Voice of the Voiceless
I am the Voice of the Voiceless
Through me the dumb shall speak
Till the world's deaf ear be made to hear
The wrongs of the wordless weak.
Oh shame on the mothers of mortals
Who do not stoop to teach
The sorrow that lies in dear dumb eyes
The sorrow that has no speech.
From street, from cage, from kennel
From stable and from zoo
The wall of my tortured kin proclaims the sin
Of the mighty against the frail.
But I am my brother's keeper
And I shall fight their fight
And speak the word for beast and bird
Till the world shall set things right.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Caras Castle
If you ever come to our town
On a carousel crusade
And youre tired of fighting windmills with a nail
Cross the fence and join the dragons
Who have never made the grade
Caras castle and the keepers of a most unholy grail.
Oh cara, queen of the losers, ruler of the weak
Give the poet what he chooses till hes too dumb to speak
Theres a clock upon the mantle
But its hands forget the time
And the windows turn their backs upon the day
And the people in the shadows
Could be all lost friends of mine
Caras courtiers need no light c need no light to lose their way
Oh cara, queen of the losers, ruler of the weak
Give the poet what he chooses till hes too dumb to speak
From the end to the beginning
Crippled minds retrace the steps
From the burial to the birth they do retreat
Wonderin where and when and why
Their souls were slaughtered while they slept
Caras courtiers know no victory c know no victory just defeat
Oh cara, queen of the losers, ruler of the weak
Give the poet what he chooses till hes too dumb to speak
One by one the battered soldiers
Go slowly cross the moat
One by one they seek new castles somewhere else
With their crutches and the cravens
And I wonder is there hope
Is there hope for caras courtiers c and the wars against themselves
Oh cara, queen of the losers, ruler of the weak
Give the poet what he chooses till hes too dumb to speak
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Songs that are not sung
DO not praise: a smile is payment more than meet for what is done;
Who shall paint the mote's glad raiment floating in the molten sun?
Nay, nor smile, for blind is eyesight, ears may hear not, lips are dumb;
From the silence, from the twilight, wordless but complete they come.
Songs were born before the singer : like white souls awaiting birth,
They abide the chosen bringer of their melody to earth.
Deep the pain of our demerit: strings so rude or rudely strung,
Dull to every pleading spirit seeking speech but sent unsung;
Round our hearts with gentle breathing still the plaintive silence plays,
But we brush away its wreathing, filled with cares of common days.
Ever thinking of the morrow, burdened down with cares and needs,
Once or twice, mayhap, in sorrow, we may hear the song that pleads;
Once or twice, a dreaming poet sees the beauty as it flies,
But his vision who shall know it, who shall read it from his eyes?
Voiceless he,—his necromancy fails to cage the wondrous bird;
Lure and snare are vain when fancy flies like echo from a word.
Only sometime he may sing it, using speech as 'twere a bell,
Not to read the song but ring it, like the sea-tone from a shell.
Sometimes, too, it comes and lingers round the strings all still and mute,
Till some lover's trembling fingers draw it living from the lute.
Still, our best is but a vision which a lightning-flash illumes,
Just a gleam of life elysian flung across the voiceless glooms.
Why should gleams perplex and move us? Must the soul still upward grow
To the beauty far above us and the songs no sense may know?
poem by John Boyle O'Reilly
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Speak Shall I Not When The Night Deepens
the night deepens
burying me ten fathoms more
without the stars
i take courage in my silence
speak i not
till the sun comes
till the flowers bloom again
i speak not
of my own sorrow
even to hear them
must i not
for it is mine alone.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Not Today
I will forgive you someday,
But that day will not be today
It will not be this very moment
Or tonight when you might pray
And It will not be tomorrow
Or the next day after that
But I will forgive you someday
And that is the only fact.
I will speak with you someday,
But today is the day that I won't speak
Today is the day that I am deaf and dumb
And your voice I currently don't seek
It will not be anytime soon
When I want to hear your voice again
As now your voice just gets me ill
So speaking to you, I know not when.
I will look upon you someday,
But today I don't want to see your face
Today is the day I want to close my eyes shut
As your face now just brings disgrace
It won't be in the near future
That I will look upon you with my eye
As that is one promise I will keep to myself
And you are the one to know the reason why.
I will think no more of you today
And neither will I think of you tomorrow
I will not think of you the day after that
As it brings my soul sadness and sorrow
I will close my mind to the memories of you
Maybe someday again you will be my thought
But I know that it will not be anytime soon
As for now you are not what I had sought.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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So So Dumb
Uh
Oh yeah
Alright (alright)
Alright alright
Dumb dumb dumb
So so dumb so dumb
Dumb dumb dumb
So so dumb so dumb
Everytime I see ya
Simple bitch pleads
Come here and talk to me
Wanna tell ya (huh)
Tell ya whats been on my mind
The wifes a friend of mine
Why do you need some
Georgia pine in your life
Do you love everything
About the woman you with
Why you tryin to get with t
I thought that you had
Responsibility
See your wife is beautiful (huh)
The kid is two years old (hey)
She folds all your clothes
Whatcha runnin around for
I cant think that youre so
Dumb dumb dumb
She thinks youre so faithful
So so dumb so dumb
And shes such a pretty girl
Dumb dumb dumb
How could you be so damn
So so dumb so dumb
I cant believe
Youre knockin
Youre knockin at my door
I should get my gun
And gun you to the floor
But instead
I think Ill invite you in
Ima call your wife boy
And let her know where youve been
Cuz she thinks that
Youre so faithful
Boy youre so dumb (dumb)
Aint goin down like that no more
Guess whos knockin at the front door
Aint nobody you wanna see come in
You should appreciate your girl
Stop tryin to push it on me
I cant think that youre so
Dumb dumb dumb
She thinks youre so faithful
So so dumb so dumb
And shes such a pretty girl
Dumb dumb dumb
How could you be so damn
So so dumb so dumb
And one day love will leave your side
And no other will hear your cry
But you had to live your own life
Now nobody likes you
Not even you
Why you gotta be so
Dumb dumb dumb
Youve never been faithful
So so dumb so dumb
And you can have those other girls
Dumb dumb dumb
Cuz Im no longer in your world
So so dumb so dumb
I cant think that youre so
Dumb dumb dumb
She thinks youre so faithful
So so dumb so dumb
And shes such a pretty girl
Dumb dumb dumb
How could you be so damn
So so dumb so dumb
So stay away from me (huh)
You better play her somewhere else
You need to look at yourself (huh)
You need to find some help
So so dumb so dumb (dumb dumb)
Dumb dumb dumb (dumb dumb)
(da dumb dumb dumb)
So so dumb so dumb
Dumb dumb...
song performed by by TLC
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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4 The Tears In Your Eyes (live) (feat. Wendy & Lisa)
4 the Tears in Your Eyes [Controversy Music, ASCAP - 1985]
------------------------ [From "We Are the World"]
Long ago, there was a man
Could change stone to bread
With one touch of his hand
Made the blind see
And the dumb understand
And he died 4 the tears in your eyes (your eyes)
Many people came from all around
To hear this man preach
The glorious sound
He spoke of man in harmony, and love abound
And he died 4 the tears in your eyes (your eyes)
Died 4 the tears in your eyes (your eyes)
4 the tears in your eyes, and the tears of sorrow
For 6 may be all that there were
For the rising sun each day assures us
The meek shall inherit the earth (the earth)
Faith is word, we all should try
In describing a man
Who willingly died
Believe that your sorrow, hunger, and fears
Is less than the tears in your eyes (your eyes)
(your eyes) (your eyes)
Less than the tears in your eyes (your eyes)
4 the tears in your eyes, and the tears of sorrow
For 6 may be all that there were
For the rising sun each day assures us
The meek shall inherit the earth (the earth)
4 the tears in your eyes, and the tears of sorrow
For 6 may be all that there were
For the rising sun each day assures us
The meek shall inherit the earth (the earth
song performed by by Prince
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Afflicted
Softly every night they come
To the picture show,
That old couple, deaf and dumb
In the second row;
Wistful watching, hand in hand,
Proud they understand.
Shut-ins from the world away,
All in all to each;
Knowing utter joy as they
Read the lips of speech . . .
Would, I wonder, I be glum
Were I deaf and dumb?
Were I quieted away,
Far from din and shock?
Were I spared the need to say
Silly things in talk?
Utter hush I would not mind . . .
Happy they!--I'm blind.
poem by Robert William Service
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Let Us Go Mad And Be Happy
Let us go mad and we will be happy,
We shall go to the streets and we shall be the lords of the crowds.
Let us go mad but if you all can come along with me.
We are to tell the world what have I once.
In the peak of my sense I told the world
About the rights and the wrongs
But it laughed at me at my very face
And now I am bent upon treading the other path.
Go mad if you wish and dare
You will reap the harvest of laughter
Tell the world in your peak of folly
About the wronged rights and the righted wrongs.
The street is waiting for another spell of utterances
That mark the dawn of civilization unknown hitherto.
Let us go mad and speak out the things
Till the Sun begins to go round the Earth.
poem by M.d Dinesh Nair
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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What be I be Tomorrow?
What be I be Tomorrow?
By: Adam M. Snow
Nae be I a wonder sorrow.
What be I be tomorrow?
Nae be I a dreamer of dreams;
What of the world, but life it seems.
Heart-wrung tears of perpetual sorrow,
Bringing forth an endless morrow.
To speak, but have no voice;
To live, but not by choice;
To see, but have no sight;
To love and to fight.
In heart-wrung tears of sorrow,
What be I be tomorrow?
poem by Adam M. Snow
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Love Song
Once in the world’s first prime,
When nothing lived or stirred,
Nothing but new-born Time,
Nor was there even a bird –
The Silence spoke to a Star,
But do not dare repeat
What it said to its love afar:
It was too sweet, too sweet.
But there, in the fair world’s youth,
Ere sorrow had drawn breath,
When nothing was known but Truth,
Nor was there even death,
The Star to Silence wed,
And the Sun was priest that day,
And they made their bridal-bed
High in the Milky Way.
For the great white star had heard
Her silent lover’s speech;
It needed no passionate word
To pledge them each to each.
O lady fair and far,
Hear, oh, hear, and apply!
Thou the beautiful Star –
The voiceless silence, I.
poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
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Prize Fighter
Only dumb guys fight.
If I wasn't dumb
I wouldn't be fightin'.
I could make six dollars a day
On the docks
And I'd save more than I do now.
Only dumb guys fight.
poem by Langston Hughes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Give Me A Cause To Fight For
Give me a cause to fight for I'll fight for it as long as the cause is worthy and just
As long as the cause it does not entail violence or secrecy that does lead to mistrust
As long as the cause is of benefit to others like the forgotten children of the lesser god
Poor refugees who flee from war and famine the Stateless and the homeless and downtrod.
Give me a cause to fight for I'll fight for it though not in any violent way I'll fight
On Human Rights one never should stay silent to live free of persecution should be everybody's right
Even in some so called Democratic Countries political prisoners are being tortured and subjected to the worst of mental as well as physical abuse
All crimes against humanity are abhorrent and for them there cannot be an excuse.
Give me a cause to fight for I'll fight for it as it should be every Human Being's right to live free
Of religious and racial discrimination and of hunger, Homelessness and poverty
We often hear in post war propaganda they have their freedom now that the war is won
But those who say such things never realize that freedom never does come through the barrel of a gun.
Give me a cause to fight for I'll fight for it though I'll fight the fight with words and words alone
I am not without sin I am just a sinner so I won't be the first to cast the stone
In this so called age of enlightenment people's Human Rights upon are still trampled and bad things happen behind the prison wall
So give me a cause to fight for and I'll fight for it I will speak out for a fair go for all.
poem by Francis Duggan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Quiet Life
Somethings happenin but Im just gonna turn a blind eye.
If I see no evil, ask no questions, and I hear no lies.
Cant communicate with minds that are small,
With some people its like talkin to the wall
And a fellow who walks away,
Lives to battle another day.
And Ive really got no appetite
For a fight,
Not tonight.
All I want is a quiet life.
Anything for a quiet life.
No ambition to rock the boat
When I can just stay afloat.
Be content with a quiet life
All I want is a quiet life.
Anything for a quiet life.
Hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil at all.
Confidentially, between these walls,
Im on top of it all.
Id rather have em think Im deaf, dumb, and blind
Than aggravation every time I speak my mind
Keep _________ at a quiet life.
Anything for a quiet life.
I could easily blow my top,
Start a row,
But why start now?
Give your daddy a quiet life.
Give your mother a quiet life.
Anything for a quiet life.
[instrumental section]
Give your daddy a quiet life.
Give your mother a quiet life.
Anything for a quiet life.
Confidentially, between these walls,
Im on top of it all.
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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An Example
They were two deaf mutes, and they loved and they
Resolved to be groom and bride;
And they listened to nothing that any could say,
Nor ever a word replied.
From wedlock when warned by the married men,
Maintain an invincible mind:
Be deaf and dumb until wedded-and then
Be deaf and dumb and blind.
poem by Ambrose Bierce
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Deep Silences Like Thunderbolts Were Hurled
Deep silences like thunderbolts were hurled
through the noiseless deafness of my quiet world.
These sounds were generated from within
for my ears were not able to take sounds in.
From the noisy world no sound could be heard
no clashing of drums or song of a bird.
My eyes could see your lips talking to me
but what you said remained a mystery.
Cut off from the noisy world around
and from its vast cacophony of sound.
I could not hear a dog bark or baby cry,
the rustling wind or river rippling by.
Then there down by the Sea of Galilee
they begged Jesus to lay his hands on me.
I was deaf and dumb and could hardly talk
but Jesus took me aside for a walk.
He reached out touching my tongue and my ear
cried out 'Ephphatha' and then I could hear.
My tongue was loosened and then I could speak
now I'm no longer an outcast or freak.
Overwhelmed and amazed at everything
I heard all the people His praises sing.
For although Jesus told them not to tell
they told everyone He'd done all things well.
Written after reading Mark 7: 31-37
Young Poets
You speak for the lakes, the trees and the birds
You say what they'd say if they had the words.
Make PEACE and be proud, choose well every choice
Speak HOPE and speak loud, you are Nature's voice.
Speak with respect now, for jungles and streams,
Speak for all wildlife and dream giant dreams.
Speak with great courage, speak up and speak out,
Write with a whisper or write with a SHOUT!
Stand up young poets for clean air and rivers,
Free verse or lyric; your message delivers...
Truth to the future citizens of earth,
Speak of your freedom your friends and self worth.
Speak for tomorrow and though you're still young,
Speak for the Forest, your pen is her tongue.
The world waits to hear your songs still unsung
Words posses power, you can write the wrongs
Teach us and lead us with Poems and with songs.
Speak now for nature, for trees and for birds,
Defenders of Earth choose carefullly your words!
poem by ToddMichael St. Pierre
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Get Weak
When Im with you
I shake inside
My hearts all tangled up
My tongue is tied its crazy
Cant walk, cant talk, cant eat, cant sleep
Oh, Im in love, oh Im in deep cuz baby
With a kiss you can strip me defenseless
With a touch I completely lose control
til all thats left of my strength is a memory, wo...
I get weak when I look at you
Weak when we touch
I cant speak when I look in your eyes
I get weak when youre next to me
Weak from this love
I cant speak when I look in your eyes
I get weak
Convincing eyes, persuasive lips
The helpless heart just cant resist their power
You know youve got a hold over me
You know youve got me where I want to be cuz lover
Like a wave you keep pulling me under
How Ill ever get out of this I dont know
I just know theres just no way to fight it, wo...
I get weak when I look at you
Weak when we touch
I cant speak when I look in your eyes
I get weak when youre next to me
Weak from this love
Im in deep when I look in your eyes
I get weak I get weak I get weak
Just a kiss you can strip me defenseless
Just a touch I completely lose control
til all thats left of my strength is a memory, wo...
I get weak when I look at you
Weak when we touch
I cant speak when I look in your eyes
I get weak when youre next to me
Weak from this love
I cant speak when I look in your eyes
I get weak I get weak I get weak
song performed by by Belinda Carlisle
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Shipmate Sorrow
I was shipmates with Sorrow in a day gone by;
We shared the wheel and look-out, old Sorrow and I:
Good times and bad times, foul weather and fair,
The old grey face of him was always there.
There was never shanty raised there, never song I heard,
But his voice would be in it like a crying bird;
I was dull in the dog watches when the laugh went free
Because of old Sorrow sitting down by me.
I thought I could lose him in the stir and change
Of bright wicked cities all sunlit and strange;
There came a hand at my elbow and a voice in my ear -
It was patient Sorrow saying: 'Lad, I'm here!'
And by the bustling harbour, up the busy street,
Many a time I see him, many a time I meet
The old grey face there of one I used to know . . .
And it's old shipmate Sorrow out of long ago.
And the watch at the halliards, they may sing with a will,
But the voice I used to hear, oh I think I hear it still,
Like the wind in a shroud piping, or a seabird's cry . . .
And it's old Sorrow singing out of times gone by!
poem by Cicely Fox Smith
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Together we shall overcome
‘Together we shall overcome’
‘Poetry for the Deaf’
Eh! What
What Eh!
What did you say?
‘Poetry for the Blind’
It’s called Performance poetry
It’s loud; so real
It’s written down
But only in Braille
‘Poetry for the Dumb’
For their eyes only
Read only
Poetry for the Deaf, Blind and Dumb
We will work it out between us
Please don’t make it:
Evil; no hear
Evil; no see
Evil; no speak
Once it is explained
The words the pen did lay
We will all understand in our own way
Yes, once the words are written
In addition, the reasoning is known
We three together will decipher the poem
‘Together we shall overcome’.
MICMAC
poem by Michael Micmac Mccrory
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Dowie Dens Of Yarrow
Late at e'en, drinking the wine,
And ere they paid the lawing,
They set a combat them between,
To fight it in the dawing.
'Oh, stay at hame, my noble lord,
Oh, stay at hame, my marrow!
My cruel brother will you betray
On the dowie houms of Yarrow.'
'Oh, fare ye weel, my ladye gaye!
Oh, fare ye weel, my Sarah!
For I maun gae, though I ne'er return,
Frae the dowie banks of Yarrow.'
She kiss'd his cheek, she kaim'd his hair,
As oft she had done before, O;
She belted him with his noble brand,
And he's away to Yarrow.
As he gaed up the Tennies bank,
I wot he gaed wi' sorrow,
Till, down in a den, he spied nine arm'd men,
On the dowie houms of Yarrow.
'Oh, come ye here to part your land,
The bonnie Forest thorough?
Or come ye here to wield your brand,
On the dowie houms of Yarrow?'
'I come not here to part my land,
And neither to beg nor borrow;
I come to wield my noble brand,
On the bonnie banks of Yarrow.
'If I see all, ye're nine to ane;
An that's an unequal marrow:
Yet will I fight, while lasts my brand,
On the bonnie banks of Yarrow.'
Four has he hurt, and five has slain,
On the bloody braes of Yarrow;
Till that stubborn knight came him behind,
And ran his body thorough.
'Gae hame, gae hame, good-brother John,
And tell your sister Sarah,
To come and lift her leafu' lord;
He's sleepin' sound on Yarrow.'
'Yestreen I dream'd a dolefu' dream;
I fear there will be sorrow!
I dream'd I pu'd the heather green,
Wi' my true love, on Yarrow.
'O gentle wind, that bloweth south,
From where my love repaireth,
Convey a kiss from his dear mouth,
And tell me how he fareth!
'But in the glen strive armed men;
They've wrought me dole and sorrow;
They've slain--the comeliest knight they've slain--
He bleeding lies on Yarrow.'
As she sped down yon high, high hill,
She gaed wi' dole and sorrow,
And in the den spied ten slain men,
On the dowie banks of Yarrow.
She kiss'd his cheek, she kaim'd his hair,
She search'd his wounds all thorough,
She kiss'd them, till her lips grew red,
On the dowie houms of Yarrow.
'Now, haud your tongue, my daughter dear!
For a' this breeds but sorrow;
I'll wed ye to a better lord
Than him ye lost on Yarrow.'
'Oh, haud your tongue, my father dear!
Ye mind me but of sorrow:
A fairer rose did never bloom
Than now lies cropp'd on Yarrow.'
poem by Andrew Lang
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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