True Tenderness
True tenderness is silent
and can't be mistaken for anything else.
In vain with earnest desire
you cover my shoulders with fur;
In vain you try to persuade me
of the merits of first love.
But I know too well the meaning
of your persistent burning glances.
poem by Anna Akhmatova

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Related quotes

In Vain
The stars in the sky
In vain
The tragedy of Hamlet
In vain
The key in the lock
In vain
The sleeping mother
In vain
The lamp in the corner
In vain
The lamp in the corner unlit
In vain
Abraham Lincoln
In vain
The Aztec empire
In vain
The writing hand: in vain
(The shoetrees in the shoes
In vain
The windowshade string upon
the hand bible
In vain—
The glitter of the greenglass
ashtray
In vain
The bear in the woods
In vain
The Life of Buddha
In vain)
poem by Jack Kerouac

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Now Kind Now Coy Wth How Much Change
Now kind now coy wth how much change
You feed my fierce desire
As if to more extravagance
Youd manage up the fire
In vain if this your meaning be
In vain you use these wayes
Tis æqually as hard for me
To love you more as less
To other nymphs bequeath yr arts
Whose eyes more faintly shine
Or practise them at least on hearts
Which love you not like mine.
poem by Thomas Parnell

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Those All Are Vain
Those all are only vain
The quarrel and the sworn enemy
Those all are vain
The anger and the envy
Those are for vain
The greed and the arrogance
All are vain
The stubbornness and the hatred
Vain
The fear and the power
Just only vain
The pride and the hypocrite
poem by Maria Sudibyo

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Love In Vain
Long night, too long and lonely
Laying there asking myself
Hey, what's going on with you and me
How could I be so unaware
So blind I could not see
Knowing you'd be there
And always would be
Is anyone to blame but me
I've been so concerned with myself
Now I need you desperately
If you've fallen for another
Let's be honest with each other
Is there still a chance
And maybe hope to save our romance
We can't be strangers
You mean too much to me
I won't let this be a love in vain
Don't want the loneliness
Of just a memory
I don't want a love in vain
Just one more night, I want to spend with you
We'll let our hearts do the talking
Like we used to do
We'll make our first kiss last forever
Put the pieces back together
'Cause there's still a chance
There may be hope to save our romance
We can't be strangers
You mean to much to me
I won't let this be a love in vain, don't want a love in vain
I don't want the loneliness
Of just a memory
Don't want a love in vain
Oh, woman look what you've done to me
I'll show you how this love should be
Don't let it be a love in vain
Please don't, don't you know
You got my heart on a string
Don't let go
Don't let this love be a love in vain
We can't be strangers
It's not our destiny
I won't let this be a love in vain, don't want a love in vain
Don't want the loneliness
Of just a memory
Don't let this be a love in vain
song performed by by Foreigner

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Vanity Kills
Have you heard the latest? (you love you)
Have you seen who just walked in (vain vain vain vain)
(uh huh, you love you) right over there
Shes so vain vain vain vain
Vain vain vain vain
Im glad youve found someone who loves you
But sad to say that someone is you
And now perhaps youll both be happy
Guess that makes two just you and you
Someone who cares so much about you
But does that someone have to be you
Bom bom bom bom bom bom bom bom yeah
Bom bom bom bom bom bom bom bom yeah
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, it kills
So glad I found you glancing in the mirror
Gazing deeply at loves patron saint
Admire the frame, survey the scenery
Or are you just inspecting the paint
Temptations strong modestys so weak
High on yourself humble you aint
Bom bom bom bom bom bom bom bom yeah
Bom bom bom bom bom bom bom bom yeah
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills (no way)
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, it kills
So vain, vain vain vain
You love you (yeah)
Give it, give it us, give it us
So vain, so vain, so vain
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, it dont pay bills
Vanity kills, you love you
Vanity kills, if the blast dont get you
Then the fallout will
You love you
song performed by by Abc

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Love In Vain
Long night, too long and lonely
Laying there asking myself
Hey, whats going on with you and me
How could I be so unaware
So blind I could not see
Knowing youd be there
And always would be
Is anyone to blame but me
Ive been so concerned with myself
Now I need you desperately
If youve fallen for another
Lets be honest with each other
Is there still a chance
And maybe hope to save our romance
We cant be strangers
You mean too much to me
I wont let this be a love in vain
Dont want the loneliness
Of just a memory
I dont want a love in vain
Just one more night, I want to spend with you
Well let our hearts do the talking
Like we used to do
Well make our first kiss last forever
Put the pieces back together
cause theres still a chance
There may be hope to save our romance
We cant be strangers
You mean to much to me
I wont let this be a love in vain, dont want a love in vain
I dont want the loneliness
Of just a memory
Dont want a love in vain
Oh, woman look what youve done to me
Ill show you how this love should be
Dont let it be a love in vain
Please dont, dont you know
You got my heart on a string
Dont let go
Dont let this love be a love in vain
We cant be strangers
Its not our destiny
I wont let this be a love in vain, dont want a love in vain
Dont want the loneliness
Of just a memory
Dont let this be a love in vain
song performed by by Foreigner

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Thou Blind Man's Mark
Thou blind man's mark, thou fool's self chosen snare,
Fond fancy's scum, and dregs of scatter'd thought,
Band of all evils, cradle of causeless care,
Thou web of will,whose end is never wrought.
Desire, desire I have too dearly bought,
With price of mangled mind thy worthless ware,
Too long, too long asleep thou hast me brought,
Who should my mind to higher things prepare.
But yet in vain thou hast my ruin sought,
In vain thou madest me to vain things aspire,
In vain thou kindlest all thy smoky fire.
For virtue hath this better lesson taught,
Within myself to seek my only hire:
Desiring nought but how to kill desire.
poem by Philip Sidney

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It's Only Love That Gets You Through
girl you are rich
even with nothing
you know tenderness
comes from pain
it's amazing how you love
and love is kind
and love can give
and get no gain
it's down a rugged road
you've come
though you had every reason you didn't come undone
somehow you made it to
the other side
you didn't suffer in vain
you forgive those who have trespassed against you
and you know tenderness comes from pain
it's amazing how you love
and love is kind
and love can give
and love needs
no gain
it's down a rugged road
you've come
though you had every reason you didn't come undone
somehow you made it to
the other side
you didn't suffer in vain
you didn't suffer in vain
you know it's only love
that gets you through
only love love
only love that gets
you through
song performed by by Sade

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Separate Ways
Here we stand
Worlds apart, hearts broken in two, two, two
Sleepless nights
Losing ground
I'm reaching for you, you, you
Feelin' that it's gone
Can change your mind
If we can't go on
To survive the tide love divides
Someday love will find you
Break those chains that bind you
One night will remind you
How we touched
And went our separate ways
If he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
You know i still love you
Though we touched
And went our separate ways
Troubled times
Caught between confusions and pain, pain, pain
Distant eyes
Promises we made were in vain, vain, vain
If you must go, i wish you love
You'll never walk alone
Take care my love
Miss you love
(chorus twice)
I still love you girl
I really love you girl
And if he ever hurts you
True love won't desert you
No, no
song performed by by Journey

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cries In Vain
Your cries in vain,
When you look in my eyes what do you see,
My deep sorrows within,
My cries in vain,
Can’t you see how much you hurt me,
You made me cry for you,
Cries in vain that won’t go away,
Take it all away,
I see you looking,
I see that you are fading,
You are a mere ghost to me,
My sorrows within my tears that you cause me to shed,
I waited too long to cry again and again,
I sit back and hold on tight that I won’t cry ever again,
But when I see you,
I cry,
Can’t you see cries are in vain,
WAKE UP,
And now look at me and tell me what do you see,
All you ever will see is me cry in vain.
poem by Jennifer Rondeau

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On a picture (II)
Why bends she o'er that glittering toy
With such an earnest gaze,
As if those flashing jewels cast
Love glances in their rays?
By that high, thought-enthronéd brow --
That deep and soul-lit eye,
I know 'tis not the passing dream
Of woman's vanity.
I know that in its golden links
Some talisman is set,
And for the heart it rests upon,
'Tis Love's own amulet.
Oh, may that heart, so joyous now,
No heavier burden bear;
The beauty of that noble brow,
No deeper shadow wear.
Alas! how vain the wish, for souls
That wildest rapture know,
Must vibrate with a keener pang,
To every note of woe.
poem by Anne Lynch Botta from Poems (1848)

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Lust Sailing On The Sea Of Desire
sail with me
on my boat to the sea
your breasts my paddles
my pelvis your floor
sail with me
in the ocean of desire
lust with me
on this little leak of my
boat to the sea
sink with me
to the deepest thoughts
of the sea
learn with me
the meaning of love
the true meaning of true love
death of desire
rising at the end
to the greater joys of foam
at the surface
the sun, the moon and then the stars
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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The Despair
Beneath this gloomy shade,
By Nature only for my sorrows made,
I'll spend this voyce in crys,
In tears I'll waste these eyes
By Love so vainly fed;
So Lust of old the Deluge punished.
Ah wretched youth! said I,
'Ah, wretched youth!' twice did I sadly cry:
'Ah, wretched youth!' the fields and floods reply.
When thoughts of Love I entertain,
I meet no words but 'Never,' and 'In vain.'
'Never' alas that dreadful name
Which fuels the infernal flame:
'Never,' My time to come must waste;
'In vain,' torments the present and the past.
'In vain, in vain!' said I;
'In vain, in vain!' twice did I sadly cry;
'In vain, in vain!' the fields and floods reply.
No more shall fields or floods do so;
For I to shades more dark and silent go:
All this world's noise appears to me
A dull ill-acted comedy:
No comfort to my wounded sight,
In the suns busy and imperti'nent Light.
Then down I laid my head;
Down on cold earth; and for a while was dead,
And my freed soul to a strange somewhere fled.
'Ah, sottish Soul' said I,
When back to its cage again I saw it fly;
'Fool to resume her broken chain!
And row her galley here again!'
'Fool, to that body to return
Where it condemn'd and destin'd is to burn!
Once dead, how can it be,
Death should a thing so pleasant seem to thee,
That thou should'st come to live it o're again in me?'
poem by Abraham Cowley

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I Am Suppose to Be Vain
I am suppose to be vain.
You know...
Someone who loves to be on stage.
Because of an exterior presence.
I have been told I am handsome.
So naturally I want the attention.
I am suppose to be vain.
You know...
Someone who speaks, walks
And chew gum at the same time.
With a detectable intelligence too?
Seeking adulation,
That's all I am suppose to do.
I am suppose to be vain.
Because I choose to work hard.
And apply my abilities.
Since I am extremely dedicated,
To my capable creativity.
And it seems I do all of this effortlessly...
I am suppose to be vain!
'WELL...
Are you? '
I am biased!
Not vain.
There is a huge difference between the two.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Without you
I write words in vain,
words of which the meaning
you do not comprehend
and how to press love
into a few words
I do not really know
and you are away
and we stay a hundred miles from each other
and it feels as if
it is in different worlds,
as if every thing with time looses meaning
and I play the songs that you sing over and over
as if I can hear something in your voice,
read your poems time and time again,
as if it can bring something of you back to me
while destiny flattens me
and you run
like water through my fingers
and without you
my life is without meaning
and it continues aimlessly
and I do not know
why things at times do not work out,
why I am fighting life’s struggle in vain
and I cannot get you
out of my heart,
and cannot fight against you being part of me
and my blood is pouring, as my heart is broken
and my life falls to pieces without you
and I hope that your plans are only prosperous.
poem by Gert Strydom

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You Are So Vain
You're So Vain
- Carly Simon
You walked into the party
Like you were walking onto a yacht
Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot
You had one eye in the mirror
As you watched yourself gavotte
And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner
They'd be your partner, and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?
You had me several years ago
When I was still quite naive
Well, you said that we made such a pretty pair
And that you would never leave
But you gave away the things you loved
And one of them was me
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?
I had some dreams they were clouds in my coffee
Clouds in my coffee, and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?
Well, I hear you went up to Saratoga
And your horse naturally won
Then you flew your Lear jet up to Nova Scotia
To see the total eclipse of the sun
Well, you're where you should be all the time
And when you're not, you're with
Some underworld spy or the wife of a close friend
Wife of a close friend, and
You're so vain
You probably think this song is about you
You're so vain
I'll bet you think this song is about you
Don't you? Don't you?
song performed by by Carly Simon

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Desire Me Not
desire me not
undesirable am i
pull me like a string
an end
i have none
desire me not
pain of the needle
piercing am i
blood drips from my
mind and
stains are all over the
the clothes of my body
naked
and tattooed and
threatening to the senses
of what is true
i am spun from lies
and lies you said
you abhor
savor me not for i am
an herb bitter
lick me not for i am a plant
all made of thorns
and sap
that blinds the eye
of those who pretend
seeing me
like sun am i
burning burning itself
to give
you light and
be not confident
i also know how
to scorch for torch
am i
burning what says
to be dry
desire me not
for at the end
i know the answer to
the riddle of the
Sphinx
the world crumples
before my feet
and then desire me
not
for without a word
shall i be gone
love me not
for i am lost in the woods
of love
and lust.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Hearts On Fire
We saw the writings on the wall
When heathens ruled above us all
Tormented, we still heard the call
You come to bring us down
Wield the scepter, steal the crown
Time on the throne is running out
Cause seasons change but we are still the same
Event though the cold winds blow were burning like a flame
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Burning for the steel
Hearts On Fire
For years shunned by society
Outcasts, condemned for our beliefs
Our legions grew in secrecy
And now, the time is here
I see the Templars everywhere
The Freedom Call is drawing near
We hold our rebel banners up with pride
The colours crimson and the Hammer is the sign
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Burning for the steel
Solo: Stefan
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Hearts On Fire, Hearts On Fire
Burning, burning with desire
Hearts On Fire
song performed by by Hammerfall

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Autumn Is Coming
The autumn is coming,
The August is charming,
But the rain often darkens the sky,
And I know, you certainly love me
As I once long ago loved you.
Why the yearning
Is burning inside you?
Why are you so sad when with me?
Why in August the dreams
Can't be sweet as in spring?
The rowan is reddish
But not for the anguish
Rain drops knock at the window today
What a pity that some grievances
Can't be forgotten by loving hearts.
Not in vain
The yearning is burning,
Not in vain you are sad when with me
As in August the dreams are not real,
They come true in the earliest spring.
The autumn is coming,
The August is charming,
But the rain often darkens the sky,
And I know, you certainly love me
As I once long ago loved you.
©Larisa Rzhepishevska (Odessa, Ukraine)
The 28th of August,2012
poem by Larisa Rzhepishevska

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Is My Living In Vain?
Verse one:
Is my living in vain?
Is my giving in vain?
Is my singing in vain?
Is my praying in vain?
No, of course not.
Bridge:
Its not all in vain,
Because up the road is eternal gain.
Verse two:
Am I wasting my time?
Can the clock be rewind?
Have I let my light shine?
Have I made 99?
Chorus:
No, of course not.
(repeat x4)
Repeat bridge
Repeat chorus
Repeat bridge
song performed by by Xscape

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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