The Barge and the Bride
I was having a meal, steak egg and chips
At the Humpty Dumpty Inn,
Next to the Curly-Wyrley Cut
Where the Curly bits begin,
When I heard a shout from a passing barge
‘You'd better duck! ' it said,
Then the bone from a monster ham flew up
And it hit me in the head!
I fell to the crazy paving, gathered
My wits, and looked around,
And there was Joe on the ‘Autumn Queen'
With his daughter, Maggie Browne,
He'd said something to stir her blood
And she'd thrown the bone at him,
But missed - and always the lucky one,
I'd caught it on the chin!
‘I'll get you back for this, ' I yelled,
And I shook my fist at her,
But she just laughed, and stuck her foot
On the prow, to bait my glare,
She slowly pulled her dress right up
To the thigh, and showed a leg,
‘If you can beat us to Walsall Lock
You can have me, we'll be wed! '
I gathered Flynn and we hitched the horse
And we set off in pursuit,
But our old Barge was slow, and Jessie
The horse was old, to boot,
We carried a hundred tons of coal
And the going would be slow,
But Maggie had always turned me down
In the past… I'd let her go!
She knew I only had eyes for her,
She'd played me like a fool,
She'd flirt, then gather her skirts and run,
It seemed to be the rule,
I knew she wanted away from Joe
So this could be my chance,
She'd never gone back on her word before,
Was she ripe for a new romance?
They'd left us a half a mile behind
As we got her under way,
This dirty Barge with the fancy name
That I'd christened ‘Mandalay',
But Flynn got Jessie to heave and strain
And we made four miles an hour,
If we could beat her to Walsall Lock
Then I'd have her in my power!
The towpath changed to the other side
At a tiny hump-backed bridge,
Flynn had to lead the horse across
Then down, and under the ledge,
We called it ‘threading the needle' then,
By keeping the rope attached,
We'd made a couple of hundred yards
On the Barge we wanted to catch.
The sun went down and the stars came out
I could see their lights ahead,
Their cabin gave out a cosy glow
As the thought rushed through my head,
That all was fair in love and war
I ran along the bank,
Then hidden in darkness up ahead
I unhitched their horse, called ‘Hank! '
Their Barge was dead in the water
When we passed them at nine o'clock,
By ten, I saw it ahead, the lights
And the gates of Walsall Lock,
Then out of the gloom I heard a sigh
As Maggie appeared in the dark,
And raised her face as the moon came up
So I kissed her, there by the Lock!
30 June 2012
(For our American readers, the ‘Curly-Wyrley
was the Wyrley and Essington Canal - ‘the Cut'
as we used to call canals, where I came from in
Birmingham, England. It had more twists and
turns than any canal in England, thus the
‘Curly-Wyrley'. During the Industrial Revolution
Canals were major transport hubs, valuable for the
Transport of coal from the midlands, and whole
families lived and eked out a living on these barges) .
poem by David Lewis Paget
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Hospital Barge
Budging the sluggard ripples of the Somme,
A barge round old Cérisy slowly slewed.
Softly her engines down the current screwed,
And chuckled softly with contented hum,
Till fairy tinklings struck their croonings dumb.
The waters rumpling at the stern subdued;
The lock-gate took her bulging amplitude;
Gently from out the gurgling lock she swum.
One reading by that calm bank shaded eyes
To watch her lessening westward quietly.
Then, as she neared the bend, her funnel screamed.
And that long lamentation made him wise
How unto Avalon, in agony,
Kings passed in the dark barge, which Merlin dreamed.
poem by Wilfred Owen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Hospital Barge at Cerisy
Budging the sluggard ripples of the Somme,
A barge round old Cérisy slowly slewed.
Softly her engines down the current screwed,
And chuckled softly with contented hum,
Till fairy tinklings struck their croonings dumb.
The waters rumpling at the stern subdued;
The lock-gate took her bulging amplitude;
Gently from out the gurgling lock she swum.
One reading by that calm bank shaded eyes
To watch her lessening westward quietly.
Then, as she neared the bend, her funnel screamed.
And that long lamentation made him wise
How unto Avalon, in agony,
Kings passed in the dark barge, which Merlin dreamed.
poem by Wilfred Owen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Happy British Town
Diamond:
Walsall
West Midland town
A place of various trades
Known for its leather and metal
And a library housing great paintings
Walsall Football Club is popular
also the shopping parade
Archives smile on
Walsall.
poem by Joyce Hemsley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Wind Horse
Da naho… It is said,
Wind Horse, gentle Wind horse, you were the last of your kind.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, you were running wild and free.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, with this freedom you did nothing but give;
When one called for help you carried them to safety,
No enemy did you have.
Da naho… It is said,
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, you gave your life one day
To a boy with no leg.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, you gave him your endless love.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, you now run in the Great Hunting Grounds;
Giving joy to those there, as you did here.
Da naho… It is said,
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, your life was not the last gift
You gave the People.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, you prayed for us, you wished a wish for us.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, we remember you through your brother Horse.
Wi: yo: h … It is good.
Wind Horse, Wind Horse, we see you still.
poem by Tolly Rebeka Christian BlackWolf Hawk
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Night Hunt
In the morning, in the dark,
When the stars begin to blunt,
By the wall of Barna Park
Dogs I heard and saw them hunt
All the parish dogs were there,
All the dogs for miles around,
Teeming up behind a hare,
In the dark, without a sound.
How I heard I scarce can tell--
'Twas a patter in the grass--
And I did not see them well
Come across the dark and pass;
Yet I saw them and I knew
Spearman's dog and Spellman's dog
And, beside my own dog too,
Leamy's from the Island Bog.
In the morning when the sun
Burnished all the green to gorse,
I went out to take a run
Round the bog upon my horse;
And my dog that had been sleeping
In the heat beside the door
Left his yawning and went leaping
On a hundred yards before.
Through the village street we passed--
Not a dog there raised a snout--
Through the street and out at last
On the white bog road and out
Over Barna Park full pace,
Over to the Silver Stream,
Horse and dog in happy race,
Rider between thought and dream.
By the stream, at Leamy's house,
Lay a dog -- my pace I curbed --
But our coming did not rouse
Him from drowsing undisturbed;
And my dog, as unaware
Of the other, dropped beside
And went running by me there
With my horse's slackened stride.
Yet by something, by a twitch
Of the sleeper's eye, a look
From the runner, something which
Little chords of feeling shook,
I was conscious that a thought
Shuddered through the silent deep
Of a secret -- I had caught
Something I had known in sleep.
poem by Thomas MacDonagh
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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To a Prospective Cook
Curly locks, Curly Locks, wilt thou be ours?
Thou shalt not wash dishes, nor yet weed the flowers,
But stand in the kitchen and cook a fine meal,
And ride every night in an automobile.
Curly Locks, Curly Locks, come to us soon!
Thou needest not to rise until mid-afternoon;
Thou mayest be Croatian, Armenian, or Greek;
Thy guerdon shall be what thy askest per week.
Curly Locks, Curly Locks, give us a chance!
Thou shalt not wash windows, nor iron my pants.
Oh, come to the cosiest of seven-room bowers,
Curly Locks, Curly Locks, wilt thou be ours?
poem by Franklin P. Adams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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My heart beat
It all seems like today
Ages have passed by…
My heart missed a beat
When I first saw you
When you stretched out your hand
When you spoke to me first
When you said you look good
When you stood talking for hours
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I met you
When we started dating
When we went on shopping
When we spent time in each other’s company
When we were in each other’s arms
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I wanted to say something
When you found that life was miserable
When you thought I should live with you
When you enjoyed my company
When you proposed to me
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I felt your love
When we first had a talk
When we had a long walk
When we never heard the waves on the shore
When we knew we loved each other
My heart missed a leap
My heart missed a leap
When I lost words
When you found them for me
When you touched me first
When you blew in my ears
When you kissed me first
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I saw the ring
When we decided
When we finalized things
When we knew everything was fine
When we heard the revolt
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I saw you parents
When you said your mother’s decision
When you were thinking twice
When you wanted to satisfy both
When your thoughts wavered
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I understood you
When we decided to go ahead
When we said this is the right time
When we told our friends
When we held hands
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I became your wife
When you were all to myself
When you said you love me lots
When you and your mother accepted me
When you became my world
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I knew a life in me
When we realized the fact
When we understood our culmination’s fruit
When we were to be too proud
When we heard a heart in me
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I first heard them cry
When you saw with sparkling eyes our babies
When you said they resemble me
When you said I am now a proud father of two
When you said I love you for this
My heart missed a beat
My heat missed a beat
When I heard them call me mom
When we were proud parents
When we shared happy moments
When we saw them grow
When we heard good things about them
My heart missed a beat
My heart missed a beat
When I knew it was time for marriages again
When you said just both of us now
When you saw me with love
When you said you look young still
When you whispered I love you
My heart missed a beat
You are a part of me
Even in our ripe old age
My heart beats only for you from day one
The day yours stop so will mine stop
For my heart beats only for you…
It all seems like today
Ages have passed by…
poem by Leena Bose
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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X Diary 07 Happy Sam And The Magic Horse
A Children's Tale
Once upon a time
There was a little boy called Happy Sam
Happy Sam lived in a house by a forest
With his mother and his father
And his baby brother
Lucky Peter
One day Happy Sam was walking in the forest
Further from home than he had been before
And he saw –
A HORSE
In the horse’s mouth there was –
A KEY
Happy Sam wanted that key
'HORSE'
Said Happy Sam
'GIVE ME THE KEY'
'Neigh'
Said the horse
Without letting go of the key
Well Happy Sam wanted that key really badly
So he thought
And he thought
And he had -
AN IDEA
Then he ran through the forest
And he ran through the garden
And he ran through the kitchen
And he ran to the refrigerator
And he found -
A CARROT
Then he ran back to the horse
And he said
'HERE HORSE
HAVE A CARROT! '
Well the horse wanted that carrot
So he opened his mouth to get it
And -
HE DROPPED THE KEY
Happy Sam caught the key
And he ran through the forest
And he ran through the garden
And he ran to his family
And he noticed for the first time
That in their hearts there were -
KEYHOLES
And he tried his new key
And he found that it -
JUST FITTED
poem by Stewart McKenzie
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Lip Lock Rock
Alright
You look at me, the world in your eyes
You say like my style
Oh yeah
You keep hopin' till I make my move
You resist and give me that smile
Oh yeah
I just want a little kiss
But you keep on playin' those nasty little tricks
I'm longing of a - (...just another kiss)
I want a lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Whoa
You make a man so frustrated
You got my head buried in a hole
Oh no
Just tease me 'till I'm crazy
I'm runnin' out of control
I just want a little kiss
But you keep on playin' those nasty little tricks
I'm not gonna bite, I - (...just want a little kiss)
I want a lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Whoa
Lip lock
Lip lock
Lip lock
Lip lock
Lip lock
Rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Whoa
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Oh whoa
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
Give it to me
Lip lock rock
Lip lock rock
song performed by by Alice In Chains
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Maggie Mae
Wake up Maggie, I think I've got something to say to you
It's late September and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused
But I fell I'm being used
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home
Just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and that's what really hurts
The morning sun when it's in your eyes really shows your age
But that don't worry me none, in my eyes you're everything
I laughed at all of your jokes
My love you didn't need to coax
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home
Just to save you from being alone
You stole my soul and that's a pain I can do without
All I needed was a friend to lend a helping hand
But you turned into a lover and mother, what a lover, you wore me out
All you did was wreck my bed
And in the morning kick me in the head
Oh Maggie, I couldn't have tried any more
You led me away from home
'Cause you didn't want to be alone
You stole my heart, I couldn't leave you if I tried
I suppose I could collecd my books and go on back to school
Or steal my daddy's cue and make a living at playing pool
Or find myself a rock and roll band
That needs a helping hand
Oh Maggie, I wished I'd never seen your face
You made a first class fool out of me
But I'm as blind as a fool can be
You stole my heart but I love you anyway
I'd never seen your face
I'll get on back home, one of these days
song performed by by Rod Stewart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Maggie May
Wake up, maggie, I think I got some-thing to say to you:
Its late september and I really should be back at school.
I know I keep you amused, but I feel Im being used.
Oh, maggie, I couldnt have tried any more.
You lured me away from home, just to save you from being alone.
You stole my heart and thats what really hurts.
The morning sun, when its in your face really shows your age.
But that dont worry me none; in my eyes youre everything.
I laughed at all of your jokes, my love you didnt need to coax,
Oh, maggie I couldnt have tried any more.
You lured me away from home, just to save you from being alone.
You stole my soul thats a pain I can do without.
All I need was a friend to lend a guiding hand.
But you turned into a lover and mother what a lover your wore me out.
All you did was wreck my bed, and in the morning kick me in the head,
Oh, maggie I couldnt have tried any more.
You lured me away from home, cause you didnt want to be alone.
You stole my heart I couldnt leave you if I tried.
I suppose I could collect my books and get back to school.
Or steal my daddys cue and make a living out of playing pool.
Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helping hand,
Oh, maggie, I wish Id never seen your face.
You made a first class fool out of me,
But Im as blind as a fool can be.
You stole my heart, but I love you anyway.
Maggie, I wish I never seen your face.
Ill get on back home one of these days.
song performed by by Counting Crows
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Demon Horse On The Carousel
The trucks came in with the travelling show
To the heart of our western town,
They set their tents in the twilight glow
And circled the wagons round,
While we, the boys of the neighbourhood
Were watching with minds alight,
The girls in the pearl bikini’s
Who would brave the trapeze that night!
The light sprang out of a million bulbs
In yellow and pink and green,
Lighting the booths of the grinning clowns
That you rolled a ball between,
A Carny carolled, ‘A Penny a shy! ’
And leered, with his gold-capped teeth,
Like a hungry shark at the fattest Mark,
But with eyes of a petty thief!
And then the music began to stir
Like a grind from an organ song,
The puffing steam of the calliope
As the crowd began to throng,
While horses bucked and lowered their heads
The Carousel went by,
Riding on into the future as
It left us, high and dry.
I stayed all night by the Carousel,
Watching the people ride,
Off to a magical future where
No-one grew old, or died,
The organ stuttered its music
And the steam puffed by in clouds,
As a big black horse by the inner rail
Stood wrapped in a sheet-like shroud!
Nobody rode that noble horse,
Nobody even tried,
The Barker motioned the folks away
When they strayed to the horse’s side,
But I stood still and hypnotised
To watch as it rose and fell,
Its mane a-stream like the darkest dream,
As dark as the deepest well!
I waited until they called - ‘Last ride,
The last ride for the night! ’
I paid my money and climbed aboard
And went for the horse - ‘Midnight! ’
The Barker stood with his back to me
Was calling the ride aloud,
So I hid beside the great black horse,
Pulled off the enveloping shroud!
The ride was off and away, I leapt
And clung to the horse’s mane,
Its head was tossing so high and proud,
This horse had never been tame!
The stars were high in the midnight sky,
The Moon was up and about,
But then the music began to change,
And the lights of the ride went out.
The wind blew up and the world went by
And the Carousel spun round,
I couldn’t see past the horses head,
We seemed to be far from the ground,
The horse got rid of its wooden pole
Whinnied, while shaking its head,
Then turned to look at the boy on its back,
And the glass in its eyes glowed red.
The music suddenly turned around
Ran backwards around the rig,
Just like a mad asylum sound,
It seemed like a whirligig,
While ‘Midnight’ galloped on through the stars
And bucked and pranced in the air,
And I grew sick with a deadly fear
I’d be thrown off its back out there!
The ride continued for hour on hour,
We travelled down to the core,
I saw some visions of what might be…
I don’t want to see any more!
‘Just take me back to the town, ’ I cried,
‘Just let my nightmare be! ’
The horse looked on me with glowing eyes,
I’d swear that he pitied me!
The lights came on in the Carousel,
The horse, it came to a stop,
I slipped and fell from the horse’s back,
And the Barker helped me up.
I felt so stiff I could barely move,
The man said – ‘and that’s why…
We never let fellows as old as you
Take the Demon Horse for a ride! ’
poem by David Lewis Paget
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Ghost Horse
Sitting on the window ledge
Staring straight ahead
I see you grazing in the field
The sun shining bright
And the sky a baby blue
Clouds no where to be seen
He must really love you
You wander off
Just out of sight
Behind the light pink blossom tree
I am drawn to you
I race, I run,
But I’m to late
Where have you gone?
I see you by the water stream
So quiet, so peaceful
And so magnificent
Your moves are like an angel
They almost float and fly
Your coat sparking in the sun
Your mane a radiant white
Your standing over me
Nudging me…..
I don’t know what to do
I put down my pencil and pad
And leap on your back
And you set off
So here we are
Racing through the field
Hunters go past
The hunters are gone
Yet I see a horse
Its rider face down in the mud
A Whinny but no scream
Sitting on the window ledge
staring straight ahead
Now I watch that hunters horse
because that horse lost its rider
I asked around
Yet noone knew of a horse
With a coat that sparkled in the sun
With a mane a radiant white
and till this say, i swear ill see you again
poem by Megzii Invisable
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Maggie May
(rod stewart / martin quittenton)
Wake up maggie I think I got something to say to you
Its late september and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused but I feel Im being used
Oh maggie I couldnt have tried any more
You lured me away from home just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and thats what really hurt
The morning sun when its in your face really shows your age
But that dont worry me none in my eyes youre everything
I laughed at all of your jokes my love you didnt need to coax
Oh, maggie I couldnt have tried any more
You lured me away from home, just to save you from being alone
You stole my soul and thats a pain I can do without
All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand
But you turned into a lover and
Mother what a lover, you wore me out
All you did was wreck my bed
And in the morning kick me in the head
Oh maggie I couldnt have tried anymore
You lured me away from home cause you didnt want to be alone
You stole my heart I couldnt leave you if I tried
I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school
Or steal my daddys cue and make a living out of playing pool
Or find myself a rock and roll band that needs a helpin hand
Oh maggie I wish Id never seen your face
You made a first-class fool out of me
But Im as blind as a fool can be
You stole my heart but I love you anyway
Maggie I wish Id never seen your face
Ill get on back home one of these days
song performed by by Rod Stewart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Post War Dream
Tell me true tell me why was jesus crucified
Is it for this that daddy died?
Was it for you? was it me?
Did I watch too much t.v.?
Is that a hint of accusation in your eyes?
If it wasnt for the nips
Being so good at building ships
The yards would still be open on the clyde
And it cant be much fun for them
Beneath the rising sun
With all their kids committing suicide
What have we done maggie what have we done
What have we done to england
Should we shout should we scream
what happened to the post war dream?
Oh maggie maggie what have we done?
song performed by by Pink Floyd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Maggie May
Wake up maggie I think Ive got something to say to you
Its late september and I really should be back at school
I know I keep you amused
But I feel Im being used
Oh maggie I couldnt have tried any more
You led me away from home
Just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and thats what really hurts
The morning sun when its in your face really shows your age
But that dont worry me none, in my eyes youre everything
I laughed at all your jokes
My love you didnt need to coax
Oh maggie I couldnt have tried any more
You led me away from home
Just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart and thats a pain I could do without
All I needed was a friend to lend a guiding hand
You turned into a lover and mother what a lover
You wore me out
All you did was wreck my bed
And in the morning kick me in the head
Oh maggie I couldnt have tried any more
You led me away from home
Just to save you from being alone
You stole my heart I couldnt leave you if I tried
I suppose I could collect my books and get on back to school
Or steal my daddys cue and make a living out of playing pool
Find myself a rock and roll band
That needs a helping hand
Oh maggie I wish Id never seen your face
You made a first class fool out of me
Now Im as blind as a fool can be
You stole my heart but I love you anyway
song performed by by Wet Wet Wet
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Give Way
I know a man from Lancashire
who had a horse and cart for hire.
The horse was old but the cart is strong,
somehow together they didn't belong.
When they became one there was a change,
Ears went up, whip in the tail, snap the riegns.
They came to a bridge, it looked a little weak
As they crossed, it hobbled, tapped and creaked.
The wooden bridge was small and norrow
not to long, but only room for one to pass.
Towards them flapped a little brown sparrow,
horse thinks, no way he's makin me into an ass.
The old horse snorted and put his head down,
nothing would stop them getting to town.
Said the horse: ' no one's gettin in my way'
Then the little sparrow flew up, got out the way.
Hovering above watching everything,
just like a slow motion scene.
The sparrow saw the horse
fly through the trucks screen.
P.S. We used a proffessional stunt horse, he is Ok.
poem by David Darbyshire
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Spit It Out
Back then my life was empty
Most things around disturbed me
Messed-up and really restless
My head was filled with distless
Until the day you saved me
You made me see things clearly
Nothing is ever hopeless
Got to know how to love myself
You made me love you, me and life
(chorus:) Go ahead, spit it out, go ahead,
go ahead, spit it out
That I am stupid
Go ahead, spit it out, go ahead,
go ahead, spit it out
That I was mistaken
Go ahead, spit it out, go ahead,
go ahead, spit it out
That I missed my chances
Go ahead, spit it out, go ahead,
go ahead, spit it out
That I cannot fix it
Right now I grab my head and
Look back at what I have done
I've been a total fool
Can find no explanation
One day I could not take it
Guess things were just too perfect
So I took my stuff and left you
Though I will always love you
Thought you saved me I still left you
(chorus)
song performed by by Vanilla Ninja
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Journey to Paradise
She was a queen of the old Levant,
Of a country, lost in shame,
Each page, blood-drenched of its history
Was burnt, to bury its name,
The King had gone on the last Crusade
With his knights to the Holy Land,
But locked her into a chastity belt
Forged by a blacksmith's hand.
But Queen Fatima, known as ‘The Bitch'
Was a testy-tempered whore,
She raged and ranted at everyone
And chafed at the chains she bore,
She sent in search of the blacksmith to
Disable the King's device,
But word came back that the man was hung
So he'd never work it twice.
The King was away for three long years,
Fatima's tongue was a lash,
The sharpest thing in her box of tricks
Was the blade of the headsman's axe,
Her courtiers' popularity rose
And fell as her moods had bled,
And all had quaked at the first mistake
When she ranted, ‘Off with his head! '
She called for a Turkic Shaman to
Divine what her life would be,
Would she ever be rid of this chastity belt?
He cautioned her, ‘Wait and see! '
It wasn't the answer she wanted, so
He was tied to a horse, and dragged,
Down to the river and weighted down
Tied up in a hessian bag!
A number of fortune tellers fell
To the rage of a Fatima fit,
Off to the gory headsman's blade
Or cooked like a pig on a spit,
But then, the little court jester said
In a voice that was more like a whine,
‘Would it please the ear for a genuine seer,
At Delphi, I learnt to divine.'
‘You learned from the famous Oracle?
Come closer, this I must hear,
If the Oracle tells my future place,
Why, you have nothing to fear! '
‘My Oracle tells the key to your belt
Has been locked in the armourer's cell,
The King had ordered its secret kept
Or he'd suffer the fiends from hell! '
They carried the armourer shackled in chain
To the queen, he knelt in shock,
‘The key, if you please, or on your knees
You will feel my steel on the block! '
He babbled and begged forgiveness, said
He was caught between King and Queen,
And gave up the key to chastity
So the queen danced free on the green.
She spent that night with the eunuch slaves,
She crawled around on her knees,
She fed an insatiable appetite
Doing whatever she pleased,
At dawn she called for the headsman
Who was given his gory task,
And watched as her night companions there
Fell one and all to the axe.
She took in the jester, asked for more,
What news of the King from home,
‘Alas, ' he said, ‘the King is dead,
The vultures pick at his bones! '
‘Then what will become of his widow queen,
Say now, or you'll feel my curse.'
‘A knight in armour will come for you,
A knight on a coal black horse! '
‘Will he be the bearer of tidings, or
Will he be the bearer of lies? '
‘This knight has only one deed to do,
He'll bear you to paradise! '
She thought of the bliss of a loving knight
Who would take the queen as his right,
While she would rule with an iron hand
And he would make love at night.
The knight came thundering through the trees
One day, on his coal black horse,
The queen stood up where the parapet eaves
Hung over the watercourse,
She ordered the drawbridge down at once
And had the portcullis raised,
Then watched him galloping into the fort
And through the walls of the maze.
His horse came clattering up the steps
That led to milady's tower,
She thought, ‘At last, we shall bed this night
In the depths of my shady bower.'
The knight, not raising his visor there
Nor even dismounted yet,
Raised his scimitar up on high
Then cleft her head from her neck!
Her body dropped like a stone, and bled,
Her head flew over the wall,
She saw his face as she stared ahead
The Jester, watching her fall,
Her head fell down through the cypress trees
And she thought that the breeze was nice!
Those final seconds would lead her mind
To the Garden of Paradise.
1 November 2012
poem by David Lewis Paget
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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One Summer 1958
You sat with Fay that summer day
on the flat concrete roof
of the World War Two bomb shelter
down below the tall flats
where you both lived
and you said
do you want to go
to the movies with me?
she looked across
at the coal depot
with its trucks loading
and unloading
I don't have no money
she replied
you looked at her
my dad'll pay
you said
he's always giving me money
for the movies
she shook her head
and you looked ahead
at the sun shining above
the rain tracks
over the coal depot
you had on your blue jeans
and white tee shirt
and she you noticed
turning your head
had a red and white dress
which came just over her knees
and she wore sandals
on bare feet
besides my mother wants me
so she can see me
Fay said with a sigh
she raised and lowered
her legs against
the concrete wall
her sandals making
tapping noises
as they hit the wall
and you noticed bruises
along her thigh
as she moved
and her dress rode higher
what are those bruises
on your leg?
you asked
she looked down
and stopped moving her legs
and pulled her dress hem
over her knees and thighs
I fell
she replied
down the stairs
you looked at her arms
where other fading bruises
blended into her skin
like worn-out badges
we can see a Western film
you said
I'm sure
there's a Jeff Chandler film
so my dad tells me
but she shook her head
too violent
Mother says
Fay uttered looking away
but there's kissing stuff too
you added
Fay looked at you
her blue eyes
moving over you
like a smoothing
palm of a hand
I'm not allowed
to go to the movies
Daddy says
its sinful and only
wicked people
go there
to be tempted
by the Devil
she sighed
and you both sat in silence
for a while
watching pigeons fly
in the blue summer sky
then she turned quickly
and kissed your cheek
and said
don't have to go
to no movie
to see kissing
and you thought
of the boring bits in films
where the cowboy
gets kissed by the girl
after a gun shoot out
and having been kissed
by Fay
you were glad
and guessed that kissing
wasn't at all
too bad.
poem by Terry Collett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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