The Trenches
Endless lanes sunken in the clay,
Bays, and traverses, fringed with wasted herbage,
Seed-pods of blue scabious, and some lingering blooms;
And the sky, seen as from a well,
Brilliant with frosty stars.
We stumble, cursing, on the slippery duck-boards.
Goaded like the damned by some invisible wrath,
A will stronger than weariness, stronger than animal fear,
Implacable and monotonous.
Here a shaft, slanting, and below
A dusty and flickering light from one feeble candle
And prone figures sleeping uneasily,
Murmuring,
And men who cannot sleep,
With faces impassive as masks,
Bright, feverish eyes, and drawn lips,
Sad, pitiless, terrible faces,
Each an incarnate curse.
Here in a bay, a helmeted sentry
Silent and motionless, watching while two sleep,
And he sees before him
With indifferent eyes the blasted and torn land
Peopled with stiff prone forms, stupidly rigid,
As tho’ they had not been men.
Dead are the lips where love laughed or sang,
The hands of youth eager to lay hold of life,
Eyes that have laughed to eyes,
And these were begotten,
O Love, and lived lightly, and burnt
With the lust of a man’s first strength: ere they were rent,
Almost at unawares, savagely; and strewn
In bloody fragments, to be the carrion
Of rats and crows.
And the sentry moves not, searching
Night for menace with weary eyes.
poem by Frederic Manning
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
There's fear in my eyes
No sorrows in my life
No enemies to fight
There are thousand reasons to smile
Yet there's fear in my eyes
Sweet dreams to see
Beautiful day to live
There are many reasons to love
Yet there's fear in my eyes
No fire to burn
No darkness to curse
No valleys to fall
Yet there's fear in my eyes
A Mother to love
A Father to care
A sweet family to live with
Yet there's fear in my eyes
All friend with me
No enemies far mile
There are all relations of truth
Yet there's fear in my eyes
Showers of blessings on me
All smiling faces for me
All words of love for me
Yet there's fear in my eyes
But what I fear for I'm unknown
What? When all these things will go
And I'll be left all alone?
And for all these things I'll have to say bye! !
May be for this reason
There's fear in my eyes
There's fear in my eyes
poem by Differently Indifferent
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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We sleep like hours unslept in the eyes
we sleep like hours unslept in the eye
we wakefully take them to the first of dawn
'let something break out' you say
and I am silent my eyes are silent
my lips are pregnant with sleep
we sleep like leaves forgotten by the tree
we rootlessly take them to a garden heart
'let something plant us' you say
and I am sad my eyes are sad
my lips are yearning for sleep
we sleep like lakes moon shattered rays
we facelessly list them unto the names
'let there be something' you say
and I am crying my eyes are crying
my lips can deliver no sleep
poem by Miroslava Odalovic
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Before I Close my Eyes
Before I close my eyes to sleep the last sound I must hear is your voice saying I love you.
Before I close my eyes to sleep the last thing my lips must press up against is yours.
Before I close my eyes to sleep the last thing my eyes must gaze upon in yours.
Before I close my eyes to sleep the last touch I must feel is the warmth of your embrace.
I must do all these things before I close my eyes every night because tomorrow is not promise, and if tonight should be my last night I want it to end with you.
Villanelle
We said farewell, my youth and I,
When all fair dreams were gone or going,
And Love’s red lips were cold and dry.
When white blooms fell from tree-tops high—
Our Austral winter’s way of snowing—
We said farewell, my youth and I.
We did not sigh—what use to sigh
When Death passed as a mower mowing,
And Love’s red lips were cold and dry?
But hearing Life’s stream thunder by,
That sang of old through flowers flowing,
We said farewell, my youth and I.
There was no hope in the blue sky,
No music in the low winds blowing,
And Love’s red lips were cold and dry.
My hair is black as yet, then why
So sad! I know not, only knowing
We said farewell, my youth and I.
All are not buried when they die;
Dead souls there are through live eyes showing
When Love’s red lips are cold and dry.
So, seeing where the dead men lie,
Out of their hearts the grave-flowers growing,
We said farewell, my youth and I,
When Love’s red lips were cold and dry.
poem by Victor James Daley
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Eyes
Eyes are blue
Eyes are green
Eyes are true
Eyes are mean
Eyes are bright
Give the light
Eyes are black
Like the night
Eyes are cold
Eyes are warm
Eyes are angry
Like a storm
Eyes are kind
Eyes are blind
Eyes are evil
Eyes of devil
Eyes are hungry
Eyes of walls
Eyes are empty
Eyes of dolls
Eyes are loving
Eyes are charming
Eyes are lying
Truth denying
Eyes are haughty
Eyes are naughty
Eyes are naïve
To all they believe
Eyes are strained
A fear remained
Eyes without hope
Ready for the rope
Eyes are vulnerable
Eyes that gamble
Eyes are sensitive
Eyes are attentive
Eyes are stubborn
Eyes are submissive
Eyes of a new born
Eyes are pensive
Loving eyes are true
Black, brown or blue
My eyes are green
A lot they have seen
©Larisa Rzhepishevska
January 11th,2011
poem by Larisa Rzhepishevska
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Song of Wrong [ You Laughed and Laughed and Laughed ]
In your eyes
My song is one of wrong
Intruding into your heart
And you laughed and
Laughed and laughed.
.
In your heart, you knew
I could be there,
Cause you brought me here.
And you laughed and
Laughed and laughed.
.
In your soul,
You knew I want you
In my home.
'cause you brought me hope.
And you laughed and
Laughed and laughed.
.
You laughed at my wrong
You laughed at my right.
You laughed over
Everything I do.
.
And now, my love I give to you
But you shut your eyes and
Laughed and laughed
And laughed.
.
You laughed at my walk
You laughed at my song.
.
You walked your walk
Into my life of wrong
Knowing all along
You could change me in all.
.
But you shot your heart
To my love
And you walked away from
My heart, and you laughed
And laughed and laughed.
poem by Efe Benjamin
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Dreams
Spare a little candle
Save some light for me
Figures up ahead
Moving in the trees
White skin in linen
Perfume on my wrist
And the full moon that hangs over
These dreams in the mist
Darkness on the edge
Shadows where I stand
I search for the time
On a watch with no hands
I want to see you clearly
Come closer than this
But all I remember
Are the dreams in the mist
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
Is it cloak n dagger
Could it be spring or fall
I walk without a cut
Through a stained glass wall
Weaker in my eyesight
The candle in my grip
And words that have no form
Are falling from my lips
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
There's something out there
I can't resist
I need to hide away from the pain
There's something out there
I can't resist
The sweetest song is silence
That I've ever heard
Funny how your feet
In dreams never touch the earth
In a wood full of princes
Freedom is a kiss
But the prince hides his face
From dreams in the mist
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
song performed by by Heart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Old Flames Cant Hold A Candle To You
Downtown tonight, I saw an old friend, someone who
I use to take comfort from long before I met you
I caught a spark from his eyes of forgotten desire
With a word, or a touch, I could have rekindled that fire
Old flames cant hold a candle to you
No one can light up the night like you do
Flickering embers of love
Ive known one or two
But old flames cant hold a candle to you
Sometimes at night, I think of old lovers Ive known
I remember how holding them helped me not feel so alone
Then I feel you beside me and even their memories are gone
Like stars in the night lost in the sweet light of dawn
Old flames cant hold a candle to you
No one can light up the night like you do
Flickering embers of love
Ive known one or two
But old flames cant hold a candle to you
Old flames cant hold a candle to you
Mmmm...
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Morning After
Awakened by the sun light
Victimized by last night
Memories flashin through my head
Was I just born or am I dead?
Yesterdays forgotten, the morning after
I can taste you, I can hear your laughter
Fading in the distance
Recollections drifting
Bloodstains on my tattered clothes
Each minute the fear grows
If I could just lay down to rest
Im tired of searching for myself
If I am dead, how can I feel such love?
If I am dead, why am I dreaming?
If I am dead, where do I go from here?
If I am dead, why does this pain feel so good?
Is this my blood dried upon my face?
Or is it the love of someone else?
It tastes so sweet, just like you used to
So rescue me my love, splice us together
I remember loving you so much
But where are you and wheres your fatal touch?
When I closed my eyes, was it my siesta?
Did I encounter a darkness stronger than sleep?
I am thirsty for my sleep
There are no answers anyway...
song performed by by Faith No More
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I see a day withering in the west
I see a day withering in the west
and although it is past
I am truly blessed
and wonder if a day as this
will ever come along again?
Your eyes are bright in the twilight
and your smile more brilliant
than the stars in the sky
and the beauty and wonder in your eyes
hit deep into my heart.
When our lips meet
it is not to greet and the passion
flows strong, much stronger
than I remember
and suddenly I know
that every day with you
I will be truly blessed
and if destiny was at my behest
I would want to have you with me
long past eternity.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Glow
Glow,
Take out this foreign heart,
Wash oof the sand that seeps out through my eyes,
Ive still sleep in my eyes.
Cold,
Colds how we felt so long,
Accuse me of crying and speaking of lies.
Ive still sleep in my eyes,
Ive still sleep in my eyes,
Glow like a lover.
Out,
Out is the winter pale,
Gold rising june in the blue of my eye,
Ive still sleep in my eyes.
Glow, this is my family,
Send for the soul you can soon realise.
Ive still sleep in my eyes,
Ive still sleep in my eyes,
Glow like a lover.
song performed by by Spandau Ballet
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The love and the rain
It was raining and the dark covered every where
The silent nature was watching over them
But they why were so sad and silent
Maybe they were two separated lovers
Here is a little blond girl
With her curly hair covered her shoulders
With sorrowful eyes she were looking around
She was searching for her lost love
The boy had so bright lovely eyes
His eyes were searching for his lost love
He was so sad standing there like a poor
Waiting for the return of his sad love
The rain got worse and the wind begun to shout
The clouds above strongly slept each other
But two lovers were standing still there
Looking to each other innocent and endless
poem by Sossi Khachadourian
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Cup Of Water!
watching falling stars....
or the look your eyes
dont lingering give...
the tone of your voice
haunts graveyards before children,
silences the final clock!
and we walk not alone amid ghosts
and disembodied bodies....
all reaching out with bleeding lips....
no murmur, no cries, silent soldiers
bearing the burnt cross of life....
searching for freedom, and
a cup of water!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Hallelujah for a women's love
Once when I cried for freedom
For freedoms ancient sleep
I lay on my bed in my kingdom
Feeling sad so sad and bleak.
Once when I laughed the world laughed too
And so my one true love did you;
Once when my heart was a ball and chain,
Love—saved my soul from the pain.
Once when the sun was cold,
And the moon was warm.
"I listened to those thoughts..? "
Echoing in my soul!
And sang: Hallelujah...
Hey, hey, hallelujah...
Hey, hey, hallelujah...
Once when all hope seemed a pitiless dream
I sat by your side and prayed.
And like Job I vented my anger at the earth
For giving me eyes life staid.
{In this shadows burning, shade! }
But you touched my soul
With your angel-wingtips
And alter bread your body,
Across my swollen lips!
As the suns and moons were shed,
Oh then I knew for sure, I wasn't dead.
As angels wailed, and fled...
I gave thanks to a women's bed.
Hallelujah...
Hey, hey, hallelujah...
Hey, hey, hallelujah...
For a women's love is a shapely thing!
That'll make you sing...
Hallelujah...
Hey, hey, hallelujah...
poem by Mark Heathcote
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Stars have eyes! !
Stars have eyes
Did anyone ever see the eyes on stars?
The eyes on stars full of soul
Look any longer they take control
Did anyone ever see the eyes on stars?
The eyes on stars behold the sight
Look any longer and glide free like a kite
Did anyone see the eyes on stars?
The eyes on stars oh what a smile
Look any longer they’ll lite your darkness for a mile
Did anyone see the eyes on stars?
The eyes on stars share the love
Look any longer you know it comes from above
Well now you’ve seen the eyes on stars
Shared the beautiful soul amazed by their wonder
Enchanted by the smile
And overwhelmed by the love
But look any longer you will see the pain
The pain on the eyes of stars
Never to be concealed by the rain
The eyes on stars cry
Never to be wiped dry
The eyes on stars cry
The eyes on stars cry blood tears
Permanently there reminding of fears
The eyes on stars cry
The eyes on stars cry
Stars eyes cry
Stars eyes cry
Stars eyes cry
They cry blood
Stars eyes cry
Stars eyes smile
Stars have eyes
Stars eyes.
Lerato Ladyfair Shuping
poem by Lerato Shuping
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The Denial of St. Peter
(after Caravaggio's, The Denial of St. Peter)
On the edge
hands clenched,
sad eyes downcast
bitter fear forcing tight his lips
he holds his breath
he pauses
as the angry finger
of the state
points at his throat,
hard eyes searching Peter's
indecision
for rash conviction;
but she, she knows
has seen before
his adoring eyes, heard his
boastful voice
by the campfire
of the condemned.
Slowly he moves
toward the inevitable lie
as the bloody sun
stirs to song
the drowsy cock.
poem by Steven Federle
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Glow (12")
Glow,
take out this foreign heart,
wash oof the sand that seeps out through my eyes,
I've still sleep in my eyes.
Cold,
cold's how we felt so long,
accuse me of crying and speaking of lies.
I've still sleep in my eyes,
I've still sleep in my eyes,
glow like a lover.
Out,
out is the winter pale,
gold rising June in the blue of my eye,
I've still sleep in my eyes.
Glow, this is my family,
send for the soul you can soon realise.
I've still sleep in my eyes,
I've still sleep in my eyes,
glow like a lover.
song performed by by Spandau Ballet
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Gypsy
Written by stevie nicks.
So Im back, to the velvet underground
Back to the floor, that I love
To a room with some lace and paper flowers
Back to the gypsy that I was
To the gypsy... that I was
And it all comes down to you
Well, you know that it does
Well, lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
Ah, and it lights up the night
And you see your gypsy
You see your gypsy
To the gypsy that remains faces freedom with a little fear
I have no fear, I have only love
And if I was a child
And the child was enough
Enough for me to love
Enough to love
She is dancing away from me now
She was just a wish
She was just a wish
And a memory is all that is left for you now
You see your gypsy
You see your gypsy
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you
And it all comes down to you
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes
And it all comes down to you
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes
And it all comes down to you
I still see your bright eyes, bright eyes
(she was just a wish)
(she was just a wish)
And it all comes down to you
Lightning strikes, maybe once, maybe twice
And it all comes down to you
song performed by by Fleetwood Mac
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Orpheus In The Underworld
Curtains of rock
And tears of stone,
Wet leaves in a high crevice of the sky:
From side to side the draperies
Drawn back by rigid hands.
And he came carrying the shattered lyre,
And wearing the blue robes of a king,
And looking through eyes like holes torn in a screen;
And the distant sea was faintly heard,
From time to time, in the suddenly rising wind,
Like a broken song.
Out of his sleep, from time to time,
From between half open lips,
Escaped the bewildered words which try to tell
The tale of his bright night
And his wing-shadowed day
The soaring flights of thought beneath the sun
Above the islands of the seas
And all the deserts, all the pastures, all the plains
Of the distracting foreign land.
He sleeps with the broken lyre between his hands,
And round his slumber are drawn back
The rigid draperies, the tears and wet leaves,
Cold curtains of rock concealing the bottomless sky.
poem by David Gascoyne
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Death
He, born of my girlhood, is dead, while my life is yet young in my heart
Ere the breasts where his baby lips fed have forgotten their softness, we part.
We part. He was mine, he was here, though he travelled by land and by sea,
My son who could trample on fear, my babe who was moulded in me.
As I sat in the darkness, it seemed I could still feel his touch on my head;
He came in the night as I dreamed, and he knelt at the side of my bed;
He murmured the words I had taught when his lips were the lips of a child,
Ere the strength of his arm had been bought and the love that upheld him defiled;
Then my faltering spirit grew bold, and my heart had forgotten its drouth,
And I crooned little songs as of old, till I woke at his kiss on my mouth.
Now waking and sleeping are pain. Nevermore will he kiss, nevermore
Shall I hear his low whistle again at the gate, or his step on the floor,
For to-night he was here while I slept, and this is the end of it all.
Now that welter of darkness has swept us apart, can he come if I call?
Can he come, little chap with the eyes that brought light out of heaven to earth?
Can he come, though the soul of me cries for the joy that I bought by his birth?
I can see but the horror that bids the heart of the mother despair,
The vision that burns on my lids, the face that will always be there,
For he holds out his hands to me, red, and his eyes tell the truth as he stands.
He is dead. He is dead. He is dead. He is dead, with the blood on his hands.
poem by John Le Gay Brereton
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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