
Cassius Hueffer
They have Chiseled on my stone the words:
'His life was gentle, and the elements so mixed in him
That nature might stand up and say to all the world,
This was a man.'
Those who knew me smile
As they read this empty rhetoric.
My epitaph should have been:
'Life was not gentle to him,
And the elements so mixed in him
That he made warfare on life,
In the which he was slain.'
While I lived I could not cope with slanderous tongues,
Now that I am dead I must submit to an epitaph
Graven by a fool!
poem by Edgar Lee Masters

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Related quotes

His life was gentle; and the elements so mixed in him, that Nature might stand up, and say to all the world, THIS WAS A MAN!
quote by William Shakespeare

Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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Richard Bone
When I first came to Spoon River
I did not know whether what they told me
Was true or false.
They would bring me an epitaph
And stand around the shop while I worked
And say "He was so kind," "He was wonderful,"
"She was the sweetest woman," "He was a consistent Christian."
And I chiseled for them whatever they wished,
All in ignorance of its truth.
But later, as I lived among the people here,
I knew how near to the life
Were the epitaphs that were ordered for them when they died.
But still I chiseled whatever they paid me to chisel
And made myself party to the false chronicles
Of the stones,
Even as the historian does who writes
Without knowing the truth,
Or because he is influenced to hide it.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters

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All Mixed Up
Im all mixed up, Im all mixed up about,
All mixed up about you
And no I cant find no reason
To explain the way that I feel
I remember things being clearer
At one t ime things were more real
Im all mixed up, Im all mixed up about,
All mixed up about you
Im not lookin for sympathy
Im just frightened by this apathy
Like footsteps way in back of me
On a narrow street of stone
And if time will answer all questions
Then perhaps a film will be shown
Everyone could mail-order tickets
Yeah, you could sell a lot of shirts
For the last picture show
Im all mixed up, Im all mixed up about,
All mixed u p about you
song performed by by Tom Petty

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Our World
The humming bird stood still
and raised it's wings waiting.
I drew my breath
and gave a gentle breeze
and it flew away.
A ripple from a dropped leaf
lands gently on the pond
and wavy sweet
rows flow
making tiny circles
to the center of the pond.
I touch a single rose
and it purrs.
.
I draw my breath
and exhale
deep into your lungs;
where mix
all things
between us.
All life is touch
and breaths offered.
All life
is gentle given
or badly rough.
All life is mixed
between the us
and the not us.
These exchanges
make up
what we know
as the World.
Be a gentle breather
not the badly rough.
poem by Lonnie Hicks

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If I Lived One More LIfe... I Would
If I lived one more life
I would melt by the gentle sight of you
I would believe that your love is true
I would erase my fake intention
I would hold back all my foolish emotion
If I lived one more life
I would read all yr colorful envelopes
I would never burn your words of hopes
I would cherish your banner on the wall
I would make sure it will never fall
If I lived one more life
I would pick up your call night & days
I would guarantee your mind not decays
I would let my door open at all time
I would safe your sanity to prevent any crime
If I lived one more life
I would stand before you on my knee
I would beg your family to forgive me
I would plead to share your torture
I would fight to bring back your future
If I lived one more life
I would endure all your hate
I would accept you as my fate
I would strive to give you the best of me
I would die in your arms and be happy
If I lived one more life … I would
Dedicated to D.N.R – It’s been 14 years… This is my apology, I mean every word.
poem by Niken Kusuma Wardani

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An Epitaph on Doctor Donne, Dean of St. Paul's
He that would write an epitaph for thee,
And do it well, must first begin to be
Such as thou wert; for none can truly know
Thy worth, thy life, but he that hath lived so.
He must have wit to spare, and to hurl down;
Enough to keep the gallants of the town.
He must have learning plenty; both the laws,
Civil and common, to judge any cause;
Divinity, great store above the rest,
Not of the last edition, but the best.
He must have language, travel, all the arts,
Judgment to use, or else he want thy parts.
He must have friends the highest, able to do,
Such as Maecenas, and Augustus too.
He must have such a sickness, such a death,
Or else his vain descriptions come beneath.
Who then shall write an epitaph for thee,
He must be dead first! Let it alone, for me.
poem by Richard Corbet

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Philadelphia News
I came to Philly
with only postiive thoughts
In mind
I was encouraged, and focused with a
Determination to find
The essential elements needed, that
Would make life very fine
Yet, I found the very source of
The effort forcing
Many things to fall behind
The deception of a few
Distortion of information
Rhymes and riddles also
Shady clues
All mixed together
Simply to fool
Now that I know the facts
My future plans have been renewed, and
No matter where I may find myself
In this life
I now know what I must do
Never put trust in anyone
Who continues to lie and
Hide the truth
poem by Angel A. Lockwood

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Do You Remember?
I left my life with you, do you remember?
That hollow day of sharpened rain and even sharper words.
Each step I took away from you, each leaden pace, defeated me.
Your voice, once soft and lyrical, now cold and forged from steel.
I left my heart with you, do you remember?
The days of love we'd shared lay smashed and littered with accusations.
Those eyes in which I'd often bathed, now but a swollen tempest,
Your smile, which made the Sun shine bright, now turned to blackened stone.
I left my dreams with you, do you remember?
Sweet promises we'd made, of carefree days and endless love,
Now turned to words that liars speak, meaningless and empty.
Your touch, once warm and gentle, now sharp as razor blades.
I left my faith with you, do you remember?
The trust entwined with love and understanding,
Now mixing with the sodden earth to build a final resting place.
Your kiss, once sweet with promise, now poisoned with Goodbye.
I thought that you would seek me out one day, and bring my treasures back to me,
But No!
I've lived bereft of life
I've lived with silence in my breast
I've lived with black and dreamless sleep
I've lived a faithless, loveless life.
I left it all with you.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
poem by Owain Glyn

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A Gentle Madness (Love Poem)
Love is a gentle madness that leaves you empty,
Giving everything and expecting nothing back.
Love is a gentle madness that makes you feel alive,
Taking pleasure in every little thing she does.
Love is a gentle madness that changes everything,
Making your life impossible without her near.
Love is a gentle madness that drowns your sorrow,
Blinding you to her perfectly obvious imperfections.
Love is a gentle madness that brings you peace,
Holding you closer than her breath each night.
Love is a gentle madness that turns your world,
Seeing only beauty as she looks into your eyes.
poem by Ian Beckett

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I suppose an artist takes the elements of his life and rearranges them and then has them perceived by others as though they were the elements of their lives.
quote by Paul Simon

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Let It Burn
So many things are hidden
A question that has no rhyme
Walking in a circle
Too many things we can't define
Wandering thoughts
Wonder what thet must mean
Mind finds no peace
The whole keeps going, can't be seen
We try to find our way out
There's no escape from a mixed up life
We keep trying to push on
Just gotta let it burn
Let it burn
We gotta keep trying to push on
Let it burn
Existence lined
With diligence it should make sense
So simple it cannot be
So empty it ends up dead
Choking
Seething
We suffocate ourselves in shame
Running from our dreams
We try to find our way out
There's no escape from a mixed up life
We keep trying to push on
Just gotta let it burn
You feel that there's no way out
That there's no refuge for you
You feel that there's no way out
That there's no end in sight
To win you've got to shine
Taste the life inside
No holding back
Past regrets can't breath
If not allowed to seize
A lifetime full of promise
Exquisite painting hides
Mistakes and first drawn lines
The colors that have run
The canvas that has turn dry
Never do
Never cry
These are the words of those
Who never had the guts to try
We try to find our way out
There's no escape from a mixed up life
We keep trying to push on
Just gotta let it burn
Let it burn
We gotta keep trying to push on
Let it burn
Time has a way of forgetting
All the times we took wrong turns
No need to keep on reliving
Ready to burn
Take a chance
Just gotta keep pushing on
No need to keep on reliving
Gotta let it burn
song performed by by Quo Vadis

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Phthalo Blue........
My
White spirit is lifted
And poured ceremoniously yet with an air of joy
As colours are mixed upon the plate
To paint
A baby boy
Each shade and light I know so well now
As the lines on my left palm
I hope to reproduce his smile
With the very same
Gentle charm
I don't even know his name yet
But I know the phthalo blue which rest as his eyes
As gentle little halos though so young
Appear
Strikingly
Wise
poem by Karen Sinclair

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Elements of Life
My mind is
a studio.
Always different
projects taking place.
Art, Dance,
Poetry, and Music.
Elements told in
different ways.
The art is
my creativity.
The expansion
of my mind.
The dancing is
what makes me stable.
To keep my mind
from running wild.
The poetry
hits hard.
Unleashing the emotions
locked away inside me.
The music is the
thoughts that i storm up.
To tell of my
understandings
These are the
elements that make
up my culture
And my culture
will not die
These are the
Elements that
makes me.
These are my
Elements of life.
poem by Edward Rios

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Elements Of Life
Elements of life
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Elements of life
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Love, devotion
Sun, the ocean
Color, emotion
Elements of life
Elements of life yrics Kingdom
song performed by by Alice Deejay

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Oh, Brother Of Mine IN LOVING MEMORY OF MILFORD BLACKWELL FEB. 18,1932- AUG. 23, 1995
What was his life but a vapor
A grain in the sands of time
A drop of dew in the morning
And a ray of lost sunshine
His love was deep as the ocean
It reached from the earth to the sky
He looked for the wings of an angel
And the land of "Sweet Bye and Bye"
Sometimes his pain was a puzzle
Sometimes his joy a rhyme
But his heart reached out and touched me
That wonderful brother of mine
I know that the cross was heavy
And the pain was hard to bear
But I always watched from the shadows
And you knew that I was there
Life is never a highway
But a mountainous road to climb
I'm glad I had you beside me
Oh. wonderful brother of mine
You were here for only a moment
Now you have slipped away
The stage of life's been traded
For one of earth and clay
I think of the days of childhood
When we played on meadow and Lea
All that is left is an echo
Your voice is calling to me
How many drops of water
Has gone down the river of time
But none will be more precious
Than ours- Oh, brother of mine
The twilight of life came creeping
Across the portals of time
And when the veil was lifted
Gone--that brother of mine
Gone like the mist of the morning
Or flowers at ending of day
The song of the bird has ended
And the music has faded away
If God would grant me the power
To turn back the pages of time
I'd turn them back one by one
"Til I found that brother of mine
Life's little day has ended
Your race on earth is run
So fold your hands my brother
And wait for the morning sun
Farewell, oh wonderful brother of mine
And may these words be read
By those who see the Epitaph
In stone above thy head
Epitaph transition
When life and death at twilight meet
All my days and years are spent
I shall pause beneath the sod
To resurrect -- And ornament
poem by Dana Preston Blackwell

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When I die, my epitaph should read: She Paid the Bills. That's the story of my private life.
quote by Gloria Swanson

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Life Times
My life in the morning sun
My life in the speeding car
Too much to lose
My life on the empty roads
My life in the electric room
Too much to lose
Too much to lose
So hear the way that the world is calling
My life to you
Show the way that I'll keep it coming
My life to you
My life to you
My life to you
My life in the messy room
My life in the greasy girl
My life to you
My life in the wall of shame
My life in the passing car
My life to lose
My life to you
My life to you
So hear the way that the world is calling
My life to you
Show the way that I'll keep it coming
My life to you
My life to you
'Cause my life and my love stand for always
Your love and our love stand for always
Any way that you want it now
Just say the word you can have it now
My life to you
My life to you
My life to you
My life to you
My life to you
Any way that you want it now
Just say the words you can have it now
Any way that you want it now
Just say the words you can have it now
Any way that you want it now
Just show the world that you want it now
Anyway that you want it now
Just show the world you can have it now
My life to you
My life to you
my life to you
my life to you
song performed by by Zwan

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Queen
The first time I captured the spark in your emerald eyes
That boldly struck me by surprise
Your smile took my gaze and made me grin
Something wonderful came from within
I know right then we were ment to be
Side by side u and me
Before I met you I was empty and alone
You touched my heart that I thought was stone
we both have been through so much strife
But having our son was happiest day of my life
He brings so much joy for that is true
And im so content it was with you
I times I thought we would drift apart with the pressure
However it jus bought us closer together
Although are world is shining bright
Are personalities are far from unlike
but makes us strong and keeps us tight
you've had to deal with a lot in life
And still so caring gentle and ripe
I promise to always be there
Your heart I want to repair
Such a devoted mum full love and affection
Although sometimes we fight it makes our love strengthen
From the beginning I knew you I could trust
and like platinum it will never rust
When im mean to you or acting grumpy
You still stand there and tell me u love me.
I thank god for bringing me to you
And giving me our ryley roo.
Are little family makes me proud
my beautiful queen you've been crowned
poem by Nic Hillen

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Another Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries (in reply to A.E. Housman)
In the days when heaven shook
and Lucifer an angel of light,
took a third
of once holy ones with him
in a mercenary calling, made darkness his own,
when he tried to become equal to the creator God
that army of mercenaries fought
against Michael and his host
and lost, falling in defeat
and Michael and his host ended the rebellion,
had it suspended
and the mercenaries paid the price for their deceit,
(if any of them died they did deserved it)
and they fell like comets from the sky
and burning, aflame to this planet they came
which is still revolving as it did then
and here their leader entrapped man
with a cunning elusive plan
trying to take this world
into destruction with him
but as a mortal God walked this earth,
paid the price instead of man
to make the demon’s work undone
and still man has a choice
to where his affections lie
and in spite of the presence of mercenaries here
elements of love, sincerity, truth and grace
still abounds in the heart of men
who honour the almighty God.
[References: Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries by A.E. Housman and Another Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries by Hugh Macdiarmid in reply to A.E. Housman.]
poem by Gert Strydom

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Oh Man
Oh man
What are you but flowing rivers
And record players
Slowly gathering dust
In the corner of my
quiet room?
What are you but moans,
Visions of a life
Not yet lived
But foredoomed?
And man,
When will the angelic chorus’ play?
I shall moan tonight
Like no other,
With suitcase in hand,
Heavy with the burdens
Of yesteryear’s
Indifference.
Oh man,
You stand in rain,
You howl
I howl
For the solitude and prayers,
Ten tributes of orchestral glory
Go to the fortuitous fool
Who stuck out his hand
And felt the damp
Within his palm.
The angels wait for me,
They say
Wake up
Wake up
You’re dead,
I play my numbers two a piece
And rest my decaying soul,
I stand and watch the Thames a- flowing
And I wait
For your epitaph.
poem by Nadia Khomami

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