The Human Abstract
Pity would be no more
If we did not make somebody Poor;
And Mercy no more could be
If all were as happy as we.
And mutual fear brings peace,
Till the selfish loves increase:
Then Cruelty knits a snare,
And spreads his baits with care.
He sits down with holy fears,
And waters the ground with tears;
Then Humility takes its root
Underneath his foot.
Soon spreads the dismal shade
Of Mystery over his head;
And the Catterpillar and Fly
Feed on the Mystery.
And it bears the fruit of Deceit,
Ruddy and sweet to eat;
And the Raven his nest has made
In its thickest shade.
The Gods of the earth and sea
Sought thro' Nature to find this Tree;
But their search was all in vain:
There grows one in the Human Brain.
poem by William Blake from Songs of Experience (1794)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
The Two Songs
I heard an Angel Singing
When the day was springing:
"Mercy, pity, and peace,
Are the world's release."
So he sang all day
Over the new-mown hay,
Till the sun went down,
And the haycocks looked brown.
I heard a devil curse
Over the heath and the furse:
"Mercy vould be no more
If there were nobody poor,
And pity no more could be
If all were happy as ye:
And mutual fear brings peace,
Misery's increase
Are mercy, pity, and peace."
At his curse the sun went down,
And the heavens gave a frown.
poem by William Blake
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Psalm 14 part 1
By Nature all men are sinners.
Fools in their heart believe and say
"That all religion's vain;
There is no God that reigns on high,
Or minds th' affairs of men."
From thoughts so dreadful and profane,
Corrupt discourse proceeds;
And in their impious hands are found
Abominable deeds.
The Lord from his celestial throne
Looked down on things below,
To find the man that sought his grace,
Or did his justice know.
By nature all are gone astray,
Their practice all the same;
There's none that fears his Maker's hand;
There's none that loves his name.
Their tongues are used to speak deceit,
Their slanders never cease;
How swift to mischief are their feet,
Nor know the paths of peace!
Such seeds of sin (that bitter root)
In every heart are found;
Nor can they bear diviner fruit,
Till grace refine the ground.
poem by Isaac Watts
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Why can't we...?
River flows
Only in one direction
And knows its destination
Yet,
Those by the banks
Thrive and prosper
Why can't we be
Like the river?
Tree bears fruit
And gives shade
For none in particular
Yet
Knows not its fruit
Or its shade
Why can't we be
Like the tree?
Rain rains
For earth to regenerate
The seed to sprout
And plant to bear leaf
Yet
Knows not the life
It recharges
Too many hands
On too many things
Do we have desiring
Name, fame and bounty
And suffer
We end up in
Rain of tears
With no shade to protect
We flow direction-less
Allowing our core
To wash away!
poem by Indira Babbellapati
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Be Of Your Kind
When everybody ignores you,
Think about it and prove it is not true
You care for everybody
Even if not cared by anybody
Fault can’t lie with you but somewhere
As people are selfish and doesn’t bother
They cause you pain and agony
Make the scene hell and stormy
Show it as your generosity
Best of things called humanity
One of the important and best qualities
Ever granted to human being by almighty
You be like tree laden with fruit
Stay tall in people’s eye and look fit
Not only shade, fruits and peace
But relax underneath it with ease
If you can comfort someone on the way
Think about its impact on passers by going away
They will bless and remember of getting shade
The memory may stay for long and never fade
You need not follow others example
They may be providing just sample
They may not be actually following
Little show off to others and then slowing
You are one of your own kinds
Whether people remain with or are unkind
You can’t follow them and act blind
No peace can be seen of any kind
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I Heard an Angel
I heard an Angel singing
When the day was springing,
'Mercy, Pity, Peace
Is the world's release.'
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay,
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown.
I heard a Devil curse
Over the heath and the furze,
'Mercy could be no more,
If there was nobody poor,
And pity no more could be,
If all were as happy as we.'
At his curse the sun went down,
And the heavens gave a frown.
Down pour'd the heavy rain
Over the new reap'd grain ...
And Miseries' increase
Is Mercy, Pity, Peace.
poem by William Blake
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Sour Lemon Tree
A sour lemon tree flower attracts the bee
While its fruit is bitter not so its flower
White is its flower sweet and very pretty
Only the fruit is bitter and that's just a pity
As the beauty of its flower resist not a bee
It's the simple truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
With fruit that is bitter bears a lemon tree
But useful is its fruit good for everyday use
Once said a bee... your flower is very sweet
It carries fragrance scented out in the street
Yet bears you fruit bitter no one wants to eat
It's partly the truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
A citrus tree with fruit no other tree bears
Then out of the tree came a nice neat voice
'Twas like a voice of one who's very wise
This is what it said trees are not so free
One made a decree for every bearing tree
It's partly the truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
The Creator decides the fruit a tree bears
Whether it be bitter or whether it be sweet
The Creator decrees for every bearing tree
To bring forth fruit ordained for it to bear
Then sweet or bitter bears a tree its fruit
It's the simple truth
Or see the sour lemon tree.
poem by Clarence Prince
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Sweet Mystery - Song Lyrics
Walked into a store
Started talkin' bout the Lord
The people told me to leave
Didn't want to hear it anymore
So I walked away dismayed
They thought they were being played
But little do they know
With Him they'll have it made!
Chorus:
Did you ever wonder
Why things happen as they do
The puzzle pieces don't fit
It's the old that makes things new
Cause He takes what is broken
Gets everything all fixed
Does it simply with love
He don't use any tricks
What a sweet mystery!
When I was back in school
I always acted like a fool
People thought that I was messed
But I thought that I was cool
When I got a little older
I started getting colder
Life started getting tough
I never used His shoulder
I tried to do it all myself
Threw my problems on the shelf
Hoped they would just go away
Wasn't good for my health
Chorus X 2
Did I plant one of your seeds?
Can You tell me when it grows?
Can You let me in on your plan?
Are You the only one that knows?
Do you want to keep me guessing?
Are you going to use him too?
Is this all a part of Your will?
Is this what you called me to do?
Chorus
What a sweet mystery!
What a sweet mystery!
Was blind but now I see
It's such a sweet mystery
What a sweet mystery!
What a sweet mystery!
Was blind but now I see
It's such a sweet mystery
It's such a sweet mystery
It's such a sweet mystery
poem by Ryan Lee Morris
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I heard an Angel singing...
I heard an Angel singing
When the day was springing
Mercy Pity Peace
Is the worlds release
Thus he sung all day
Over the new mown hay
Till the sun went down
And haycocks looked brown
I heard a Devil curse
Over the heath & the furze
Mercy could be no more
If there was nobody poor
And pity no more could be
If all were as happy as we
At his curse the sun went downt
And the heavens gave a frown
Down pourd the heavy rain
Over the new reapd grain
And Miseries increase
Is Mercy Pity Peace
poem by William Blake from Songs and Ballads (1793)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
The Mystery Of The Mystery
There are so many things that I dont understand
And I search my mind to try to find an answer
But the more I search the less I seem to find out why
Like where where the wind goes, how does life begin
What happens when we die
The mystery of the mystery must stay unknown
Only God can know and man must not see
Great minds have tried but they will not find
The answer to the mystery of the mystery
Man will seek the mystic rails of the mystery
But their silent halls reveal not a sound
Many men will give their lives just to try to find
The answer to a mystery in their mind
The mystery of the mystery must stay unknown
Only God can know and man must not see
Great minds have tried but they will not find
The answer to the mystery of the mystery
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Don’t be an uprooted Tree
Seed is sown and the embryo is formed
Legitimate or not, radicle develops into root
Root penetrates into the surface of the soil
Absorbs water and food, turns seed into plant
Inherits the culture of the earth beneath.
It’s in root science that, it moves in
Right direction to fetch the exact need.
Stem gives the support and balance to stand
Branches form the vitality of the plant
Leaves prepare the food to survive
Bearing even odds the plant grows into tree.
As long as deep roots embraces mother earth
The tree shows confidence and attracts.
Location and depth are the might of the tree
Flower, fruit, shade, firm soil, H2O and CO2
Vary from tree to tree, but all owe to root
Never there is an existence beyond this means.
Still human trees surrender under the pressures
Try to get uprooted from the surface and means
Hoping for better flower, fruit, soil and breeze
Truth is, an uprooted tree, a timber, put to ablaze.
-vidi-
22-04-08
poem by Vidi Writes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Divine Image
To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
All pray in their distress;
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is God our Father dear,
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love
Is man, His child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart,
Pity, a human face,
And Love, the human form divine,
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine,
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew;
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell
There God is dwelling too.
poem by William Blake from Songs of Innocence (1789)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
Vote! | Copy!
Devine Image
To Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
All pray in their distress,
And to these virtues of delight
Return their thankfulness.
For Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
Is God our Father dear;
And Mercy, Pity, Peace, and Love,
Is man, his child and care.
For Mercy has a human heart
Pity, a human face;
And Love, the human form divine;
And Peace, the human dress.
Then every man, of every clime,
That prays in his distress,
Prays to the human form divine:
Love, Mercy, Pity, Peace.
And all must love the human form,
In heathen, Turk, or Jew.
Where Mercy, Love, and Pity dwell,
There God is dwelling too.
poem by William Blake
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Right Thing
Let others probe the mystery if they can.
Time-harried prisoners of Shall and Will-
The right thing happens to the happy man.
The bird flies out, the bird flies back again;
The hill becomes the valley, and is still;
Let others delve that mystery if they can.
God bless the roots!-Body and soul are one!
The small become the great, the great the small;
The right thing happens to the happy man.
Child of the dark, he can out leap the sun,
His being single, and that being all:
The right thing happens to the happy man.
Or he sits still, a solid figure when
The self-destructive shake the common wall;
Takes to himself what mystery he can,
And, praising change as the slow night comes on,
Wills what he would, surrendering his will
Till mystery is no more: No more he can.
The right thing happens to the happy man.
poem by Theodore Roethke
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Raise Your Head Fearlessly Above Shade!
Look at the Nature around,
whether trees and plants know or not,
Their roots surly know,
water that quench their thirst,
where they can find minerals for growth,
Are in this soil and in the Nature!
Animals live in nature's garden,
birds and butterfly,
Know where they can be happy!
O man, know for sure
tender plants with tender roots,
Need shade and care,
no tree can grow under shade of another tree,
Come out of shades and shadows,
Once roots become firm,
once you absorb essence wanted,
Raise your head fearlessly above shades,
Breath the fresh air Rain and sunshine,
feel the heat and cold to become free,
The potential is there in you,
Open the packet of reasoning and wisdom,
Never bury it,
What Almighty had embedded in your heart!
The fountain of infinite bliss is within you,
Never thereafter you feel thirsty,
More you can share the fruits,
With that sweet knowledge,
Whoever thirsty can sip it till his own roots grow,
You are done,
you have done!
poem by Ramdas Bhandarkar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
St. Francis and the Birds
Little sisters, the birds:
We must praise God, you and I
You, with songs that fill the sky,
I, with halting words.
All things tell His praise,
Woods and waters thereof sing,
Summer, Winter, Autumn, Spring,
And the night and days.
Yea, and cold and heat,
And the sun and stars and moon,
Sea with her monotonous tune,
Rain and hail and sleet,
And the winds of heaven,
And the solemn hills of blue,
And the brown earth and the dew,
And the thunder even,
And the flowers' sweet breath.
All things make one glorious voice;
Life with fleeting pains and joys,
And our brother, Death.
Little flowers of air,
With your feathers soft and sleek,
And your bright brown eyes and meek,
He hath made you fair.
He hath taught to you
Skill to weave in tree and thatch
Nests where happy mothers hatch
Speckled eggs of blue.
And hath children given:
When the soft heads overbrim
The brown nests, then thank ye Him
In the clouds of heaven.
Also in your lives
Live His laws Who loveth you.
Husbands, be ye kind and true;
Be home-keeping, wives:
Love not gossiping;
Stay at home and keep the nest;
Fly not here and there in quest
Of the newest thing.
Live as brethren live:
Love be in each heart and mouth;
Be not envious, be not wroth,
Be not slow to give.
When ye build the nest,
Quarrel not o'er straw or wool;
He who hath be bountiful
To the neediest.
Be not puffed nor vain
Of your beauty or your worth,
Of your children or your birth,
Or the praise ye gain.
Eat not greedily:
Sometimes for sweet mercy's sake,
Worm or insect spare to take;
Let it crawl or fly.
See ye sing not near
To our church on holy day,
Lest the human-folk should stray
From their prayers to hear.
Now depart in peace:
In God's name I bless each one;
May your days be long i' the sun
And your joys increase.
And remember me,
Your poor brother Francis, who
Loves you and gives thanks to you
For this courtesy.
Sometimes when ye sing,
Name my name, that He may take
Pity for the dear song's sake
On my shortcoming.
poem by Katharine Tynan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Knowing Of A Tree
It is a good thing indeed
When someone plants a seed
And to watch and help it grow
So someday, it to be a tree.
It is a good thing in truth
When a tree brings forth its fruit
Or to shade someone's head
Or its branch be a robins nest.
It is good when a tree is used
By nature, or by me or you
To protect or shelter lives
For a tree; it never dies.
A tree is someone's home
A tree is someone's good book
A tree is never alone,
For to know a tree, all you do; is look.
It is good to plant a tree
It is good to plant a seed
For someday it will be grown
And a tree, will be known.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
It Is Guaranteed
Eventually the root of a situation,
Bears the fruit,
Of what has been planted.
It may take longer,
Than something else seeded.
Something deeper intentionally done...
Without the acknowledgement,
Of the one who is to reap...
What another has sown.
That takes time on its own,
To shed upon it the truth of daylight!
In time a tainted harvest,
Crops to the surface.
For everyone to see...
What has been done to whom and when,
And why.
And if a provided taste does not correctly please...
A search to unearth this deed,
Will uncover the culprit!
Usually not too far...
From a fixation one has with weeds.
Discovered,
Delighting in the growth and appearance of it!
Eventually the root of a situation,
Bears the fruit,
Of what has been planted.
That is a given.
It is guaranteed!
Eventually.
Like a bad seed enjoying deceit fed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Earth In Upheaval
Spiritual challenge to empower hate,
Condition of earth in upheaval,
The pendulum of torment await,
A planet disappears burning in travail.
Believers fighting without might,
They turn the right gospel page,
Into righteous path for inseparable light,
And journey to where time has no age.
The reapers came from around the bend
Cold and feverish spirit on conquest,
Eyes are distracted in the familiar wind
Persuade souls to see the pilgrim’s quest.
Earth striving through the darkness,
The duller pain embraces humanity,
Forgotten in shade with tragic glances
Hope mends the bridges we form in society.
On the icy clouds where the angels went,
To moisten earth caught the air in heaven,
Peering through where sinners went,
Souls remained in a state of unforgiving
The wrath of God sends earth in upheaval
Scouring people and cities lightly departing,
With myth and prophecy binding evil,
The world loitering where a new mystery begin.
Many wait with flawed humanity,
The wrong and the right perpetuate,
Dual existence awakens the mystery,
Earth existence continues to create.
The unending perception grows,
Bringing more evil instead of goodness,
And only time and mercy knows,
How far we have gone in darkness.
Disciples of deeper realms above,
Search for gods but only one is known,
In the greater outpouring of love,
Difficult snare of finding freedom.
poem by Gerry Legister
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
I Was A Stranger, And Ye Took Me In
'Neath skies that winter never knew
The air was full of light and balm,
And warm and soft the Gulf wind blew
Through orange bloom and groves of palm.
A stranger from the frozen North,
Who sought the fount of health in vain,
Sank homeless on the alien earth,
And breathed the languid air with pain.
God's angel came! The tender shade
Of pity made her blue eye dim;
Against her woman's breast she laid
The drooping, fainting head of him.
She bore him to a pleasant room,
Flower-sweet and cool with salt sea air,
And watched beside his bed, for whom
His far-off sisters might not care.
She fanned his feverish brow and smoothed
Its lines of pain with tenderest touch.
With holy hymn and prayer she soothed
The trembling soul that feared so much.
Through her the peace that passeth sight
Came to him, as he lapsed away
As one whose troubled dreams of night
Slide slowly into tranquil day.
The sweetness of the Land of Flowers
Upon his lonely grave she laid
The jasmine dropped its golden showers,
The orange lent its bloom and shade.
And something whispered in her thought,
More sweet than mortal voices be
'The service thou for him hast wrought
O daughter! hath been done for me.'
poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
So What Has Happened?
So what has happened to many around?
Who like to. Cause trouble, push others to the ground;
They enjoy to make others feel so much pain,
To make these poor folks, feel their living is in vain.
So what has happened, that some don't care,
If thy hurt animals and the whales, out there;
Also these poor gorillas and what cruelty they do,
I'd like to ask them all, can we do it to you?
So why will happen if these folk showed love,
It would make life much better, God watches above;
He gave man dominion for the earth we re to take care,
But; He did not want violence and cruelty, so let's be fair.
poem by Margaret Haig
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!