Elizabeth Barrett Browning

A Curse For A Nation

I heard an angel speak last night,
And he said 'Write!
Write a Nation's curse for me,
And send it over the Western Sea.'

I faltered, taking up the word:
'Not so, my lord!
If curses must be, choose another
To send thy curse against my brother.

'For I am bound by gratitude,
By love and blood,
To brothers of mine across the sea,
Who stretch out kindly hands to me.'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write
My curse to-night.
From the summits of love a curse is driven,
As lightning is from the tops of heaven.'

'Not so,' I answered. 'Evermore
My heart is sore
For my own land's sins: for little feet
Of children bleeding along the street:

'For parked-up honors that gainsay
The right of way:
For almsgiving through a door that is
Not open enough for two friends to kiss:

'For love of freedom which abates
Beyond the Straits:
For patriot virtue starved to vice on
Self-praise, self-interest, and suspicion:

'For an oligarchic parliament,
And bribes well-meant.
What curse to another land assign,
When heavy-souled for the sins of mine?'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write
My curse to-night.
Because thou hast strength to see and hate
A foul thing done within thy gate.'

'Not so,' I answered once again.
'To curse, choose men.
For I, a woman, have only known
How the heart melts and the tears run down.'

'Therefore,' the voice said, 'shalt thou write
My curse to-night.
Some women weep and curse, I say
(And no one marvels), night and day.

'And thou shalt take their part to-night,
Weep and write.
A curse from the depths of womanhood
Is very salt, and bitter, and good.'

So thus I wrote, and mourned indeed,
What all may read.
And thus, as was enjoined on me,
I send it over the Western Sea.

The Curse

Because ye have broken your own chain
With the strain
Of brave men climbing a Nation's height,
Yet thence bear down with brand and thong
On souls of others, -- for this wrong
This is the curse. Write.

Because yourselves are standing straight
In the state
Of Freedom's foremost acolyte,
Yet keep calm footing all the time
On writhing bond-slaves, -- for this crime
This is the curse. Write.

Because ye prosper in God's name,
With a claim
To honor in the old world's sight,
Yet do the fiend's work perfectly
In strangling martyrs, -- for this lie
This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while kings conspire
Round the people's smouldering fire,
And, warm for your part,
Shall never dare -- O shame!
To utter the thought into flame
Which burns at your heart.
This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while nations strive
With the bloodhounds, die or survive,
Drop faint from their jaws,
Or throttle them backward to death;
And only under your breath
Shall favor the cause.
This is the curse. Write.

Ye shall watch while strong men draw
The nets of feudal law
To strangle the weak;
And, counting the sin for a sin,
Your soul shall be sadder within
Than the word ye shall speak.
This is the curse. Write.

When good men are praying erect
That Christ may avenge His elect
And deliver the earth,
The prayer in your ears, said low,
Shall sound like the tramp of a foe
That's driving you forth.
This is the curse. Write.

When wise men give you their praise,
They shall praise in the heat of the phrase,
As if carried too far.
When ye boast your own charters kept true,
Ye shall blush; for the thing which ye do
Derides what ye are.
This is the curse. Write.

When fools cast taunts at your gate,
Your scorn ye shall somewhat abate
As ye look o'er the wall;
For your conscience, tradition, and name
Explode with a deadlier blame
Than the worst of them all.
This is the curse. Write.

Go, wherever ill deeds shall be done,
Go, plant your flag in the sun
Beside the ill-doers!
And recoil from clenching the curse
Of God's witnessing Universe
With a curse of yours.
This is the curse. Write.

poem by Elizabeth Barrett BrowningReport problemRelated quotes
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One with Darkness

When ever I go out I go out fighting
Screaming for chance to finally end up dying
I have to murder to fulfill my end of this deal
Death is imminent, but something that I’ll never feel.

This is my curse, this is my curse
Sign upon the bloody line I should’ve thought of first
This is my curse, this is my curse
This is my curse, this is my curse
Killing for a living this can’t get any worse
This is my curse, this is my curse

How can I ever love someone else
When murder is my life, and I can’t even love myself
Every night I wake up next to another dead whore
Someone please stop me I don’t want to murder anymore

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Sleep's Curse

Sleep’s Curse

The curse of sleep that lies within,
May only be known by two therein.
In sharing one heart,
They create the part…
The curse of sleep that lies within.

The curse is thus so one can poll,
When one is half of another one’s whole.
It goes like this, in both it works.
There’s no escape from this one’s jerks.

When one is gone and the other’s there,
They both can’t sleep for no one’s near.
Each one will worry, and each one will fret.
Gaining no rest you can very well bet.

Reflect the curse with each together.
Neither one sleeps beneath the feather.

One seeks comfort the other to protect.
In this the curse laid bare and seen,
Sleep they shall never glean.

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An Accursed Day

I curse the day I met you mourn.
I curse the day I dour departed left.

I curse the day that I was birth born.
I curse the day of self-sought death.


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Curse Upon You

Curse upon you
And embrace your fate
It runs in your blood
It traces in your skin
The poison of love
The venom of desire

Curse upon you
And bless over the other
It makes you commit a sin
It makes you full of envy
For the glow in their eyes
For the warmth of the sun

Curse upon you
And you despise your own existence
You rather die than to hurt
You rather gone than to destroy
The thing you hold dear
The precious you don't want to lose

Curse upon you
And darkness following
It raises the deepest fear
It brings the painful sorrow
Of forever loneliness
Of unrequited dream

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You Curse At The Girls

They say you curse at girls
Don't you know it isn't right
You could get yourself in trouble
You've been living in a different world
Looking for another fight
Sifting through emotional rubble
Hey boy, don't you get it
One day, you're gonna regret it when she's gone
Hey boy, you can bet it
You'll be blue
Each time you curse at girls
You curse a little at yourself
Don't you know a girl gets angry
Hey boy, don't you get it that
One day, you're gonna regret it when she's gone
Hey boy, you can bet it
You'll be blue
They say you curse at girls

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The Curse

What if for you, I could place a curse
Upon your enemy to make his life worse
To have him suffer both in pain and woe
Wouldn't you be happy, if I would do so,
If you like it, I could cause him to lose his hair
Or I could have him believe GOD is not there
I could rip out his tongue so he could never speak
Then asking for help, he could never seek,
Wouldn't you be happy if I would curse your foe
Just nod your head and I will strike the blow
I will cause him suffering and I will give him pain
He will lose all that he has and he will go insane,
I could close his ears so he could not hear
So he couldn't hear the joy, but see only the tear
If you ask me I could even curse his arm
And the one that he had left he could do no harm,
I could even curse him to lose his leg
Wouldn't you be happy to see him crawl and beg
I could even blind him so he will not see again
Then I could make him angry and cause him to sin,
Just tell me what type of curse you'd like it to be
And happily I will place it upon your enemy
If you would like it, I could have him dead
But only if you asked me for a curse on his head.
Then I looked upon evils ugly face
I shook my head with pity and utter disgrace
As for your offer presented to me, it I will shun
And for enemies and foes, thank GOD I choose none.

Randy L. McClave

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Why Do I Write

I write from my sadness
I write from the madness
I write because I have something to say
I write to pass the day
I write only from the heart
I write for sometimes I am not that smart
Whatever is in head just comes out on paper (in this case a word document) , and I go with the flow
Write to let my mind go

I follow my hand to where ever it takes me
I write all the things that I can see
I write when I am happy, but not as much
I write from my heart that you can touch
I write because I’d go insane
I am driven to write quell my pain

At times I feel alone so I write what I am feeling
I write for it is self-healing
Confident not so I write it all away
I write and write to pass the day
I write to comfort my soul that cries out in the night
I write for love is always out of sight
I write so I don't have to cry any more
I write for I have no one to adore
I write so someone somewhere will hear my plea
I write for someone is out there for me
I am lost and I the clown
I write to turn my frown upside down

I write to embrace the sadness I hide inside
I write with my heart opened wide
I write to silence the ghost
I write for I’ve been let down by the one I loved the most
I write through the stormy weather
I write for I am light as a feather
I am not a writer nor am I a poet
I write for the grief I do know it

I will write until I draw my last breath
I write because I'll die a lonely death
I have to write for strangers delight
I write because I have to write
I write for my own happiness
I write to relieve my stress
I write because I have no other choice
I write as if I was writing a letter
I write because I can’t do any better
I write because I am afraid not to
I write for this is what I do
I write for I give a damn
I write just because I am

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Curse The Sky

How much hate
can one man feel
When his kingdom is crumbling
How much pain
Can one mant take
When his future is melting
Eyes of fire blast his brain
cursing heaven an hell
Nothing barred just asking why
No answers to be heard
Fire eyes, curse the skies
Thanks maker for
questions unanswered
Falsify, disposition died
You detest the faker
Eyes, lies
I curse the skies
Tell me something
Tell me why
Terror reigns, I'm in pain
Why, Why, I curse the sky
Tattered times and
Brainwashed minds
Cluttering up his thinking
Boiled hate just can't wait
There's no more self control
Eyes, lies
I curse the skies
Tell me something
Tell me why
Terror reigns, I'm in pain
Why, why, I curse the sky

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Richard Cory

They say that richard cory owns one half of this whole town,
With political connections to spread his wealth around.
Born into society, a bankers only child,
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style.
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life Im living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard cory.
The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes:
Richard cory at the opera, richard cory at a show.
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh, he surely must be happy with everything hes got.
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life Im living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard cory.
He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch,
And they were grateful for his patronage and thanked him very much,
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
Richard cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head.
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life Im living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be,
Oh, I wish that I could be
Richard cory.

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Richard Cory

They say that Richard Cory owns one half of this whole town
With political connections to spread his wealth around
Born into society, a banker's only child
He had everything a man could want: power, grace, and style
But I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory
The papers print his picture almost everywhere he goes
Richard Cory at the opera, Richard Cory at a show
And the rumor of his parties and the orgies on his yacht!
Oh he surely must be happy with everything he's got
But I, I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory
He freely gave to charity, he had the common touch
And they were grateful for his patronage and they thanked him very much
So my mind was filled with wonder when the evening headlines read:
"Richard Cory went home last night and put a bullet through his head"
But I, I work in his factory
And I curse the life I'm living
And I curse my poverty
And I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Oh I wish that I could be
Richard Cory

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Curse The Fate

CURSE THE FATE

Curse the fate
As right away I knew
It’s forever too late

On the very first sight
I wanted to hold him back
Knowing it’s not right

This need to see you
Gives me the strength
To daily continue

Though we never kissed
Just your nearness
And I feel blessed

Curse the fate
As I met him
Many years too late

Heart is full of ache
Body and soul reaching out
This longing isn’t faked

Can’t get you out of my mind
After a solemn embrace
My teary eyes get blind

Daily life on and out
For sure this is true
I’ll never get over you

Curse the fate
As right away I knew
It’s forever too late

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You Small City

You, small city
Covered by blue sky
And brown fence

I curse you

You, small city
A wide gate to death
And a doom of health

I curse you

You, small city
Full of mistrust
And breakage of vows

I curse you.

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Seal cub hunt

a curse lingers
each time an animal is killed
intense as the stomach turning blood
splattered all over
god's way to tell the sacredness of life
little wonder thou shalt not kill
climbed the ladder of the top commandments
if men would know war, every war
is a curse from animals
robbed of their right to live
just check the fates of whale hunters
the onasis and many others
how all these curses have come true
broken families, accidents, ugly deaths
just open wide your eyes, mind and heart
and you know why this poem has been written

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Erica Jong

Demeter At Dusk

At dusk Demeter
becomes afraid
for baby Persephone
lost in that hell
which she herself created
with her love.

Excess of love-
the woman's curse,
the curse of loving
that which causes pain,
the curse of bringing forth
in pain,
the curse of bearing,
bearing always pain.

Demeter pauses, listening for her child-
this fertile goddess
with her golden hair, bringing forth
wheat and fruit and wildflowers
knee-high.
This apple-breasted goddess
whose sad eyes
will bless the frozen world,
bring spring again-
all because she once
walked through the night
and loved a man, half-demon,
angel tongued,
who gave her
everything she needed to be wise:
a daughter,
hell's black night,
then endless
spring.

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The Curse Of The Wandering Foot

All hope of rest withdrawn me?--
What dread command hath put
This awful curse upon me--
The curse of the wandering foot!
Forward and backward and thither,
And hither and yon again--
Wandering ever! And whither?
Answer them, God! Amen.

The blue skies are far o'er me---
The bleak fields near below:
Where the mother that bore me?--
Where her grave in the snow?--
Glad in her trough of a coffin--
The sad eyes frozen shut
That wept so often, often,
The curse of the wandering foot!

Here in your marts I care not
Whatsoever ye think.
Good folk many who dare not
Give me to eat and drink:
Give me to sup of your pity--
Feast me on prayers!--O ye,
Met I your Christ in the city
He would fare forth with me--

Forward and onward and thither,
And hither again and yon,
With milk for our drink together
And honey to feed upon--
Nor hope of rest withdrawn us,
Since the one Father put
The blessed curse upon us--
The curse of the wandering foot.

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King Midas In Reverse

The Hollies
King Midas In Reverse
(Allan Clarke/Tony Hicks/but mainly Graham Nash)
Single release 1967
If you could only see me
I know exactly where I am
You wouldn't want to be me
Oh, I can assure you of that
I'm not the guy to run with
'Cos I'll throw you off the line
I'll break you and destroy you
Given time.
He's King Midas with a curse
He's King Midas in reverse
He's King Midas with a curse
He's King Midas in reverse
It's plain to see it's hopeless
Going on the way we are
So even though I'd lose you
You'd be better off by far
He's not the man to hold your trust
Everything he touches turns to dust
In his hands
Nothing he can do is right
He'd even like to sleep at night
But he can't.
{Interlude with 'all he touches turns to dust' 4x}
I wish someone would find me
And help me gain control
Before I lose my reason
And my soul
He's King Midas with a curse
He's King Midas in reverse
He's King Midas with a curse (all he touches turns to dust)
He's King Midas in reverse (all he touches turns to dust)
{fade out}
He's King Midas with a curse (all he touches turns to dust)
He's King Midas in reverse (all he touches turns to dust)
He's King Midas with a curse....

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Carrying it willingly

Beauty is a curse, women say;
Kinghood is a curse, people say.
Yet they carry them willingly
As Jesus carried His Cross.
26.09.2009

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Types of Poetic Frustration

I tried to write a haiku for you
But it grew too long
Evolving into a song
Wrapped around the sun and morning dewdrops
And giving you props
For making this the best part of my day
In every little way

I tried to write you a sonnet
But almost every line on it
Fell short a few syllables
Not to mention the intensity of end rhyme
Whose rules I broke from time to time

Oh what a curse to have all these words
Trapped in my head
When putting them down on paper
Has only led to poetic frustration

Oh, and I tried to write you a funny poem
But I’ve got pretty dry humor

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Richard Cory

Say that richard cory
Owns one-half of this here town
With political connections
To spread his wealth around
Born into society, a banker's only child
He had everything a man could want
Power, grace and style
But i, i work in his factory
And i curse the life that i'm livin'
And i curse my poverty
And i wish that i could be
Yeah, hey i wish that i could be
Lord, i wish that i could be, richard cory
The paper's print his picture
Everywhere he go
Richard cory at the opera
Richard cory at the show
And the rumours of his parties
And orgies on his yacht
Heart and soul he must be happy
With everything that he has got
But i, i work in his factory
And i curse the life i'm livin'
And i curse my poverty
And i wish that i could be
Yeah, wish that i could be
Lord, i wish that i could be, richard cory
He freely give to charity and had the common touch
They were grateful for his patronage
And thanked him very much
So my mind was filled with wonder
When the evenin' headlines read
That richard cory went home last night
And put a bullet through his head, hu
But i, i, work in his factory
And i don't dig the life i'm livin'
I curse my poverty
And i wish that i could be
And i wish that i could be
Well, i wish that i could be, richard cory
Yeah, i wish that i could be
Lord, i wish that i could be
Yeah, i wish that i could be
Yes, oh i wish that i could be
Just like richard cory

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Blessing In Disguise

Are you lonely?
Are you Crying?
Are those teardrops in your eyes
is it more blues, is is bad news,
is it a curse?, or a blessing in disguise.
Did you leave him?, do you love him?
Have you said your, said your last goodbyes
Is it over, hey
are you sorry?
Could it be a blessing in disguise
It's the scars that make you stronger
It's the hard times that make you rise,
It's the sweet things that only time bring, yeah
Gonna ride back a blessing in disguise
Ooooooooohhhhh!
Clouds roll by, and bring the rain
tears wiped dry to ease the pain
oh!
Are you lonely?
Are you Crying?
Are those teardrops in your eyes
is it more blues, is is bad news,
is it a curse?, or a blessing in disguise.
Is it a curse or a blessing in disguise
Is it a curse or a blessing in disguise
Is it a curse or a blessing in disguise

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