
(guitars)
Pull off pull off your long blue gloves made of spanish leather
give to me your lilly-white hand, and we'll ride on together
Said we'll both ride on together
Well she pulled off her long blue gloves made of spanish leather
And gave to him her lilly-white hand and bid farewell forever
And they both rode off together
Well late last night the boss came home, enquiring bout his lady
The servant spoke: before she'd gone, she'd been with black jack davey
Rode off with black jack davey
Come on come on my coal black horse, your speedier than the grey
We'll ride all day and ride all night and we'll overtake my lady
I'll overtake my lady
Well they rode all night till the broad daylight, when they came to a river raging......
(slower) And there he spied his darling bride, in the arms of black jack davey
Wrapped up with black jack davey
(guitars)
Would you forsake your house and home, would you forsake your baby?
would you forsake your husband too, to go with black jack davey
Run off with blacck jack davey
(sort of shouting) yes i'll forsake my house and home, yes i'll forsake my baby
And i'll forsake my husband too, to go with black jack davey
I'm in love with black jack davey
Oooh (quietly)
GUITARS
Last night i slept on a feather bed, between my husband and baby
And now I lay on the river bed, in the arms of black jack davey
I'm in love with black jack davey.....
END!
song performed by by White Stripes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Shaky Lady
Sally Ann designs the clothes
That she models on the concrete,
Moving her backwards
Down a one way street.
Home Sweet Home
For the beggar gypsy
Is where she counts your money
in her Penthouse suite
Watch her tremble
as you pass her by
Reaching for your sympathy
in clever disguise.
Contradiction in perception
Is her specialty
What she isn't
is exactly
what she appears to be
Her pitiful illusion
will only rob you blind
As she drinks champagne
from her brown bag of lies
Watch her quiver
till she reaches the door
to the life of luxury
you're paying for
Shaky Lady
You're making me old
Shaky Lady
Are you really that cold?
What ever happened to your honesty?
What made your pride
Turn into greed?
Shaky Lady
Everybody knows
Your hands only want
What our pocket books hold.
You bank on our emotion
So you can wear gold
Shaky Lady
You're making me old.
poem by Shelley Buffitt
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Berkshires in April
It is not Spring -- not yet --
But at East Schaghticoke I saw an ivory birch
Lifting a filmy red mantle of knotted buds
Above the rain-washed whiteness of her arms.
It is not Spring -- not yet --
But at Hoosick Falls I saw a robin strutting,
Thin, still, and fidgety,
Not like the puffed, complacent ball of feathers
That dawdles over the cidery Autumn loam.
It is not Spring -- not yet --
But up the stocky Pownal hills
Some springy shrub, a scarlet gash on the grayness,
Climbs, flaming, over the melting snows.
It is not Spring -- not yet --
But at Williamstown the willows are young and golden,
Their tall tips flinging the sun's rays back at him;
And as the sun drags over the Berkshire crests,
The willows glow, the scarlet bushes burn,
The high hill birches shine like purple plumes,
A royal headdress for the brow of Spring.
It is the doubtful, unquiet end of Winter,
And Spring is pulsing out of the wakening soil.
poem by Clement Wood
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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On the Boundary
I Love the ancient boundary-fence,
That mouldering chock-and-log.
When I go ride the boundary
I let the old horse jog
And take his pleasure in and out
Where the sandalwood grows dense,
And tender pines clasp hands across
The log that tops the fence.
’Tis pleasant on the boundary-fence,
These sultry summer days;
A mile away, outside the scrub,
The plain is all ablaze,
The sheep are panting on the camps,
The heat is so intense;
But here the shade is cool and sweet
Along the boundary-fence.
I love to loaf along the fence,
So does my collie dog,
He often finds a spotted cat
Hid in a hollow log;
He’s very near as old as I
And ought to have more sense,
I’ve hammered him so many times
Along the boundary-fence.
My mother says that boundary fence
Must surely be bewitched;
The old man says that through that fence
The neighbours are enriched;
It’s always down, and through the gaps
Our stock all get them hence,
I takes me half my time to watch
The doings of that fence.
But should you seek the reason
You won’t travel very far,
’Tis there a mile away among
The murmuring Belar:
The Jones’s block joins on to ours,
And so, in consequence,
It’s part of Polly’s work to ride
Their side the boundary-fence.
poem by Barcroft Henry Thomas Boake
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Signs
All night I dreamed of my home,
of the roads that are so long
and straight they die in the middle—
among the spines of elderly weeds
on either side, among the dead cats,
the ants who are all eyes, the suitcase
thrown open, sprouting failures.
2.
And this evening in the garden
I find the winter
inside a snail shell, rigid and
cool, a little stubborn temple,
its one visitor gone.
3.
If there were messages or signs,
I might hear now a voice tell me
to walk forever, to ask
the mold for pardon, and one
by one I would hear out my sins,
hear they are not important—that I am
part of this rain
drumming its long fingers, and
of the roadside stone refusing
to blink, and of the coyote
nailed to the fence with its
long grin.
And when there are no messages
the dead lie still—
their hands crossed so strangely
like knives and forks after supper.
4.
I stay up late listening.
My feet tap the floor,
they begin a tiny dance
which will outlive me.
They turn away from this poem.
It is almost Spring.
poem by Larry Levis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Song at Weicheng
A morning-rain has settled the dust in Weicheng;
Willows are green again in the tavern dooryard...
Wait till we empty one more cup –
West of Yang Gate there'll be no old friends.
poem by Wang Wei, translated by Witter Bynner
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Ma Lady's Lips Am Like De Honey
(Negro Love Song)
Breeze a-sighin' and a-blowin',
Southern summer night.
Stars a-gleamin' and a-glowin',
Moon jes shinin' right.
Strollin', like all lovers do,
Down de lane wid Lindy Lou;
Honey on her lips to waste;
'Speck I'm gwine to steal a taste.
Oh, ma lady's lips am like de honey,
Ma lady's lips am like de rose;
An' I'm jes like de little bee a-buzzin'
'Round de flower wha' de nectah grows.
Ma lady's lips dey smile so temptin',
Ma lady's teeth so white dey shine,
Oh, ma lady's lips so tantalizin',
Ma lady's lips so close to mine.
Bird a-whistlin' and a-swayin'
In de live-oak tree;
Seems to me he keeps a-sayin',
'Kiss dat gal fo' me.'
Look heah, Mister Mockin' Bird,
Gwine to take you at yo' word;
If I meets ma Waterloo,
Gwine to blame it all on you.
Oh, ma lady's lips am like de honey,
Ma lady's lips am like de rose;
An' I'm jes like de little bee a-buzzin'
'Round de flower wha' de nectah grows.
Ma lady's lips dey smile so temptin',
Ma lady's teeth so white dey shine,
Oh, ma lady's lips so tantalizin',
Ma lady's lips so close to mine.
Honey in de rose, I spose, is
Put der fo' de bee;
Honey on her lips, I knows, is
Put der jes fo' me.
Seen a sparkle in her eye,
Heard her heave a little sigh;
Felt her kinder squeeze ma han',
'Nuff to make me understan'.
poem by James Weldon Johnson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Peacock
A pleasant stroll,
The peacock takes
On its way back,
Each evening.
The sun has set;
The moon has come;
The air is cool;
’Tis twilight time!
The peacock walks
Effortlessly,
Amongst house-sites,
On lanes of own.
All through the way,
It feeds on leaves
That sprouted new,
A few days’ old!
A feast to eyes
Of young and old,
The peacock runs
On seeing men.
A hardy bird
With colored plumes
That gives its stroll,
A majesty.
Across the fence,
Over the bush,
It gently flies,
If need should rise.
It makes no noise,
On way back home;
It has walked miles
Unknowingly!
No snake dare near
The alert bird
That wards off foes
By flying low.
And when it’s dawn,
The dancing starts
On terraces,
As pea-hens watch!
The national bird
Of India,
Is protected:
‘So, please don’t kill! ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 3-6-2010
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The White Lily
By the river bank
The frogs croak and caress
Hoping along the river bank
From here to there
At a distant
The swallows twitter with fondness
The lilies rupture with the morning sun
The water reeds sway
As the wind blows along
The river bank
But yet....i feel lost
In this scenery of dexteric desires
I feel caught in lifes pedestals
Tender steps i make....
Along the river bank...
Lilies..
The white lily...
That symbolise
The purity of those souls
Enmeshed in lovesframe
The white lily
That symbolise
The fire that burns within circles
The white lily that symbolises
Long lost desires
Re-invented and rejuvenated
In this river of dexteric desires
The white lily
So white...so pure...
By the river bank
I watch the white lily float and dance
Along the river waters
Their is tenderness in the river
The fishes swim with tenderness
The waters flowing
With a lovers moan
Rythmic drums can be heard from afar
Magic everywhere
I sit and stare at the white lily
With a longing yen....
By the river bank.
poem by Jack Shaka
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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