The Dwarves of Tao-Chou
In the land of Tao-chou
Many of the people are dwarfs;
The tallest of them never grow to more than three feet.
They were sold in the market as dwarf slaves and yearly sent to Court;
Described as “an offering of natural products from the land of Tao-chou.”
A strange “offering of natural products “; I never heard of one yet
That parted men from those they loved, never to meet again!
Old men—weeping for their grandsons; mothers for their children!
One day—Yang Ch’ëng came to govern the land;
He refused to send up dwarf slaves in spite of incessant mandates.
He replied to the Emperor “Your servant finds in the Six Canonical Books
‘In offering products, one must offer what is there, and not what isn’t there’
On the waters and lands of Tao-chou, among all the things that live
I only find dwarfish people; no dwarfish slaves.”
The Emperor’s heart was deeply moved and he sealed and sent a scroll
“The yearly tribute of dwarfish slaves is henceforth annulled.’’
The people of Tao-chou,
Old ones and young ones, how great their joy!
Father with son and brother with brother henceforward kept together;
From that day for ever more they lived as free men.
The people of Tao-chou
Still enjoy this gift.
And even now when they speak of the Governor
Tears start to their eyes.
And lest their children and their children’s children should forget the Governor’s name,
When boys are born the syllable “Yang” is often used in their forename.
Related quotes
Old Poem
Did Chuang Chou dream he was the butterfly?
Or the butterfly dream he was Chuang Chou?
In the single body’s transformations
See the vortex of the Myriad Creatures.
No mystery then that the Magic Seas
Shrank again to crystal streams,
Or down by Ch’ang-an’s Green Gate
The gardener was Marquis of Tung-Ling.
If this is the fate of fame and power,
What is it for- this endless striving?
Our Children
A baby sitter who can’t stand kids
A drunken father slaps his children around
A drug addict mother who sleeps and does nothing but get high
A sister who never comes home in time to protect the small ones
Our children are here on this earth to be loved
Not to be abused and used as slaves
Our children are not punching bags or our slaves
Stop the abuse against the innocent children
These children will grow up to be just like you
Our children need us to love them
The older siblings stand between the you and the younger ones
So stop all the abuse
The children need to be taken care of
All you parents out there listen to me
Heed my warning because your children will grow up to hate you
Stop all the abuse against the future of this world
poem by Jessica Roberts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Moonlit Night
Tonight at Fu-chou, this moon she watches
Alone in our room. And my little, far-off
Children, too young to understand what keeps me
Away, or even remember Chang'an. By now,
Her hair will be mist-scented, her jade-white
Arms chilled in its clear light. When
Will it find us together again, drapes drawn
Open, light traced where it dries our tears?
Moonlit Night
Tonight at Fu-chou, this moon she watches
Alone in our room. And my little, far-off
Children, too young to understand what keeps me
Away, or even remember Chang'an. By now,
Her hair will be mist-scented, her jade-white
Arms chilled in its clear light. When
Will it find us together again, drapes drawn
Open, light traced where it dries our tears?
Children Of The Land
Written by james young
Lead vocals by james young
Children of the land
Dont wear a frown upon your face
Come on and join your hands
Were all a part of the human race
The music is here
To let you leave your fears behind
Come on along dont do me wrong
Lets see what you might find
Children of the land
Children of the land
Dont misunderstand
Were all children of the land
Dont trust anyone else
To run your life and set your goals
Youve gotta be able to live with yourself
When you are getting old
Others are getting blamed
For messing your life around
Its your own fault if you complain
For letting it get you down
Children of the land
Children of the land
Dont misunderstand
Were all children of the land
Children - come on children now
Children - yeah
Children - I said children yeah
Children - come on children now
Children - of the land
Children - of the land
Children - I said of the land
song performed by by Styx
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Farewell to Meng Hao-jan
I took leave of you, old friend, at the
Yellow Crane Pavilion;
In the mist and bloom of March, you went
down to Yang-chou:
A lonely sail, distant shades, extinguished by blue--
There, at the horizon, where river meets sky.
Bible in Poetry: Galatians 4
As long as heir is just a child,
He is not diff’rent from a slave,
Although he owns the whole estate,
Until time set by his father,
He has guardians and too trustees.
When we were children, we were slaves,
Under the basic rules of world;
But when the time had fully come,
God sent his son, born of woman,
Born under law to redeem all,
In law to rights receive of sons;
Being sons, God sent the Spirit
Of His One Son into our hearts,
Who calls out ‘Abba’ or Father;
No longer are you slaves but sons,
And being sons, God made you heirs!
Paul’s Concern for the Galatians:
When formerly, you didn’t know God,
You’re slaves to those who were not gods;
Now that you know the living God,
Or rather known by God Himself,
Why do you turn back to your ways
Of weak, improper principles?
Do you want to be slaves again?
You observe special months, seasons,
And days and years, I fear for you;
Have my efforts all gone awaste?
I plead with you, my brothers then,
Become like me, henceforth in time;
You haven’t done wrong to me at all;
Because I was then ill, I preached
The gospel first to you earlier;
Although my illness troubled you,
You didn’t treat me with contempt, scorn.
Contrariwise, you welcomed me
As if I were God’s angel then:
As if I were Christ Jesus Lord;
What happened to all of your joy?
If you had done, I would have told;
You would have gouged your eyes for me!
Am I your foe for telling truth?
Those people want to win you o’er,
And alienate you from us somehow;
For goodness sake, be zealous then,
Provided good, the purpose be;
And be so always, forever;
My children dear for whom I ache,
With child-birth pains till you get Christ,
Oh, how I wish I be with you,
And change my tone, perplexed with you!
Hagar and Sarah:
You who want to be in the law,
Aren’t you aware of what law says?
’Tis writ: Abraham had two sons
One by the slave woman, Hagar,
Other by free woman, Sarah;
The former came in common way,
But the free woman Sarah’s son
Was born by promise of God’s mouth.
These represent two covenants:
The former one from Mount Sinai,
Which bears children who will be slaves;
And this is Hagar, Arabia,
Presently now Jerusalem,
Which is in bondage with children;
The city that’s above is free,
And she is our mother, Sarah!
For ’tis written:
‘Be glad, O barren woman then,
Who does not bear any children;
Break forth in joy and cry aloud;
You do not suffer labor pains;
Because the children born are more
Of the desolate woman than
Of her, who has a husband own.’
But then, what does the Scripture say?
Get rid of slave woman and son,
For latter never can share in
Inheritance with free woman’s son;
We aren’t children of slave woman,
But are the sons of free woman!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 7-2-2007
poem by John Celes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
What for is money?
I thought on how could be the life
Without having to work for money.
After all this is the money which we work for.
Had we only have enough money to spend
We won’t have to toil our body or brain.
Solution also seemed very easy to me.
Just have a lot of mints to mint money.
Make as much money as may people need
Give them as much as may people want.
All problems are seemingly soon gone.
The root of all evils I thought could be
the root of happiness of all kind instead.
“How could this easy way out be overlooked? ”
Thinking furthermore I thought.
We need mints and we need paper and ink.
We need banks and a lot of ATMs.
People will get money and go for shopping
So we need ample shops. In shops we need products.
We need make shops and we need make products.
but we also need people to run them.
So some people will make paper and some ink.
Some other will work in mints and banks.
Some will work in shops and making products.
Rest all the people will only happily buy things.
Thinking up to here my thought jumbled.
People needed money so they worked.
If money was available for doing no work
Then why should there be anyone to work?
If no one works then where from comes paper and ink?
Where from comes money, banksand ATMs?
Where from then comes products?
Without products how could then we live and enjoy?
So we need products and for products we need to work,
to get people into the works we need money.
So it was that money could not be made free.
I thought 'People have already thought it before me.'
poem by Palas kumar Ray
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Uncomprehending the Healing Aspects of Listening
Starting all over again to make things better,
Will do...
What?
Make things better?
And for who?
The very same people who allowed destruction?
Those responsible for the creation of conflict?
People refuse to identify themselves,
As the culprits!
Or deny they hand picked their own enemies.
To refer to them as terrorists.
Who began the outsourcing of jobs?
To send them away,
At the expense of cheaper labor.
Whose products were deemed inferior made?
So other products would be savored.
Who began the marketing of decadence?
To find money easier to be had and spent!
Who stood by to watch unruly children?
As disrespect was ushered in...
With a greeding of deceit,
Making a mockery of discipline!
And the rise of racism is on their own land.
The affects of this,
They themselves began.
What is it they wish to do?
Make things better?
And for who?
Aren't these the same people who made it clear...
Their way of life was much endeared.
Aren't these the same people,
Who had values and standards...
Better than those they now say they fear?
What is it they wish to do?
Make things better?
And for who?
A self examination has of yet for them to begin.
This should be prioritized as a revelation for them.
But they remain in denial.
Uncomprehending the healing aspects of listening.
A mindset rehabilitated,
Is what people need.
A mindset rehabilitated,
Is what people need.
A mindset rehabilitated,
Is what people need.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Rich and the Poor
The rich are not the poor, forming laziness
In the ranks of the workers.
A smile appears on the earners of money,
The art of effects is learnt,
Hearing will combine with seeing
As names are being named.
They sicken and injure the children
Often.
This is riches, this is not poverty,
For we injure and smash the very people begotten.
We as the confident people of hard earning
Learn of the heads.
They smash our heads like savage masters
As if we are slaves, slavery works.
I want a gift for my children
But others want themselves to be fed.
Why not die and let the children live?
poem by Naveed Akram
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The emperor is the father of his people, not a master to be served by slaves.
The Law of the Gun
Even though we parted many years ago
the mother of my children
has a special place in my heart.
She gave me the most precious gift
that anyone can give
she gave me immortality.
Through my children
and their children's children
my spirit shall live on.
And there shall be new generations
of people respecting people
and not the law of the gun.
(2001)
poem by T.J. Daniels
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
From Greece To Rome
we took the Greek ideal of democracy,
and built it on bloodied shores.
wearing the mask of white righteousness,
we destroyed all in our path,
and claimed the land for god and freedom.
we fueled it with African slaves,
bodies sold on the block.
we built the land of equality,
as long as you were male and white,
had money, or owned 'stolen' land!
finally, women took the right to vote,
but we urged them (god's will) ,
to stay home and bear children.
black people were emancipated
to 'colored only' restrooms,
and a seat at the back of the bus!
/to be continued/
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Children Power
Children power,
Children power,
Children power,
Children power.
Monkeys are jumping from tree to tree,
Whales are swimming from sea to sea,
Birds are flying from sky to sky,
People are seeing eye to eye.
Were all one.
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power. (children power)
Earth is turning evry day,
Rivers are flowing in every way.
Trees are growing day by day,
And people are loving in their own way.
Were all one.
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power, (children power)
Children power. (children power)
Caring people, (caring people)
Loving people, (loving people)
Learning people, (learning people)
Growing people, were all one.
song performed by by Yoko Ono
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Injustices
seeking injustices throughout the land
trying to give a helping hand.
people running to and fro
not knowing which way to go.
children playing in the streets
and predators around offering treats.
elderly people who can't retire
too old to work and no one will hire.
unemployment lines longer than ever
in hopes that things will get better.
gas prices are all sky rocketing
c.e.o.'s doing the pocketing.
people all around losing their homes
and not enough money to pay their phones.
the richest nation in the world
and food being thrown away
and children starving every day.
everglades and rain forests being torn apart
stealing the air that supplies our hearts.
all these injustices that we see
are all the realities.
how many more injustices can we take.
can we change them? or is it too late.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Behind The Gates Of The Wealthy
zhu men jiu rou chou
lu you dong si gu
Behind the gates of the wealthy
food lies rotting from waste
Outside it's the poor
who lie frozen to death
Birthday Carol
I was born this very morning
And my brother he was also born,
In our first nine months we learned to speak
And we have been listening since early morn.
I love no one but my brother
Who spent those months with me
I hate no one and no other has so far hated me
But it isnt yet the afternoon,
And things are still to be,
And when evening comes we all will see.
I am not very old and I wont live long.
I was born this very morning singing this here song
Now I feel the worst for older people
Winding out their friendless hours alone
Seeing lives like plays at final curtain
Looking out to find everyone has gone home.
Is there something I can pray to?
Some offering I can send?
Or some ear that I can play to, to help him find a friend?
And maybe then redeem myself to keep me from that end
For the evening comes and who knows when.
Oh, my brother, where is our mother?
Is there no other to live together,
To be our lover?
song performed by by Todd Rundgren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
There Are No Children Here
The untrained eye
Walks down the street
And sees children
But they're not children
There are no children here
Adults look back
With hungry eyes
And someone thinks
''They're just children
With a mother and a father
Never any fear''
And they kid themselves
As there are no mothers
No fathers
Because there are no children here
Terror doesn't care
As they cry over there
It lets someone stare
Through the sight of a gun
Seeing everyone
And just for fun
Shoot them
People rush around crying
''But they were just children!
They were just children! ''
A man with a gun
Turns and runs
But as he does they hear
''They aren't children''
And
''They weren't children''
And
''You need to know:
There are no children here''
No one makes a sound
Listening to the truth he's found
And they know:
It's our fault
We didn't save them
We could have saved them
If we cared
There would be children here
poem by Violet Llewellyn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Who can be Redeemed?
Who can be saved?
So many can be saved -
A rich man and his family,
They can be saved.
But who can be redeemed?
Only souls enslaved.
Only those sold
Can be bought back again.
Those who purchase minds and souls
By sermon, fear or flattery
May not petition for redemption
Or ask how it will set them free.
Those who traded on South Africa
While Mandela worked in jail
Those who issued bonds of war
While Iraq's children died in flames
You who claim to be redeemers
While disowning fields you've sown -
The lands you've stolen, slaves you've owned -
Will pay in different currency
Than any you have yet controlled.
Until you've lived in servitude
To justice and its wondrous law
Until you are the slaves to truth
Redemption is not yours' to know.
poem by Frank Bana
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
God's Playthings
Although we are like God’s children
But actually we are not
Because no sexual organ
Was involved in the process of creation of souls
The building blocks of everything that exist!
Besides we are not inside God’s womb
We are actually inside God’s mind!
Ideal parents never hurt
Their good children
But God hurts so many
Of His so-called children!
So many people are starving
Day after day!
So many people are suffering
From diseases and injuries!
Natural disasters
Kill so many people every year!
God is not our Mother and Father;
Mother and Father are much more
Affectionate, loving and caring!
Never-the-less God is the Best
Cause He loves most of us so much
Though we are not His children
And we are nothing
But playthings of God!
poem by Asif Andalib
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!