The Lion For Real
"Soyez muette pour moi, Idole contemplative..."
I came home and found a lion in my living room
Rushed out on the fire escape screaming Lion! Lion!
Two stenographers pulled their brunnette hair and banged the window shut
I hurried home to Patterson and stayed two days
Called up old Reichian analyst
who'd kicked me out of therapy for smoking marijuana
'It's happened' I panted 'There's a Lion in my living room'
'I'm afraid any discussion would have no value' he hung up
I went to my old boyfriend we got drunk with his girlfriend
I kissed him and announced I had a lion with a mad gleam in my eye
We wound up fighting on the floor I bit his eyebrow he kicked me out
I ended up masturbating in his jeep parked in the street moaning 'Lion.'
Found Joey my novelist friend and roared at him 'Lion!'
He looked at me interested and read me his spontaneous ignu high poetries
I listened for lions all I heard was Elephant Tiglon Hippogriff Unicorn
Ants
But figured he really understood me when we made it in Ignaz Wisdom's
bathroom.
But next day he sent me a leaf from his Smoky Mountain retreat
'I love you little Bo-Bo with your delicate golden lions
But there being no Self and No Bars therefore the Zoo of your dear Father
hath no lion
You said your mother was mad don't expect me to produce the Monster for
your Bridegroom.'
Confused dazed and exalted bethought me of real lion starved in his stink
in Harlem
Opened the door the room was filled with the bomb blast of his anger
He roaring hungrily at the plaster walls but nobody could hear outside
thru the window
My eye caught the edge of the red neighbor apartment building standing in
deafening stillness
We gazed at each other his implacable yellow eye in the red halo of fur
Waxed rhuemy on my own but he stopped roaring and bared a fang
greeting.
I turned my back and cooked broccoli for supper on an iron gas stove
boilt water and took a hot bath in the old tup under the sink board.
He didn't eat me, tho I regretted him starving in my presence.
Next week he wasted away a sick rug full of bones wheaten hair falling out
enraged and reddening eye as he lay aching huge hairy head on his paws
by the egg-crate bookcase filled up with thin volumes of Plato, & Buddha.
Sat by his side every night averting my eyes from his hungry motheaten
face
stopped eating myself he got weaker and roared at night while I had
nightmares
Eaten by lion in bookstore on Cosmic Campus, a lion myself starved by
Professor Kandisky, dying in a lion's flophouse circus,
I woke up mornings the lion still added dying on the floor--'Terrible
Presence!'I cried'Eat me or die!'
It got up that afternoon--walked to the door with its paw on the south wall to
steady its trembling body
Let out a soul-rending creak from the bottomless roof of his mouth
thundering from my floor to heaven heavier than a volcano at night in
Mexico
Pushed the door open and said in a gravelly voice "Not this time Baby--
but I will be back again."
Lion that eats my mind now for a decade knowing only your hunger
Not the bliss of your satisfaction O roar of the universe how am I chosen
In this life I have heard your promise I am ready to die I have served
Your starved and ancient Presence O Lord I wait in my room at your
Mercy.
poem by Allen Ginsberg
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Related quotes
Making The Lion For All It's Got -- A Ballad
I came home and found a lion in my room...
[First draft of "The Lion for Real" CP 174-175]
A lion met America
in the road
they stared at each other
two figures on the crossroads in the desert.
America screamed
The lion roared
They leaped at each other
America desperate to win
Fighting with bombs, flamethrowers,
knives forks submarines.
The lion ate America, bit off her head
and loped off to the golden hills
that's all there is to say
about america except
that now she's
lionshit all over the desert.
poem by Allen Ginsberg
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The Frog and the Lion
A LITTLE FROG WENT OUT ONE DAY
TO HAVE A FROGGIE WALK,
HE SAW A LION ON HIS WAY
AND STOPPED TO HAVE A TALK.
AND THEN THE LION SAID TO HIM,
THERE’S FLIES UPON MY BACK,
AND I AM FEELING PRETTY GRIM
WHILE STANDING IN THIS TRACK.
SO IF YOU CLIMB ABOARD MY FRIEND,
YOU’LL HAVE A LOVELY FEED,
I’LL FLICK MY TAIL SO I CAN SEND
THE FLIES TO FILL YOUR NEED.
SO FROGGIE CLIMED ON LION’S BACK
AND ATE AND ATE AND ATE,
AND LION STOOD UPON THE TRACK
TO WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT.
ONE DAY LION LOOKED AT FROG
AND SAW HIS EYES WERE DIM,
THEN LET HIM DOWN INTO THE BOG
SO HE COULD HAVE A SWIM.
AND THEN THE FROG CAME BACK AGAIN
THE LION TO ATTEND.
HE CLIMBED BACK IN THE LIONS MANE,
THE LION WAS HIS FRIEND.
AS TIME WENT BY THE FROG GOT FAT.
AND LION WAITED ON.
THEN FROG WAS EATEN BY THAT CAT,
AND SO THE FROG WAS GONE.
THE FROGGIE IN THE LION,
JUST SCHRIVLED RIGHT AWAY.
THE FROG WAS FULL OF POISON.
THE LION DIED THAT DAY.
THE MORAL OF THIS STORY.
IS TWOFOLD, LISTEN ON.
JUST BE VERY CAREFULL,
BEFORE YOUR DAYS ARE GONE.
CHOOSE YOU VERY WISELY
THE FRIENDS WITH WHOM YOU GREET.
AND DON’T BE LIKE THE LION.
BE CAREFULL WHAT YOU EAT
poem by George Savige
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Bias
even when the lion
smiles at us
we still withhold
confidence
even if the lion is
sincere
and does not think of
evil
like eating all of us
as prey
we always think of
the worst
even if it is just a picture
of the lion
smiling at us
we still suspect
that this can be a trap
another deception
a lion is a lion is a lion
and will always be lion
no matter what
as simple as that
ask the wind
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Dead Lion
Lion died
And dead lion
Came to me crying
Dead lion wanted to know
so many thing about life.
I am not here
To told about
Lion's history
Or geography of the area
Where lion was.
Dead lion
I found within
My house my country
Lion was enchanted
on the scene here
Even after death
That much I knew.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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Lion
LION
A MAN WALKED DOWN A LONELY AVENUE AND SUDDENLY HE SAW A LION! HE RAN OFF SHOUTING AT THE TOP OF HIS VOICE! LION! LION! !
AND A MAN SITTING AT A CORNER KIOSK HEARD HIM SHOUTING LION! LION! ! AS HE RAN PAST THE CORNER KIOSK! WHAT A WAY TO CALL TO THY PET! I ALSO HAVE A DOG NAMED TIGER! STATED THE MAN!
poem by Overlord Don Manuel Ihcakeyno
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(I'm A) Mean Ole Lion
(Charlie Smalls)
Say what you wanna
But I'm here to stay
'Cause I'm a mean ole lion
You can go where you're gonna
But don't get in my way
I'm a mean ole lion
You'll be standing in a draft
If you don't hear me laugh
And if you happen to come around
Well, you best not make me frown
For I just might knock you down
I'm a mean ole lion
You know I'm ready to fight
And turn your day into night
'Cause I'm a mean ole lion
If you're half bright
You'll detour to the right
From a mean ole lion
All you strangers better beware
This is the king of the jungle here
And if I happen to let you slide
Don't just stand here
Run and hide
You just caught my better side
I'm a mean ole lion
Look,
You better beware
This is the king of the jungle here
And if I happen to let you slide
Don't stand here
Run and hide
You just caught my better side
I'm a mean ole lion
I'm a mean ole lion
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mean Ole Lion
(charlie smalls)
Say what you wanna
But i'm here to stay
'cause i'm a mean ole lion
You can go where you're gonna
But don't get in my way
I'm a mean ole lion
You'll be standing in a draft
If you don't hear me laugh
And if you happen to come around
Well, you best not make me frown
For i just might knock you down
I'm a mean ole lion
You know i'm ready to fight
And turn your day into night
'cause i'm a mean ole lion
If you're half bright
You'll detour to the right
From a mean ole lion
All you strangers better beware
This is the king of the jungle here
And if i happen to let you slide
Don't just stand here
Run and hide
You just caught my better side
I'm a mean ole lion
Look,
You better beware
This is the king of the jungle here
And if i happen to let you slide
Don't stand here
Run and hide
You just caught my better side
I'm a mean ole lion
I'm a mean ole lion
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Lion Of Love
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
So much to say
So much to time and space
I said it load and clear
Plot and make my case
I put it into rhythm
Sculpt it into rhyme
Wrap my secrets in a melody
Fire it at the fortress of your mind
And if after all I sing
You dont believe a thing
Thats alright
We got all night
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Use my heart
Use my hands
Use me any way you can
Calling down the lion of love
So much trouble in the world
So much pain
Ive heard it all before
Ill hear it again
But Im trying to imagine
A world transformed by love
Open up my minds eye
And let the pictures flood
Imagine that its real
What does it look like, how does it feel
Hold the vision
Bring it down, spread it around
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Use my vision
Use my voice
Ive had a vision
And Ive made my choice
Calling down the lion of love
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Lion Of Love
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
So much to say
So much to time and space
I said it load and clear
Plot and make my case
I put it into rhythm
Sculpt it into rhyme
Wrap my secrets in a melody
Fire it at the fortress of your mind
And if after all I sing
You dont believe a thing
Thats alright
We got all night
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Use my heart
Use my hands
Use me any way you can
Calling down the lion of love
So much trouble in the world
So much pain
Ive heard it all before
Ill hear it again
But Im trying to imagine
A world transformed by love
Open up my minds eye
And let the pictures flood
Imagine that its real
What does it look like, how does it feel
Hold the vision
Bring it down, spread it around
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Calling down the lion of love
Use me
Use my vision
Use my voice
Ive had a vision
And Ive made my choice
Calling down the lion of love
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Leroy the Lion
leroy the lion was toothless,
every elephant
giraffe parrrot and snake,
found this hilarious.
he would walk through the thick forest,
trying to look scary and mean,
he would open his wide gummy mouth,
but no animal would scream,
he really was the worst lion ever,
he was as harmless as a feather.
monkeys would throw coconuts at his weary head,
sid the snake would slither up his large lion leg,
and whisper cruel words into his ear,
and alone in his den he would release big lion tears,
then one day,
a friendly wise owl,
heard the lions sad meow,
down he flew to see the lonely lion,
the lion told the owl of his plight,
'dont worry leroy your soon cause a fright',
off his flew to brew up a plan,
just like wise owls always can.
soon he returned with a set of lions teeth,
rubbing them clean with a giant leaf,
'where did you get these dear owl'
from your dead cousin,
poor fool was crushed by a stampede of cow,
wont be needing these now,
so leroy the lion,
placed the teeth in his big eager mouth,
and roared a loud scary roar,
he thanked the owl,
and soon saw sid the sly snake,
opened his mouth,
and sid did shake,
slivering off into his hole,
then he saw the cheeky monkey,
who on sight of the lions new teeth,
screamed and run up his tree,
and from that day on,
the lion ruled strong,
he was the king of the jungle,
and this is his song
poem by Not Long Left
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Were I A Lion King
Were I a lion king of the pride how proud a lion I'd be
To think that other lions for miles around are very scared of me
In the stillness of the African night I would roar aggressively
I would not be kind to other lions or in ways act neighbourly
Of the prey the lionesses did kill I would be first to eat
The other members of the pride would have to wait for their share of the meat
The male lion who has compassion will never rule a pride
Of any honour in his life by his attitude self denied
If I were a lion king of the pride the lionesses for me would kill the prey
But if's an obstacle that always does get in the way
Human beings need some aggression in life for to succeed
The timid like the timid lion are not destined to lead
Were I a lion king in the African night I'd give a mighty roar
That would be heard by other lions for two miles distant or more.
poem by Francis Duggan
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A Lion’s Roar (Fun Poem 36)
They say a lion’s roar
can be heard five miles away.
Therefore, if you wake up one night,
and you hear a lion’s roar,
which is completely different
from the old man’s snore.
Don’t panic, the lion could be,
at least five miles away.
Then on the other hand,
maybe you should panic,
the lion could actually be
only five minutes away.
13 August 2007
poem by David Harris
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Be A Lion
(charlie smalls)
There is a place well go
Where there is mostly quiet
Flowers and butterflies
A rainbow lives beside it
And from a velvet sky
A summer storm
You can feel the coolness in the air
But youre still warm
And then a mighty roar
Will start the sky to cryin
But not even lightning
Will be frightening my lion
And with no fear inside
No need to run
No need to hide
Youre standing strong and tall
Youre the bravest of them all
If on courage you must call
Then just keep on tryin
And tryin, and tryin
Youre a lion
In your own way, be a lion
Come on be a lion
I am standing strong and tall
Youre the bravest of them all
If on courage you must call
Keep on tryin
And tryin, and tryin
Im a lion
In my own way
Im a lion
A lion
A lion
A lion
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cant Tame The Lion
In the midst of a dream I swear I saw you... standing there
In a sea of emotion with faithful devotion... you were there
In heat of the night under the street lights... once again
At the edge of the fire for the love of the jungle... again and again, oh yeah
They cant tame the lion
Cant tame the lion
They cant tame the lion
One night in detroit, yes I swear I saw you... standing there
In a summer of dreams down by the river... you were there
I remember... its all so clear
In the midst of a dream, yes I swear I say you... standing there
They cant tame the lion
Cant tame the lion
They cant tame the lion
In the midst of a dream I swear I saw you... standing there
In a sea of emotion with faithful devotion... you were there
I remember... its all so clear
In the embers of reckless years
In the midst of a dream I swear I saw you... standing there
They cant tame the lion
Cant tame the lion
They cant tame the lion
At the edge of the fire, for the love of the jungle
They cant tame the lion
Cant tame the lion
They cant tame the lion
song performed by by Journey
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lion In The Winter
Lion in my winter.
Im a lion with no crown.
You wanna make me big man , a star on a screen.
Some kind of james brown or something in between.
But when I ask for money you smother me in charms.
I cant live on glory when your bendin both my arms.
I , I was a lion in winter.
And man I had friends for miles around.
I was a lion in my winter.
What goods a lion lord, without a crown.
Youre living in a cave man ,upon your marble throne.
You think you own the heavens, but youve got to be alone.
You know I prayed for sunshine, a woman with my name.
I dont want to live man, you gave away the game.
I, I was a lion in winter.
And man I had friends for miles around.
I was a lion in my winter.
What goods a lion lord , without a crown.
(repeat last verse and fade out )
song performed by by Bee Gees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sudden Things
A storm was coming, that was why it was dark. The wind was blowing the fronds of the palm trees off. They were maples. I looked out the window across the big lawn. The house was huge, full of children and old people. The lion was loose. Either because of the wind, or by malevolent human energy, which is the same thing, the cage had come open. Suppose a child walked outside!
A child walked outside. I knew that I must protect him from the lion. I threw myself on top of the child. The lion roared over me. In the branches and the bushes there was suddenly a loud crackling. The lion cringed. I looked up and saw that the elephant was loose!
The elephant was taller than the redwoods. He was hairy like a mammoth. His tusks trailed vines. Parrots screeched around his head. His eyes rolled crazily. He trumpeted. The ice-cap was breaking up!
The lion backed off, whining. The boy ran for the house. I covered his retreat, locked all the doors and pulled the bars across them. An old lady tried to open a door to get a better look. I spoke sharply to her, she sat down grumbling and pulled a blanket over her knees.
Out of the window I saw zebras and rattlesnakes and wildebeests and cougars and woodchucks on the lawns and in the tennis courts. I worried how, after the storm, we would put the animals back in their cages, and get to the mainland.
poem by Donald Hall
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Unless Something Has Sprung It
Will the lion roar in forest without any reason? !
Unless it has a prey;
Does a trap spring up out on the earth on its own?
Unless something has sprung it;
But this lion has roared and, who is ready to hear it?
Two legs from the jaws of the lion,
And like your beds and couches;
But the winter houses and the summer houses are closer to you,
For the kings of the lands have fallen like water upon the face of the earth.
The prudent are silent like a raiser of naked sheep!
For there is no end to the treasure of man on this earth;
But where are the dwelling places of the lions?
Plunder the gold, the silver and the bronze! !
And like the whoredom of the seductive harlots;
But trample the mortar and give me hope,
And go to the clay pits and tell me more!
For the lion has roared and, who is ready to hear it?
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Sealion Ii
Would you like to see my lion
My friend cecil is damp and smooth
A damp smooth sea lion
Yes, cecil is a sea lion
(cecil is a sea lion)
Cecil is a clever sea lion
Cecil sometimes swims
And often sits
(and balances multicolored striped balls? )
Yes, balances multicolored striped balls
Clever cecil
(cecil is a sea lion)
Cecil the sea lion is serene
He doesnt wear spectacles or a scarf
(no central heating or cement)
Well [but? ] the whole ocean is cecils home
(cecil is a sea lion)
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Am The Lion
There was a flood and many poor men were killed.
And that is why our house is built on the top of a hill.
The plains are like a friend, why can't we live on them?
And if a flood should come, why can't we run?
I am the lion, bellowing out in the night.
We had a cow, I left it alone to graze.
And walked to the stream and when I returned, it was stolen away.
But now the cow is gone and we don't need a farm.
We have not one thing they
would steal away.
I am the lion bellowing out at the night.
I am the lion bellowing out at the night.
I am......the lion.
song performed by by Neil Diamond
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Lion in The Corner of My Room
There is a lion
in the corner of my room
He roars viciously
aggressively
But I am not scared
His presence
confusing
So with curiosity
I stare
As a boy
I am comfortable
with this midnight lion
with this teacher
who teaches:
'In life threatening danger,
to lose your life
should not be a
care.'
He roars a extraordinary truth
that I am extraordinary myself
Who else would accept his presence
in the corner of their room?
I am a man now
But I can still remember
that childhood friend
And I hope
when I sleep
I'll encounter
The Lion
in the corner of my room
once again
poem by Justin Tallman Gonzalez
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