It is not our enemies that threaten us, but our own failings.
aphorism by Valeriu Butulescu from Immensity of the Point, translated by Eva A. Ziem
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
My Failings Are My Own
My failings are my own
I don't blame it any one
Take responsibility as one would say
But it doesn't just die there
For I do not live in despair
My failings are my own
long ago the seeds were sewn
And now a plant grow.
A weed just maybe.
But watch as the most beautiful blooms
It is just early to assume
My failings are my own
No victim here
Their is no hiding and trying just disappear
I won't shed a single tear
For life is to short to cry over spilled milk
Watch as I weave my own pretty silk
My failing are my own
So if I'm all alone
I'm still warm
I got a place to call home
The calmness before the storm
The order before the chaos
My failings are my own
I accept it
I'm for no reject
Its not trick
I carry no special trinket
luck wishing is as well wishing
And that's a place I don't want t go fishing
For My failing are my own
Their was no clone
I did it, as I always have
Its already so long past
time ticking by so fast
The failures could never forever last
I say again
Repeated within
My failings are own
I need no scapegoat
I need not hide behind a moat
For my failings are my own
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The only foes that threaten America are the enemies at home, and these are ignorance, superstition and incompetence.
quote by Elbert Hubbard
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
To the Past
Now that he has gone,
credit him for our boldness.
Forgive him for his failings-
he feared he wasn't right.
Let's hope a bolder future
will too forgive our failings,
credit how we shone
to give him greater boldness-
and fears he too is wrong.
poem by Douglas Scotney
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
To threaten the institution is to threaten fair administration of justice and protection of liberty.
quote by Stephen Breyer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
How else can one threaten, other than with death? The interesting, the original thing, would be to threaten someone with immortality.
quote by Jorge Luis Borges
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Spanish | In Romanian
Dictators must have enemies. They must have internal enemies to justify their secret police and external enemies to justify their military forces.
quote by Richard Perle
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Finally I Know Who My Enemy Is...
i am armored
on my hand is the sharpest sword
i am ready for battle
to kill the enemies
your enemies
when i am about to win
and stab the victim
you are there running
towards me
asking that i be forgiving
your enemies are spared
and they all laugh at me
my armor is rusty now
my sword not as sharp as i
once held it
now you have enemies again
asking that i go to battle
who are you? i am not stupid anymore.
Use other mercenaries
and if there is now
Go, fight yourself, and have yourself killed
so i can offer you flowers
for the dead
so i can for once rest and smile
and tell myself
i am free and i work for no one anymore.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Enemies of the Peace
Enemies of the peace
Are not consecrating the life
Tampering with the nature
Crucifying the childhood
On the sidewalks
Burying the chastity
In the brothels
Killing the light
Before coming the dark
Enemies of the peace
Adoring the wars
Kissing the poverty
Dreaming with the famines
Clapping for catastrophes
Destroying everything
Schools
Hospitals
Synagogues
Churches
Mosques
Temples
Enemies of the peace
They want to uproot feelings
To extinguish the flaming longing
In the hearts
And burn the growing yearning
In depths of humans
Enemies of the peace
Robbing the dreams
Jailing the tears
Deforming the colors
Crushing the flowers
Turning off the hope
Enemies of the peace
Not knowing the love
Not appreciating the values
Not believing in the peace
poem by Naji Almurisi
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Reflected In Their Mirrors Hiding
They've decided to create their own enemies.
And with this collective belief,
They organized with faithful followers.
And today no one can say,
What their true accomplishments have been.
Since those they had once delared their enemies,
Have successfully proven...
However they were depicted and regarded,
Had nothing to do with their achievements...
That have no end to them.
And...
Unaffected by those it seems,
Who treasure character assassinations.
And those still insisting they have their enemies...
On a list insisting this,
Have yet to see them identified...
Although they are clearly reflected,
In their mirrors hiding behind lies and disguises.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Those In Positions Of Power
Those in positions of power have friends and quite a few
But to say they too have enemies is not saying anything that's new
Enemies through jealousy or enemies otherwise
That power does bring to one friends and enemies does come as no surprise
Those with power in the first place have this great desire to lead
You cannot be a leader if power you do not need
Nothing wrong with those who have power if they use it in the proper way
Though abuse of power we hear of and read of every day
Crimes against humanity in the Human World have never been rare
Even in recent human history of such we are aware
The despotic perpetrators we know of why mention them by name
Sinces their names not worthy of mention due to their despicable acts of shame
And yes those in positions of power are only there because there they wish to be
Such is obvious to everyone and that includes you and me.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated.
quote by Barack Obama
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The bombers were enemies of Islam and enemies of the country. We will do everything and anything needed to stop them.
quote by Khaleda Zia
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sonnet-Give Me More Patience, Lord
Give me my patience Lord, give me some more;
The world denies the fairness that I seek;
And on the contrary, they hurt me sore,
Of mind and heart that is lamb-like and meek.
Give me my patience Lord, against my foe;
He irks me more, the humbler I become;
And every day, he gives me greater woe;
I've got to make my body and skin, numb!
Give me more patience Lord, I need some more;
My enemies unite to threaten me;
My heart has never revenge in its core;
They will not let me be, what I must be.
Give me more patience Lord, I ask for more;
I pray you open me another door.
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I have no trouble with my enemies. I can take care of my enemies all right. But my damn friends...They're the ones that keep me walking the floor nights
quote by Warren Gamaliel Harding
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Next Step
Slow but sure!
And i am not afraid of anything;
But all along with the raid on my life by my enemies.
I have to be very careful for my next step out,
And i have go slowly to outwit them;
For all around me are my enemies!
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Noon Walk On The Asylum Lawn
The summer sun ray
shifts through a suspicious tree.
though I walk through the valley of the shadow
It sucks the air
and looks around for me.
The grass speaks.
I hear green chanting all day.
I will fear no evil, fear no evil
The blades extend
and reach my way.
The sky breaks.
It sags and breathes upon my face.
In the presence of mine enemies, mine enemies
The world is full of enemies.
There is no safe place.
poem by Anne Sexton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Our constitutional liberties shall not be sacrificed in our search for greater security, for that is what our enemies and all enemies of freedom and democracy hope to achieve.
quote by Tammy Baldwin
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Doing One or The Other
Do not 'threaten' with promises,
To move and go away.
Do it!
Your perception will be enhanced.
You will know who misses you and why.
You will know the value of your opinions.
And that influence you believe you have achieved,
Over others?
Sit and wait by your telephone,
To hear how much you are endeared!
Do not 'threaten' with promises,
To move and go away.
Do it!
Your perception will be enhanced.
You will either perceive yourself,
As being an overused convenience.
Or you will quit leaving yourself voicemail...
To test an underused answering service.
Doing one or the other will snap you into reality.
And dramatically your thoughts will change.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Truth, The New Terrorist Threat!
they're macing unarmed
female protesters in new york city....
whose freedom did they threaten?
whose do you threaten?
in the land of the free
and the home of the brave,
truth has become the new
terrorist threat!
we stand on the cliff
overlooking now and tomorrow...
will we dare to leap?
will we dare to get involved?
there wont be a tomorrow
if we dont!
the true cost of freedom
is living in a way that
demands freedom,
by your words and
by your actions!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!