Self-Determination
I will spring the closing trap
And jump the disappearing train
Shaking loose the dust of time
And distortions from my brain
I will dip my legs and toes
In rushing tides of history
And in the shallow lakes and pools
That hide the deeper mystery
I will punch a hole of light
With my tightly-wound brave fist
Through the walls that rise into
The hollows of the gathering mist
I will touch the soft damp soil
That once was witness to my birth
And pour the vials of sacred oil
Upon my father's native earth
I will place a smooth round stone
On my late wife's burial mound
And would be more widely known
Before I'm scattered on the ground
I cannot be long constrained
By mere shyness of the will
It is time for me to write
A self-determined codicil
As the sun touches the east
And the storm clouds lift again
I resolve to speak my truth
With a voice and song unchained.
poem by Frank Bana
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
How champions are made
Im in the ring
The bell sounds
I throw a punch
We dance around
He moves his fist
I hit the ground
I look through mist
Muffled sounds
Boos and chants
An angry crowd
Continue to dance! ! !
Im up
I throw a punch
We dance around
He moves his fist
I hit the ground
Ruby liquids flow
I try to rise
I move to slow
He kicks me down
A whistle blows
Im pulled up
Continue to dance! !
He throws a punch
We dance around
I move my fist
He hits the ground
I stare down
No sound
The mist is clear
In his eyes
I see my fear
My hate
My distaste
In his features
I see my face
He is me
Whistle blows
I see my chance
I throw my fist
He hits the ground
No more whistle sound
The ref is down
I leave the ring
I am found
The crowd cheers
They dance around
Victorys here! !
A champ is crowned! !
poem by Elias Barcelona
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The Shadow
Soft as the bed in the earth
Where a stone has lain—
So soft, so smooth and so cool,
Spring closes me in
With her arms and her hands.
Rich as the smell
Of new earth on a stone,
That has lain, breathing
The damp through its pores—
Spring closes me in
With her blossomy hair;
Brings dark to my eyes.
poem by William Carlos Williams
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Hopes
A PRINCESS, sleeping in enchanted bowers,
Earth springs to waking at Spring's voice and kiss,
And after winter's cold, unlovely hours,
Laughs out to find how beautiful she is.
Spring flings a song across the field and fold,
And sighs it through the glad wood's tangled ways;
And million, million tales of love are told,
And dreams are dreamed of undivided days.
In hollows where so late but dead leaves lay,
Through the dead leaves the primroses push up;
And wind-flowers fleck the copse, and fields are gay
With daisies and the budding buttercup.
So in our hearts, though thick the dead leaves lie
Of grief--heaped up by winds of old despair--
May there not be a spring-time by-and-by,
When flowers of joy shall blossom even there?
So long has Winter held our hearts in his,
We dare not dream of Spring and all her flowers?
Ah! the undreamed-of happiness it is
That comes--the dreamed-of joy is never ours!
When late the trees were brown and hedges bare,
And keen east wind cut sharp as human pain,
Did the Earth guess how soon she would be fair
With Spring's dear dainty loveliness again?
We do not guess of joy, but hope alone--
Like life's mysterious force that thrills the earth--
Lives in our souls, unrecognised, unknown,
Till time shall bring unhoped-for joy to birth.
poem by Edith Nesbit
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Next Time
Next time (if I get the chance)
I will take a different stance
Yes, try to be what I am not
And so below unfold my plot) ...
Next time I`ll not turn a cheek
Next time, I shall not be weak
No, next time I won`t weep and wail
For next time round I will not fail
Next time I shall not be late
Next time I won`t hesitate
No, next time I`ll not flounder long
Yes, next time I`ll be sure and strong
Next time I won`t be so small
Next time I`ll walk proud and tall
And next time I won`t hide my face
For next time I will have my place
Next time I shall get it right
Next time I will shout and fight
For next time It won`t be the same
Yes, next time I will win the game
Next time I won`t be afraid
And stay unnoticed in the shade
For next time I will be the one
To shine triumphant `neath the sun
Next time you will hear my voice
Next time, next time I will rejoice
For next time I`ll be brave and free
OH NEXT TIME, YES, JUST WAIT AND SEE! !
(Next time if I can I will
Be all these things, or better still
I`ll stay myself and be content
To live as now, indifferent)
poem by Valerie Dohren
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His Return To London
From the dull confines of the drooping west,
To see the day spring from the pregnant east,
Ravish'd in spirit, I come, nay more, I fly
To thee, blest place of my nativity!
Thus, thus with hallow'd foot I touch the ground,
With thousand blessings by thy fortune crown'd.
O fruitful Genius! that bestowest here
An everlasting plenty year by year;
O place! O people! manners! framed to please
All nations, customs, kindreds, languages!
I am a free-born Roman; suffer then
That I amongst you live a citizen.
London my home is; though by hard fate sent
Into a long and irksome banishment;
Yet since call'd back, henceforward let me be,
O native country, repossess'd by thee!
For, rather than I'll to the west return,
I'll beg of thee first here to have mine urn.
Weak I am grown, and must in short time fall;
Give thou my sacred reliques burial.
poem by Robert Herrick
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Right Unilateral
In the midst of this room
I lie still as they put the IV into the crook of my arm- I wince.
A rolled up towel is placed beneath my neck, and
A sheet to cover my legs-
I see flies hovering about the overhead light-
As I breathe oxygen from a rubber mask-
The last thing I recall is
Drifting off into another place in time-
Moments later, so it seems
I am sitting in a chair by the window beside,
Overlooking trees dancing to the tune of
A nightingale’s song,
A late spring’s balmy and gentle wind,
Footsteps softly ambling up and down the hall behind me,
Rudely contradicted by the sound cars rushing down the boulevard outside,
The screaming of sirens and people conversing in the room next door-
These voices that could be real or emanating from my mind- although
It is too soon, after the shock that was induced to my brain
To distinguish reality from unreality-
I clearly remember the spoken words
“Right unilateral” and so it seemed that
Mistrust of the world about me and
Conversations echoing and reverberating throughout my mind as
Emanating from some other place in time-
Would tip toe away from the spirit raging war inside my mind-
Trees dancing and birds carrying on with their soprano tune,
That late spring’s breeze being a chorus of some far away lullaby –
Footsteps following closely behind,
And cars rushing down the boulevard outside-
Have now become my only reality as
I have finally awakened from a peaceful slumber,
Returning to earth from my journey to some other realm-
I have regained my sanity-
Walking away from the magnificent view from the picture window before me only to
Return to the familiarity of every day life and as dove would peacefully do,
I lift my wings, though imaginary
Only to soar above the treetops outside
Leaving my tears behind this time to vanish in that river of despair that
I have known for so long as I flee and abandon the tempest of fear this time-
Forever-
poem by Claudia Krizay
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Deeper
We must complete the trip
Try not to lose your grip
No sight of solid ground
And never look straight down
Deeper, deeper, deeper, deeper
Your claustrophobic brain
Sucking you down the drain
The walls are closing in
The air is gettin thin
The elevator broke
It when right trough the floor
It left a burning hole
Down and down and down we go
Were in a deadly spin
Hating this spin were in
Our helpless panic grows
Down and down and down we go
Daylight is at an end
Youll never see again
Youll soon embrace the sight
This cold eternal light
The elevator broke
It when right trough the floor
It left a burning hole
Down and down and down we go
The elevator broke
It when right trough the floor
It left a burning hole
Down and down and down we go
The elevator broke
It when right trough the floor
It left a burning hole
Down and down and down we go
song performed by by Alice Cooper
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Maiden's Sorrow
Seven long years has the desert rain
Dropped on the clods that hide thy face;
Seven long years of sorrow and pain
I have thought of thy burial-place.
Thought of thy fate in the distant west,
Dying with none that loved thee near;
They who flung the earth on thy breast
Turned from the spot williout a tear.
There, I think, on that lonely grave,
Violets spring in the soft May shower;
There, in the summer breezes, wave
Crimson phlox and moccasin flower.
There the turtles alight, and there
Feeds with her fawn the timid doe;
There, when the winter woods are bare,
Walks the wolf on the crackling snow.
Soon wilt thou wipe my tears away;
All my task upon earth is done;
My poor father, old and gray,
Slumbers beneath the churchyard stone.
In the dreams of my lonely bed,
Ever thy form before me seems;
All night long I talk with the dead,
All day long I think of my dreams.
This deep wound that bleeds and aches,
This long pain, a sleepless pain--
When the Father my spirit takes,
I shall feel it no more again.
poem by William Cullen Bryant
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Kill Two Birds With One Stone
You're standing on the edge of realm
Why are you looking down?
I'm feeling really scared for you
Your feet don't touch the ground
My legs are shaking
Your heart is weak
My life will empty
If you don't speak
How do you manage not to move?
You havent turned slightly since i've been here
Why don't you look up above
And quickly walk my way?
Just turn around to me
I need you just to stay
Block the past
Switch the light on
Always look ahead
I will never leave your side
No matter what i've said
If you jump
I jump too
If you die
I've died for you
Two peas in a pod
That is me and you
Me and You
poem by Lucy Vernezze
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How Soon The Servant Sun
How soon the servant sun,
(Sir morrow mark),
Can time unriddle, and the cupboard stone,
(Fog has a bone
He'll trumpet into meat),
Unshelve that all my gristles have a gown
And the naked egg stand straight,
Sir morrow at his sponge,
(The wound records),
The nurse of giants by the cut sea basin,
(Fog by his spring
Soaks up the sewing tides),
Tells you and you, my masters, as his strange
Man morrow blows through food.
All nerves to serve the sun,
The rite of light,
A claw I question from the mouse's bone,
The long-tailed stone
Trap I with coil and sheet,
Let the soil squeal I am the biting man
And the velvet dead inch out.
How soon my level, lord,
(Sir morrow stamps
Two heels of water on the floor of seed),
Shall raise a lamp
Or spirit up a cloud,
Erect a walking centre in the shroud,
Invisible on the stump
A leg as long as trees,
This inward sir,
Mister and master, darkness for his eyes,
The womb-eyed, cries,
And all sweet hell, deaf as an hour's ear,
Blasts back the trumpet voice.
poem by Dylan Thomas
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Mystery Train
(herman parker/sam phillips)
Train arrive 16 coaches long
Train arrive 16 coaches long
Well that long black train
Took my baby back home
Train train rolling round the bend
Train train rolling round the bend
Well it took my baby
Away from me again
Went down to the station
To meet my baby at the gate
Ask the station master
If her train is running late
He said no if your wait
On that old 44
I hate to tell you son
But that train dont stop her anymore
Train train rolling round the bend
Train train rolling round the bend
Well it took my baby
Away from me again
Heard that whistle blowing
It was the middle of the night
When I got down to the station
The train was rolling out of site
Mystery train rolling round the bend
Mystery train rolling round the bend
Well it took my baby
Away from me again
song performed by by Emmylou Harris
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Witness
Across the desert of the burning dark, a
Darkness which illuminates you,
Theres a place youve always wanted to be,
Whose pleasures always did escape you,
Its always been so out of reach, nothing, so near
Ever felt so far
And now its here within your grasp, a never
Ending burning says it all.
Chorus:
As you drive into the darkness, in front the future
Behind you history
Caught alone in the dark night, do you think
Thats the way its supposed to be.
You dont believe your eyes, cos all they see is
Lies, oh yeah.
You better run from the holy man, the eyes that
Will are set uppon you,
Listen not to verse and prayer, song that thrill
And voices tempt you
The inner flame has fear of death, never, has
Light ever seemed so dark.
Pilgrims of sabbocracy, hear the hounds of
Heaven, as they bark
Chorus
I witness a time and a place that never dies, still
Frozen in time,
This darkness the only place that I can hide, i
Witness, a dream.
Chorus
I witness a time and a place that never dies, still
Frozen in time,
This darkness the only place that I can hide, i
Witness a dream.
Oh, just a dream.
song performed by by Black Sabbath
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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To Cry You A Song
Flying so high, trying to remember
How many cigarettes did I bring along?
When I get down Ill jump in a taxi cab
Driving through london town
To cry you a song.
Its been a long time --
Still shaking my wings.
Well, Im a glad bird
I got changes to ring.
Closing my dream inside its paper-bag.
Thought I saw angels
But I could have been wrong.
Search in my case,
Cant find what theyre looking for.
Waving me through
To cry you a song.
Its been a long time --
Still shaking my wings.
Well Im a glad bird
I got changes to ring.
Lights in the street,
Peeping through curtains drawn.
Rattling of safety chain taking too long.
The smile in your eyes was never so sweet before --
Came down from the skies
To cry you a song.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Fallen Tree
Who will dance with the wind now that you’re really gone?
Who will catch the sun’s rays on the hot summer morn?
Who will slow down the gust when it’s out of control?
Who will dilute the air that’s toxic to my soul?
Who will speak to the clouds about sending the rain?
Who will shelter me from the storm and soothe my pain?
Who will stand in the rain when others hide away?
Who will provide a place for little birds to play?
Who will catch my rain drops before they touch the ground?
Who will keep luxuriant grass from turning brown?
Who will present me a fruit for my morning dish?
Who will nourish my eyes and satisfy my wish?
Who will fix this huge hole in the soil of my heart?
Who will give me comfort now that we are apart?
poem by Howard Simon
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Brightest Tomorrow
Upon the face of smooth granite words
Worlds apart yet so very close
We are parallel souls in a ghost world
Every emotion an eternal rose
Capture your salient smile of gold
Your journey without wealth
We must stand tall and bold
Beneath the soil of strange stealth
Today my soul feels that true joy
Resurrection like spring blossoms
Only love travels too vibrant joy
Isn’t the universe and time awesome?
You are with God forever and ever
This moral time has no true honor
We must go thru all kinds of weather
We all shall see the true Father
Necromancy the blight of fervent doubt
Serenade the dusky forlorn castle
Cadence of shadows amidst the shrouds
Cling to the priestly robes and tassels
No answers will resound from the cold
Seek the living in the hands of light
Rise like mountains that never grow old
Leave all vestures of the sullen night
Time means time to show our praise
We are not of time for very long
Inside the soul we know eternity waits
Do you sing a new and joyful song?
What is that sweet gleam in your eye?
Time to let go of all vines of sorrow
Dust too dust but the soul shall rise
I shall live knowing who holds tomorrow
poem by Joseph Narusiewicz
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Gathering Dust
They sink into the ground with silence,
Voices we’ll never hear making a sound,
Only wishful smiles appear in a trance,
Gathering dust where the names are found.
They cannot rise from the deep isles,
To raise a smile even to murmur a sigh,
More darkness pours into the abyss,
Sunlight has closed time against the sky.
Idle flowers bowed in quiet solitude,
Left to revive by the morning early dew,
Flatten with footprints walked in tribute,
Push the hollow ground from distant view.
There they lay on bed of silent dismay,
Awaiting eternity, bodies gathering dust,
Old moss and rocks cover the mystery,
The verdant grass becomes a blanket of rust.
In disguise spirit rise to fly like an arrow,
Leaving the resting place to gather dust,
They may return as forces in a shadow,
And walk over grass where they lay the host.
poem by Gerry Legister
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Cousin....
you know my name, cousin.
you always call me by my name
always in the shallow part of the river
placid, i am, like a linen spread in bed
before sleep time,
we are bathing
and we tell stories about our ancestors
those brave warriors from the north
moving south, finding some fortune long denied them by fate
one day
you prefer to dive with me in the Deep
to find some pearls
the whirlpool sucked you in
and i tried to help, but you allowed it just the same to claim you
up there is the storm of sinking ships
down in where we are is the peaceful ocean floor
i touch your hand and then you breathe again
but it is too late then, you ask me who i am?
but i cannot speak anymore
for now i belong not to the earth but to the sea, the deepest sea
cousin, i am not your cousin.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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It is Spring Time
It is Spring Time
It is spring time.
I can smell it in the air.
I can smell the flowers.
I can smell the grass.
I can touch the grass.
I can touch and taste the vegetable growing in the garden.
The weather is changing.
The weather is warming up.
The trees are blossoming.
The flowers are blossoming.
It is spring time.
Easter has passed.
Beltane has passed.
Spring and May is here.
This is the time to tend to your garden and planted some flowers.
Some people pray to God to protect their garden.
Some people pray to Mother Nature for protect.
I do both and I thank God for this planet.
It is Spring Time.
The animals and bugs come out to play.
The frogs jump around the pond.
The wildflower comes out.
The sky is clean and blue.
The sun is shining.
The horses are running free.
The sunflowers are growing.
When seasons the earth also changes it is a beautiful way.
Nature is every where.
It is spring time.
There is rain and storm.
The trees have leaves and it arms.
The trees are ancient.
An apple falls down from the trees.
This is what thinks spring time is for me.
Spring time is beautiful.
Spring time is when nature is beautiful.
It is spring time.
Spring time is here.
The rabbits come out, and hop round.
The bees are collection honey for us.
The tulips are blossoming.
The roses are blossoming, and looking so beautiful.
The lavender is purple and bright.
Spring time is a time to celebrate.
Spring time is a time to clean our environment.
It is spring time.
Spring time is a time when rain falls.
Spring time is the time when the seasons changes.
Spring time is when the plants grow.
Spring time is my favorite season.
Spring time is the time to be happy.
It is spring time.
poem by Crystal Chown
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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One Jump Ahead Of The Storm
Lightnings flashing all around me,
Thunders rolling up behind.
Big blue clouds are going to roll in
Full of tears and make me blind.
I cant let her man recatch me.
I cant stop to cry no more.
Im just running down the highway,
One jump ahead of the storm.
One jump ahead of her crying,
One jump ahead of her cold cheating arm.
One jump ahead of her lying,
One jump ahead of the storm.
One day I looked on the horizon,
Saw her love just couldnt last.
Oh, my mind was torn to pieces.
I had to leave and get out fast.
And so I slipped out of her power.
I saw my chance and I was gone
Before the rain could start to falling.
One jump ahead of the storm.
Chorus
I was one jump ahead of the storm.
Just one jump ahead of the storm.
I was one jump ahead of the storm.
Just one jump ahead of the storm.
I was one jump ahead of the storm.
Just one jump ahead of the storm.
I was one jump ahead of the storm.
Just one jump ahead of the storm.
song performed by by Eric Clapton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Portal of enemy.....
birth waited us to see the garrison of enemies, and
the womb awake the pain of the promise in the garden of
Adam and Eve, where the pouring out of punishment
resolved
hide me in your strongest muscle and guide my youth to
the destined land, rushing my fingers toes to the cliff of death
in the bleed I fade
release my bosom arm and hurried me not to my weaknesses
and hold to the roaring rain in the blood of my mother's sweat,
stay into the turn of the tide and lay my diaper suite of
emptiness loose
my heart linger on as my legs settle on the ground of home
crib, i breathe, crying to be feed and laughing to be cradle in
the first step i touch the portal of my enemy
by two i walk, until in the last day leaving with three legs i limb,
alas! for a miles i floats in a distance i fly for no one ever lift my
struggle of return, on my heavenly destiny home i belong
oh! my immortal soul, may this moment to stay learn more
to be, true in a miles of enemy, i will be forever go; a portal of
my day to open the wonder of my strength to be free......
poem by Antonio Liao
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