John Donne

The Triple Fool

I am two fools, I know,
For loving, and for saying so
In whining poetry;
But where's that wise man, that would not be I,
If she would not deny?
Then as th' earth's inward narrow crooked lanes
Do purge sea water's fretful salt away,
I thought, if I could draw my pains
Through rhyme's vexation, I should them allay.
Grief brought to numbers cannot be so fierce,
For he tames it, that fetters it in verse.

But when I have done so,
Some man, his art and voice to show,
Doth set and sing my pain;
And, by delighting many, frees again
Grief, which verse did restrain.
To love and grief tribute of verse belongs,
But not of such as pleases when 'tis read.
Both are increasèd by such songs,
For both their triumphs so are published,
And I, which was two fools, do so grow three.
Who are a little wise, the best fools be.

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I am two fools

I am two fools, I know
One for loving the other for saying so
But where that wise man that I would not be
Deny, ignore, bury, build a wall, trench a moat and be like he
Then as the earth inward narrow crooked lanes
Do purge sea waters fretful salt away
I thought, if I could draw my pains
Through rimes of vexation I should them allay
Grief of love when brought to words cannot be so fierce
For he tames it whoever fetters it in verse

When I am dead and doctors know not why
State official authority their curiosity obey
Having me cut up to survey each part
When they shall find up your picture in my heart
A surge, a wave of love
Through their senses move
It will work on them as on me
So is the power of the picture of thee

Whoever comes to shroud me after butchery do not harm
Or question much
The subtle wreath of long blond hair which crowns my arm
Let it be, let it lie
As part of my body


When my grave broken up again
Some second guess or thought to entertain
And he the digs it, spies
Where my dry bones lie
The tuft of long blond hair wrapped around the bone
Shall have the dignity to leave it alone
And think without disturbance
There is a man wrapped with passion

copy rights 2010

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I’ve Lost One Verse With Tinkling Lines

I’ve lost one verse
With tinkling lines,
I’ve lost a verse,
It’s somewhere else…
I sought the leaf,
But couldn’t find,
Even from the disc
It vanished.
I cried and cried
For that little verse,
In my soul it lay
Like a winged word,
It lay there
Like grief and anguish.

That bright and sincere thought –
That verse remained in the past.
I’m tired of grief and sorrow,
Sorrow has seized me at last…

24.04.2006

Translated from Georgian

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Cato the Elder

Wise men profit more from fools than fools from wise men for the wise men shun the mistakes of fools, but fools do not imitate the successes of the wise.

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Song Of Noble Grief

Oh, noble grief of the suffering soul
That into free verse bursts out...
Would you perchance take comfort
In adorning the world with jewels?

Oh, noble grief in free verse,
Which sincerely sounds and resounds,
Will you ever move the feelings of men,
Or wither and die like the autumn leaves?

Oh, song worthy of noble grief...
Never rest! But with your twin,
Lamentation, sing out your suffering,
For time will be your consolation.

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Song Of Nobel Grief

Oh, noble grief of the suffering soul
That into free verse bursts out...
Would you perchance take comfort
In adorning the world with jewels?

Oh, noble grief in free verse,
Which sincerely sounds and resounds,
Will you ever move the feelings of men,
Or wither and die like the autumn leaves?

Oh, song worthy of noble grief...
Never rest! But with your twin,
Lamentation, sing out your suffering,
For time will be your consolation.

poem by Millosh Gjergj NikollaReport problemRelated quotes
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Fools Rush In

Just why do I want you baby
Anyone but a fool would let it be
Go on anywhere you take me
I dont want to know whats pulling me
If I fall so deep
With my eyes so wide
Then I hope that feeling isnt only mine
Fools rush in
Where the wise dont go
Fools rush in
And Im a fool for love
Fools rush in
But the wise dont know
Fools rush in
Safe advice
I cant let it stop me
Love dont wanna know the reason why
If we fall so deep
With our eyes so wide
Then I know the feeling isnt
Only mine
Fools rush in
Where the wise dont go
Fools rush in
And Im a fool for love
Fools rush in
But the wise dont know
Fools rush in

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Sonnet XXII: With Fools and Children

To Folly

With fools and children, good discretion bears;
Then, honest people, bear with Love and me,
Nor older yet, nor wiser made by years,
Amongst the rest of fools and children be;
Love, still a baby, plays with gauds and toys,
And, like a wanton, sports with every feather,
And idiots still are running after boys,
Then fools and children fitt'st to go together.
He still as young as when he first was born,
No wiser I than when as young as he;
You that behold us, laugh us not to scorn;
Give Nature thanks you are not such as we.
Yet fools and children sometimes tell in play
Some, wise in show, more fools indeed than they.

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Song Of A Rhyming Man

I love the sound of rhyming words like Dan will rhyme with Ann
And I could never be a poet just call me rhyming man
This modern verse too much for me it's way above my head
Though modern poets are now the rage and Rhyme is with the dead.

I love the sound of rhyming words, I love the verse that rhyme
To blank or free or non rhyme verse prefer it every time
And there's many who will disagree and most will say I'm wrong
But give me ballad or rhyme verse or good old rhyming song.

You may say I am limited and with you most will agree
That I'm not into modern verse of twenty first century
But I've been an old style rhyming man since nineteen seventy three
And I am in my sixties now and there's no changing me.

I love the sound of rhyming words like Dan will rhyme with Ann
And I could never be a poet just call me rhyming man
And I am guilty of no sin and I can't see no crime
In liking sound of rhyming verse and loving words that rhyme

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Reverse application

As the wise regard fools as fool
Fools regard the wise as fools.
The theists are fools to the atheists
And atheists, fools to theists
02.10.2007

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On A Famed Poet

Forgive me if his greatness I cannot seem to note
His poems never rhyme but he is a famed poet
By literary experts considered to be knowledgeable and wise
And for his poems he has won many a prize.

Though poetry is not very popular today
The poet of the poetry lovers the experts do say
In University literary magazines students his verses read
And they all agree he's a fine poet indeed.

Of poets and poetry I must confess so little I know
My favourites old rhymers from ages ago
On the poetry I do not like most experts agree
That it is well written and quite good poetry.

Forgive me if the worth in his verse I can't see
His non rhyming poetry does nothing for me
Of reading blank verse I do quickly grow tired
My truth is by such stuff I do not feel inspired.

The experts on his poetry great interest show
And his stature as a poet only seems to grow
Of him great things are written and great things we hear
And good luck to him on his literary career.

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To release one’s hate

The wise are as much fools
To fools as fools are to them.
A man is as much irrational
To a child as it is to him.
A male is as much a stress
To woman as she is to him.
Each treats the other so
Just to release one’s hate.
21.08.2010.

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Fools haven

The haven of fools
This is the haven fools
Fools do not like greatness
So they hate to progress
Fools lack wisdom
They are far from freedom
Their heart attaineth riches
But they don't have riches
Fools will perish
But the upright will flourish
He will nourish
Has anybody seen
The end of the foolish
Think for wisdom excelleth folly
Whom will you like to be
The end of the upright
Is everlasting life
Like a tree
Planted by the river side
Marry it, let it be your bride
Keep it as your pride
Do away with ignorant
For the truth is important
Fools has pleasure in vanity
But the happiness
Of the wise is in eternity

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Love works in miracles every day such as weakening the strong, and strengthening the weak making fools of the wise, and wise men of fools favouring the passions, destroying reason, and in a word, turning everything topsy-turvy.

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Fools In Love

Fools in love, well are there any other kind of lovers?
Fools in love, is there any other kind of pain?
Everything you do, everywhere you go now
Everything you touch, everything you feel
Everything you see, everything you know now
Everything you do, you do it for your lady
Love your lady, love your lady
Love your lady, love...
Fools in love, are there any creatures more pathetic?
Fools in love, never knowing when theyve lost the game
Everything you do, everywhere you go now
Everything you touch, everything you feel
Everything you see, everything you know now
Everything you do, you do it for your lady
Love your lady, love your lady
Love your lady, love...
Fools in love they think theyre heroes
cause they get to feel no pain
I say fools in love are zeros
I should know, I should know
Because this fools in love again
Fools in love, gently hold each others hands forever
Fools in love, gently tear each other limb from limb
Everything you do, everywhere you go now
Everything you touch, everything you feel
Everything you do, even your rock n roll now
Nothing mean a thing except you and your lady
Love your lady, love your lady
Love your lady, love...
Fools in love they think theyre heroes
cause they get to feel no pain
I say fools in love are zeros
I should know, I should know
Because this fools in love again

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The wise and the fools

The wise are less foolish than fools.
The fools are less wise than the wise.
07.11.2007

poem by Rm. Shanmugam ChettiarReport problemRelated quotes
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Mr Wise Guy

(r palmer)
Whod ever guess to look at her?
They say shes a dancer but they dont fool me
You thought you knew it all, cos youd been there
Thought she was a flirt you didnt know her
You kissed the girls and made them cry
You thought you would be only hello-goodbye
But now a twist of love has changed your world
Till I kissed her I was just another wise guy
You thought you were so cool
(wise guy)
You had all the right moves
You said beware shell break your heart
Shes about to turn around and prove you wrong
You thought you had the map, shes off the chart
Try to keep up with her if youre such a wise guy
Her kisses gave you the clue
(wise guy)
And now you know what to do
Didnt gamble, never won a prize
Rush to judgement and you pay the price
How could you presume to be qualified
If it bit you wouldnt recognise it!
You said love was for fools
(wise guy)
Then she broke all your rules
Whod ever guess to look at her
They shes a teaser but they cant fool me
Because I met my match when I met her;
Hast la vista mr wise guy
You misjudged her so eat humble pie
Your opinion wasnt justified
You were cautious, youd been hurt inside
Wouldnt risk it so you just criticised her
You said love was for fools
(wise guy)
But love knows better than you
(wise guy)
You thought you were so cool
(wise guy)
But now we know whos the fool
(mr wise guy)

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The literary life

We went to the house
of Afrikaans poetry together
on weekends and spent hours there
and listened to the master lecture
and met some poet friends
around a table
with a drink or two.

Sometimes the poetry was Afrikaans,
English, Dutch or even German
and we learnt form poets
around the globe.

We discussed what we had
just learned,
asked about his views
of certain things,
or what people in the group think,
discussed poetry, life,
sometimes even politics
and philosophy
as individuals of a group.

We read our poems,
listened to other poets,
reading their own,
analysed every word, every line
comprehending meaning, impact
and sharpened our art.

Your poetry was really great,
from when I read the very first line,
but mine had still to grow
from rhyme into free verse.

At times I hated comments
that forced me to move,
but realized that it was meant
with great goodwill
and even though I was in pain
I sharpened my verse
and free verse brought
a clearer ear, making it
much easier to write
great rhyme.

Now that I had to leave Pretoria,
weekends I really miss
that great writing school,
new poems from great poets,
learning something there,
experiencing poetry at its core,
lectures from that great master
and verses of his own,
but much more
your poems.

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Fools

I don’t say all fools are wise.
I say all wise men are fools.
I don’t say all fools are lovers.
I say all lovers are fools.

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Two Bit Rhymic Junkie

At first I thought I could control it
I thought I could take it all
I thought, ah; it's just another verse
I will to make the call

The rhythm was pure cadence
It flowed round and round my veins
Soon after that first one verse
It raised it's ugly head to reign

It was just at first in the evening
Then soon was all the day along
And before I even realized
It had complete control of all

I was shooting verse for breakfast
Snorting rhyme there before the noon
Stanza after stanza flowed
Racing to my doom

I tried to just shut it off
All to no avail
It would just suck me back
Into my loving hell

July 17, 2012 4: 58 A.M.

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Tragic

(a. bell / v. clarke)
Speak. spell.
Whats that word again?
In. out.
Of my head again.
Clear. cut.
Charmed Im sure again.
Merrity!
I wish for thought.
Oh, wise men indeed,
Are fools who believe.
Her heart on my sleeve,
Is laughing at me.
Best left unsaid;
Theres no truth in whats said.
Cloud. fog.
Looks like rain again.
Glass. wall.
Looks could kill again.
Clock. face.
Half past two again.
Turn again.
And how time flies.
Oh, wise men indeed,
Are fools who believe.
Her heart on my sleeve,
Is laughing at me.
Best left unsaid;
Theres no truth in whats said.
Dream. world.
In my pawn again.
Hot. cold.
Fingers burn again.
Teardrop.
To the floor again.
Cruelty.
How real is real?
Oh, wise men indeed,
Are fools who believe.
My heart on my sleeve,
Is laughing at me.
Best left unsaid
Theres no truth in whats said.
Oh, wise men indeed,
Are fools who believe.
My heart on my sleeve,
Is laughing at me.
Best left unsaid
Theres no truth in whats said.

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