The Poetry Course
I was stumbling through the college grounds
On a day, eight months ago,
It was wintertime, in a fading light
And the ground was covered with snow,
I was there for a course of literature
Set up by Professor Burke,
They said that he had all the answers, then,
To the Poets, and all of their work!
I'd never read too much poetry
What I had went over my head,
I thought there was too much imagery
To understand what they said,
The class was small, I sat by the wall
And tried to avoid his frown,
Whenever he asked a question
I was afraid that he'd put me down.
I didn't know anyone else in there
I was feeling bereft, alone,
But one of the students that sat by me
Had a face that was set in stone,
He was shrunk right down in his overcoat,
And he sat there, stroking his mo,
So after the class, I followed him
And he gave me a brief: ‘Hello! '
I can't ever say that we were chums,
He was far too quiet for that,
We'd wander together, lost in thought
And I was the one to chat,
He'd answer me with a short ‘Hurrumph',
Occasionally answer: ‘Hah! '
And often he'd sound almost profound
With a short and considered: ‘Bah! '
The only time that he came to life
Was when Burke was discussing Rhyme,
Burke curled his lip at the thought of it,
And said: ‘It's a waste of time! '
My friend sank down in his overcoat
And he gave out a funny sigh,
With Burke extolling the free-form art
Of the moderns, and told us why.
He tore up Coleridge: ‘Christabel,
Is just an unfinished dream,
And Wordsworth, him and his leeches - Well!
It seems to me quite obscene! '
He massacred Noyes and his ‘Highwayman',
And Kipling he threw in the bin;
‘‘The Raven' is boring, it's much too long
And the rest of his stuff, just spin! '
Exams were held on a frosty night
With a hell of a fog outside,
My friend was down and dispirited,
But he wrote with a quiet pride,
The final question on rhyme was set
On ‘The Raven' - give a critique! '
I think he would still have been writing there
If we'd had ‘til the end of the week!
The marks came back in a day or two,
I'd scrambled through with a pass,
My friend walked off on his own that night
His shoulders were hunched at the last,
I never ran into him after that,
He'd said, ‘I'd better just go! '
The marks for ‘The Raven' had let him down,
They'd flunked Edgar Allan Poe!
poem by David Lewis Paget
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
A Snowy Sunset
Snow Snow on the ground
Sun is sinking down down down
Trees trees covered in Wight
People gasp at the sight
Snow Snow on the ground
Animals scurry all around
Snow Snow in your hair
Stiffness and cold in the air
Snow Snow on the ground
People sledding down down down
Hot Coco and coffee inside
Why not go for another sled ride
Snow Snow on the ground
The sun has set past the ground
Lights light up the city bright
People every where say what a sight
poem by Miranda Will
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Snow Dancing
Frozen ground, frozen ponds,
Overgrown fields awaiting spring.
Snow dancing across the roads,
Snow too cold to melt
when it hits the ground.
To light to stay down,
blowing every which way.
Cars pass by disturbing the air
making the snow dance
on swirling currents of air.
Swirling up, down, all around,
spinning, wildly, round and round,
trying to get to the ground.
Almost bare roads covered
with swirls of snow.
Everywhere the flowing snow.
No cars pass by. Now, only the wind.
Wind still blowing the snow,
up, down, and all around,
dancing lively to the ground.
From my poetry book 'Snowed in by a Warm Fire'
available on Amazon.com
poem by Joe Wocoski
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Falling Out
Im falling out of grace with the world
They say Ive lost my midas touch what turned to gold now turns to rust
Im falling out of line with all the stars
That flood my dreams with their guitars and magazines
Face down this carpet tastes like coffee grounds ground into my face now
And every angles covered with just another
Im falling out of style with the current way things are
The things that make conforming hard
Im falling out of control and you just cant stop me now
Ill fight as long as time allows
Face down this carpet tastes like coffee grounds ground into my face now
And every angles covered with just another band-aid
Im out here way beyond
A shadow of a doubt
And I know Im never falling out
Of favor with you
Im out here way beyond
A shadow of a doubt
And I know Im never falling out
Of favor with you
I wont think twice or even three times
About taking a gamble with you
Cause with my life you have been so kind
I take all my comfort from you
Face down this carpet tastes like coffee grounds ground into my face now
And every angles covered with just another band-aid
Im out here way beyond
A shadow of a doubt
And I know Im never falling out
Of favor with you
Im out here way beyond
A shadow of a doubt
And I know Im never falling out
Of favor with you
song performed by by Relient K
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Untouched by Grace, but not by Snow
Waking up, noticing the ground
To my surprise I am surround by snow
Every detail in which was lay
With perfect precise wonder
In this most daring betray of beauty
And all is quiet
All is so annoyingly quiet
The dirt that is covered peeks through the ground
Destroying what was once beauty
That was pronounced by the glistened snow
And all I can do is wonder
How this world become simple to lay
When sleep takes us on we lay
And all is deeply quiet
Our dreams become our wonder
Weather we stand on solid ground
An undefined map layer out by snow
Creates to us sleeping beauty
But what is this beauty?
And where does it lay?
What is understood to be a lie as white as snow
And all has become a false quiet
Life, which puts our burdens to the ground
And here we are left to wonder
To whom to we place our wonder
The one who holds onto your beauty?
Who picks you up off the ground
And will be contempt as you lay
This is the lovely quiet
Dawn, of our love as pure as snow
To ask what is this snow
Pure, grace, love to which we wonder
Making this moment freeze in quiet
Holding unto this betrayed beauty
Which pours unto us as we lay
To the emissive ground
To become as pure as snow is beauty
But do we wonder under stars we lay?
And all was quiet as the snow flake touched ground
The Smokey Life
Ive never seen your eyes so wide
Ive never seen your appetite quite this occupied
Elsewhere is your feast of love
I know ... where long ago we agreed to keep it light
So lets be married one more night
Its light, light enough
To let it go
Its light enough to let it go
Remember when the scenery started fading
I held you til you learned to walk on air
So dont look down the ground is gone,
Theres no one waiting anyway
The smoky life is practiced
Everywhere
So set your restless heart at ease
Take a lesson from these autumn leaves
They waste no time waiting for the snow
Dont argue now youll be late
There is nothing to investigate
Its light enough, light enough
To let it go
Light enough to let it go
Remember when the scenery started fading
I held you til you learned to walk on air
So dont look down the ground is gone,
Theres no one waiting anyway
The smoky life is practiced everywhere
Come on back if the moment lends
You can look up all my very closest friends
Light, light enough
To let it go
Its light enough to let it go
song performed by by Leonard Cohen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Song Of The Evergreens
Listen to the briskly whistling winter evergreen
Whispering through the frozen morning light
And tell me whats to come
Saying my time is near
Never fear
I close each year
Im winter
Reminding me to trade my t-shirts for my woven wools
Trade my sandals for my skis
Whispered warnings in the wind
Saying soon come the dancing snowflakes
Theyre kissing every tree
Theyre kissing you and me
Please hurry
Falling
Dazzling dancing diamonds from the sky
Prisms
Rainbow sparkled flurries in our eyes
Whipping across the frozen crystal meadow
Pond of ice
Race the snow
Well build a warming fire there
And cuddle close and wine and dine
The setting sun
The morning light will find us high
Shooting down the glistening mountain side
Screaming through the whispering pines
The freedom of each day
Will cleanse our minds
I can hardly wait for winter
I can hardly wait for the snow
I can hardly hardly wait for winter
I can hardly wait for the snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
Snow snow snow snow snow snow snow snow
song performed by by Chicago
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Love-Hate Snow 1&2
‘Love-Hate Snow 1'
The ice hot sun beating down
On the frozen ground
Snow fades melting my cold heart
‘Love-Hate Snow 2'
Snow on the window-sill
A snow covered doorstep
I'm happy in front of a raging fire
Micmac
poem by Michael Micmac Mccrory
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Snowed In By A Warm Fire
A visit to an Inn on top of a hill.
A view, a valley, a village, a pond.
Snow already covering the ground.
Snow falling steadily all around.
The hills, the trees, the branches,
The drives, the roads, the highways.
All are covered in new fallen snow.
All are silent as the snow falls.
Snowflakes large, silent, slowly falling.
Snowflakes drifting, covering the ground.
Snow falling steadily through the day;
Snow falling steadily through the night.
Soon ankle deep, then up to your knees;
Soon three feet covers all there is.
Snowed in. The highways are closed.
Snowed in, as I wait by the warm fire.
poem by Joe Wocoski
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Rain
This is the end of wintertime
it aint gonna freeze anymore
This is the end of wintertime
this is the end of wintertime
The snow is melting away in the heat of the rain
This is the return of summertime
it aint gonna rain anymore
This is the return of summertime
this is the return of summertime
song performed by by X-Perience
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rain
This is the end of wintertime
it aint gonna freeze anymore
This is the end of wintertime
this is the end of wintertime
The snow is melting away in the heat of the rain
This is the return of summertime
it aint gonna rain anymore
This is the return of summertime
this is the return of summertime
song performed by by X-Perience
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Spirit Of Christmas
The star of Bethlehem was shining
Across a Palestinian sky
The Church of the Nativity was crying
And we looked on, who can tell me why?
Where are the wise men when they're wanted?
Nowhere to be seen, like thieves in the night
The desert is drifting every closer
The world won't sleep well tonight
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
Lost in the desert or covered in snow
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
If you can find it, please let me know
The shepherds are in the fields sleeping
Waiting for a sign to light up the sky
Heaven is moving ever closer
The promise of a child born on high
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
Lost in the desert or covered in snow
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
If you can find it, please let me know
Looking for an answer that escapes me (Love set me free!)
If there is a reason let me know (Whoa!)
Drifting slow through time and space not knowing where we are
How did we ever get this far?
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
Lost in the desert or covered in snow
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
If you can find it, please let me know
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
Lost in the desert or covered in snow
Where did the spirit of Christmas go?
If you can find it, please let me know
song performed by by Moody Blues
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Graveyard in the snow
Today, I cannot find your grave,
because the stone with your name
is set in the earth,
down, where it is not in the way,
when the caretakers mow the grass,
now you are covered with snow.
Everything is white,
so full of peace, so still,
I sit on the bench,
it is so cold, but
I feel so close to you,
after all, you are cold,
under the earth,
under this white sheet,
hidden, but there, I know.
Only a raven,
shiny in funeral coat of feathers,
black against the white,
sits with me, in a tree,
not far, insistently cawing,
a warning, an emphatic word
of solace.
The trees, dark green
under the snow,
are so silent,
I can hear a soft sliding,
when the clumps of snow
fall on the ground,
startling the raven.
He flies away,
a shadow against the clouds
of winter sky.
I must leave you now,
the deep cavity of my grief
is like the silence
of your snow-covered grave,
enticing me to stay.
But I have promised
a pledge to live,
before I can sleep
under the snow.
poem by Martina E. Elenbaas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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autumn Day
'AUTUMN DAY'
Beautiful colours whats left of the leafs,
Summer has left us winter is near
Crisp Autumn day squirrels store nuts
Light quickly fading
Low sun in the sky
Clear nights are on us
Frost quickly falls!
Children are playing in fast fading light
Night is upon us longer than day
Spring seems to be, so far away
Grass stopping growing dew on the ground
Most beautiful of seasons colder than two
Snow soon be falling,
Leafs blown away,
Gods gift to us a beautiful late Autumn day!
David Bennett.
poem by David Bennett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I think everyone should go to college and get a degree and then spend six months as a bartender and six months as a cabdriver. Then they would really be educated.
quote by Al McGuire
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gods Little Forest Creatures
(10/01/11)
All that she knew was that it was a snowy day
And she was in a horse pulled sleigh
The blanket was covering her
From her knees to her feet.
The thermo of hot chocolate was such a treat.
The frozen lake, the snow covered trees
Was truly a sight to be seen.
the birds high up in the trees
Whistling so cheerfully
Singing songs of summers past
And how the winter came so fast.
The ground hog not wanting to come out
He knew well what winter was about.
The ground was covered in a blanket of white
All roads and paths were out of sight.
That did not stop this horse pulled sleigh
He had gone thru this many a day.
He had a covered barn that awaited him
That was the reason he had a grin.
The animals were frantically searching for food
The possums, the raccoons, the rabbits
And The squirrels too.
With one purpose in mind
And that was to stay alive.
As she got to where they were gathered
She pulled out from under her blanket
A five pound bag of peanuts and seed
for her to feed - these poor
Little creatures who always came around
When there was no food to be found.
She was the snow white of this land
Always there to give a hand.
So when you see a squirrel stop and stand
on its hind legs, it’s to see if it is their snow white
Who helped them on this cold winter night.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Strong Chill Of Winter
A strong chill of winter
has grasped this country,
the toll of its bitter cold
has the ground covered
in a blanket of thick snow
the fog is lingering over
the thick blanket of snow
dragging down the hope
that the snow is going
to go
in a desprete gaze
i looked out into
the haze of white
but i all i got to see
was the endless amount
of white
poem by Shane Nolan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When I crossed Asia with my friend Peter Fleming, we spoke to no one but each other during many months, and we covered exactly the same ground. Nevertheless my journey differed completely from his.
quote by Ella Maillart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Innocence Died With the Coming of Spring
The snow fell all night
In the morning
The world was transformed
Into a vision of purity.
Six months later
The weather warmed.
The snow melted
Revealing six months
Accumulation of dog turds
Perfectly preserved
And just as fresh
As the day they were laid.
These things can twist a
Young mind
They put the zap on mine
Fifty years latter
I cannot contemplate
Purity without
Wondering how long
It will take
For the snow to melt.
poem by Allan Thorne
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Capture The Moment
Snow on the hilltops
All night and day
There was snow
And the whiteness turned
In some places
With long steps
Tired steps
Of someone
Carrying
The burden of his life
Besides warm clothing
And some worn out shoes
Socks those were fuming
For the wet sock
Why not seek love in hills
Covered with snow
Why a beloved is not born here
And why there is not
A mad man of the snows
Snow is not as cold
There is intense heat inside
And the beloveds of the snow
Let’s sing for them tonight
Let’s tell them to lit heavy fire
Let those chimneys emit smoke
Smoke the symbol of hope
And the fire burning
The smell of baking food
And the sweetness of the beloved’s
Warmth
Let us invent a story of love
As the hills covered with snow
And the pine trees carrying the weight of snow
Bent down
And the distant houses
All covered with a thick white blanket
Sleeping
And some young girls
Making breads and hot tea for the loved ones
In the early morning
As more snow
Rains from the skies
poem by Sadiqullah Khan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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In Light of the Sinking Sun
An empty chair
A quiet room
In light of the moons full glare.
A sleeping man
A cell of stone
In light of the moons full glare.
A dark hall
A silent porch
In light of the moons full glare.
Flickering light
Buzzing flies
In light of the moons full glare.
The man awakes
Stifles a moan
In light of the fading moon.
Shuffling feet
Dangling keys
In light of the fading moon.
The door opens
The man hauled out
In light of the fading moon.
Straps are tightened
Machine turned on
In light of the fading moon.
A button pushed
A scream of pain
In light of the fading moon.
A blackened body
Smoke-filled room
In light of the fading moon.
Six foot hole
Dug in the woods
In light of the fading moon.
The headstone in
The words are said
In light of the rising sun.
The next man sits
Upon that chair
In light of the rising sun.
Poor old man,
Dealt the hand
In light of the rising sun.
Dealt the hand,
The blow of power
In light of the rising sun.
An evil laugh
A blackened body
In light of the rising sun.
The executioner stands
By a silent chair
In light of the sinking sun.
poem by Samantha Jo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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