The Barrier
I must not gaze at them although
Your eyes are dawning day;
I must not watch you as you go
Your sun-illumined way;
I hear but I must never heed
The fascinating note,
Which, fluting like a river reed,
Comes from your trembing throat;
I must not see upon your face
Love's softly glowing spark;
For there's the barrier of race,
You're fair and I am dark.
poem by Claude McKay
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My Old Flame
Arthur johnson / sam coslow
My old flame
I cant even think of his name
But its funny now and then
How my thoughts go flashing back again
To my old flame
My old flame
My new lovers all seem so tame
For I havent met a gent
So innocent or elegant
As my old flame
Ive met so many men
With fascinating ways
A fascinating gaze in their eyes
Som who sent me up to the skies
But their attempts at love
Were only imitations of
My old flame
I cant even think of his name
But Ill never be the same
Untill I discover what became
Of my old flame
Ive met so many men
With fascinating ways
A fascinating gaze in their eyes
Som who sent me up to the skies
But their attempts at love
Were only imitations of
My old flame
I cant even think of his name
But Ill never be the same
Untill I discover what became
Of my old flame
song performed by by Billie Holiday
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Rambler
I do not see the hills around,
Nor mark the tints the copses wear;
I do not note the grassy ground
And constellated daisies there.
I hear not the contralto note
Of cuckoos hid on either hand,
The whirr that shakes the nighthawk's throat
When eve's brown awning hoods the land.
Some say each songster, tree and mead--
All eloquent of love divine--
Receives their constant careful heed:
Such keen appraisement is not mine.
The tones around me that I hear,
The aspects, meanings, shapes I see,
Are those far back ones missed when near,
And now perceived too late by me!
poem by Thomas Hardy
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Spark In The Dark
Welcome to the party
Its only me and you
Tell the world to go away, babe
And Ill tell you what to do
Come over here and kiss me
I want to pull your hair
Turn out the lights and hold me
I want to touch you everywhere
We dont need nobody, baby
We dont need champagne
Ill take you to the deepest,
Darkest, hottest, lovers lane
For a little spark in the dark
Just a little spark in the dark
Dont matter where we sleep
Dont matter where we park
All we need is a spark, spark
Spark in the dark
Just a little spark in the dark
Come around midnight
Well be crawlin on the floor
Burnin with the fever
And yellin out for more
But dont you write it in your
Diary, baby
Dont blab it on the phone
Cuz if your mom and dad find out
Theyll skin me to the bone
Now we dont need instructions,
Baby
Dont you be afraid
It takes a little friction
Thats how our love is made
]from a little spark in the dark
Just a little spark in the dark
Dont matter what you say
No matter what you do
As long as it is me and you
We got a spark in the dark
Just a little spark in the dark, yeah
We dont need nobody, baby
We dont need cocaine
Ill take you to the deepest,
Darkest, hottest lovers lane
Spark in the dark
Just a little spark in the dark
Dont matter where we sleep
Dont matter where we park
All we need is a spark, spark
Spark in the dark
song performed by by Alice Cooper
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In the spirit of Rumi - 27
‘O My Beloved –
I lose myself in the world’s distracting multiplicity,
yet cannot find the One in my restless mind –
I am in a desert place, a place of desolation… ’
My Beloved said
see the reeds, gently swaying like swooning dervishes
on the river bank, their feet in the water –
a man could sit for hours and watch them –
are they not beautiful?
See now the reed-flute, so carefully crafted,
waiting there to sound out sadness, love and joy –
is it not beautiful?
See the musician – how his eyes shine
with the music in his soul!
Is he not beautiful?
Hear the music that he plays –
telling its stories of life and death, of heaven and earth –
is it not beautiful?
Now watch him as he plays
the music which is himself
on the flute made from the willing reed –
am I not the One you hear in this?
I am beautiful in My Oneness;
I am beautiful in My multiplicity;
Is there a greater miracle than this?
And you, the witness of all this in Me –
is there a greater miracle than yourself?
poem by Michael Shepherd
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Invisible Wounds
Dark bodies floating in darkness
No sign of light ever given
Imprisoned in a world without a memory
Unconscious, or am i conscious?
Cut from the heart i am part of
Sometimes i feel as though i'm frozen in heaven
And i saw my own face in the dark and loneliness
And i saw my own face like a spark frozen in heaven
In dreams i see myself flying
Closer to the sun, and i'm climbing
Tried to touch the sun
But the brightness burned my eyes
Unconscious, or am i conscious?
Fell from the sky like a star
Sometimes i feel as though i'm frozen in heaven
And i saw my own face in the dark and loneliness
And i saw my own face like a spark
Dark
My life was so dark...
My mind was so dark...
Everything was dark
Unconscious, or am i conscious?
Fell from the sky like a star
Sometimes i feel as though i'm frozen in heaven
And i saw my own face in the dark and loneliness
And i saw my own face like a spark frozen in heaven
Dark bodies floating in darkness...
song performed by by Fear Factory
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Immortal
BEAUTY is still immortal in our eyes;
When sways no more the spirit-haunted reed,
When the wild grape shall build
No more her canopies,
When blows no more the moon-gray thistle seed,
When the last bell has lulled the white flocks home,
When the last eve has stilled
The wandering wing and touched the dying foam,
When the last moon burns low, and, spark by spark,
The little worlds die out along the dark,–
Beauty that rosed the moth-wing, touched the land
With clover-horns and delicate faint flowers,
Beauty that bade the showers
Beat on the violet's face,
Shall hold the eternal heavens within their place
And hear new stars come singing from God's hand.
poem by Marjorie Lowry Christie Pickthall
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Sunday Morning
(reed, cale)
Sunday morning, praise the dawning
Its just a restless feeling by my side
Early dawning, sunday morning
Its just the wasted years so close behind
Watch out, the worlds behind you
Theres always someone around you who will call
Its nothing at all
Sunday morning and Im falling
Ive got a feeling I dont want to know
Early dawning, sunday morning
Its all the streets you crossed, not so long ago
Watch out, the worlds behind you
Theres always someone around you who will call
Its nothing at all
Watch out, the worlds behind you
Theres always someone around you who will call
Its nothing at all
Sunday morning
Sunday morning
Sunday morning
song performed by by Velvet Underground
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Old Black Dawning
I hung around
On the planet mabel
She tried to stand
But she was not able
She tried to find the truth
She tried to colonize space
She only had a few
But it was a good race
Old black dawning is coming on
Old black dawning is coming on
Old black dawning
Old black dawning
Im always happy to
Go down to old tucson
After you had your fun
Its time to move on
Ive got a favorite story
About the tower of babel
Some say its true
And some say its a fable
Old black dawning is coming on
Old black dawning is coming on
Old black dawning
Old black dawning
song performed by by Frank Black
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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With Gentle Kindness
God of all-encompassing
Compassionate eyes,
Gaze softly upon
Your fragile servants
In this delicate life
Where our dreams often vanish
Like rainy summer mist
And our love falls to the ground
Like wounded flower petals,
Where our days are brief
And drenched with inconsolable tears
When the ones we love are ill
And their healing is not within our touch;
Gaze softly and treat us
With gentle kindness.
poem by Uriah Hamilton
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Comparison
THE sky of brightest gray seems dark
To one whose sky was ever white.
To one who never knew a spark,
Thro' all his life, of love or light,
The grayest cloud seems over-bright.
The robin sounds a beggar's note
Where one the nightingale has heard,
But he for whom no silver throat
Its liquid music ever stirred,
Deems robin still the sweetest bird.
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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Blithe Dreams Arise To Greet Us
Blithe dreams arise to greet us,
And life feels clean and new,
For the old love comes to meet us
In the dawning and the dew.
O'erblown with sunny shadows,
O'ersped with winds at play,
The woodlands and the meadows
Are keeping holiday.
Wild foals are scampering, neighing,
Brave merles their hautboys blow:
Come! let us go a-maying
As in the Long-Ago.
Here we but peak and dwindle:
The clank of chain and crane,
The whir of crank and spindle
Bewilder heart and brain;
The ends of our endeavour
Are merely wealth and fame,
Yet in the still Forever
We're one and all the same;
Delaying, still delaying,
We watch the fading west:
Come! let us go a-maying,
Nor fear to take the best.
Yet beautiful and spacious
The wise, old world appears.
Yet frank and fair and gracious
Outlaugh the jocund years.
Our arguments disputing,
The universal Pan
Still wanders fluting--fluting -
Fluting to maid and man.
Our weary well-a-waying
His music cannot still:
Come! let us go a-maying,
And pipe with him our fill.
When wanton winds are flowing
Among the gladdening glass;
Where hawthorn brakes are blowing,
And meadow perfumes pass;
Where morning's grace is greenest,
And fullest noon's of pride;
Where sunset spreads serenest,
And sacred night's most wide;
Where nests are swaying, swaying,
And spring's fresh voices call,
Come! let us go a-maying,
And bless the God of all!
poem by William Ernest Henley
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Dark Bodies (demo)
Dark bodies floating in darkness
No sign of light ever given
Imprisoned in a world without a memory
Unconscious, or am I conscious?
Cut from the heart I am part of
Sometimes it feels as though I'm frozen in heaven
And I saw my own face in the black lonely space
Like a spark frozen grey
Floating away [x2]
In dreams I see myself flying
Closer to the sun and I'm climbing
Tried to touch the sun
But the brightness burned my eyes
Unconscious, or am I conscious?
Fell from the sky like a star
Sometimes it feels as though I'm frozen in heaven
And I saw my own face in the black lonely space
Like a spark frozen grey
Floating away
And I saw my own face in the black lonely space
Like a spark...
My mind was so dark...
My life was so dark...
My mind was so dark...
My life was so dark...
Everything was dark
Unconscious, or am I conscious?
Fell from the sky like a star
Sometimes I feel as though I'm frozen in Heaven
And I saw my own face in the black lonely space
Like a spark frozen grey
Floating away [x2]
And I saw my own face like a spark...floating away
song performed by by Fear Factory
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Eyes Above Me
I look into the sky
And see your glowing eyes
Although you caused me so much pain
Ill still look to you with love
What happenend is done
Its in the past
High above the ground
I look deep into your eyes
High above the ground
You stand and watch me from above
As i live a long tired life
You call my name each night
So i look into the sky
And there i see your glowing eyes
As long as i believe your there
You'll always continue to watch me
No matter where i am
Ill always see your eyes above me
poem by Kerrie Maurer
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The Three Of Us In The Dark
(Carly Simon)
The three of us in the dark
Where do I resist
One has to go
One is just a guest
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
But here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
I didn't hear you walk in the door
You'd called to me years ago
I had heard
Your voice before
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
But here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
The eerie sound of one lone fiddle
The wind is finding the tune
And you lying here in the middle
As innocent as the moon
Entangled in embraces that God will never see
Do you know me
Who am I talking about
It all gets so confused
And what would I do
If I had to choose
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
And here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
song performed by by Carly Simon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Three Of Us In The Dark
(carly simon)
The three of us in the dark
Where do I resist
One has to go
One is just a guest
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
But here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
I didnt hear you walk in the door
Youd called to me years ago
I had heard
Your voice before
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
But here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
The eerie sound of one lone fiddle
The wind is finding the tune
And you lying here in the middle
As innocent as the moon
Entangled in embraces that God will never see
Do you know me
Who am I talking about
It all gets so confused
And what would I do
If I had to choose
One is all a fire
One is all a spark
And here I am with the two of you
The three of us in the dark
song performed by by Carly Simon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tomorrow Is Such A Long Time
If today were not an endless highway
If tonight were not a crooked trail
If tomorrow werent such a long time
Then lonesome would mean nothing to me at all
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear her heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then Id lie in my bed once again
I cant see my reflection in the water
Cant speak the sounds that show no pain
I cant hear the echo of my footsteps
Cant remember the sound of my own name
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear he heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
Then Id lie in my bed once again
Theres beauty in the silver, singing river
Theres beauty in the sunrise in the sky
None of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
That I remember in my true loves eyes
And only if my own true love were waiting for me
And if I could hear he heart softly pounding
If only she was lying by me
And she could lie in my bed once again
song performed by by Nick Drake
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tomorrow Is A Long Time
If today was not an endless highway,
If tonight was not a crooked trail,
If tomorrow wasnt such a long time,
Then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin,
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin,
Only if she was lyin by me,
Then Id lie in my bed once again.
I cant see my reflection in the waters,
I cant speak the sounds that show no pain,
I cant hear the echo of my footsteps,
Or cant remember the sound of my own name.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin,
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin,
Only if she was lyin by me,
Then Id lie in my bed once again.
Theres beauty in the silver, singin river,
Theres beauty in the sunrise in the sky,
But none of these and nothing else can touch the beauty
That I remember in my true loves eyes.
Yes, and only if my own true love was waitin,
Yes, and if I could hear her heart a-softly poundin,
Only if she was lyin by me,
Then Id lie in my bed once again.
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ballad
I KNOW my love is true,
And oh the day is fair.
The sky is dear and blue,
The flowers are rich of hue,
The air I breathe is rare,
I have no grief or care;
For my own love is true,
And oh the day is fair.
My love is false I find,
And oh the day is dark.
Blows sadly down the wind,
While sorrow holds my mind;
I do not hear the lark,
For quenched is life's dear spark,—
My love is false I find,
And oh the day is dark!
For love doth make the day
Or dark or doubly bright;
Her beams along the way
Dispel the gloom and gray.
She lives and all is bright,
She dies and life is night.
For love doth make the day,
Or dark or doubly bright.
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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Lethe
Through the noiseless doors of Death
Three passed out, as with one breath.
Two had faces stern as Fate,
Stamped with unrelenting hate.
One upon her lips of guile
Wore a cold, mysterious smile.
Each of each unseen, the pale
Shades went down the hollow vale
Till they came unto the deep
River of Eternal Sleep.
Breath of wind, or wing of bird,
Never that dark stream hath stirred;
Still it seems as is the shore,
But it flows for evermore
Softly, through the meadows wan
To the Sea Oblivion.
In the dusk, like drops of blood,
Poppies hang above the flood;
On its surface lies a thin,
Ghostly web of mist, wherein
All things vague and changing seem
As the faces in a dream.
Two knelt down upon the bank
And of that dark water drank.
But the Third stood by the while,
Smiling her mysterious smile.
Rising up, those shades of men
Gazed upon each other, then
Side by side, upon the bank,
In a bed of poppies sank.
“What,” one to the other saith,
“Sent thee through the doors of death?”—
“While life throbbed in every vein,
For a woman I was slain.
“Love is but a fleeting spell,
Hate alone remembers well.
“For my slayer I shall wait,
And though he at Heaven’s gate
“Stand, and wear an angel’s crown,
I shall seize and drag him down!”
So the stern shade made reply.
Then the first that spake said: “I
“For a woman’s sake, also,
Slew myself—and slew my foe.
“Slew myself, that in no shape
He my vengeance should escape,
“Till Oblivion swallow both:
And I swore a solemn oath
“I would—hate remembers well—
Hunt his spotted soul to hell.
“But I left, ere leave-taking,
Round her throat a dark red ring.
“I shall know her—you shall note—
By that red ring round her throat.
“Well I loved my fair, false wife,
And perchance in this new life
“She may love me—we shall see—
She shall choose ’twixt him and me.”
Softly did the other sigh:
“My love’s love will never die.
“Love is not a fleeting spell—
Love, like hate, remembers well.
“Soon—mayhap on this dim shore—
We shall meet to part no more.”
Then the first Shade spoke and said:
“In this Kingdom of the Dead
“Let us, who so strangely meet,
Pledge each other in this sweet
“Water, our revenge to wreak
Side by side, and so to seek,
“Side by side, whate’er our fate,
Those we love and those we hate.”
Kneeling on the dim shore then,
Side by side, they drank again.
And they saw, like drops of blood,
Poppies nodding o’er the flood,
And they gazed upon the thin
Ghostly web of mist, wherein
All things vague and changing seem
As the faces in a dream;
And by some enchantment weird,
As they gazed thereon appeared
Unto each, down-bending low,
Form and features of his foe,
For a moment, then were gone,
And upon the meadows wan—
Half in Death and half a-swoon—
Shone a pale and spectral moon.
Then these twain rose, drowsy-eyed,
And departed side by side.
But the Woman Shade the while
Smiled her cold, mysterious smile.
And her beauty made a light
In that realm of pallid night
(Beauty laughs at worm and grave)
Like the moon beneath the wave.
Back she flung her hair of gold,
Glowing, gleaming, fold on fold,
Showing—all but these might note—
The red ring around her throat.
But they passed with cold surprise,
And unrecognising eyes.
Lightly laughed she then, and said:
“In this Kingdom of the Dead
“Strange the sights that one may see!
There go twain who died for me
“Seeking, through Creation wide,
For each other—side by side!”
Then she wove a poppy crown,
Placed it on her head, and down
On the river’s margin sank
Midst the poppies of its bank,
Saying: “In the world above
Long he tarries, my true love.
“Here beside this river’s rim
I will sleep, and wait for him.”
poem by Victor James Daley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Tomorrow Is A Long Time
(Bob Dylan)
If today was not an endless highway
If tonight was not a crooked trail
If tomorrow wasn't such a long time
then lonesome would mean nothing to you at all
Ah but only if my own true love is waitin'
Yes and if I could hear her heart a softly poundin'
only if she were lying by me
would I rest in my bed once again
I can't see my reflection in the mirror
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain
I can't hear the echoes of my footsteps
and can't remember the sound of my own name
Ah but only if my own true love is waitin'
Yes and if I could hear her heart a softly poundin'
only if she were lying by me
would I rest in my bed once again
There's beauty in the silver singin' river
There's beauty in the sunlight in the sky
But none of these, and nothing else
can steal the beauty
that I remember in my true love's eyes
Ah but only if my own true love is waitin'
Yes and if I could hear her heart a softly poundin'
only if she were lying by me
would I rest in my bed once again
song performed by by Rod Stewart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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