From A Distance
From a distance
On a hillside in Kentucky
From a distance
I heard "The Old Rugged Cross"
Sung hauntingly
And somewhat off-key
Amongst tilted headstones
Bleached, and shrouded in moss
The two young girls
No more than ten or eleven
Had no idea who it was
they were singing to Heaven
The summer breeze
Blew some of the words away…
From a distance
Their sweet voices
Would swell, and then die
There was the smell of clover
Distant cawing of crows
And above circling effortlessly
A curious vulture
There were happy lil' kids
And sad ol' folk there
My grandmother
Would have approved
If she could have seen
Her own funeral
I like to think that she did
poem by David Whalen
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Argument
Days that cannot bring you near
or will not,
Distance trying to appear
something more obstinate,
argue argue argue with me
endlessly
neither proving you less wanted nor less dear.
Distance: Remember all that land
beneath the plane;
that coastline
of dim beaches deep in sand
stretching indistinguishably
all the way,
all the way to where my reasons end?
Days: And think
of all those cluttered instruments,
one to a fact,
canceling each other's experience;
how they were
like some hideous calendar
"Compliments of Never & Forever, Inc."
The intimidating sound
of these voices
we must separately find
can and shall be vanquished:
Days and Distance disarrayed again
and gone...
poem by Elizabeth Bishop
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Distance - Between
There is a
Distance.
Between,
Mortality and eternity.
Distance.
Between,
God and humanity.
Distance.
Between.
So much,
So far;
The Universe and
The burning stars.
Distance.
Between,
Creator and creation;
Between,
All past and present relation.
Distance.
Between,
All living,
All dying;
Laughing and
Crying.
The distance - between,
The present scene, and
All that is unseen;
What's hiding, and
What's showing;
Where we are, and
Where we are going.
poem by Smoky Hoss
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Distances
distance. space.silence.
what is the distance between
your nose to my eyes?
it is the kiss that seals it.
what is the distance between
our silence for days?
it is the distance of longing.
what is the distance between
these miles and miles of separation?
it is this knowing a little bit of ourselves
that sews the torn pieces of cloth
i keep a little distance
between my heart and my head.
i keep this distance between
you and myself, you know why?
i want to see you more.
The farther you are, the more
i can see you the more you
can see me.
IT is the farthest star
that we long much.
IT is the love that is gone
that we want to recover.
IT is the broken heart that we
want to mend.
It is this certain distance
that makes us more human.
This longing. This pain.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The ABC
'Twas midnight in the schoolroom
And every desk was shut
When suddenly from the alphabet
Was heard a loud "Tut-Tut!"
Said A to B, "I don't like C;
His manners are a lack.
For all I ever see of C
Is a semi-circular back!"
"I disagree," said D to B,
"I've never found C so.
From where I stand he seems to be
An uncompleted O."
C was vexed, "I'm much perplexed,
You criticise my shape.
I'm made like that, to help spell Cat
And Cow and Cool and Cape."
"He's right" said E; said F, "Whoopee!"
Said G, "'Ip, 'Ip, 'ooray!"
"You're dropping me," roared H to G.
"Don't do it please I pray."
"Out of my way," LL said to K.
"I'll make poor I look ILL."
To stop this stunt J stood in front,
And presto! ILL was JILL.
"U know," said V, "that W
Is twice the age of me.
For as a Roman V is five
I'm half as young as he."
X and Y yawned sleepily,
"Look at the time!" they said.
"Let's all get off to beddy byes."
They did, then "Z-z-z."
poem by Spike Milligan
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My Poems Came Back To Me / As Rhythms Without Sounds
My poems came back to me
as rhythms without sounds
Imitations of anothers music
Falling down and down
Like winter snow
To whitening ground-
My poems came back to me
As distant whispers of other destinies
Flights from deeper spaces
Mankind has not yet surmised
They were somewhere in the distance of distance
Beyond all distance
In the mystical language
Only Wisdom heard
Though it had no words of its own-
Only ‘now’ and ‘more’ and ‘dreams of another century’
And I, I with all these confusing words
Wondering if my friend would ever be sane again
And why God does it this way
While I in my writing play and play again
Bringing my own rhythms back
And making poetry my own small happy game
Which I write and I write
Without memory.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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Arcturus
"Arcturus" is his other name—
I'd rather call him "Star."
It's very mean of Science
To go and interfere!
I slew a worm the other day—
A "Savant" passing by
Murmured "Resurgam"—"Centipede"!
&q uot;Oh Lord—how frail are we"!
I pull a flower from the woods—
A monster with a glass
Computes the stamens in a breath—
And has her in a "class"!
Whereas I took the Butterfly
Aforetime in my hat—
He sits erect in "Cabinets"—
The Clover bells forgot.
What once was "Heaven"
Is "Zenith" now—
Where I proposed to go
When Time's brief masquerade was done
Is mapped and charted too.
What if the poles should frisk about
And stand upon their heads!
I hope I'm ready for "the worst"—
Whatever prank betides!
Perhaps the "Kingdom of Heaven's" changed—
I hope the "Children" there Won't be "new fashioned" when I come—
And laugh at me—and stare—
I hope the Father in the skies
Will lift his little girl—
Old fashioned—naught—everything—
Over the stile of "Pearl."
poem by Emily Dickinson
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Us Two
Wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
"Where are you going today?" says Pooh:
"Well, that's very odd 'cos I was too.
Let's go together," says Pooh, says he.
"Let's go together," says Pooh.
"What's twice eleven?" I said to Pooh.
("Twice what?" said Pooh to Me.)
"I think it ought to be twenty-two."
"Just what I think myself," said Pooh.
"It wasn't an easy sum to do,
But that's what it is," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what it is," said Pooh.
"Let's look for dragons," I said to Pooh.
"Yes, let's," said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few-
"Yes, those are dragons all right," said Pooh.
"As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That's what they are," said Pooh, said he.
"That's what they are," said Pooh.
"Let's frighten the dragons," I said to Pooh.
"That's right," said Pooh to Me.
"I'm not afraid," I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted "Shoo!
Silly old dragons!"- and off they flew.
"I wasn't afraid," said Pooh, said he,
"I'm never afraid with you."
So wherever I am, there's always Pooh,
There's always Pooh and Me.
"What would I do?" I said to Pooh,
"If it wasn't for you," and Pooh said: "True,
It isn't much fun for One, but Two,
Can stick together, says Pooh, says he. "That's how it is," says Pooh.
poem by Alan Alexander Milne
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What is—
215
What is—"Paradise"—
Who live there—
Are they "Farmers"—
Do they "hoe"—
Do they know that this is "Amherst"—
And that I—am coming—too—
Do they wear "new shoes"—in "Eden"—
Is it always pleasant—there—
Won't they scold us—when we're homesick—
Or tell God—how cross we are—
You are sure there's such a person
As "a Father"—in the sky—
So if I get lost—there—ever—
Or do what the Nurse calls "die"—
I shan't walk the "Jasper"—barefoot—
Ransomed folks—won't laugh at me—
Maybe—"Eden" a'n't so lonesome
As New England used to be!
poem by Emily Dickinson
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Hidden Thoughts
There is so much I want to say to you
But, you keep me at a distance.
My heart directs my fingers to dial your number, while I fight to resist the urge to press those seven digits that will bring delight to my ears upon hearing your voice.
And you keep me at a distance.
My brain maintains a logical stance while my mouth and thoughts rebel yearning for what I felt when last we spoke,
Yet you keep me at a distance.
My fear of you is healthy redirected emotions yet unspoken
You still keep me at a distance.
If dying of thirst a drink of your smile gazing down on me would help me to peacefully transition into eternal slumber,
Yet you keep me at a distance.
The infinite expanse of the universe is not enough to move me away from you
Still kept at a distance.
Even though not ready,
I am hungry for the taste of your enticing spirit that calls out to me like manna from heaven above,
But still kept at a distance.
My thirst unquenched. Hunger unsatisfied. Thoughts never having evolved into spoken words to caress your ears and ease my yearning spirit sail aimlessly into the depths of oblivion.
But still I am kept at a distance.
Maybe one day, as certain as we are that the sun will rise to open each new dawn, and set to close all that transpired within that day, just maybe,
There will be no more distance.
poem by Terry Holder
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The Three Enemies
THE FLESH
"Sweet, thou art pale."
"More pale to see,
Christ hung upon the cruel tree
And bore His Father's wrath for me."
"Sweet, thou art sad."
"Beneath a rod
More heavy, Christ for my sake trod
The winepress of the wrath of God."
"Sweet, thou art weary."
"Not so Christ:
Whose mighty love of me suffic'd
For Strength, Salvation, Eucharist."
"Sweet, thou art footsore."
"If I bleed,
His feet have bled; yea in my need
His Heart once bled for mine indeed."
THE WORLD
"Sweet, thou art young."
"So He was young
Who for my sake in silence hung
Upon the Cross with Passion wrung."
"Look, thou art fair."
"He was more fair
Than men, Who deign'd for me to wear
A visage marr'd beyond compare."
"And thou hast riches."
"Daily bread:
All else is His: Who, living, dead,
For me lack'd where to lay His Head."
"And life is sweet."
"It was not so
To Him, Whose Cup did overflow
With mine unutterable woe."
THE DEVIL
"Thou drinkest deep."
"When Christ would sup
He drain'd the dregs from out my cup:
So how should I be lifted up?"
"Thou shalt win Glory."
"In the skies,
Lord Jesus, cover up mine eyes
Lest they should look on vanities."
"Thou shalt have Knowledge."
"Helpless dust!
In Thee, O Lord, I put my trust:
Answer Thou for me, Wise and Just."
"And Might."--
"Get thee behind me. Lord,
Who hast redeem'd and not abhorr'd
My soul, oh keep it by Thy Word."
poem by Christina Georgina Rossetti
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You're right—
234
You're right—"the way is narrow"—
And "difficult the Gate"—
And "few there be"—Correct again—
That "enter in—thereat"—
'Tis Costly—So are purples!
'Tis just the price of Breath—
With but the "Discount" of the Grave—
Termed by the Brokers—"Death"!
And after that—there's Heaven—
The Good Man's—"Dividend"—
And Bad Men—"go to Jail"—
I guess—
poem by Emily Dickinson
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Sonnet V: Nothing But No
Nothing but "No," and "Aye," and "Aye," and "No"?
How falls it out so strangely you reply?
I tell ye, Fair, I'll not be answer'd so,
With this affirming "No," denying "Aye."
I say, "I love," you slightly answer "Aye";
I say, "You love," you pule me out a "No";
I say, "I die," you echo me an "Aye";
"Save me," I cry, you sigh me out a "No";
Must woe and I have nought but "No" and "Aye"?
No I am I, if I no more can have;
Answer no more, with silence make reply,
And let me take myself what I do crave.
Let "No" and "Aye" with I and you be so;
Then answer "No," and "Aye," and "Aye" and "No."
poem by Michael Drayton
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Further In The Distance
Your attempt to excuse your actions,
With vacant explanations...
Has aided in the speeding,
Of my forward steps.
And yes...
I can hear your voice.
But further in the distance,
Your voice gets.
I no longer prepare myself,
To have the patience you expect.
Since much of that has already been given.
And I have none left that affords your disrespect.
Further in the distance,
Your voice gets.
Further in the distance,
Your voice gets.
Further,
In the distance...
Your voice,
Gets.
Your voice...
Gets,
Further...
In the distance!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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The Vulture and the Husbandman
By Louisa CarolineN.B. -- A Vulture is a rapacious and obscene bird, whichdestroys its prey by plucking it limb from limb with its powerfulbeak and talons.A Husbandman is a man in a low position of life, who supportshimself by the use of the plough. -- (Johnson's Dictionary).
The rain was raining cheerfully,
As if it had been May;
The Senate-House appeared inside
Unusually gay;
And this was strange, because it was
A Viva-voce day.
The men were sitting sulkily,
Their paper work was done;
They wanted much to go away
To ride or row or run;
"It's very rude," they said, "to keep
Us here, and spoil our fun."
The papers they had finished lay
In piles of blue and white.
They answered every thing they could,
And wrote with all their might,
But, though they wrote it all by rote,
They did not write it right.
The Vulture and the Husbandman
Beside these piles did stand,
They wept like anything to see
The work they had in hand.
"If this were only finished up,"
Said they, "it would be grand!"
"If seven D's or seven C's
We give to all the crowd,
Do you suppose," the Vulture said,
"That we could get them ploughed?"
"I think so," said the Husbandman,
"But pray don't talk so loud."
"O undergraduates, come up,"
The Vulture did beseech,
"And let us see if you can learn
As well as we can teach;
We cannot do with more than two
To have a word with each."
Two Undergraduates came up,
And slowly took a seat,
They knit their brows, and bit their thumbs,
As if they found them sweet,
And this was odd, because you know
Thumbs are not good to eat.
"The time has come," the Vulture said,
"To talk of many things,
Of Accidence and Adjectives,
And names of Jewish kings,
How many notes a sackbut has,
And whether shawms have strings."
"Please, Sir," the Undergraduates said,
Turning a little blue,
"We did not know that was the sort
Of thing we had to do."
"We thank you much," the Vulture said,
"Send up another two."
Two more came up, and then two more,
And more, and more and more;
And some looked upwards at the roof,
Some down upon the floor,
But none were any wiser than
The pair that went before.
"I weep for you," the Vulture said,
"I deeply sympathise!"
With sobs and tears he gave them all
D's of the largest size,
While at the Husbandman he winked
One of his streaming eyes.
"I think," observed the Husbandman,
"We're getting on too quick.
Are we not putting down the D's
A little bit too thick?"
The Vulture said with much disgust
"Their answers make me sick."
"Now, Undergraduates," he cried,
Our fun is nearly done,
"Will anybody else come up?"
But answer came there none;
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd ploughed them every one!
poem by Arthur Clement Hilton
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To Phoebe
"GENTLE, modest little flower,
Sweet epitome of May,
Love me but for half an hour,
Love me, love me, little fay."
Sentences so fiercely flaming
In your tiny shell-like ear,
I should always be exclaiming
If I loved you, PHOEBE dear.
"Smiles that thrill from any distance
Shed upon me while I sing!
Please ecstaticize existence,
Love me, oh, thou fairy thing!"
Words like these, outpouring sadly
You'd perpetually hear,
If I loved you fondly, madly; -
But I do not, PHOEBE dear.
poem by William Schwenck Gilbert
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Keeping My Distance
(jimmy davis/tommy burroughs/don smith)
Im keeping my calandar open
Even if it takes me years
til you figure out what your plan is
You figure out all of your fears
I dont wanna know anything about her
Or what you feel like you have to defend
But Ive seen your situation
And the world she keeps you in
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
And Ill wait until my time is here
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
And Ill wait until you make it clear
If you dont want to rush it baby
Well then by all means dont
But Im gonna wait for the day when
When you see that its me you want
I can see, I can tell that you need me
You know that I need you too
So why on earth cant you ever let her go
Will you ever try anything new
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
And Ill wait until my time is here
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
And Ill wait until you make it clear
Where will you find the strength
I cant hold you against your will
You keep me at arms length
Im reaching out to hold you still, yeah, yeah, yeah
I can see that you need me
You know that I need you too
So why on earth cant you ever let her go
Will you ever try anything new
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
And Ill wait until my time is here
Im keeping my distance
Im keeping my distance
song performed by by Martina Mcbride
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To show love, he keeps a distance
after all the devotion
you seem so far
so far that it makes me
wonder whether
you are really there
now i know
the distance you throw
is for me fill up
to reflect on myself
each thought and act
that this distance
is woven for us
to be close
that you do not want
me to lose sight of myself
the distance keeps us
so close - closer than
there is no distance
a path where
i could run to you
without the echo of guilt
about my love - for you
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Tar and Feathers
Oh! the circus swooped down
On the Narrabri town,
For the Narrabri populace moneyed are;
And the showman he smiled
At the folk he beguiled
To come all the distance from Gunnedah.
But a juvenile smart,
Who objected to "part",
Went in on the nod, and to do it he
Crawled in through a crack
In the tent at the back,
For the boy had no slight ingenuity.
And says he with a grin,
"That's the way to get in;
But I reckon I'd better be quiet or
They'll spiflicate me,"
And he chuckled, for he
Had the loan of the circus proprietor.
But the showman astute
On that wily galoot
Soon dropped -- you'll be thinking he leathered him --
Not he; with a grim
Sort of humourous whim,
He took him and tarred him and feathered him.
Says he, "You can go
Round the world with a show,
And knock every Injun and Arab wry;
With your name and your trade
On the posters displayed,
The feathered what-is-it from Narrabri.
Next day for his freak
By a Narrabri Beak,
He was jawed with a deal of verbosity;
For his only appeal
Was "professional zeal" --
He wanted another monstrosity.
Said his Worship, "Begob!
You are fined forty bob,
And six shillin's costs to the clurk!" he says.
And the Narrabri joy,
Half bird and half boy.
Has a "down" on himself and on circuses.
poem by Andrew Barton Paterson
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Hamlet Micure
In a lingering fever many visions come to you:
I was in the little house again
With its great yard of clover
Running down to the board-fence,
Shadowed by the oak tree,
Where we children had our swing.
Yet the little house was a manor hall
Set in a lawn, and by the lawn was the sea.
I was in the room where little Paul
Strangled from diphtheria,
But yet it was not this room --
It was a sunny verandah enclosed
With mullioned windows,
And in a chair sat a man in a dark cloak,
With a face like Euripides.
He had come to visit me, or I had gone to visit him --
I could not tell.
We could hear the beat of the sea, the clover nodded
Under a summer wind, and little Paul came
With clover blossoms to the window and smiled.
Then I said: "What is 'divine despair,' Alfred?"
"Have you read 'Tears, Idle Tears'?" he asked.
"Yes, but you do not there express divine despair."
"My poor friend," he answered, "that was why the despair
Was divine."
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Back To The Sunrise
Still crazed, sugar glazed
I refuse to act my age
I can be cool, I can believe
Happy to be here
When can I leave, when can I leave
All that I hope for, all that I need
The back of the closet the air that I breathe
My souls on cruise control
Happily ever after, nobody knows Im gone, Im gone
Back to the sunrise, nothing to lose
Keep me at a distance I can use
Outside our future is yawning
Wide awake, but ready to sleep all day
Ready to be confused, with a distance I can use
Ready to be confused, with a distance I can use
Spit glazed, riding a wave
My body will never behave
Cross eyed, I more than survive
A little bit further from the back of the line
Each time, each time
Back to the sunrise, nothing to lose
Keep me at a distance I can use
Outside out future is yawning
Wide awake, but ready to sleep all day
Ready to be confused, with a distance I can use
Let me be confused, give me distance I can use
song performed by by Folk Implosion
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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