Drifting Away: A Fragment
(Written for music to be sung at a parish industrial exhibition)
See the land, her Easter keeping,
Rises as her Maker rose.
Seeds, so long in darkness sleeping,
Burst at last from winter snows.
Earth with heaven above rejoices;
Fields and gardens hail the spring;
Shaughs and woodlands ring with voices,
While the wild birds build and sing.
You, to whom your Maker granted
Powers to those sweet birds unknown,
Use the craft by God implanted;
Use the reason not your own.
Here, while heaven and earth rejoices,
Each his Easter tribute bring-
Work of fingers, chant of voices,
Like the birds who build and sing.
Eversley, 1867.
They drift away. Ah, God! they drift for ever.
I watch the stream sweep onward to the sea,
Like some old battered buoy upon a roaring river,
Round whom the tide-waifs hang-then drift to sea.
I watch them drift-the old familiar faces,
Who fished and rode with me, by stream and wold,
Till ghosts, not men, fill old beloved places,
And, ah! the land is rank with churchyard mold.
I watch them drift-the youthful aspirations,
Shores, landmarks, beacons, drift alike.
. . . . .
I watch them drift-the poets and the statesmen;
The very streams run upward from the sea.
. . . . . .
Yet overhead the boundless arch of heaven
Still fades to night, still blazes into day.
. . . . .
Ah, God! My God! Thou wilt not drift away
November 1867.
poem by Charles Kingsley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Easter Week
See the land, her Easter keeping,
Rises as her Maker rose.
Seeds, so long in darkness sleeping,
Burst at last from winter snows.
Earth with heaven above rejoices;
Fields and gardens hail the spring;
Shaughs and woodlands ring with voices,
While the wild birds build and sing.
You, to whom your Maker granted
Powers to those sweet birds unknown,
Use the craft by God implanted;
Use the reason not your own.
Here, while heaven and earth rejoices,
Each his Easter tribute bring-
Work of fingers, chant of voices,
Like the birds who build and sing.
poem by Charles Kingsley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Drifting
drift like a leaf
carried by the flow of the river
drift like a feather
riding on the current of the wind
drift like a vagabond
on the alleys of the foreign land
drift like boat
without its rudder and engine
drift like a space craft
deep into the black hole of this universe
there is this feeling
of letting go and saying yes and not wanting to know.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Loony Balloon
The worlds spinning round like a looney balloon
Heading for a collision with saturn and mars
And were narrowly missing the man in the moon,
Spinning out of control crashing into the stars.
Have we all lost our gravity, reason and sanity?
Is this the price that we pay?
Have we now lost our way on this looney balloon?
Drift away, just drift away.
Its so easy to just drift away.
Drift away, just drift away.
Drifting away on this looney balloon.
The air is running out, the computers gone down.
The mechanic just panicked, hes nowhere to be found.
So automatic control is just spinning us round
No point screaming in space, you just cant hear a sound.
Now the pilots gone mad, he just jumped overboard
With a lunatic smile on his face
And he laughed as he cut the umbilical chord
Now hes drifting forever in space.
Drift away, just drift away.
Its so easy to just drift away.
Drift away, just drift away
Drifting away on this looney balloon.
Were out of control on this looney balloon
Narrowly missing the planets and stars.
Even optimists say that its all gloom and doom.
Weve got to get somewhere or hit something soon.
First class and economy, we all played the game
For selfish profit and gain.
So together well all go insane on this looney balloon.
Drift away, hey, just drift away,
Drifting away on this looney balloon.
Drift away, hey, just drift away.
Drifting away on this looney balloon.
Drift away, hey,
Drift away. drift away.
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Drift Glow
Drift glow
Drift glow
As white as snow
Into the openness
Of bright sky heaven fresh
Mighty in its blue
Into going and renew
Drift glow
White as snow
I hear the birds singing
Outside - in a tree
Wonderful tones bringing
Up and down the scale free
Love songs for their nest
And hope to come and see
When with young it's blessed
And cared for compassionately
Drift glow
Drift glow
As white as snow
Into the openness
Of space and clear enmesh
Something to come here through
When tomorrow is up to do
Drift glow
White as snow
In with its many days singing
poem by Peter S. Quinn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Drift Glow (from, MySpace)
Drift glow
Drift glow
As white as snow
Into the openness
Of bright sky heaven fresh
Mighty in its blue
Into going and renew
Drift glow
White as snow
I hear the birds singing
Outside - in a tree
Wonderful tones bringing
Up and down the scale free
Love songs for their nest
And hope to come and see
When with young it's blessed
And cared for compassionately
Drift glow
Drift glow
As white as snow
Into the openness
Of space and clear enmesh
Something to come here through
When tomorrow is up to do
Drift glow
White as snow
In with its many days singing
poem by Peter S. Quinn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Drift Away
Drift away, just drift away
Sometimes I wish I could just drift away
They say theres gonna be a river of blood
Its apocalypse now
So were waiting for the flood
The ice is gonna melt, the water gonna rise
And well all go to hell
So theyre keeping us advised
While the dollar falls down
The yen gonna climb
Its a moral decline
And Im losing my mind
I think Ill just drift away
To that island of my dreams
Live in total fantasy
Close my eyes and drift away
Back in the real world
Theres tension everywhere
And the smell of fear
Keeps hanging around and polluting the air
The man on the news is going over the top
Now hell say anything so his show dont flop
Wall streets down, so what
And according to astute market analysis
The worlds gonna stop
They shout the story to the nation
Pass on the panic to the population
This is the end of civilization
Its all over now
Chorus:
Meanwhile, I just drift away
To my island in the sun
Imaginary paradise, perfection
Sometimes I wish I could just drift away
Drift away (drift away)
Drift away (drift away)
Drift away (drift away)
Now all the politicians are running out of hope
Theyve burned all their bridges
Now they just cant cope
And who do we blame now were all going broke?
Its that man over there
Whos hanging from a rope
Newsmen winding up the nation
A little bad news helps circulation
Pass on the panic to the population
Its all over, its all over
Its all over now
Times like this, I just drift away
To my tropical fantasy
Living on coconuts growing on the trees
Sometimes I wish I could just drift away
Drift away, drift away, drift away
Its apocalypse now, drift away
Rivers of blood, drift away
And the man on the news is going over the top
Chorus
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dream Drifter
Into dreams, you drift,
away from the harsh realities,
to places full of tranquillity.
You drift along to
where everyday brings happiness,
sorrow is not allowed there.
In these places of peaceful beauty,
where birds sing, and flowers bloom everyday
under a never setting sun.
Places where the word worry
is always questioned there.
You drift along in your dreams,
til the morning comes to call
with the waking hour
and the dream drifter must get up
to face the world again
with its harsh realities of pain.
poem by David Harris
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Haunted In Old Japan
I
Music of the star-shine shimmering o’er the sea
Mirror me no longer in the dusk of memory:
Dim and white the rose-leaves drift along the shore
Wind among the roses, blow no more!
II
All along the purple creek, lit with silver foam,
Silent, silent voices, cry no more of home;
Soft beyond the cherry-trees, o’er the dim lagoon,
Dawns the crimson lantern of the large low moon.
III
We that loved in April, we that turned away
Laughing, ere the wood-dove crooned across the May,
Watch the withered rose-leaves drift along the shore.
Wind among the roses, blow no more!
IV
We that saw the winter waste the weeping bower,
We that saw the young love perish like a flower,
We that saw the dark eyes deepening with tears,
Hear the vanished voices in the land beyond the years.
V
We that hurt the thing we loved; we that went astray,
We that in the darkness idly dreamed of day . . .
. . . Ah! The dreary rose-leaves drift along the shore.
Wind among the roses, blow no more!
VI
Lonely starry faces, wonderful and white,
Yearning with a cry across the dim sweet night,
All our dreams are blown a-drift as flowers before a fan,
All our hearts are haunted in the heart of old Japan.
VII
Haunted, haunted, haunted; we that mocked and sinned
Hear the vanished voices wailing down the wind,
Watch the ruined rose-leaves drift along the shore;
Wind among the roses, blow no more!
VIII
We, the sons of reason, we that chose to bride
Knowledge and rejected the Dream that we denied,
We that mocked the Holy Ghost and chose the Son of Man, [1]
Now must wander haunted in the heart of old Japan
IX
Haunted, haunted, haunted, by the sound of falling tears,
Haunted, haunted, haunted, by the yearning of the years;
Ah! the phantom rose-leaves drift along the shore;
Wind among the roses, blow no more!
X
All along the purple creek, lit with silver foam,
Sobbing, sobbing voices, cry no more of home:
Soft beyond the cherry trees, o’er the dim lagoon,
Dawns the crimson lantern of the large, low moon.
poem by Alfred Noyes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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North Atlantic Drift
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Its a cultural shift its the North Atlantic Drift
Americana and a rule Britannia
And the moon yes we own that to
And where the Euphrates meets the other rivers
Is now the home of the devil and the liar
And the pyre we plan to make
Is just the drift leaving its wake, home
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
And the films you want to watch
And the films you want to make
And the kids like lost angels
Dressed in black sensations
And the shift won? shake
And the drift won? brake
With billions of Diamonds growing like olives
And the drift holds the coffers
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
Meanwhile Rome burns
song performed by by Ocean Colour Scene
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Concert Party
(EGYPTIAN BASE CAMP)
They are gathering round....
Out of the twilight; over the grey-blue sand,
Shoals of low-jargoning men drift inward to the sound—
The jangle and throb of a piano ... tum-ti-tum...
Drawn by a lamp, they come
Out of the glimmering lines of their tents, over the shuffling sand.
O sing us the songs, the songs of our own land,
You warbling ladies in white.
Dimness conceals the hunger in our faces,
This wall of faces risen out of the night,
These eyes that keep their memories of the places
So long beyond their sight.
Jaded and gay, the ladies sing; and the chap in brown
Tilts his grey hat; jaunty and lean and pale,
He rattles the keys ... some actor-bloke from town...
God send you home; and then A long, long trail;
I hear you calling me; and Dixieland....
Sing slowly ... now the chorus ... one by one
We hear them, drink them; till the concert’s done.
Silent, I watch the shadowy mass of soldiers stand.
Silent, they drift away, over the glimmering sand.
Kantara, April 1918.
poem by Siegfried Sassoon
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Drift & Die
forgotten thoughts of yesterdaze
through my eyes i see the past
i dont know i dont know i dont know why
i believe i believe i believe in the truth
from inside
go away go away go away from me
leave me lone
ignorance spread lies
how much will money buy?
well i'll take my time
as i drift and die
unwanted live my life in shame
whos to blame for my mistakes
i dont know i dont know i dont know why
i believe i believe i believe in the truth
from inside
go away go away go away from me
leave me lone
ignorance spreads lis hw much will money buy?
well i'll take my time
as i drift and die
as i drift and die
as i drift and die
as i drift and die
forgotten
song performed by by Puddle Of Mudd from Come Clean
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Things i do when i am alone
When I m alone I walk a thousand miles as an I drift away,
When I m alone I fall asleep, when aimlessly staring at the sky,
When I m alone I sit in corner, and cry.
When I m alone I watch the sun, I watch the rain
When I m alone I feel the joy, I feel the pain
When I m alone I sit on the terrace and listen to the whisper of the night
When I m alone I get drenched in the rain and pray for the rainbow light
When I m alone I celebrate my joys and cry out my sadness
When I m alone I voice out ma fears and reach out my madness
When I m alone I walk a thousand miles as an I drift away,
And now I m afraid alone I will die someday
poem by Divyansh Lachhwani
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Thoughtdropper
Your drift is Mister Thoughtdropper...
Is to plop a thinking process,
Inside my head!
While agitating with some pepper,
When I prefer the salt instead.
But you're clever adding spice Thoughtdropper.
To stop that over topping knocking pop.
My flow is known to be too heated.
And these thoughts are mine to dropp nonstop.
With a rocking to do I know I've got...
Heat or not and mine to drop.
I've got your drift Thoughtdropper,
Trying to groove on my rock.
Don't try to knock me with a stopping,
'Cause my heat is hot.
I've got your drift Thoughtdropper,
Trying to groove on my rock.
Don't try to knock me with a stopping,
'Cause my heat is hot.
I've got your drift Thoughtdropper,
Trying to groove on my rock.
I've got your drift Thoughtdropper.
Thoughtdropper.
Thoughtdrop per trying to groove on my rock.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Drift Away
Day after day Im more confused
Still I look for the sun through the pouring rain
You know thats a game that I hate to lose
And Im feeling the strain
Aint it a shame
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Beginning to think that Im wasting time
I dont understand the things I do
World outside looks so unkind
And Im counting on you to carry me through
Oh give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
I said give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
When my mind is free
You know that a melody can move me
And when Im feeling blue
The guitars coming through to soothe me
Thanks for the joy that youve given me
I want you to know I believe in your song
Rhythm and rhyme and harmony
Youve helped me along making me strong
Oh give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
I said give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
Give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away all right
I said give me the beat boys and free my soul
(oh now its time to come on and free my soul)
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
(were gonna drift away)
Why dont you give me the beat boys and free my soul
(take me, take me, take me away)
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
(oh)
I said give me the beat boys and free my soul
I want to get lost in your rock and roll and drift away
song performed by by Indigo Girls
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Frozen Ocean
The earth begins to break
Our hearts fall down the hole between us
Standing on opposite sides
We stare at each other as we drift away
We used to laugh and play
But now we drift away
Your reflection has vanished from this frozen ocean
But the sun still shines across it
Until the moon rises, the hope is unsure
We dance in the sky, counting down the days
Waiting for the moon to set and the sun to return
Unfreeze the ocean, or I will risk walking across it for you
As much doubt swims across the ocean as space itself
Your eventual return will make the sun shine again
We used to laugh and play
But now we drift away
poem by Michael Robertson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Where do you go, girl?
Where do you go, girl,
when you fall asleep?
for even when we've spent a passion's time,
you, all woman and all animal,
and then drift gently into sleep
and I to watch you drift -
you're straight away a girl again.
Do you dream a girlhood's dearest dreams?
or roam a woman's world?
What girlhood's safe, safe place
do you retreat to
in your private sleep?
Was it when the only man to love
was your beloved father,
still recovering from a wartime's hangover
with alcohol - and your so fierce, despairing help?
Where do you go in sleep?
while I now watch this unknown girl;
an upper lip that asks so innocently
to be kissed?
And lower lip that just so innocently
enjoys?
Where do you go, girl,
so far, so many years away from me?
Where do you go, girl?
poem by Michael Shepherd
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In Loving Memory Of A Name
Boom goes my heart
Dancing around your daisies
Church bells will start
Sat on you reading your ages
I drift away
In loving memory of a name
Covered in moss
You may have died for your country
Forgotten not lost
Youre laid to rest where youre wanted
I stare awhile
In loving memory of a name
England can never repay you
You gave your life to be buried alongside
The place you loved
The sermons attended when you were young
Still echo round these churchyard walls
Heroes and rogues
Together surrounded by nature
Lump in my throat
Sat in the land of your maker
I drift away
In loving memory of a name
song performed by by Xtc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sail The Rivers
Would you give me
One more chance
If I agree to your demands
Or will you turn the knife
Keep me in pain till
I cant take no more
Would you take the breath of my life
Or are you lookin for something
I never do right
I should be the one to let go
I could free your body and soul
So here we stand
Like actors in a play
On an empty stage
Not knowin what to say
I tried so hard to get through to you
cos dont you know I still need you
Oh, I need you
If I ask for one more night
Would you let me bathe in your light
Would you let me cover you up
And wrap myself around you
So you feel my love
Is this just the heat of the day
Or am I really feelin this way
I see your silent tears
Before the storm
I feel the breeze
From a love thats gone
Youve always walked
On the open sand
Youd risk it all so
Id reach out my hand
I tried so hard to hold on to you
cos dont you know I still need you
Sail the river and drift away
Find yourself on another day
Dont reach out
You have to hold me in bay
cos I will always follow you
Take a knife and cut me down
Spill my blood
Watch it fall to the ground
Theres no way to turn me around
cos I will always follow you
Be a part of you
If I was to offer my life
Id give it up just to
Bathe in your light
And you could have it
You could have it all
My heart, my body, my soul
Is this just the heat of the day
Or am I really feelin this way
I wipe away the tears
Before the storm
I feel the breeze
From a love thats gone
So here we stand
Nothing left to say
I give it all but you turn me away
I tried so hard to get through to you
Sail the river and drift away
Find yourself on another day
Sail the river and drift away
cos I will always follow you
I will always be a part of you
Sail the river and drift away
Sail the river and drift away
Sail the river ...
song performed by by Uriah Heep
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Drift & Die
Forgotten thoughts of yesterday
Through my eyes i see the past
Well i don't know i don't know i don't know why
I believe i believe i believe in the truth, from inside
Go away go away go away from me
Leave me alone
Ignorance spreads lies
How much will money bye
Well i'll take my time as i drift and die
Unwanted live my life a shame
Who's to blame for my mistakes
[chorus]
As i drift and die [x2]
Ignorance spreads lies
How much will money bye
Well i'll take my time
As i drift and die [x5]
song performed by by Puddle Of Mudd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Of Practical Means...
for those that come
i am ready
not only to embrace
its whole body
but also to explain
the necessity of
its parts that i too must
accept and love, thus
when i cannot see the stars
tonight
i accept that this happens
often
because
some heavy clouds are here
and they need
to drift and
release their
burdens
and soon it will rain
and all the thirsty fields of the
earth are craving
for water
from the heavens
for their satiation
i have known rain
and it does not surprise me
in these cold times
of my life
& if ever
another big flood comes along
this winding river
carrying drift wood
and mud
and carcass of some
wild pigs and
wingless birds
i still must respect
what nature is all
about
its way of cleansing
itself
& then
on a calm morning
after the storn
i busy myself
collecting all these
drifted things
thinking that perhaps
early tomorrow
i can construct the
bridge of my dreams
or that house
where my new hope
must
immediately reside
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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