A Psalm of Labouring Life
Tell me not, in doctored numbers,
Life is but a name for work!
For the labour that encumbers
Me I wish that I could shirk.
Life is phony! Life is rotten!
And the wealthy have no soul;
Why should you be picking cotton,
Why should I be mining coal?
Not employment and not sorrow
Is my destined end or way;
But to act that each tomorrow
Finds me idler than today.
Work is long, and plutes are lunching;
Money is the thing I crave;
But my heart continues punching
Funeral time-clocks to the grave.
In the world's uneven battle,
In the swindle known as life,
Be not like the stockyard's cattle--
Stick your partner with the knife!
Trust no boss, however pleasant!
Capital is but a curse!
Strike,--strike in the living present!
Fill, oh fill the bulging purse.!
Lives of strikers all remind us
We can make our lives a crime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Bills for double overtime.
Charges that, perhaps another,
Working for a stingy ten
Bucks a day, some mining brother
Seeing, shall walk out again.
Let us, then, be up and striking,
Discontent with all of it;
Still undoing, still disliking,
Learn to labour--and to quit.
poem by Franklin P. Adams
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Related quotes
A Psalm of Life
Tell me not in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou are, to dust thou returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each tomorrow
Find us farther than today.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solenm main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us then be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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Voices Of The Night : A Psalm Of Life
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream! -
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no Future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act, - act in the living Present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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The Psalm Of Life
What the heart of the young man said to the psalmist
Tell me not, in mournful numbers,
Life is but an empty dream!--
For the soul is dead that slumbers,
And things are not what they seem.
Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
Dust thou art, to dust returnest,
Was not spoken of the soul.
Not enjoyment, and not sorrow,
Is our destined end or way;
But to act, that each to-morrow
Find us farther than to-day.
Art is long, and Time is fleeting,
And our hearts, though stout and brave,
Still, like muffled drums, are beating
Funeral marches to the grave.
In the world's broad field of battle,
In the bivouac of Life,
Be not like dumb, driven cattle!
Be a hero in the strife!
Trust no future, howe'er pleasant!
Let the dead Past bury its dead!
Act,--act in the living present!
Heart within, and God o'erhead!
Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time;
Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again.
Let us, then, be up and doing,
With a heart for any fate;
Still achieving, still pursuing,
Learn to labor and to wait.
poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
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I Search For Meaning In My Life
I search for meaning in my life but meaning i can't find
It's just like chasing shadows through the meadows in the
wind
My boss is off on holidays out cruising with his wife
And i wake at dawn to work for him there must be more to
life? .
I'm one of those who have helped to make that man a
millionaire
And yet for those who work for him he does not seem to care
If i quit this job tomorrow there will be one to take my
place
He will find another labourer to fill the vacant space.
There's surely more to life than this there must be an
easier way
Than working for a wealthy man to earn an honest pay
Perhaps in a few years from now the boss to me will say
You must make way for a younger man you've seen your better
day.
My boss is off on holidays out cruising with his wife
And i wake at dawn to work for him there must be more to
life
I'm one of those who have helped to make that man a
millionaire
And yet for those who work for him he does not seem to care.
poem by Francis Duggan
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A Parody on “A Psalm of Life”
Life is real, life is earnest,
And the shell is not its pen –
“Egg thou art, and egg remainest”
Was not spoken of the hen.
Art is long and Time is fleeting,
Be our bills then sharpened well,
And not like muffled drums be beating
On the inside of the shell.
In the world’s broad field of battle,
In the great barnyard of life,
Be not like those lazy cattle!
Be a rooster in the strife!
Lives of roosters all remind us,
We can make our lives sublime,
And when roasted, leave behind us,
Hen tracks on the sands of time.
Hen tracks that perhaps another
Chicken drooping in the rain,
Some forlorn and henpecked brother,
When he sees, shall crow again.
poem by Oliver Wendell Holmes
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A Pack Of Lies
That from hard work and endeavour up the social rank you will rise
To me anyhow does seem a pack of lies
'Tis just an old cliche that and nothing more
That some like to quote and we have heard before.
Even in so called prosperous Countries today
Some of the hardest working people work for survival pay
Many honest and willing workers living in poverty
Life for them seems unfair that's how 'twould seem to me.
Many of who on the theory of hard work believe
Say if you do not work hard from life you cannot receive
Yet many of the billionaires of mining and property development and oil
Have never experienced the hardship of toil.
Just an antiquated cliche it does seem indeed
That those who work hardest in life do succeed
The underpaid workers create many a billionaire
For millions around the World life does seem unfair.
I know of an old bloke who has worked hard in his working life
And he struggled for to pay for the funeral of his wife
Just one more poor hard worker his type are everywhere
There are millions of them in the big World out there.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Happy Doctors’ Day, 2011
‘Wish you a Happy Doctors Day! ’
The world of people from hearts say;
‘Your life to save lives’, you gave today;
May you on earth happily stay!
All thank you for your sacrifice;
Keep your conduct always nice;
Your job’s a wonderful exercise
Of mind, body, spirit, soul-wise.
You gave your time for others’ sake;
God will never you ev’r forsake;
You can eat and keep Life’s cake
That’s a medical profession’s make!
Love your work with all your heart;
Labour, learn the miraculous craft;
The Maker decides on any graft;
Turn the science into an art!
Keep your spirits always high;
Let not money your heart buy;
Work with zeal until you die;
The Healer, GOD is with you nigh!
poem by John Celes
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All Day
Well Im hiding my eyes from the morning sun
And I keep on working till the work is all done
But a voice in my head keeps ticking away
As the sweats hosed down from yet another day
Well he works hard
And he lives hard
And he breaks his back without nothing to gain
While the boss man sits around and drinks champagne
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
Well Im peeling the blisters off my working hand
Is that what it takes to make you understand?
That its something you read, not something you meant
To be slaving away without a shred of integrity
He worked hard
And he lived hard
And he broke his back without nothing to say
While the man in control was just laughing away
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
Was it something you read?
Was it something you meant?
Was it something you said?
Or was it heaven sent?
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one transition
All day (you work and you work and you work and)
In life, theres just one decision
song performed by by Ministry
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Take Me To Tomorrow
This song was first released on the take me to tomorrow album. it is the only album it has been released on.
Hey everybody, tell me how do you feel
Are you satisfied with your life
Do you think its real
Tell me how is your head
What are your dreams
Do you have any plans
Do you have any schemes
Do you care about - about anybody
Id like to know
Is the answer no
Take me to tomorrow
Take me there today
Ive had my fill of sorrow and living this way
Take me to tomorrow
Thats where Id like to be
The day after tomorrow is waiting for me
Hey everybody, whats on your mind
Do you think theres nowhere else to go
Theres nothing left to find
Are you happy where you are
Do you have anything to share
Do you think youre going to waste your life
Spending it there
Would you like to find a way out
Do think its worth a try
Id like to know
Is the answer no well maybe so
Take me to tomorrow
Take me there today
Ive had my fill of sorrow and living this way
Take me to tomorrow
Thats where Id like to be
The day after tomorrow is waiting for me
Take me to tomorrow
Take me there today
Ive had my fill of sorrow and living your way
Take me to tomorrow
Thats where Id like to be
The day after tomorrow is waiting
The day after tomorrow is waiting
The day after tomorrow is waiting for me
Words and music by john denver
song performed by by John Denver
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Mining For Coal
(Matraca Berg/Ronnie Samoset)
I've searched the world over all of my life
Just looking for something
To make my love shine
Like a candle that burns in the night
But I came up with nothing
Till I looked in your eyes
Deeper and deeper inside
And all of the treasures
I found in your soul
Was like finding a diamond
When you're mining for coal
I've been a fool for glitter and gold
And women that sparkle shiny and cold
Like a statue carved out of ice
They shimmer like tinsel
On a blue Christmas night
But they never were quite so bright
As all of the treasures
That loving you holds
It's like finding a diamond
When you're mining for coal
I was a miner
And you were a rock in the dust
But you became flawless
When you were you polished by love
And when I found you
I lost all control
I found me a diamond
Just mining for coal
song performed by by Randy Travis
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sue me if you can
Sometimes I wonder
what kind of criminals
is doing business today
in the new South Africa
and steal time, labour
and life
from their employees
and claim money
for undelivered services?
The rubbish collectors strike,
as they are not paid
and there is nobody
to collect the rubbish
and still the municipality
charges its fees
while you have to dispose of it
or have to pay other people
to remove it.
Mine workers are in revolt
since from November
they got no salaries
and it’s already the end of march
and some more promises
are made by the mine
that maybe later
fire them all.
A salesman’s sales
goes through the books
and money is received for it
and the boss
transfers all her property
to her children
and says that he
will get no commission
as she is bankrupt:
“sue me if you can.”
poem by Gert Strydom
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A Sane Revolution
If you make a revolution, make it for fun,
don't make it in ghastly seriousness,
don't do it in deadly earnest,
do it for fun.
Don't do it because you hate people,
do it just to spit in their eye.
Don't do it for the money,
do it and be damned to the money.
Don't do it for equality,
do it because we've got too much equality
and it would be fun to upset the apple-cart
and see which way the apples would go a-rolling.
Don't do it for the working classes.
Do it so that we can all of us be little aristocracies on our own
and kick our heels like jolly escaped asses.
Don't do it, anyhow, for international Labour.
Labour is the one thing a man has had too much of.
Let's abolish labour, let's have done with labouring!
Work can be fun, and men can enjoy it; then it's not labour.
Let's have it so! Let's make a revolution for fun!
poem by David Herbert Lawrence
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You Must Work To Make Ends Meet
Have you ever felt so tired as you struggle out of bed
And switch off the alarm clock with a throbbing in your head
At five thirty in the morning as dawn's lamp brighten the sky
And the fluting of the butcherbird to you is not a thing of joy.
And your wife she is still sleeping on the bed snoring she lay
You must make your own breakfast at five thirty a m of the new day
And as you leave for work at six thirty the children are asleep
But to work to keep your wife and family is a duty you must keep.
Your boss drives a new Mercedes which he need not share with his wife
He's just bought her a new B M W such are the ways of life
You work so hard for that man for what would seem as average pay
And you must drive in your old mid eighties Datsun to and from the work yard every day.
And when you ask your boss for a raise to you he always say
More young men come to me almost begging for a job start every day
You can forget a raise in wages and if you decide to quit that is okay
I won't even ask you for to stay on if working for me you don't wish to stay.
You do not like the man you work for he does not pay you nearly enough
Though you have just got to hang in there even though the going is tough
But you must work just to make ends meet you have got big bills to pay
And you drive your old eighties Datsun to and from the work yard every day.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Ethel Winterbottom
Ethel was an ugly girl
But this was not her fault;
It stemmed from drinking beer with men
While standing in the 'vault.'
A Winterbottom through and through,
At fighting she was good;
And thick brown stout ran through her veins
Instead of pure red blood.
Yes Ethel was a bruiser,
Just like her dear old dad;
Some people reckoned she
And all her family were mad.
Her tongue was like a bayonet
And she'd cut you to the quick
For any little trifle,
Such as calling Ethel thick.
The town that Ethel came from
Was born of jet-black coal;
A mining town in Lancashire,
A miner every soul.
Where life was hard and cruel
And you needed to be tough;
Where money was hard worked for
Amongst the jet-black stuff.
Men were very lucky
To reach old age round there;
To leave the pit come pension time,
With all your limbs, was rare.
Now Ethel had three sisters,
A father and a brother;
But living hard, and thick brown stout
Had taken Ethel's mother.
She'd had to grow up quickly
And learn to stand her ground;
No funny business was allowed
When Ethel was around.
She gave her brothers blow for blow
And curse for curse as well;
No man would better Ethel
Yes, she gave the miners hell.
But now the lass was getting on
And weary of life's fights,
The daily grind among the coal,
The long and drunken nights.
No one had ever told her
This didn't have to be;
Now Ethel's in the graveyard,
But beautiful and free.
Written Jan 1996
poem by John Carter Brown
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Incarnation
bring back the future
to the past, the beginning of
life lives yesterdays apart, and day is not
today to say but tomorrow to tell
breath and die, in every
day you take, every single moment
is a break, for you should not die, just to die,
but to die in today's goodbye
life have been there, in the
paradise lives forever, let your heart
fill its empty, then live today and walk through
eternity, don’t worry of the past for yesterday is
not a way, but now is the hour to
ponder, where it says a good
day to life that is easy, to
continue without misery
happy are you, who believed
that day to come, in life there is always
a good way, the destiny that each and everyone
want to stay, in a journey everybody has to
go home, and shout that life is just a
walk to believe and live; until it
reaches to the end, of once our
dear sweet, sweet home....Welcome back
my child
poem by Antonio Liao
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Lovingly Do The Work
Work is
Life...
Life is work...
Any work is not
Wrong...
Without work is
Worng...
Human every budy works
Wny way too work...s
Work is making you...
Work is given good life
For you...and your's...
So...
Understand too work
Earn money too work...
Live life with your work...
Love too work...
Learn to do the work...
Lovingely do the work...
poem by Otteri Selvakumar
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Lap Of Luxury
I work all day and I work all night 4x
I work all day and I work all night
I work so my wife and kids will have a pleasant life
I work as many jobs as I can
Im proud to work I guess Im just a working man
-who am I to complain
I live in the lap of luxury
I got a car and a big tv thats so fine
I go to the pictures when I can
-the pictures take me to far-away lands
-almost makes me forget who I am
Sometimes at work Ive a fantasy
That Im a man who livesa life of mystery
(but) then the whistle brings me to
I cant forget why Im here, Ive got a job to do
-responsibility- is much more important to a man like me
I work all day and I work all night
I work all day and I work all night - etc. etc.
Guitar solo
I got a job at the factory
But I dont mind cause I know that the job is right for me
I dont complain Im satisfied
And I dont care to rub elbows with the wealthy
Theyve got their problems too, I dont envy them a bit dont ya know
Im doin what I want and it aint so bas
Ive got everything that a man could have
(Im) living in the lap of luxury - living in the lap of luxury
Work all day and I work all night
I work all day and I work all night etc. etc.
song performed by by Oingo Boingo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Redemption’s Testimony
Does my life bring evident reality, to the souls that need to see,
The redemptive work of Jesus Christ, active in my present life?
Do they see a change within, my life, knowing who I had been?
Knowing how I lived before, I entered through Salvation’s Door.
Am I truly willing to pay the price, to be for my Lord a sacrifice?
Putting all my wants aside, to serve The One, who for me died?
Willing today, to deny myself, to point others to Eternal Wealth,
A wealth they’ll not see on earth, until they experience New Birth.
Born through the Spirit of Christ, that day Jesus enters their life,
And they too, become sanctified, as The Spirit now lives inside,
Now, to dwell within their heart, while by God, they are set apart,
As His children, with me and you, to now, begin their lives anew.
A life we must let God display, within our lives from day to day,
Christ’s Love with His Grace, while He moves us place to place,
As we live life for God’s Glory, while living out salvation’s story,
As The Savior uses all of us, redeemed sinners, in Christ Jesus.
Redeemed from the market of sin, to live this life anew for Him,
To be redemption’s testimony, no longer just a religious phony,
No longer here to be conformed, to this world, but transformed,
As Christ’s Light to the world, with Redemption’s Truth to herald.
(Copyright ©07/2010)
It Fill You Up
There's something going on
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
There's something going on
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
But you don't know what it is
But you don't know what it is
But you don't have to know
You just take it for what it is (spoken)
Within this melody
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
There's more then you can see
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
There's another realm
There's another world
With kings and queens
Yeah yeah
That's why you got to face the facts
That's why you gotta testify (suggested)
You gotta do and die (suggested)
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
You got to do in that
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
You got to sing with the music and groove
You got to turn on the music and groove
Every every every day
You know what I'm talking about (spoken)
It fill you up, it fill you up (spoken)
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Yeah!
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Yeah!
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Get you rolling in the money
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Work out a few kinks
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
It fill you up to the brim Jim
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Lord have mercy
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
Come here baby
It fill you up, it fill you up, it fill you up now
(Transcribed by ear; corrections requested and welcomed!)
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Maybe Tomorrow
Maybe tomorrow and I will see, if I have time to ponder on Eternity.
For I have no time to contemplate, that is something that can wait.
I have many things to do today, and I have no time along the way.
Eternity is not important my friend, it’s a long time before the end.
It may be short or it may be long, be prepared you won’t go wrong.
For everyone will go in time, your departure is different than mine.
Some counting on tomorrow, will leave this earth in much sorrow.
While those prepared to depart, will leave earth with a joyful heart.
There are men who can’t conceive, in the afterlife that we believe.
They just can not comprehend, that things continue after they end,
After they end, here on the earth; temporal home of a natural birth.
For after your body ceases to be, the soul continues on for eternity.
In your own heart you can prepare, to meet The Lord up in the air.
There are men who’ll have no part, of letting Christ into their heart.
Even if you’re just not sure, you my friend, will still meet The Lord.
For it is destined for all my friend, to face His Judgment in the end.
As you live your earthly life, what are you doing about Jesus Christ?
When all here is said and done, are you ready to meet God’s Son?
That is when the world shall see, that ahead for all men is Eternity.
But for you to have Eternal Life, today you must accept Jesus Christ.
(Copyright ©10/2005)