In Africa's Night (A Lament)
Death in Africa's night, she's 38
They bear me from hospital grounds
Our home is empty, except for me
A rented shell where loss abounds
I read Psalm Number 121
Memorial closes the Book of Plans
They stand in line for a moment's embrace
She lies under embalming hands
The box with permits of expiration
Weighs in the belly of the plane
We fly over saltlands of Kalahari
I descend into the heartless flame
To the yard for the last time, laid out low
In the rondavel they had thatched for us
Here we laid on our wedding day
Here we come to the terminus
Women sing Laments all night
I fall asleep in the haze of dawn
Her swollen face in the coffin view
Her mother cries, not the child I knew!
The army pitches canvas halls
Mourners pour from the desert towns
Pots of sorghum meal and meat
Warm the nights they huddle around
The dreaded wizards laugh in the bush
Age-cohort girls joke in shebeens
We are beaten, they are waiting for
The burial of imprudent dreams
Trucks leave for the village shores
Their tails of dust rise in the eyes
Of morning's face, falling upon
Late drinkers by the riverside
Red rectangles newly dug
And how this earth drains soft and fine!
The sand so quick, the tears so dry
The crowd surrounds the burial line
The midday breeze lowers its head
The sun is cruel as mourners sing
Her tears burn on my eyes, my skin
The box falls, closing everything
A spouse carried her back to earth
Two children carry on her name
The dust would not be shed from skin
Until a love was born again.
poem by Frank Bana
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While You Were Sleeping
Last Night while you were sleeping,
Did you know that I was wide awake,
On my side, at your side
Waiting for morning to break.
I watched as you slept,
As the dreams enter in your soul
Then through my eyes, I realized
That truly, I love you so.
Last night, while you were sleeping.
Last Night while you were asleep
Did you know too, that I was there
On your bed, also laid my head
Along with my soul and prayer.
Lying quietly at your side
As I have done the nights before
To be with you, my love so true
Could any man ask for any more.
Last Night while you were asleep.
Last night while you slept,
As waiting for morning to come,
While at your side, I laid that night
While dreading the coming of the sun.
As always with you I was there
Even when morning began to arise
But then again it came, as so did the pain
As I said goodbye to another night.
Last night while you slept.
Last night while you did sleep
You never knew that you weren't alone,
As when you awoke not one word did I spoke
As on the couch I slept from which I never roamed.
Upon my side there I solemnly laid
Being so still, and quite as a mouse
Not to make a sound that might give my secret away,
I wandered; did you too feel lonely in this house.
Last night while you had slept.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
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The Farewell To The Dead
Come near!-ere yet the dust
Soil the bright paleness of the settled brow,
Look on your brother, and embrace him now,
In still and solemn trust!
Come near!-once more let kindred lips be press'd
On his cold cheek; then bear him to his rest!
Look yet on this young face!
What shall the beauty, from amongst us gone,
Leave of its image, ev'n where most it shone,
Gladdening its hearth and race?
Dim grows the semblance on man's heart impress'd-
-Come near, and bear the beautiful to rest!
Ye weep, and it is well!
For tears befit earth's partings!-Yesterday
Song was upon the lips of this pale clay,
And sunshine seem'd to dwell
Where'er he mov'd-the welcome and the bless'd!
-Now gaze! and bear the silent unto rest!
Look yet on him, whose eye
Meets yours no more, in sadness or in mirth!
Was he not fair amidst the sons of earth,
The beings born to die?
-But not where death has power may love be bless'd--
Come near! and bear ye the belov'd to rest!
How may the mother's heart
Dwell on her son, and dare to hope again?
The spring's rich promise hath been given in vain,
The lovely must depart!
Is he not gone, our brightest and our best?
Come near! and bear the early-call'd to rest!
Look on him! is he laid
To slumber from the harvest or the chase?
-Too still and sad the smile upon his face,
Yet that, ev'n that, must fade!
Death holds not long unchang'd his fairest guest,-
Come near! and bear the mortal to his rest!
His voice of mirth hath ceas'd
Amidst the vineyards! there is left no place
For him whose dust receives your vain embrace,
At the gay bridal feast!
Earth must take earth to moulder on her breast;
Come near! weep o'er him! bear him to his rest!
Yet mourn ye not as they
Whose spirit's light is quench'd!-for him the past
Is seal'd. He may not fall, he may not cast
His birthright's hope away!
All is not here of our belov'd and bless'd-
-Leave ye the sleeper with his God to rest!
poem by Felicia Dorothea Hemans
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Let the Sky Cry
She said, “Don’t be afraid, boy,
I’m right here.
I’m tired and yawning
And glad you’re near.”
The sun is setting and we’re winding down
The time we’ve spent is worth having found
This quiet little place in this quiet little town,
So don’t make a sound
Just lie here next to me
And sing this next verse
As we slowly fall asleep.
When the sky cries
I’ll always be here,
To wipe your eyes and catch your tears.
When the sky cries,
Ill shield you from the falling rain,
The cosmic perfection and love will remain
When the sky cries.
Don’t be sucked in,
It’s only a storm.
Please don’t cry;
I’ll keep you warm.
The speckles and drops will all go away
But the sun and the stars will always remain
So please smile for me and grant this wish:
For every storm to be as beautiful as this.
When the sky cries
I’ll be the one to hold you close,
To prevent a shiver or comatose.
When the sky cries
I’ll keep you away from the cold
And protect your heart as if it were gold.
When the sky cries.
The sky will cry and we’ll be alright
We won’t be afraid of the temporary night.
The thunder will shriek and lightening will shine
But we’ll be ok; everything will be fine
As long as I have you in my embrace
With your hands cupping my face
The sky will soon lighten and the sun will come back
Our lives will be spared and the courage we lack
Won’t seem like much compared to you
And my wish will eventually come true.
For every storm to be like this,
To find each other and sneak a kiss
When the sky cries, we’ll conquer the storm
And allow our love to grow more and more.
poem by Braden Patton
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The Skin Im In
The skin Im in
Its hard to see, I know
This skin Im in
Were never free
Dont you agree?
Yet another age has passed
We all must look away
From the way we are today
We must look away
On every fate
Opening eyes will see
Who does not cry?
This skin Im in
No-one can hide
Hows the world been leaving you?
The future came too late
For the ones who cannot wait
It will come too late
This skin Im in
Down to the bone, our blood
Fit for a king
Its no surprise
Theres no disguise
Maybe all we need is time
To wipe away the tears
We let fall throughout the years
You must hide your tears
Within this skin
Until the end we grow
And as we sing
We have no more to show
Now walk and say nothing
song performed by by Heaven 17
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Another Song to Sing (Second Draft)
When the night is long and dark and cold
And there's nobody around for you to hold,
Don't forget, whatever night may bring,
Tomorrow is another song to sing.
When the night is cold and there's nobody to hold,
When there's darkness all around you and within;
Remember there's a light at the end of every night,
And every day's another song to sing.
So try to carry on and make it through till dawn,
And listen for another song to sing.
When the clouds hang heavy and so grey
That you can't bear to face another day,
Just remember that, in spite of everything,
Every day's another song to sing.
When everything seems grey and you can't face the day,
When you just wish the world would go away;
Remember there's a spring, once winter's had its fling,
And every day's another song to sing.
When winter turns to spring, those sunny days will bring
Another brand new song for you to sing.
When your heart's been beaten black and blue
And it seems your dreams are never coming true,
Try and find something to keep believin' in,
And listen for another song to sing.
When your heart is bruised and there's nothing left to lose,
And life seems like a game you'll never win;
Remember there's a friend waiting just around the bend
With another song for you to sing.
Remember you've a friend with a song that's newly penned
Especially for you and me to sing.
In Memory Of Charles Wentworth Upham, Jr.
HE was all sunshine; in his face
The very soul of sweetness shone;
Fairest and gentlest of his race;
None like him we can call our own.
Something there was of one that died
In her fresh spring-time long ago,
Our first dear Mary, angel-eyed,
Whose smile it was a bliss to know.
Something of her whose love imparts
Such radiance to her day's decline,
We feel its twilight in our hearts
Bright as the earliest morning-shine.
Yet richer strains our eye could trace
That made our plainer mould more fair,
That curved the lip with happier grace,
That waved the soft and silken hair.
Dust unto dust! the lips are still
That only spoke to cheer and bless;
The folded hands lie white and chill
Unclasped from sorrow's last caress.
Leave him in peace; he will not heed
These idle tears we vainly pour,
Give back to earth the fading weed
Of mortal shape his spirit wore.
'Shall I not weep my heartstrings torn,
My flower of love that falls half blown,
My youth uncrowned, my life forlorn,
A thorny path to walk alone?'
O Mary! one who bore thy name,
Whose Friend and Master was divine,
Sat waiting silent till He came,
Bowed down in speechless grief like thine.
'Where have ye laid him?' 'Come,' they say,
Pointing to where the loved one slept;
Weeping, the sister led the way,--
And, seeing Mary, 'Jesus wept.'
He weeps with thee, with all that mourn,
And He shall wipe thy streaming eyes
Who knew all sorrows, woman-born,--
Trust in his word; thy dead shall rise!
poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes
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Whispering Waves
By the shore of the sea searching for his memory
Sifting sand through my hand weighing what he means to me
In the early morning haze seagulls seem to cry my pain
And ocean feels it too sighs his name on whispering waves
Wrote his name next to mine big and deep there in the sand
Till the earth tends to flow and our names will be drowned
All the birds sing harmonies to the top line of the breeze
While the ocean breathes his name on whispering waves
Theres a bistro where we would dine each evening
Candle light and california wine
Love is holding hands across the table
I still go past each night
Look for his car outside
At the foot of this cliff we spent days weaving our dreams
Making plans building homes raising kids and coloring scenes
Then one morning he was gone and our story reached an end
But his words still linger on on whispering waves
Aah, ahh, ahh...
By the shore of the sea searching for his memory
Sifting sand through my hand weighing what he means to me
All the birds sing harmonies to the top line of the breeze
While the ocean breathes his name on whispering waves
song performed by by Donna Summer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Rage...paİ N And Shame
unfortunately outburst a big rage.......on our small border village.....on a windy and damned day....who are these black men...with black masks on face...from darkness...with guns..machine guns and turrets...with light armour weapons...aimed on humans....how dare...they ki, ll small chidren...men and women...how dare...even children in their mothers'...even not born yet..not a bbay yet....even praying...how this vengeance and rage emerged and fed..who are this hatred men with gun....combing the wedding crowd with bullets.....pain and shame covered this village..near the border...in fact near the border of humanity.....but no traces of regret.....when will this hatred end....nobody knows yet...thr bulldosers...the graders....the excavators dug the graves..of fifty human beings....a moment before were livings...it is spring may be may...hopeless tears shed....and never end...dug soil smells spring...body..sometimes corpse...chidren unaware..play on newly dug graves...interlocked...they play hide and seek....but the some hidden will never come out...tears are shed...mournings....elegies sung...it was a wedding ceremony...turning into a burial ceremony...suddenly in a moment...rage outburst...a funeral..pell_mell..informal...that is real...not a dream..death is side by side...with living...is a part of life...but should not have come so easy...should not have fallen on even not babies..in their mothers'....not born yet...graders..bulldozers...excavators...dug the graves..pell-mell...things are not developing well...for humanity....really...mournings...tears shed....elegies sung and cried....never stopping and will not stop yet..rage ..pain and shame...emerging from the small village near the border..scattered...and... covered all over the world...neverless...stealthily ..and slowly...in darkness
poem by Metin Sahin
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Still Would Stand All Time
Its just around the corner, its just around the block
Vthis love that Ive been waiting for, a love solid as rock
A love that reaffirms that we r not alone
A love so bright inside u it glows
And night and day would run together, and all things would b fine
Still would stand all hate around us
Still would stand all time
Still would stand all time
Its not a thousand years away, its not that far my brother
When men will fight injustice instead of one another
Its not that far if we all say yes and only try
Then heaven on earth we will find
(all time)
(still, still would stand all time)
No one man will be ruler, therefore love must rule us all
Dishonesty, anger, fear, jealousy and greed will fall
Love can save us all
Oh, love, love, oh love if u would just please give us a sign
Still would stand all time
Heaven, heaven on earth we all want 2 find (we all want 2 find it)
Still (still) would stand all time
We r not alone people (were not alone)
Tell me can u see the light (can ya see the light)
If u just open your eyes (still would stand all time)
So much u will know, so much u will show
Love, love, its not that far away if we all say yes and give it a try
(got ta give it...a try...yes!) still would stand all time (I say still)
(so many times) so may times, I thought I could not make it
(still would stand all time)
Life was closing in I just knew, I just knew I couldnt take it
Thats when love opened its arms, and if u dont go in child
Still would stand all time (still would stand all time)
U better run to the light, leave your past behind
All things will be fine
Still would stand all time
song performed by by Prince
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Vision
Obscurest night I lay asleep
After the cold sun had beaten me to death
From the holy night a voice echoed
Beholding my lifeless body to walk and talk
In a vision certainly like a dream
I meet death on his way
With three friendly accomplice
Whose wolfish eyes cast a jealous glance at me
Stand aside! They bide me
Like a sea turtle I strove to dry shod
Masking there face like newly ushered thieves
Ready to devour any thing on their way
As the spoilt brat of lazy rich men
Their protrude stomach blithe with satisfaction
Being so admirable like a plague
One by one the entered
The little tinny house near the old grave
Across the mountain close to the river
Were the lonely old woman lives
Disgrace witchcraft she was accuse
Cloaked with a beam of light
Close to her heart the bible laid
Like a little child ready to be baptized
With there tinny legs the match around her
In silence the earth slumbers
Hail! Her soul they lift
Into the chariot the summon
Like the rich old man and his new old shoes
She smiled with tenderness
As a baby born on a beautiful festive night
Beholding such sight I wept
Dripping hard on my chest my tears flow
She cheated death too long
Now she's carried shoulders high
As a king newly coroneted
They walked away into the darkest night
Watching every step they take
The boneless bone after the evening meals paved way
Off and off the soar away from the ground
In this silent night as a classroom on a Friday night
They dragged her away
poem by Samuel Donkor
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Lost Tears (an ode to children of alcoholics)
LOST TEARS
To all the boys who never cried
My heart it weeps for you
Longing for a fathers touch
Slipping slowly out of view
A hand it reached within my chest
And entwined around my heart
With every beat the fingers grew
Until they covered every part
And keys would fumble in the door
What would this dark night bring
And in from the night the tyrant came
The beggars received their king
To bow and scrape, perhaps defuse
To laugh at every joke
Perhaps the tyrant king would sleep
Perhaps we would provoke
With every night the fire dies
Embers of the heart recede
The king is god, he rules supreme
Don't hurt our mum the children plead
And darkness overcomes the soul
Into the night the children flee
And all around the curtains fall
And when they fall you cannot see
Who will rid us of this endless night
The blackness and the shades of gray
For beneath the pillow held so tight
Is not a place where children play
Why do these tears that belong to you
Fall down from upon my face
For once I dwelt in shadowland
Its now your dwelling place
So if you wander in the night
A night within your heart
The true King sees behind your veil
He sees you play the part
Oh wont you come on bended knee
And find the tears you lost
The true King longs to set you free
And that at any cost
Don't you long to see the sun
And feel its warm embrace
A heart of flesh and not of steel
And tears upon your face
My God He is the tears you lost
Living waters from above
He restores the broken and the crushed
With Godly tears of love
The true King wept when you could not
He wept to see His Son
And with those tears on Calvary fought
And now the work is done
Come out from amongst the dead He cries
And He will deal with all your fears
For every time you could not cry
My God He shed your tears
And all these tears He's gathered
And they flow from Heavens throne
And when your swept up in this tide
You'll know you were not alone
poem by Frank McEleny
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Sing It Out For Love
Written by ricky & marty wilde
Theyve been out on the road so long
Now theyre working their way through all the dirty towns
Singing their hearts out
To the drunks who haunt the bars
Still the ghosts will keep on calling
Sing it out
Sing it out for love again
Guess she heard through a million tears
When you sing you should brush the hair out of your eyes
Come and sit by me girl
Would you like to share my beer?
Feel his hand slip down her shoulder
Sing it out
Sing it out for love again
But shes lonely - thinking of home
Thinking is sad
And knowing she lost the life
She could have had
Watching trucks as they roll on by
And shell wave as they disappear around the bend
Shrugging her shoulders
And shell head back to the bar
Cue the band the boss is shouting
Sing it out
Sing it out for love again
But shes lonely - thinking of home
Thinking is sad
Shes thinking about the good times
Never had
And wondering why the bad times
Get so bad
song performed by by Kim Wilde
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Losing Grip
Losing grip she holds to life,
She tells herself she won't let go,
Yet here she sits holding the knife,
Moving it ever so slow.
She sits beside her bed,
Knife pressed to skin,
Knees drawn to her head,
For she knows this is a sin.
Tears fall from her eyes,
They fall against the cuts,
Until the blood begin to dry,
She doesn't like this habbit, yet she's stuck in it's rut.
Her head falls back,
As sobs break the silence of the air,
Crys pour from her thoat, yet in volume they lack.
At the back of her eyelids she stairs.
Her hair falls around her,
A warm brown shall,
Not even the touch of a hand would make her stir,
As she listens to her creators call.
Along the slits she traces,
Time after time, line after line,
Forming a pattern like lace,
The paths, the cuts, so even, so fine.
pain shows through her face,
yet she drinks this pain, it is her feast,
Along her wrist, her body, the blood does trace,
She feels the least.
in the depth of the room,
She sits with nothing, no light,
Only the shine of the moon.
She knows sha can't stop, yet it feels so right.
The anger, the sorrow, flows through her, it all leaves,
The blood wipes it away, let's her feel numb,
A blanket of blood is weaved.
Her heart beats; a steady drum.
She looks down at her art,
When all the feelings are gone,
She stands, and slows her heart,
And waits for dawn.
poem by Bethany Maxwell
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Lament
PEACE, your little child is dead:
Peace, I cannot weep with you;
I have no more tears to shed;
I have mourned my baby too—
I, that ne'er was wooed or wed.
Love has looked within your eyes,
Love has filled your hungry heart;
You have borne the babe, your prize;
You have blossomed, done your part,
Though the flower faded lies.
But to me was love denied—
God had said it might not be;
Still my hungry hopes abide;
All the motherhood in me
Aches—and starves, unsatisfied.
How my soul has yearned for thee,
Sweet, sweet unborn child of mine!
How thy life would tenderly
Round thy mother's life entwine—
Hope of hopes that may not be.
How thy hands would pluck my breast!
I have felt them o'er and o'er,
And thy soft, sweet skin caressed,
Baby mine I never bore!
Did I dream so?—dreams are best.
You have nothing now to fear,
Mother; you have fondled him,
Held his pretty face so near,
Laid your lips to each soft limb—
He is dead, but he was dear.
You have something you may mourn,
Some sweet memory to kiss;
I am lonelier, more forlorn;
God has left me only this—
My sweet babe that was not born.
poem by Arthur Henry Adams
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Since I Laid Eyes On You
(Ellen Shipley/Billy Steinberg/Sandy Stewart)
Why did I show my hand
Now you know your wish
Is my command
I never longed for things I didn't have
But that's no longer true
Since I laid eyes on you
I know I'm not the same
I don't need a fortune
Don't care about fame
But my soul is a burning flame
Can't sleep the whole night through
Since I laid eyes on you
I want your sweet caress
I dream of your tenderness
Oh I never, ever felt like this
I swear
Look what you've done for me
Oh boy, it's poetry
When I see the wind in your hair
The tears well up inside
Oh, what will turn the tide
And I've been waiting for you to decide
That you love me too
Since I laid eyes on you
What else could I do
Since I laid eyes on you
You, you, you, you
On you
Oh, yeah
Since I laid eyes
On you, you, you
song performed by by Faith Hill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tears of the Candle
On my way to this world, I did first see your light
Light that guided the ways of the first pair of hands
that placed me on the bed, be at my mother's side
From the dark little world wherein, before, I was
I saw the tears you shed, knew not what they were for
Were they tears of pity - my life woeful would be
Or were they tears of joy - I would live happily
Again I saw your light, it was baptismal day
Candles in many hands, I heard pledges for me
Again I saw your tears, what for I did not know
Were they for the troubles in life I'll undergo
By your light I acquired knowledge while I grew up
You, watching over me as came and went the nights
And on my wedding day, again I saw your light
Felt the warmth of your glow, warm as the glow of love
Again you shed the tears, both for the two of us
For the joys we would share, or woes we should surpass
The last time you're alight, your light I have not seen
And the warmth of your glow, I now do never feel
As cries and sobs I hear, fall the drops of your tears
I am now on my way and leave this world I will
Never to see your light or feel your warmth again
poem by Pacific Hernandez
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Children Of The Damned
(harris)
Hes walking like a small child
But watch his eyes burn you away
Black holes in his golden stare
God knows he wants to go home
Children of the damned
(repeat another 3 times)
Hes walking like a dead man
If he had lived he would have crucified us all
Now hes standing on the last step
He thought oblivion well it beckons us all
Children of the damned
(repeat another 3 times)
Now it burns his hand hes turning to laugh
Smiles as the flame sears his flesh
Melting his face screaming in pain
Peeling the skin from his eyes
Watch him die according to plan
Hes dust on the ground what did we learn
Youre children of the damned
Your backs against the wall
You turn into the light
Youre burning in the night
Youre children of the damned
Like candles watch them burn
Burning in the light
Youll burn again tonight
Youre children of the damned
song performed by by Iron Maiden
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You Are Unto Dust
You are made from the dust of the earth,
And the Wailing-Wall will be there for you;
For you are unto dust and you shall return unto dust,
And this is just the journey of the spirit.
To the realm of the unknown and to the things we do for love,
And until death put us apart on this side of the planet;
For the flesh goes back to where it belongs to!
Yes, back to the earth.
Death is part of us and we need to learn from others,
For we have to be prepared as well;
For he flesh goes back to where it belongs to;
And out of the dust we were made.
The dust became flesh and today we are human beings,
And from the knowledge of the things to come;
But naked we came and naked we shall return.
Shed no tears on this love,
For death comes for all of us on this earth;
And we need to learn from the facts around us as well,
For it is better to be very righteous than to be buried with evil deeds.
Life is a long road full of sand and,
All that is acquired on this earth is vanity!
Yes, vanity upon vanity! !
For you and i are unto dust and,
Unto dust we shall return at the end of of all things.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Alone she puffs
uncertain future
alone she puffs
smoke covers her face
trails the night air
she hides behind
each night under
an inch of powder
lips coloured like roses
the night aids
accompanies
her cameleon existence
satisfying loners
groping in beds
that witness sea and sea
of swirling passion
shuttling between
excited real and
make-believe passions
to satiate musculine wants
wave and wave of
lascivious acts
escalated by teutonic desires
that always end in earthshaking explosions
that rattle the senses
the musty sweaty smell
of bedsheets
so familiar now
feel like home covers
a night away from them
she feels a page
of her favourite book unread
slowly she learns to fit
the regular
into the irregular
to pick up the pieces
when she falls
what mom told her long ago
the smoke envelopes her face
before trailing off into the glittering sky
alone she puffs waiting for the next loner
carrying a dream to straighten up her tangled life
in her own tangled ways
inspired by
Like Dust I Rise
You may write me down in history
With your bitter, twisted lies,
You may trod me in the very dirt
But still, like dust, I'll rise.
Does my sassiness upset you?
Why are you beset with gloom?
'Cause I walk like I've got oil wells
Pumping in my living room.
Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I'll rise.
Did you want to see me broken?
Bowed head and lowered eyes?
Shoulders falling down like teardrops.
Weakened by my soulful cries.
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don't you take it awful hard
'Cause I laugh like I've got gold mines
Diggin' in my own back yard.
You may shoot me with your words,
You may cut me with your eyes,
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still, like air, I'll rise.
Does my sexiness upset you?
Does it come as a surprise
That I dance like I've got diamonds
At the meeting of my thighs?
Out of the huts of history's shame
I rise
Up from a past that's rooted in pain
I rise
I'm a black ocean, leaping and wide,
Welling and swelling I bear in the tide.
Leaving behind nights of terror and fear
I rise
Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear
I rise
Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,
I am the dream and the hope of the slave.
I rise
I rise
I rise.
Maya Angelou #6
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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After Death
IF we must part, this parting is the best:
How would you bear to lay
Your head on some warm pillow far away--
Your head, so used to lying on my breast?
But now your pillow is cold;
Your hands have flowers, and not my hands, to hold;
Upon our bed the worn bride-linen lies.
I have put the death-money upon your eyes,
So that you should not wake up in the night.
I have bound your face with white;
I have washed you, yes, with water and not with tears,--
Those arms wherein I have slept so many years,
Those feet that hastened when they came to me,
And all your body that belonged to me.
I have smoothed your dear dull hair,
And there is nothing left to say for you
And nothing left to fear or pray for you;
And I have got the rest of life to bear:
Thank God it is you, not I, who are lying there.
If I had died
And you had stood beside
This still white bed
Where the white, scented, horrible flowers are spread,--
I know the thing it is,
And I thank God that He has spared you this.
If one must bear it, thank God it was I
Who had to live and bear to see you die,
Who have to live, and bear to see you dead.
You will have nothing of it all to bear:
You will not even know that in your bed
You lie alone. You will not miss my head
Beside you on the pillow: you will rest
So soft in the grave you will not miss my breast.
But I--but I--Your pillow and your place--
And only the darkness laid against my face,
And only my anguish pressed against my side--
Thank God, thank God, that it was you who died!
poem by Edith Nesbit
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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