San Francisco - 1981
My ignorance glittered like gold to whose eyes
Were larger than their mouth could speak;
Gesture of unspoken words melted me like ice,
The bar was such my place to be the freak.
Site of no expectation, liaison of men to men,
But how could they believe me then;
At the entrance, where I knew not, I walked in
With a man who happened to be a cousin.
Pride dissolved my color which I could not change,
But my nativity has pleaded for my innocence,
This language that didn’t come with my existence
Taught me no words to reason for my defense;
Of such question, I didn’t understand such a word,
That embarrassed me for my name is not Gay,
Strange as I sounded, I came here without a clue,
And who was I to disrespect to each own virtue.
I, therefore, challenged the night for what it offered,
Alcoholic beverages I learned to consume;
They said I disobeyed the teachings of our Dear Lord,
If these were sins, I am only human not a saint!
poem by Efren Petalver Carranza

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Was It Something Didn't Say
Spending another night alone
Wondering when I\'m gonna ever see you again
Thinking what I would give to get you back baby
I should have told you how I felt then
Instead I kept it to myself, yeah
I let my love go unexpressed
\'Till it was too late
You walked away
CHORUS:
Was it some thing I didn\'t say
When I didn\'t say "I love you"
Was it words that you never heard
all those words I should have to you
All those times, all those nights when I had the chance to
Was it something I did\'t say
(I did\'t say,Baby..I did\'t say)
Always assumed that you\'d be there
Could\'t forsee the day you\'d ever be leaving me
How could I let my world slip through my hands baby
I took for granted that you knew, yeah
All of the love I had for you, yeah
I guess you never had a clue
\'Till it was too late
You walked away
REPEAT CHORUS
All the words were in my heart
They went unspoken
Baby now my silent heart is a heart that\'s broken
I shoulda said so many things
Shoulda let you know you\'re the one I needed near me
But I never let you hear me
REPEAT CHORUS
song performed by by 98 Degrees

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Each sub atomic particle
Each sub atomic particle
sprang into being at Your call
When You spoke the words 'Let there be.'
and formed the greatest galaxy.
All things have been created Lord
by Your powerful spoken word.
In You all things are kept in harmony
without You nothing would ever be.
Creator of the universe
a handiwork that is so diverse.
Things immeasurable to man
are measured by You in a span.
In this scale of diversity
such smallness and immensity
somewhere in between them fits man
and he is central to Your plan
When You created man O Lord
it was not by Your spoken word.
Instead You knelt upon the ground
and gathered the dust into a mound.
Atoms knitted together there
forming man with such tender care.
and then as Your tender lips met his
life entered man with a kiss.
Fearfully and wonderfully
he was made for heaven to see.
Man in fellowship with God talked
and in the garden with You walked.
But sin entered creation Lord
as Adam disobeyed Your Word.
How could Adam ever be spared?
Death for sin had been declared!
But God already had a plan
that would forgive the sins of man.
For He would come into the earth
born as a Babe by virgin birth.
A new creation was to take place
for the Saviour of the human race
took on human flesh and guise
and offered himself in sacrifice
Without the ones I love, Without the god above.
Without the ones I love
Without the god above
I am of but of the weak
An existence so bleak
They say come on man you should really turn the other cheek
Listen to every word I speak
I'm here to teach
So mistakes won't be repeated
A heart that I can't stop the bleeding
With my words I can only hope I'm reaching
Let distance divide
Still I shall try to change the tides
Without the ones I love
Without the god above
I am of but of the weak
An existence so bleak
They say come on man you should really turn the other cheek
Listen to every word I speak
For I'm not here cause I like to preach
Pain can be prevented with right medicine
An antidote with and injection
A simple confession
To my self
And everyone else
Without the ones I love
Without the god above
I am of but of the weak
An existence so bleak
They say come on man you should really turn the other cheek
Listen to every word I speak
My intent is not of the cheap
Bury all the greed in the dead sea
For it is dead to me
I've done things in my time I'm not proud of
I've made up reasons that start with because
I tried to justify the why
It engulfed the sky
Without the ones I love
Without the god above
I am of but of the weak
An existence so bleak
They say come on man you should really turn the other cheek
Listen to every word I speak
I must eat
Not because want to, but because I need to
Someone has to keep this body alive
Through those evil eyes I watched you die
Didn't lift a finger, you said it was what you wanted
Didn't try to stop you, figured you wouldn't go through with it
But you did and now it is so hard to forgive
Without the ones I love
Without the god above
I am of but of the weak
An existence so bleak
They say come on man you should really turn the other cheek
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts

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Faint Of Heart
I wish you could have read
The Letters that I didn’t write
Would’ve liked for you to have heard
Words I didn’t say
I wish you could have felt the touch
Of hands that didn’t reach out at night
Would’ve liked to know
What you didn’t feel…
When you didn’t hear the words…
Words I didn’t say…words I couldn’t write
poem by David Whalen

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Make It All OK
You threw away the ballast and you rowed your boat ashore
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
You made your ultimatum too big to ignore
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
So you worked out your excuses,
turned away and shut the door.
The world's too vast for us now,
and you wanted to explore
It's a long, long long road
And I don't know which way to go
If you offered me your hand again I'd have to walk away.
When I saw you at the street fair, you called out my name
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
You said we could start over, try and make it all okay.
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
So our past has been rewritten
and you threw away the pen.
You'd said that I was useless,
but now you'll take me in again
Well Jesus loves me fine.
And your words fall flat this time.
Was it my imagination, or did I hear you say,
"We don't have a prayer between us."
Didn't you believe that I have finally turned away?
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
Anything to hold onto to help me through my day.
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
Jesus loves me fine.
But his words fall flat this time.
It's a long, long long road
And I don't know which way to go
If you offered me your world, did you think I'd really stay?
If you offered me the heavens, I would have to turn away.
Was it my imagination, or did I hear you say,
"We don't have a prayer between us."
Didn't you, now? Didn't you, now?
Didn't you?
song performed by by REM

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Make It All Okay
You threw away the ballast and you rowed your boat ashore
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
You made your ultimatum too big to ignore
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
So you worked out your excuses,
turned away and shut the door.
The world's too vast for us now,
and you wanted to explore
It's a long, long long road
And I don't know which way to go
If you offered me your hand again I'd have to walk away.
When I saw you at the street fair, you called out my name
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
You said we could start over, try and make it all okay.
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
So our past has been rewritten
and you threw away the pen.
You'd said that I was useless,
but now you'll take me in again
Well Jesus loves me fine.
And your words fall flat this time.
Was it my imagination, or did I hear you say,
"We don't have a prayer between us."
Didn't you believe that I have finally turned away?
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
Anything to hold onto to help me through my day.
Didn't you, now? Didn't you?
Jesus loves me fine.
But his words fall flat this time.
It's a long, long long road
And I don't know which way to go
If you offered me your world, did you think I'd really stay?
If you offered me the heavens, I would have to turn away.
Was it my imagination, or did I hear you say,
"We don't have a prayer between us."
Didn't you, now? Didn't you, now?
Didn't you?
song performed by by REM

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Happy Birthday....
Dear Lord.... Good morning
Thanks for brightly December
Thanks for those smile
Thanks for nice neighborhood
Thanks for forgiveness
Thanks for a very special today
For a Birthday of my son's cousin
Dear Lord... Let The Holly Spirit
Bring our smile in our family
Let us have a a good respect for one to another
We can't be a hero without You, my dear Lord
Lord, let us put this heart on You
With share to others
With the unspoken of True Love
But with the act of love
Dear Lord.... You open our eyes
The winner of all battle are
People who can change lust in to true love
The winner of all games
are not the people who have a lot of money
But the winner are people who can always smile
when people insulted them
when people humiliated them
when people can give to others even though they are poor
Dear Lord.... I am honest to you
It's difficult to be a winner
But i try my best to love to people who hate and hurt me
I try to give without ask them to return
I pray for them Lord
So they have a pure heart to others too
Lord, i believe You will make us smile
I don't want to cry
I let go my sins
And i want to do it right
Only to make You happy
Lord... by saying these words
A peaceful feeling is really coming in to my heart
Keep my heart always clean from any sin
Amen..
Words between words
Words between words
~
I try and say most things subtle
To slip words between words
In the hope you will read and hear
Sometimes I speak with blunt honesty
Sometimes wish I just didn’t speak
Sketching in secret characters
Telling stories built on fantasy
When a subtle look reveals
The obvious biography
Those words between words
What I write, what I speak
I understand words more than people
Words always seem easy
We all have things we wish to say
Some are said, others kept
All that is written then spoken
Are words between words
poem by Matthew Holloway

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Unspoken
Unspoken
By: Adam M. Snow
You torment me with your bladed tongue;
if only you knew my life is left unsung.
Now I am broken;
blind, and left unspoken;
with my dreams shattered by you;
for now I know not what to do.
I am left with a voice of silence;
all alone in the distance.
My words I want to say remains unspoken;
for I wonder, 'Will I ever be unbroken? '
Your words still scorn my soul;
for it feels that I am left to rot in this hole.
You showed me your heart of ice;
yet I ask, 'Is my life the price? '
Your bladed tongue pierced my heart;
all because of you, I have fallen apart.
You speak of broken truth;
yet you say I am uncouth.
You push me away and call me a freak;
for all you have done, now silence is what I speak.
I am a ghost with words left unspoken;
standing over my essence, shattered and broken.
Your words are torment;
is this not your intent?
I am tainted by your selfishness;
for my feelings I cannot express.
I am broken because of you;
I only wish you knew.
poem by Adam M. Snow

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I Hurt Someone Last Night
I hurt someone last night
I didn't use a stick
I didn't use a club
I didn't use a knife
I'd never use a gun
I hurt someone last night
It wasn't intentional I swear
Doesn't make it any better
They were left bleeding
In the cold night air
I hurt someone last night
No one heard a sound
No police came
No ambulance called
No one knew at all
I hurt someone last night
She knew, she felt it
She knew, who had dealt it
She knew, how much it hurt
She knew, I hurt her
I hurt someone last night
I love her very much
There was no object weapon used
I used a word instead
The deadliest weapon of them all
I hurt someone last night
Perhaps I should put some words away
And the tone I used
To frighten her away
I think I should apologize now
Because I hurt someone last night
And I love her very much
poem by Barbara Vanier

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Feeling The River Flowing Inside Me
I didn't think about whether I was writing poems.
I was thinking.
And the more I was thinking,
the more there was I didn't understand
— David Anti
did i have as my goal to understand?
no it isn't, it is merely to feel how i feel,
and keep a record about it,
i write like a river, actually
i do not know where i am going,
i just go with the flow, i close my eyes
and feel the
flow, and not ask where am i going?
for that is not the question
and there will be no answers, nothing specific
it is only the flow, and the sound, and the color and
the scent,
i am told, all rivers go to the sea
it is the truth, and i do not question it.
i do not ask any understanding about the sea when i arrive there.
again it is just a feeling.
perhaps, you may change the term
it is possibly faith
understated.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Letters I Didn't Write
I wish you could have read…
The Letters
that I failed to write
I wish you could have felt the touch…
Of hands that failed to
reach out at night
Would’ve liked for you
to have heard…
Words I couldn’t say
Would’ve liked to have felt
The emotions missed…
When I failed to ask you to stay
What you didn’t feel…
When you didn’t hear …
The words I didn’t say
I wish you could have
At least…Felt the love
That you didn’t feel that day
I wish you could’ve known …
The feelings
that I didn’t show
The words I couldn’t bring to light
And tell you
Long ago
I wish somehow,
you could know now
Of things you knew not then
Of words I didn’t say or write
Of touch, or love
Of things... that might have been
poem by David Whalen

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Extremely Rude
I have nothing against those mentally challenged.
I experience being challenged mentally on a daily basis,
Myself.
And accepting invitations to participate,
Is not on my top ten wish list.
Although,
It seems I am solicited regardless of my wishes.
And my only defense I use is to offend...
Someone who perceives,
My defense mechanisms beg for their ignorance.
With a showing of my disrespect they ask from me,
And I am made to feel obliged to deliver...
What they request from me and they get.
Since to ignore them,
Feeds the giving of their agitation.
'You are extremely rude.'
I find that to be a coincidence.
Since my rudeness would have never been shown,
If you had not insisted upon its appearance.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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You are my escape.
I cannot write a song,
or say a word,
that would do you justice,
you do not require,
Justice.
You see,
i watch the sunset every night,
and stare at the stars still within sight,
i've seen the way the people stare,
and i see them everywhere.
i often question why i am,
is my existence purposeful,
but then i think about you're wonders and i cry because,
you're the most of anything anyone could ever have,
and in this world,
I'm humbled by your calmness here, .
you lift the pressures of the world,
and i can give it all to you,
all to you,
that's what I'll do,
my father.
You are amazing and you're perfect in your silent ways,
you've shown me how to say nothing at all,
but say everything,
within your silent grace.
And i understand what i never have,
and i understand what you've done,
who you are,
why you are,
without any explanation at all.
I breathe for you,
i speak in your language,
My tongue twists and speaks words i do not know,
but it is our speak,
our peaceful way of escape,
you are my escape,
you are my escape.
poem by Sandra jacks

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The Echo
I heard my voice come back to me.
The echo of it yearned to be
free to travel and be heard,
free to echo out each word.
I yelled some sounds and patiently
awaited their return to me.
All was fine until I said
words to turn my face quite red.
Racy words that I'd never say,
words that could be called risque.
When they came back it sounded worse
than if I yelled a blatant curse.
Embarrassed to hear my voice repeat,
I closed my mouth and did retreat
away from the place that echoed me,
praying these words would not be free
to travel anywhere.
poem by Edwina Reizer

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These Are Just Years
i thought home is where we went when we fell out of favour
ive since learned that home is where we go to learn what favours are
home is a language we all understand
and this is how the language came to me
i realise
home is where we dont feel things
fortune has arranged that the language wont abandon us
it never will abandon us
if you dont miss your home
i cant remember much about my home
when im away from...
home, where were welcome
we appear to be like you
the were welcome when we
appear to be alike
living in fiction
just seems much better than living in words
if you live in fiction
homes no match for a word
ever existence
the more you go on the same as before
the more you light up the same as this time
the more you sing
all your songs about
all your...
living in fiction
is much more better than living in words
if you live in fiction
homes much better than words
living in fiction
just seems much better than living in words
if you live in fiction
then homes no better than words
im in fiction [x6]
and what i see it seems so standard
it always seems that youre left stranded [x6]
why dont you look beond
the village wall?
look beyond the village wall
weve got four walls at home
got four walls at home
and these walls around your head
thats what they are
theyre walls around your head
an empty head is creative
and direct me
to where you come from
and what you thought you knew
where you come from
[?]
home is the most overused word [x4]
love is the most overused word
just are the most overused words
picture this the most
song performed by by Idlewild

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Strange
Strange indeed as it may sound, Eternal God walked this ground.
Jesus had come down to the earth, through the Virgin Mary’s birth.
Strange enough, as this may be, He came to die for you and me.
He had a body prepared for Him, a body that was free of any sin.
Strange, The Lion of Judah’s Clan, came to be for all men, a lamb,
The Lamb of God from up above, sent to all by The Father’s Love.
He came to pay an awesome price, to be for The Father a sacrifice.
Christ did just what He said, when crucified and rose from the dead.
Strange the ones He came to save, thought that He was depraved.
And the people He came to set free, had The Lord nailed on a tree.
And Christ was mocked and despised, by those thought to be wise.
Strange that they couldn’t discern, scriptures that they had learned.
Strange, He came to give His life, and only received religious strife.
From religious people of the land, who with Truth didn’t understand.
Without knowledge they had zeal, that blinded men to who was real.
After His death Christ rose again, but didn’t change the heart of men.
Strange even after all the years; some men still have religious fears,
When He came to set men free, from that snare of man’s religiosity,
As we continue receiving reproof, from men opposed to God’s Truth.
Strange will soon turn into reality, when they see the Lord of Eternity.
(Copyright ©08/2006)
Silent About That Night
In later years,
seated around a huge fire,
crackling and spitting on a snowy night,
the best beer in Europe frothing from the jug,
they'd ask him, jocular like but curious with it,
how it felt to be remembered
just once a year, all over the known world
for that one night long ago?
' 'tis strange really: he were a right sod to work for afore that -
never a word to me, as if I didn't be there;
but that night, it were strange -
it were the moment he stood there looking out of the window:
there were summat in the room -
wish I were a writer, like,
to say what it were...
we've never spoken about it, mind,
but we both know it's there unspoken, like..
we haven't had a bad word between us ever since...
that's what I'd like to write about,
that's the moment...'
silence for a time, as they looked into the hissing fire,
those woodcutters and their mates;
then put their coats on, trudged out
into the snow 'where the saint...'
well you know the rest...
poem by Michael Shepherd

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Home Burial
He saw her from the bottom of the stairs
Before she saw him. She was starting down,
Looking back over her shoulder at some fear.
She took a doubtful step and then undid it
To raise herself and look again. He spoke
Advancing toward her: "What is it you see
From up there always? -- for I want to know."
She turned and sank upon her skirts at that,
And her face changed from terrified to dull.
He said to gain time: "What is it you see?"
Mounting until she cowered under him.
"I will find out now -- you must tell me, dear."
She, in her place, refused him any help,
With the least stiffening of her neck and silence.
She let him look, sure that he wouldn't see,
Blind creature; and a while he didn't see.
But at last he murmured, "Oh" and again, "Oh."
"What is it -- what?" she said.
"Just that I see."
"You don't," she challenged. "Tell me what it is."
"The wonder is I didn't see at once.
I never noticed it from here before.
I must be wonted to it -- that's the reason.
The little graveyard where my people are!
So small the window frames the whole of it.
Not so much larger than a bedroom, is it?
There are three stones of slate and one of marble,
Broad-shouldered little slabs there in the sunlight
On the sidehill. We haven't to mind those.
But I understand: it is not the stones,
But the child's mound ----"
"Don't, don't, don't,
don't," she cried.
She withdrew, shrinking from beneath his arm
That rested on the banister, and slid downstairs;
And turned on him with such a daunting look,
He said twice over before he knew himself:
"Can't a man speak of his own child he's lost?"
"Not you! -- Oh, where's my hat? Oh, I don't need it!
I must get out of here. I must get air.--
I don't know rightly whether any man can."
"Amy! Don't go to someone else this time.
Listen to me. I won't come down the stairs."
He sat and fixed his chin between his fists.
"There's something I should like to ask you, dear."
"You don't know how to ask it."
"Help me, then."
Her fingers moved the latch for all reply.
"My words are nearly always an offense.
I don't know how to speak of anything
So as to please you. But I might be taught,
I should suppose. I can't say I see how.
A man must partly give up being a man
With womenfolk. We could have some arrangement
By which I'd bind myself to keep hands off
Anything special you're a-mind to name.
Though I don't like such things 'twixt those that love.
Two that don't love can't live together without them.
But two that do can't live together with them."
She moved the latch a little. "Don't -- don't go.
Don't carry it to someone else this time.
Tell me about it if it's something human.
Let me into your grief. I'm not so much
Unlike other folks as your standing there
Apart would make me out. Give me my chance.
I do think, though, you overdo it a little.
What was it brought you up to think it the thing
To take your mother-loss of a first child
So inconsolably -- in the face of love.
You'd think his memory might be satisfied ----"
"There you go sneering now!"
"I'm not, I'm not!
You make me angry. I'll come down to you.
God, what a woman! And it's come to this,
A man can't speak of his own child that's dead."
"You can't because you don't know how to speak.
If you had any feelings, you that dug
With your own hand -- how could you? -- his little grave;
I saw you from that very window there,
Making the gravel leap and leap in air,
Leap up, like that, like that, and land so lightly
And roll back down the mound beside the hole.
I thought, Who is that man? I didn't know you.
And I crept down the stairs and up the stairs
To look again, and still your spade kept lifting.
Then you came in. I heard your rumbling voice
Out in the kitchen, and I don't know why,
But I went near to see with my own eyes.
You could sit there with the stains on your shoes
Of the fresh earth from your own baby's grave
And talk about your everyday concerns.
You had stood the spade up against the wall
Outside there in the entry, for I saw it."
"I shall laugh the worst laugh I ever laughed.
I'm cursed. God, if I don't believe I'm cursed."
"I can repeat the very words you were saying:
'Three foggy mornings and one rainy day
Will rot the best birch fence a man can build.'
Think of it, talk like that at such a time!
What had how long it takes a birch to rot
To do with what was in the darkened parlour?
You couldn't care! The nearest friends can go
With anyone to death, comes so far short
They might as well not try to go at all.
No, from the time when one is sick to death,
One is alone, and he dies more alone.
Friends make pretense of following to the grave,
But before one is in it, their minds are turned
And making the best of their way back to life
And living people, and things they understand.
But the world's evil. I won't have grief so
If I can change it. Oh, I won't, I won't!"
"There, you have said it all and you feel better.
You won't go now. You're crying. Close the door.
The heart's gone out of it: why keep it up?
Amyl There's someone coming down the road!"
"You -- oh, you think the talk is all. I must go --
Somewhere out of this house. How can I make you ----"
"If -- you -- do!" She was opening the door wider.
"Where do you mean to go? First tell me that.
I'll follow and bring you back by force. I will! --"
poem by Robert Frost

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Most of the younger people I knew didn't seem to have a handle on things; they hadn't found their place, they didn't understand how the world works, they didn't understand how to treat other people, and they didn't know how to stop thinking about themselves.
quote by Kristin Hersh

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