Vain Imaginings
We have grown old
Time will not wait
For us, who caught
Its drift too late,
Who spent like fools
And lent like Kings
Purblind with vain imaginings.
For though each cup
Would spill the brim
At every sup
Of every whim,
What fool could see
His own intent –
Each shallow draft the level spent.
And now, like beggars
Caught in need,
We hoard the dregs
Of every creed
And only taste
The waste of Kings
Purblind with vain imaginings.
1 April 1981
poem by David Lewis Paget
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Ancient Warrior
Theres no end - theres no beginning -
To the old mans story
Does he still remember me -
From lives gone by
Oh I see his spirit rising
Upon the back of time
Ive got nowhere to hide
Will he keep a place for me
He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light
He holds eternitys wings
In his eyes an oceans burning
Swollen seat of tears
Troubled mind the beating
War drums in his ears
No one ever hears his warning
Am I the one he calls
When they tell me theyre afraid
Some say Ill be put away
He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light
He holds eternitys wings
My blood will spill my blood
My blood will spill my blood
In the wisdom of the prophets
Never ending tale
Open up the eyes
Within your mind, he says
Crowned in his ancient glory
Theres a king within us all
Some will say its all in vain
That he doesnt have a name
He is the king of all kings
The keeper of light
He holds eternitys wings
song performed by by Black Sabbath
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Caught In A Trap
Sometimes you get caught in a trap and you dont know it
Sometimes its better to get out while you know it
Some people never learn they keep on falling
You can never get out if you keep on stalling
Then you get,
(chorus:) caught in a trap caught in dead end
Caught in a trap with nowhere to run
Then you get, caught in a trap caught in dead end
Nowhere to turn but it cant go on
Caught in a trap
Sometimes you got to know where to run for cover
Sometimes your better out till the heat is over
Ah you get (chorus)
Caught in a trap
Dont know how it happened but then its too late
Then you gotta move on the times, you cant wait
Cus you got (chorus)
(chorus)
(chorus)
Caught in a trap
Caught in a trap
Caught in a t
song performed by by Electric Light Orchestra
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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On My Mother's 80th.
There are no answers to your questionings;
If eighty years have not revealed the truth,
Then how could I, this child of your imaginings
Begin to comprehend your loss of youth.
Perhaps you let it slip and lose all meaning
When time last yawned, and you did fall asleep,
Then youth took flight while you stayed still and dreaming
Within some sepia’d year you once did keep.
Wild eyed and worn, you always look about you
And wonder what dismay has brought to this,
The thread of age has tied and bound and caught you
And thoughts of death now tremble at your lip.
But yet, your youth may still be seen and found there
Way back beside an old welsh village pit
Where long dead miners carol ‘Men of Harlech’,
And fresh young girls in neat white pinnies sit;
To wait the miners singing at the darkness,
To wait the steelmen, wandering from the shift,
Until your brothers chaff you in the moonlight
And you go in, sit by the hearth, and sleep.
There are no questions now that I can answer,
There are no harvests left for us to reap,
For youth is spent and wasted on a moment
And age is all that we have left to keep.
9 October 1993
poem by David Lewis Paget
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Olney Hymn 7: Vanity of the World
God gives his mercies to be spent;
Your hoard will do your soul no good.
Gold is a blessing only lent,
Repaid by giving others food.
The world's esteem is but a bribe,
To buy their peace you sell your own;
The slave of a vainglorious tribe,
Who hate you while they make you known.
The joy that vain amusements give,
Oh! sad conclusion that it brings!
The honey of a crowded hive,
Defended by a thousand stings.
'Tis thus the world rewards the fools
That live upon her treacherous smiles:
She leads them blindfold by her rules,
And ruins all whom she beguiles.
God knows the thousands who go down
From pleasure into endless woe;
And with a long despairing groan
Blaspheme the Maker as they go.
Oh fearful thought! be timely wise;
Delight but in a Saviour's charms,
And God shall take you to the skies,
Embraced in everlasting arms.
poem by William Cowper
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Vanity of the World
God gives his mercies to be spent;
Your hoard will do your soul no good.
Gold is a blessing only lent,
Repaid by giving others food.
The world's esteem is but a bribe,
To buy their peace you sell your own;
The slave of a vainglorious tribe,
Who hate you while they make you known.
The joy that vain amusements give,
Oh! sad conclusion that it brings!
The honey of a crowded hive,
Defended by a thousand stings.
'Tis thus the world rewards the fools
That live upon her treacherous smiles:
She leads them blindfold by her rules,
And ruins all whom she beguiles.
God knows the thousands who go down
From pleasure into endless woe;
And with a long despairing groan
Blaspheme the Maker as they go.
Oh fearful thought! be timely wise;
Delight but in a Saviour's charms,
And God shall take you to the skies,
Embraced in everlasting arms.
poem by William Cowper
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Is Your Love In Vain?
Do you love me, or are you just extending goodwill?
Do you need me half as bad as you say, or are you just feeling guilt?
Ive been burned before and I know the score
So you wont hear me complain.
Will I be able to count on you
Or is your love in vain?
Are you so fast that you cannot see that I must have solitude?
When I am in the darkness, why do you intrude?
Do you know my world, do you know my kind
Or must I explain?
Will you let me be myself
Or is your love in vain?
Well Ive been to the mountain and Ive been in the wind,
Ive been in and out of happiness.
I have dined with kings, Ive been offered wings
And Ive never been too impressed.
All right, Ill take a chance, I will fall in love with you
If Im a fool you can have the night, you can have the morning too.
Can you cook and sew, make flowers grow,
Do you understand my pain?
Are you willing to risk it all
Or is your love in vain?
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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APRIL and a FOOL
APRIL and a FOOL
April’s Fool day
Preceded her
April Fool’s day
by just one “fool”;
ME
That day before
I had a Life,
the next day
I had a wife;
SHE.
As April’s Fool
on April One
I said we do
and thus began
the fun.
Smiling impatiently
The Fools of April One,
‘SHE’ and ‘ME’
Became a
‘WE’ …
April Fool …
I’m single still!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Rhey W. Hedges, April 1,2007
poem by Rhey W. Hedges
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All The Kings Horses
(unknown)
Mmm, my friends keep telling me to pull myself together
They try to cheer my up but its not gettin better
They say that time will pass and Ill love again some day
But time is standing still ever since you went away
Now, all the kings horses and all the kings men
Youll never get me back together again
cause I just fall apart each time I look at you
No, all the kings and all the kings men
Are never gonna make me smile again
How can I smile just knowin youre with somebody new? , ooh
You had my hopes so high I guess they had to tumble
And when you left my dream my world began to crumble
No woman ever found the only missing part
When you left me behind dont you know you took my heart?
Now, all the kings horses and all the kings men
Youll never get me back together again
cause I just fall apart each time I look at you, yes I do, now
All the kings and all the kings men
Youre never gonna make me smile again
How can I smile just knowin youre with somebody new? , ooh, yeah, ooh, ahh, ha
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Youll never get me back together again
cause I just fall apart each time I look at you, yes I do
I said, all the kings and all the kings men
Are never gonna make me smile again
How can I smile just knowing youre with somebody new? , yeah
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Youll never get me back together again
And I just fall apart each time
song performed by by Dusty Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Money spent on the mind is never spent in vain.
All The Kings Horses
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Couldnt put me back together again
My heart lies in pieces all over the ground
Whos gonna help me when youre not around
And I know inside me ,that nobody cares
Whatever happens to me
I live my life as a plea
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Couldnt put me back together again
I was in love when I sat on my wall
No one could hurt me , no one at all
And I know that somewhere my love walked away
She threw my love to the sky
Nothing to do but to cry
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Couldnt put me back together again
All the kings horses , all the kings horses
All the kings horses , all the kings horses
song performed by by Bee Gees
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All The Kings Horses
I know you
You always rode so tall in the saddle
You are the answer
But I know that you are only causin trouble
Take all you want, leave me the rest behind
Youre a user
A winnin no new friends, just make one small step
Youre a user
You never came to anyones call
Spent all your life head on the wall
While youre up there, theres only one way to fall
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Will never put you together again
You still got your chances
The one thing the whole world loves is a winner
You cant walk on water
With your heat the ice youre on is gettin thinner
You used to be so wise
But you are fooled by your own lies
And I see right through your disguise
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Will never put you together again
All the kings horses and all the kings men
Will never put you together again.
Words and music by manny charlton and dan mccafferty
(copyright 1977 mtb music,inc. for u.s.a. and canada)
(copyright 1977 nazsongs/panache music ltd. for the rest of the world)
International copyright secured
All rights reserved.
song performed by by Nazareth
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In Vain
The stars in the sky
In vain
The tragedy of Hamlet
In vain
The key in the lock
In vain
The sleeping mother
In vain
The lamp in the corner
In vain
The lamp in the corner unlit
In vain
Abraham Lincoln
In vain
The Aztec empire
In vain
The writing hand: in vain
(The shoetrees in the shoes
In vain
The windowshade string upon
the hand bible
In vain—
The glitter of the greenglass
ashtray
In vain
The bear in the woods
In vain
The Life of Buddha
In vain)
poem by Jack Kerouac
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The Three Kings [1]
The East is dead and the West is done, and again our course lies thus
South-east by Fate and the Rising Sun where the Three Kings wait for us.
When our hearts are young and the world is wide, and the heights seem grand to climb—
We are off and away to the Sydney-side; but the Three Kings bide their time.
‘I’ve been to the West,’ the digger said: he was bearded, bronzed and old;
Ah, the smothering curse of the East is wool, and the curse of the West is gold.
I went to the West in the golden boom, with Hope and a life-long mate,
‘They sleep in the sand by the Boulder Soak, and long may the Three Kings wait.’
‘I’ve had my fling on the Sydney-side,’ said a blacksheep to the sea,
Let the young fool learn when he can’t be taught: I’ve learnt what’s good for me.’
And he gazed ahead on the sea-line dim—grown dim in his softened eyes—
With a pain in his heart that was good for him—as he saw the Three Kings rise.
A pale girl sits on the foc’sle head—she is back, Three Kings! so soon;
But it seems to her like a life-time dead since she fled with him ‘saloon.’
There is refuge still in the old folks’ arms for the child that loved too well;
They will hide her shame on the Southern farm—and the Three Kings will not tell.
’Twas a restless heart on the tide of life, and a false star in the skies
That led me on to the deadly strife where the Southern London lies;
But I dream in peace of a home for me, by a glorious southern sound,
As the sunset fades from a moonlit sea, and the Three Kings show us round.
Our hearts are young and the old hearts old, and life, on the farms is slow,
And away in the world there is fame and gold—and the Three Kings watch us go.
Our heads seem wise and the world seems wide, and its heights are ours to climb,
So it’s off and away in our youthful pride—but the Three Kings bide our time.
poem by Henry Lawson
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tis Better
'Tis better to love, though in vain
than never love at all.
'Tis better to love, than to just remain
and never hear the call
of wild imaginings of the mind.
For without these thoughts we are blind
and life is always dark.
poem by Edwina Reizer
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Explored and Treasured
Some of us meet,
With an instant feeling felt...
There is some kind of unspoken history.
An intention sent,
Is recognized as if meant.
A chemistry bonds,
From the heavens and beyond.
And this to us comes...
As if a piece of a puzzle,
Becomes shared from a deck of cards...
That has been dealt!
'I have two aces and two kings! '
~That's not possible.
Is it?
Because I too have two aces,
AND two kings! ~
'What does this mean? '
And what 'does' this mean?
Since we all perceive,
We are here to live lives...
Chronologically spent.
If I feel an energy generating,
I have known before...
Where is that coming from?
When is this going to make some sense?
And...
What is 'IT' that allows,
To open 'that' door?
To be explored and treasured...
Respected and adored.
While most of our experiences,
We accept as lessons taught...
As learning to walk,
Eventually becomes ignored.
~Is The Creator of 'this' experience lived,
Doubling over in laughter?
And wiping from the eyes joyful tears,
That we are caught by surprise.~
'What joke is 'this' experienced?
That 'The One and Only Omnipresent'...
Has us live as if an experiment? '
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Where Am I When I'm Wondering
Your time is that time of mine,
I find most times in my mind.
Sometimes when you come I am there,
Awaiting patiently for you to appear.
Your time is that time of mine,
I find most times in my mind.
Awaken from deep sleep I do,
Knowing I'm sitting in your mind there too.
Most times my time is spent wondering,
If your time spent are thoughts of me?
And if they are not,
What thoughts are they?
And where I am when they drift away?
Your time is that time of mine,
I find most times in my mind.
Sometimes when you come I am there,
Awaiting patiently for you to appear.
Your time is that time of mine,
I find most times in my mind.
Awaken from deep sleep I do,
Knowing I'm sitting in your mind there too.
Most times my time is spent wondering,
If your time spent are thoughts of me?
And if they are not,
What thoughts are they?
And where am I when they drift away?
Drift away
Drift away
And where am I when they,
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
And where am I when they,
Drift away
Drift away
Drift away
And where am I
When my time is spent,
Wondering
Wondering
And where am I
When my time is spent,
Wondering
Wondering
And where am I
When my time is spent,
Wondering
Wondering
Where am I when I'm wondering,
Of your thoughts when they drift away.
Drift away
Drift away.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Scene 1. A Castle in Normandy
Hugo.
Well, boy, what is it?
Henry.
The feast is spread.
Hugo.
Why tarry the guests for me?
Let Eric sit at the table's head;
Alone I desire to be.
[Henry goes out.]
What share have I at their festive board?
Their mirth I can only mar;
To me no pleasure their cups afford,
Their songs on my silence jar.
With an aching eye and a throbbing brain,
And yet with a hopeful heart,
I must toil and strain with the planets again
When the rays of the sun depart;
He who must needs with the topers tope,
And the feasters feast in the hall,
How can he hope with a matter to cope
That is immaterial?
Orion.
He who his appetite stints and curbs,
Shut up in the northern wing,
With his rye-bread flavoured with bitter herbs,
And his draught from the tasteless spring,
Good sooth, he is but a sorry clown.
There are some good things upon earth-
Pleasure and power and fair renown,
And wisdom of worldly worth!
There is wisdom in follies that charm the sense,
In follies that light the eyes,
But the folly to wisdom that makes pretence
Is alone by the fool termed wise.
Hugo.
Thy speech, Orion, is somewhat rude;
Perchance, having jeer'd and scoff'd
To thy fill, thou wilt curb thy jeering mood;
I wot thou hast served me oft.
This plan of the skies seems fairly traced;
What errors canst thou detect?
Orion.
Nay, the constellations are misplaced,
And the satellites incorrect;
Leave the plan to me; you have time to seek
An hour of needful rest,
The night is young and the planets are weak;
See, the sun still reddens the west.
Hugo.
I fear I shall sleep too long.
Orion.
If you do
It matters not much; the sky
Is cloudy, the stars will be faint and few;
Now, list to my lullaby.
[Hugo reclines on a couch.]
(Sings.)
Still the darkling skies are red,
Though the day-god's course is run;
Heavenly night-lamps overhead
Flash and twinkle one by one.
Idle dreamer-earth-born elf!
Vainly grasping heavenly things,
Wherefore weariest thou thyself
With thy vain imaginings?
From the tree of knowledge first,
Since his parents pluck'd the fruit,
Man, with partial knowledge curs'd,
Of the tree still seeks the root;
Musty volumes crowd thy shelf
Which of these true knowledge brings?
Wherefore weariest thou thyself
With thy vain imaginings?
Will the stars from heaven descend?
Can the earth-worm soar and rise?
Can the mortal comprehend
Heaven's own hallow'd mysteries?
Greed and glory, power and pelf
These are won by clowns and kings;
Wherefore weariest thou thyself
With thy vain imaginings?
Sow and reap, and toil and spin;
Eat and drink, and dream and die;
Man may strive, yet never win,
And I laugh the while and cry
Idle dreamer, earth-born elf!
Vainly grasping heavenly things,
Wherefore weariest thou thyself
With thy vain imaginings?
He sleeps, and his sleep appears serene,
Whatever dreams it has brought him
[Looks at the plans.]
If he knows what those hieroglyphics mean,
He's wiser than one who taught him.
Why does he number the Pole-star thus?
Or the Pleiades why combine?
And what is he doing with Sirius,
In the devil's name or in mine?
Man thinks, discarding the beaten track,
That the sins of his youth are slain,
When he seeks fresh sins, but he soon comes back
To his old pet sins again.
poem by Adam Lindsay Gordon
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Dreamers
Oh if we knew
what life would bring
would we settle for that?
And not take wing
and fly to an adventure
that's far from here?
Something unknown to every man
would be my choice,
would be my plan.
Never included would there be pain
for there's enough of that
where we remain.
To fly to the imaginings
where man lives free,
to the place of dreamers
such as we.
But we do not know
what life will bring.
So we settle for
this incalculable thing.
And our imaginings
all disappear.
poem by Edwina Reizer
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Fools haven 2
Fools haven
This is fools haven
All they do is to fool
When their belly is full
Be careful you fool
For nobody knows tomorrow
Learn the steps
Of the wise and follow
The life of the fool
Is like a that of a drunkard
He is happy on the morning
But in the evening a disgrace
For he ignores wisdom
And foolishness does he embrace
Like food
When it passes through the throat
It is of no use
But the life the wise
Is like a hidden treasure
Which is a mystery to fools
But it legend known to kings
poem by Matt Ancient
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