SONNET: Some great men on earth

What doth a man of letters desire?
To share his knowledge with others unread;
To hand the torch of curiosity's fire;
His pupils to be better than his head!

What doth a doctor aim to do in life?
To heal the wounds of body and of mind;
To free the anguished heart from pain thats rife;
To labour hard, the bio-clock to wind!

What doth a bard expect readers to do?
To feel the joy and sorrow in his lines;
To make the earthly life, heavenly too;
To make the world better, he always pines.

What doth a man of God try to achieve?
To stir the souls in sin to God perceive!

poem by John CelesReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Related quotes

The World Around the Child Doth Learn

The world around the child doth learn
Whilst low below the beast doth worm.
The child doth know not of the Earth.
The worm knows nothing of its birth.

The river flows a mighty flow
Knowing all the river knows
Shiver sorrow – Sleep in woe
Keep sane until the morrow.

The world around the child doth turn
Whilst low below the beast doth burn.
Learning sorrow – Yearning desire
Leaves him warm beside the fire.

Happy is he to conspire.
So happy is he to respire.

poem by David LaceyReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

You Who Have Never Been There....

what then doth the bird
learn from the cage?
what doth the bare limb
learn from the snow?
what doth the starving child
learn from his hunger?
what doth the homeless man
learn from the lighted window?
what doth the oppressed
learn from his oppression?
what doth the one discriminated against
learn from discrimination?
what doth the hopeless one
learn from his despair?
is it that easy for you to know,
you who have never been there?

poem by Eric CockrellReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

The Furious Gun

The furious gun in his raging ire,
When that the bowl is rammed in too sore
And that the flame cannot part from the fire,
Cracketh in sunder, and in the air doth roar
The shivered pieces; right so doth my desire,
Whose flame increaseth from more to more,
Which to let out I dare not look or speak;
So now hard force my heart doth all to break.

poem by Sir Thomas WyattReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Doth Then The World Go Thus?

Doth then the world go thus? doth all thus move?
Is this the justice which on earth we find?
Is this that firm decree which all doth bind?
Are these your influences, Powers above?
Those souls, which vice's moody mists most blind,
Blind Fortune, blindly, most their friend doth prove;
And they who thee, poor idol Virtue! love,
Ply like a feather tossed by storm and wind.
Ah! if a Providence doth sway this all,
Why should best minds groan under most distress?
Or why should pride humility make thrall,
And injuries the innocent oppress?
Heavens! hinder, stop this fate; or grant a time
When good may have, as well as bad, their prime!

poem by William Henry DrummondReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
Edmund Spenser

Sonnet XXI

WAs it the worke of nature or of Art?
which tempred so the feature of her face:
that pride and meeknesse mixt by equall part,
doe both appeare t'adorne her beauties grace.
For with mild pleasance, which doth pride displace,
she to her loues doth lookers eyes allure:
& with sterne countenance back again doth chace
their looser lookes that stir vp lustes impure,
With such strange termes her eyes she doth inure,
that with one looke she doth my life dismay:
and with another doth it streight recure,
her smile me drawes, her frowne me driues away.
Thus doth she traine and teach me with her lookes,
such art of eyes I neuer read in bookes.

poem by Edmund SpenserReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
John Bunyan

Upon The Skilfull Player Of An Instrument

He that can play well on an instrument,
Will take the ear, and captivate the mind
With mirth or sadness; for that it is bent
Thereto, as music in it place doth find.
But if one hears that hath therein no skill,
(As often music lights of such a chance)
Of its brave notes they soon be weary will:
And there are some can neither sing nor dance.

Comparison.

Unto him that thus skilfully doth play,
God doth compare a gospel-minister,
That rightly preacheth, and doth godly pray,
Applying truly what doth thence infer.
This man, whether of wrath or grace he preach,
So skilfully doth handle every word;
And by his saying doth the heart so reach,
That it doth joy or sigh before the Lord.
But some there be, which, as the brute, doth lie
Under the Word, without the least advance
Godward; such do despise the ministry;
They weep not at it, neither to it dance.

poem by John BunyanReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Sonnet XIV: Alas, Have I Not

Alas, have I not pain enough, my friend,
Upon whose breast a fiercer gripe doth tire,
Than did on him who first stole down the fire,
While Love on me doth all his quiver spend,

But with your rhubarb words you must contend,
To grieve me worse, in saying that desire
Doth plunge my well-form'd soul even in the mire
Of sinful thoughts, which do in ruin end?

If that be sin which doth the manners frame,
Well stayed with truth in word and faith of deed,
Ready of wit and fearing nought but shame:

If that be sin which in fix'd hearts doth breed
A loathing of all loose unchastity,
Then love is sin, and let me sinful be.

poem by Philip SidneyReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

In An Ivory Palace

Besieged was my love life totally unwilled.
An Ivory Palace you have helped me build.
With walls so high and locks on the gates,
Watchmen all along the paths doth irritate.
Fascinated visitors come at the gate and go,
For not even the grounds I desire to show.
My will to find joy in love now all broken,
Spirit shattered leaving not any love token.
Pleasing memoirs of love past doth retake.
Mind's eye doth pretty wall images make.
Helping the soul within find solace there.
It would be nice to find true love to share.
I would that it could be within my power,
To fill the terrain all with beautiful flower.
To walk among them; their beauty to feel,
Through passing time; my soul might heal.
To the Creator I rise as with Him I meditate,
Hoping to find the path with another to relate.
Wisdom and knowledge gained during prayer,
To receive the gift of love first we must share!

poem by Joseph BlitchReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Corinna

When to her lute Corinna sings,
Her voice revives the leaden strings,
And doth in highest notes appear
As any challenged echo clear.
But when she doth of mourning speak,
Even with her sighs the strings do break.

And as her lute doth live or die;
Led by her passion, so must I.
For when of pleasure she doth sing,
My thoughts enjoy a sudden spring;
But if she doth of sorrow speak,
Even from my heart the strings do break.

poem by Thomas CampionReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

When to her Lute Corinna Sings

When to her lute Corinna sings,
Her voice revives the leaden strings,
And doth in highest notes appear,
As any challenged echo clear;
But when she doth of mourning speak,
E'en with her sighs, the strings do break,

And as her lute doth live or die,
Led by her passion, so must I:
For when of pleasure she doth sing,
My thoughts enjoy a sudden spring,
But if she doth of sorrow speak,
E'en from my heart the strings do break

poem by Thomas CampionReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Sonnet 37: My Mouth Doth Water

My mouth doth water, and my breast doth swell,
My tongue doth itch, my thoughts in labor be:
Listen then, lordings, with good ear to me,
For of my life I must a riddle tell.

Toward Aurora's court a nymph doth dwell,
Rich in all beauties which man's eye can see:
Beauties so far from reach of words, that we
Abase her praise, saying she doth excel:

Rich in the treasure of deserv'd renown,
Rich in the riches of a royal heart,
Rich in those gifts which give th'eternal crown;

Who though most rich in these and every part,
Which make the patents of true worldly bliss,
Hath no misfortune, but that Rich she is.

poem by Philip SidneyReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Am I Evil?

Years of living peril and anguish cease
When evil was killed, by my senseless wrath
As his eyes closed and his heart decease
I smirked I smiled and innocently laughed
This man was evil and deserved to die
He made my sins look common and mundane
Deceiving all with his clandestine lie
Vulgarizing life that was holy he hath profane
The moisture of mankind as they woefully cry.
Over his sins, over the souls he doth steal
From loved ones whom love naught now
All the life of love, and its ardent zeal
This man took by the hand of death and how?
He killed, pillaged and with life he stripped
With rage in his eyes as red as fire
He strangled and with knife in hand ripped
The flesh of love, the flesh of desire
With no conscience to judge or heart to feel
This man was evil for evil in him doth be
The dead man, for death in him was real
And death all around him is all he did see…
But his wife sobs and his son doth weep
And in me I marvel at death and happy to kill
Does evil cry? No! than why doth people cry over evil
And me cry naught; did the devil tempt me?
Is evil like a disease, that is contagious and viral?
Hath evil infected me, could I evil, truelly be?
For they weep for an evil man
And no man weep for me, and me not weep
I am evil, for this man's evil doth evil be
in me in my will deep....

poem by Kevin Michael MurphyReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
Edmund Spenser

Sonnet LIII

THe Panther knowing that his spotted hyde,
Doth please all beasts but that his looks the[m] fray:
within a bush his dreadfull head doth hide,
to let them gaze whylest he on them may pray.
Right so my cruell fayre with me doth play,
for with the goodly semblant of her hew:
she doth allure me to mine owne decay,
and then no mercy will vnto me shew.
Great shame it is, thing so diuine in view,
made for to be the worlds most ornament:
to make the bayte her gazers to embrew,
good shames to be so ill an instrument.
But mercy doth with beautie best agree,
as in theyr maker ye them best may see.

poem by Edmund SpenserReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Thule, the Period of Cosmography

Thule, the period of cosmography,
Doth vaunt of Hecla, whose sulphureous fire
Doth melt the frozen clime and thaw the sky;
Trinacrian Etna's flames ascend not higher:
These things seem wondrous, yet more wondrous I,
Whose heart with fear doth freeze, with love doth fry.

The Andalusian merchant, that returns
Laden with cochineal and china dishes,
Reports in Spain how strangely Fogo burns
Amidst an ocean full of flying fishes:
These things seem wondrous, yet more wondrous I,
Whose heart with fear doth freeze, with love doth fry.

poem by Thomas WeelkesReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

Out of Bounds

There’s nowhere to run and nowhere to hide
The masses agree like the ocean’s tide
Everyone has a life that they lead
Some are for good
Others for bad deeds

What sort of life do you wish to make?
One where you give or one where you take?
People often like to run their mouths
Just sit back and listen
You’ll figure them out

When someone is deep they’re not hard to find
They’re often quite still with their mind redlined
Knowledge is power
Money is worthless
Switch them around
Now which has more purpose?

Many a question meet their demise
And only a fool argues otherwise
The body speaks truth and the eyes always show
A fake face doth shield what a fake heart doth know
Laughter and mischief are one and the same
In souls who see fun in the boring and plain

Do what you want and
Problems will come around
You could end up alone and
Smiling out of bounds
There’s always a choice from which to choose
If you know who you are
You’ll never lose
Experience waits so don’t idle by
Looking in circles for somewhere to hide

poem by P.R. ProsperReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
Edmund Spenser

Sonnet LXXII

OFt when my spirit doth spred her bolder winges,
In mind to mount vp to the purest sky:
it down is weighd with thoght of earthly things:
and clogd with burden of mortality,
Where when that souerayne beauty it doth spy,
resembling heauens glory in her light:
drawne with sweet pleasures bayt, it back doth fly,
and vnto heauen forgets her former flight.
There my fraile fancy fed with full delight,
doth bath in blisse and mantleth most at ease:
ne thinks of other heauen, but how it might
her harts desire with most contentment please,
Hart need not with none other happinesse,
but here on earth to haue such heuens blisse.

poem by Edmund SpenserReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
John Bunyan

On The Cackling Of A Hen

The hen, so soon as she an egg doth lay,
(Spreads the fame of her doing what she may.)
About the yard she cackling now doth go,
To tell what 'twas she at her nest did do.
Just thus it is with some professing men,
If they do ought that good is, like our hen
They can but cackle on't where e'er they go,
What their right hand doth their left hand must know.

poem by John BunyanReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share
William Shakespeare

Sonnet 47: Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took

Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other,
When that mine eye is famished for a look,
Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother,
With my love's picture then my eye doth feast
And to the painted banquet bids my heart;
Another time mine eye is my heart's guest,
And in his thoughts of love doth share a part.
So, either by thy picture or my love,
Thyself, away, art present still with me;
For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,
And I am still with them, and they with thee;
Or, if they sleep, thy picture in my sight
Awakes my heart to heart's and eye's delight.

poem by William ShakespeareReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

The Nativity of Christ

Behold the father is his daughter's son,
The bird that built the nest is hatched therein,
The old of years an hour hath not outrun,
Eternal life to live doth now begin,
The Word is dumb, the mirth of heaven doth weep,
Might feeble is, and force doth faintly creep.

O dying souls, behold your living spring;
O dazzled eyes, behold your sun of grace;
Dull ears, attend what word this Word doth bring;
Up, heavy hearts, with joy your joy embrace.
From death, from dark, from deafness, from despairs
This life, this light, this Word, this joy repairs.

Gift better than himself God doth not know;
Gift better than his God no man can see.
This gift doth here the giver given bestow;
Gift to this gift let each receiver be.
God is my gift, himself he freely gave me;
God's gift am I, and none but God shall have me.

Man altered was by sin from man to beast;
Beast's food is hay, hay is all mortal flesh.
Now God is flesh and lies in manger pressed
As hay, the brutest sinner to refresh.
O happy field wherein that fodder grew,
Whose taste doth us from beasts to men renew.

poem by Robert SouthwellReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share

How can I cry if tears kill thee?

How can I cry if tears kill thee?
My love, my only sorrow, my pleasure am guilty
I internalize my sorrow so no one can take
The beauty it is and the love it doth make
To tell one of my pain; is to tell one my soul
My soul for my gain, only I will my soul control
The secret of my life is the secret I keep
Which me cherish and hold in my breast deep
It makes me who I art and what I be
The only thing mine, that none other can see
Secretly I cry in my true life inside
There I live and there my love confide
Forever with my sorrow I shall live
Miserly hoarding all its love it doth give

poem by Kevin Michael MurphyReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!

Share