Sersmith the Dentist
Do you think that odes and sermons,
And the ringing of church bells,
And the blood of old men and young men,
Martyred for the truth they saw
With eyes made bright by faith in God,
Accomplished the world's great reformations?
Do you think that the Battle Hymn of the Republic
Would have been heard if the chattel slave
Had crowned the dominant dollar,
In spite of Whitney's cotton gin,
And steam and rolling mills and iron
And telegraphs and white free labor?
Do you think that Daisy Fraser
Had been put out and driven out
If the canning works had never needed
Her little house and lot?
Or do you think the poker room
Of Johnnie Taylor, and Burchard's bar
Had been closed up if the money lost
And spent for beer had not been turned,
By closing them, to Thomas Rhodes
For larger sales of shoes and blankets,
And children's cloaks and gold-oak cradles?
Why, a moral truth is a hollow tooth
Which must be propped with gold.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Related quotes
Henry Phipps
I was the Sunday school superintendent,
The dummy president of the wagon works
And the canning factory,
Acting for Thomas Rhodes and the banking clique;
My son the cashier of the bank,
Wedded to Rhodes' daughter,
My week day spent in making money,
My Sundays at church and in prayer.
In everything a cog in the wheel of things-as-they-are:
Of money, master and man, made white
With the paint of the Christian creed.
And then:
The bank collapsed. I stood and looked at the wrecked machine --
The wheels with blow-holes stopped with putty and painted;
The rotten bolts, the broken rods;
And only the hopper for souls fit to be used again
In a new devourer of life, when newspapers, judges and money-magicians
Build over again.
I was stripped to the bone, but I lay in the Rock of Ages,
Seeing now through the game, no longer a dupe,
And knowing "the upright shall dwell in the land
But the years of the wicked shall be shortened."
Then suddenly, Dr. Meyers discovered
A cancer in my liver.
I was not, after all, the particular care of God!
Why, even thus standing on a peak
Above the mists through which I had climbed,
And ready for larger life in the world,
Eternal forces
Moved me on with a push.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Big & Strong
(mark heard)
Strong man strangles universe--he drowns the stars
Blinded by the mission of a thousand wars
Hes fit and dominant--no wonder why
He loves the battle cry
Strong man is survivor--he lives to pound
Little wooden crosses in the bloody ground
Hes fit and dominant--his will is truth
His hand is absolute
And the world keeps on turning
And the sun keeps on burning
And the children keep learning
How to grow up big and strong
How to grow up big and strong
Strong man takes no prisoner--favors no plea
He leaves no gold in teeth of enemy
Hes fit and dominant--rises above
He has no word that means love
And the world keeps on turning
And the sun keeps on burning
And the children keep learning
How to grow up big and strong
How to grow up big and strong
And the world keeps on turning
And the sun keeps on burning
And the children keep learning
How to grow up big and strong
How to grow up big and strong
How to grow up big and strong
song performed by by Olivia Newton-John
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Big And Strong
Strong man strangles universe, he drowns the stars
Blinded by the mission of a thousand wars
He's fit and dominant, no wonder why
He loves the battle cry
Strong man is survivor, he lives to pound
Little wooden crosses in the bloody ground
He's fit and dominant, his will is truth
His hand is absolute
Chorus:
And the world keeps on turning, and the sun keeps on burning
And the children keep learning how to grow up big and strong
How to grow up big and strong
Strong man takes no prisoner, favors no plea
He leaves no gold in teeth of enemy
He's fit and dominant, rises above
He has no word that means love
chorus repeats 2x
How to grow up big and strong...
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
song performed by by Olivia Newton-John
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gold!
Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold!
Bright and yellow, hard and cold
Molten, graven, hammered and rolled,
Heavy to get and light to hold,
Hoarded, bartered, bought and sold,
Stolen, borrowed, squandered, doled,
Spurned by young, but hung by old
To the verge of a church yard mold;
Price of many a crime untold.
Gold! Gold! Gold! Gold!
Good or bad a thousand fold!
How widely it agencies vary,
To save - to ruin - to curse - to bless -
As even its minted coins express :
Now stamped with the image of Queen Bess,
And now of a bloody Mary.
poem by Thomas Hood
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Bells In My Heart
I heard church bells ringing- ringing quite clear
I heard the church bells ringing- deafening my ears.
I looked all around and yet I could not see
Any places of worship even close to me.
That was when I realized that the ringing
Was coming from my heart.
Because it was you who captured it
Right from the start.
You entered my life like the earth enters
the day- and forever you would stay.
The bells are ringing with every passing
Thought of you, and it tells me all that I must do.
And to keep this love- to you I must be true.
I sometimes ask myself how can this be?
The bells toll louder every time you look at me.
Is this the way that love is really meant to be
That my heart is racing fast, and I feel wild and free.
We’ve all envisioned love and how it should be
But love is something you can not foresee.
Everyone sees love in a different way
And with your heart, love will play.
And love like a guitar that’s out of tune
You will lose it pretty soon.
So find the faults while you can
Tune that love and take your stand.
Now as I look at you I ask:
“Is this happening to only me
Or is our hearts singing in harmony”?
poem by Louis Rams
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Real World
Mr. trouble come walkin this way
Year gone by feels like one long day but Im alive
And Im feelin all right
Well I run that hard road outta heartbreak city
Built a roadside carnival out of hurt and self-pity, it was all wrong
Well now Im moving on
Aint no church bells ringing
Aint no flags unfurled
Its just me and you and the love were bringing
Into the real world
Into the real world
I built a shrine in my heart, isnt pretty to see
Made out of fools gold memory and tears cried
Now Im headin over the rise
Im searchin for one clear moment of love and truth
I still got a little faith but what I need is some proof tonight
Im lookin for it in your eyes
Aint no church bells ringing
Aint no flags unfurled
Just me and you and the faith were bringing into the real world
Into the real world
Well tonight I just wanna shout
I feel my soul waist deep and sinking into this black river of doubt
I just wanna rise and walk along the riverside
And when the morning comes baby I dont wanna hide
Ill stand right at your side with my arms open wide
(killer guitar solo here)
Well tonight I just wanna shout
I feel my soul waist deep and sinking into this black river of doubt
I just wanna rise and walk along the riverside
til the morning comes
Ill stand right by your side
I wanna find some answers I wanna ask for some help
Im tired of running scared baby lets get our bags packed
Well take it here to hell and heaven and back
And if love is hopeless, hopeless at best
Come on put on your party dress, its ours tonight
And were goin with the tumblin dice
Aint no church bells ringing
Aint no flags unfurled
Its just me and you and the hope were bringing into the real world
Well into the real world
Oh into the real world
song performed by by Bruce Springsteen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Believers
Intro:
I got no money, got no job, I'm just another shufflin' slob.
Well we've all been disappointed, we've had our dreams before.
For with dreams you learn to take your turn
In a world that don't believe in nothin' anymore.
Some believe in Jesus. They don't act like they do.
Some believe in Mohammed. I don't believe that's true.
'Cause they do believe in money, and gold is what it's for.
All the gold can't buy no peace of mind
In a world that don't believe in nothin' anymore.
She is a woman, with a baby child. A sacrificed human. Now she's runnin' wild.
Well her dreams have all been shattered, her dignity defiled.
She has lost her way but she must stay
In a world that don't believe in nothin' anymore.
Some believe in love. Where did it go?
Some believe in children. Even they now know
That we do believe in money, and gold is what it's for.
All the gold can't buy no peace of mind
In a world that don't believe in nothin' anymore.
I believe in you, I believe in me and I don't care what the papers say.
I believe in struggle, I believe in life, I believe that we will find a way.
I believe in hope, I believe in dreams, I believe in luck, I believe in schemes
I believe in fate, I believe in time, I believe what I believe ain't worth a dime.
'Cause we do believe in money, and gold is what it's for.
All the gold can't buy no peace of mind
In a world that don't believe in nothin' anymore.
I'll go on livin', I'll pay the cost. I'll keep on givin' to those who are lost.
'Cause the children will be coming and they'll soon know the score.
They must understand I've played my hand
In a world that don't believe
song performed by by Don McLean
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Weddin' Bells
I have the invitation that you sent me
You wanted me to see you change your name
I couldn't stand to see you wed another
But dear I hope you're happy just the same
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
That should be ringing out for you and me
Down the aisle with someone else you're walking
Those wedding bell will never ring for me
I planned a little cottage in the valley
I even bought a little band of gold
I thought some day I'd place it on your finger
But now the future looks so dark and cold
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
I hear the children laughing out with glee
At home alone I hang my head in sorrow
Those wedding bells will never ring for me
I fancy that I see a bunch of roses
A blossom from an orange tree in your hair
And while the organ plays I love you truly
Please let me pretend that I am there
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
Ever since the day you set me free
I knew someday that you would wed another
But wedding bells will never ring for me
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Wedding Bells
I have the invitation that you sent me
You wanted me to see you change your name
I couldnt stand to see you with another
But dear I hope youre happy just the same
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
That should be ringing out for you and me
Down the aisle with someone else youre walking
Those wedding bell will never ring for me
I planned a little cottage in the valley
I even bought a little band of gold
I thought some day Id place it on your finger
But now the future looks so dark and cold
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
I hear the children laughing out with glee
At home alone I hang my head in sorrow
Those wedding bells will never ring for me
I fancy that I see a bunch of roses
A blossom from an orange tree in your hair
And while the organ plays I love you truly
Please let me pretend that I am there
Wedding bells are ringing in the chapel
Ever since the dat you set me free
I know someday that you are with another
But wedding bells will never ring for me
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Real man
I am a real man
I am real
This world where I am
Is real
In this real world
I am living
This world will not die
This world will not perish
How can I perish
I am made out of this real world
Here there is only truth
And I am truthful
As in ice there is water
In gold ornaments there is gold
In clay-pots there is clay
In iron-weapons there is iron
Look like the world I am strong.
poem by Gajanan Mishra
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How to make your wishes come true
She liked white and had not said a word yet
On her tenth birthday
she stood on the red steps
of the red opera house
-the red opera house on the north side of Sydney Harbour
almost opposite the white opera house
She scattered orange petals, yellow petals, green leaves and spoke
in a light blue voice
A bird of navy blue pink and gold feathers stood by her. Was this the grateful bird? Purple gold and white danced
She said
white stillness, pure gold, purple wonder, gold strength, pink joy, pink infinity, navy blue now, strong indigo blue, light blue fountain, the green first reason, compassionate orange, endless yellow,
royal red, single red, free orange, free yellow, green depth as clear as crystal, all attractive light blue, strong indigo blue, strong navy blue, pink wishes, gold compassion, compassionate purple,
gold of golds, of creativity, white of whites, gold truth, purple mentor, funny gold, pink friend of children, navy blue of nature,
indigo blue knowledge, light blue song of nature, green creation, yellow in senses, orange guide, red way, red inspirer, orange giver, yellow help, dazzling green, light blue of the delicate, with indigo blue eyes, navy blue good, with pink kind eyes, golden hair, golden complexion, purple complexion, gold warmth, of white space, white and gold love, of all purple knowledge, gold presence, pink in thunder and storms, navy blue pleasure, indigo blue beauty,
light blue lines, all attractive green, of yellow stirring music, of orange, red refuge, clear red, orange orange, yellow yellow, with green giving hands, of green, light blue truth, indigo blue essence, navy blue sparkle, pink with gold, purple guide, gold here, here white, white is the sun with penetrating vision, purple and golden constant winner, gold reach, of all pink, infinite navy blue, indigo blue knowledge, light blue care, deep green in greens, orange truth, dedicated to yellow, red peace, red glory, orange beauty, yellow, of green and light blue evenings, handsome indigo blue, intelligent navy blue, pink of pinks, of gold golds, purple purple, gold friend,
openness, formless white and gold, prevailing purple, efficient purple, purple origin, purple form, gold and permanent pink, navy blue belief, indigo blue blue, dense green, orange, yellow, red friend, red
and fell silent
Are the colours telling us that reciting the girl's words could make all our wishes come true? What else do red orange yellow green light blue indigo blue navy blue pink gold purple gold white know?
Today is a Monday
poem by Bhupen Thakker
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Let's Get Free
I went searching
For something I could believe
So I turned on the TV
I was fed hypocrisy
Leading me towards the sea
Of confusion
I heard a voice
Ringing like music in the air
Breaking hearts most everywhere
All the people in despair
Cry out for justice to be fair
To every people
(Chorus)
Saying lets get free, lets get free
Dont just believe in what you hear
Dont just believe in what you see
Lets get free, lets get free
You gotta open up your mind
Cause truth is what ya need, oh truth is what you need
Our love
Can prop you up and make you stand
Some are sinking in the sand
With all that silver in their hand
Take a message to that man
That wisdom is power
And tell me now
You have Allah on your side
Or is it Jesus or your pride
Will it get you through the night
Every man has to have something to believe in
(Chorus)
Lets get free, lets get free
You gotta believe in what you feel
And feel what you believe
Lets get free, lets get free
oh love is all you need
Before the dawn
Comes the darkest hour of night
Either walk into the light
Or you turn and close your eyes
And fade into a dreamless sleep and hide
Every human
Is gonna laugh and sometimes cry
Every tear that fills your eyes
Falls with the weight of sacrifice
Forgiveness hears the pain of disappointment
(Chorus)
Lets get free, lets get free
Dont just believe in what you hear
Dont just believe in what you see
Lets get free, oh lets get free
Everythings as it should be
So faith is all you need, oh peace is all you need, oh truth is all you need
yeah oh
What the world needs now is love love love
What the world needs now is love love love
What the world needs now is love love love
song performed by by Sheryl Crow
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Truth
They fall through time as a leaf from a tree
Trees so green
Green as life, green as death, as the souls
Souls that are lost, lost forever
Forever in time forever in truth
Truth that shall not be spoken
Spoken by only those who know the truth
Truth that only they know, only they see
See through their eyes, listen through their ears
Ears that have heard the truth, that hold it in their hands
Hands so cold, so hard from truth from hope
Hope that they have lost
Lost as a shell in the sea, the sea of truth
Truth that flows in all of us, everyone
everyone who stands in the shower of faith
Faith that some have lost, some gain
Gain all the truth, hope, faith, love
Love that haunts, love that stays
Stays with us all, stays in our souls
Souls we shall loose, in the battle of time
Time that haunts us all
All who feel
Feel the pain, all who know
Know the truth
(just fel tlike trying a format that my friend said I should try. It has what ever word that a line ends with the next line starts with the same word. EX. you sit in the fire
Fure of truth so I dicided I would try it. hope you like)
poem by Bethany Maxwell
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Truth?
What is truth he asked himself
Is it just an honest answer?
And so much would seem to depend
On sincerity
The truth will set you free
He had heard it said
So what does that mean?
To know the truth I must see clearly
He mused
Without an overlay of misconception
So what is truth he asked himself
If the truth would set me free
Then I have not found it
Or is that a lie?
poem by David Taylor
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The Bells Are Ringing
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (they travel great distances to the sound)
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
Theyre not responsible for anything they do
(no) the people know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound (they hear the sound)
They hear the sound
The bells are ringing
And everyones walking
With arms extended in a trance
Forgetting their washing
Neglecting the children
Theyre dropping all businesses at hand
A voice is telling them to act a different way
They tilt their heads so they wont miss what it will say
(no) and when its so
(no) theres this to know
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round
They hear the instructions
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound
They are persuaded by the music of the bells
Theyre not responsible for anything they do
(no) the people know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
A girl with cotton in her ears
Is shielded from the bells effect
As if by hidden signal
The people turn to face her
One thousand eyes are staring
They pull away her earplugs
The bells are pealing
And theyre revealing
The simple key to happiness
It isnt evil
It isnt good
Its only what the people miss
The bells explain what theyve been lacking all along
They were disorganized and that was what was wrong
(no) and now they know
(no) the way to go
The bells are ringing, they hear the sound
The bells are ringing
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
The bells are ringing (bringing the people round)
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
The bells are ringing (bringing the people round)
The song theyre singing
The sound is bringing the people round (the bells are ringing the song theyre singing the sound is)
They hear the instructions (bringing the people round)
They follow directions
They travel great distances to the sound (they travel great distances to the sound)
song performed by by They Might Be Giants
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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On Speaking The Truth
I have heard many times,
Of my elders speaking this,
Speak truth even ye commit crimes,
And please God by doing this,
If the truth you always speak,
Your head will he high like a peak.
The most senior in saints of all,
And Abdul Qadir was his name,
Advised his mother telling not lies at all,
And obedient son did the same,
Before the robbers the truth he quoth,
Its result, to mend they took oath.
No doubt speaking the truth is hard,
Like the steam from the water,
But hearing the truth is too much hard,
Like from steam being water,
I be hardly recognized by thee,
My mostly friends are against me.
That he be happy like skylark,
On muddy ground does never land,
Reaching his nest before being dark,
So never he falls on the sand,
And can soar does where he desire,
No stain is there on his attire.
For a truth many lies be told,
Like the sun by clouds hidden,
And as smuggling the precious gold,
But, miraj ends at all of sudden,
When curtain removes from the sin,
The truth will certainly win.
poem by Mohammad Muzzammil
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Hildrup Tubbs
I made two fights for the people.
First I left my party, bearing the gonfalon
Of independence, for reform, and was defeated.
Next I used my rebel strength
To capture the standard of my old party --
And I captured it, but I was defeated.
Discredited and discarded, misanthropical,
I turned to the solace of gold
And I used my remnant of power
To fasten myself like a saprophyte
Upon the putrescent carcass
Of Thomas Rhodes' bankrupt bank,
As assignee of the fund.
Everyone now turned from me.
My hair grew white,
My purple lusts grew gray,
Tobacco and whisky lost their savor
And for years Death ignored me
As he does a hog.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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Falling Down
falling down poets,
falling down rain,
falling down reactors,
falling down planes.
hollow men with masks,
hollow dreams, hollow drugs.
hollow patriots, hollow Jesus,
hollow bodies, hollow hugs.
drunk men drunk on power,
drunk preachers drunk on salvation.
drunk drivers lost in the night,
drunk politicians annebriate the nation.
lonely men carry the biggest guns,
lonely children follow behind.
lonely widows blame themselves,
lonely lovers lose their mind.
truth slaps against the glass,
truth breaks down the door.
truth never compromises....
truth kisses the vagabond,
..... and weds the whore....
truth breaks the greedy man,
.... burns down the house,
and feeds the poor!
falling down poets...
falling down rain.
falling down illusions,
falling down pain.
poem by Eric Cockrell
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Eugene Carman
Rhodes' slave! Selling shoes and gingham,
Flour and bacon, overalls, clothing, all day long
For fourteen hours a day for three hundred and thirteen days
For more than twenty years.
Saying "Yes'm" and "Yes, sir", and "Thank you"
A thousand times a day, and all for fifty dollars a month.
Living in this stinking room in the rattle-trap "Commercial."
And compelled to go to Sunday School, and to listen
To the Rev. Abner Peet one hundred and four times a year
For more than an hour at a time,
Because Thomas Rhodes ran the church
As well as the store and the bank.
So while I was tying my neck-tie that morning
I suddenly saw myself in the glass:
My hair all gray, my face like a sodden pie.
So I cursed and cursed: You damned old thing
You cowardly dog! You rotten pauper!
You Rhodes' slave! Till Roger Baughman
Thought I was having a fight with some one,
And looked through the transom just in time
To see me fall on the floor in a heap
From a broken vein in my head.
poem by Edgar Lee Masters
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The Truth About The Truth
What for you is true
or isn't
usually depends on how many
choose to believe
your version of it:
Hence television. Hence Hollywood.
Human truth, alas, is local;
though most agree
gold will always be
a bully basis for a currency:
Truth being wearisomely,
equatible with usage,
practicality,
who has bigger guns,
and what is ego-tonic to believe.
'This is true, because it's always been.'
'God believes it, too.
Daddy served-why not me? '
In spite of any war, though,
In spite of banks and oil magnates,
and big-money types
who bamboozle you with idealism,
and stand ready to reap the profits,
without suffering so much as a scratch,
and wonder aloud
'You're not chicken, are you?
What kind of a man are you? '
in spite of people who ardently believe the drivel
and preach it, terrified of extinction,
all this has nothing to do with truth,
which is simply mathematical:
two plus two, you can be sure, thank God,
in this universe, at least,
will always equal four.
poem by Morgan Michaels
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