Odysseus to Pallas Athena
Maiden in armour
thy shield at thy side
and lightning bolts resting
in the place that they hide,
come talk to me
as companion and friend.
How many times have thee led me
and stood as sentinel
at the prow of my ship
and through huge waves
and storms guaranteed a good trip.
Through lonesome travels
like a shadow
you accompanied me
over land and sea
and as thy servant
I forever will be.
Pallas Athena, by the force
of my war bow
and bronze spears have I slain
those that tried to woo my wife
and untimely celebrated my death,
but only by thy appearance
victory was truly mine.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Where Shadows Fall
Behold the shadow at my back
As to the sun I face,
Just there behind and keeping track
And all my deeds to trace...
As if a witness without eyes
With records safely kept,
Of when I woke and then to rise
And then returned and slept...
Behold the shadow at my side
As by the sun I stood,
As if it were my conscience guide
Alerting to God's good...
As if a comfort on the way,
Companion, soulmate, friend...
Forever with me day-by-day
Until life's journey's end...
Behold my shadow dead ahead
As from Earth's sun I walk,
To meet the Lord, the One who bled...
Once there, with Christ to talk...
My spirit body starts to glow...
Now perfect without flaw!
Then my fading, faithful shadow
Bids, 'Good-bye' forever more...
poem by Denis Martindale
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Odysseus
I saw him, a brave man, a king
standing tall at the helm
wearing the armour of great Achilles
carrying a great sword on his back
steering against a stormy wind
and renown among his own men
as the man whose plan made Troy fall
but beside him I saw a maiden
in gleaming armour, with lightning bolts
intertwining like snakes just below her breasts
with flowing long golden hair blowing like a flag
and in a ravaging sea they journey on
escaping the wrath of the waves, the storm
and the monsters that dwell in it.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Table Bay
The sun sets over table bay
and that rough sea lies calm
and a moon rises full,
above the waves
and the thundering breakers
roar like they did
many years before
Odysseus sailed from the island of Ithaca
and went to Troy to war
where he accompanied the heroes
Neoptolemus and Philoctetes and the
armour and shield of great Achilles,
was his to take
and for years he dwelt
on stormy seas and in far away lands.
If per chance his ship would stray
and reach the cape of storms
in another age and time
and his eyes could see
the beauty of that lovely shore,
no other place would
his ship sail to
When Bartolomeu Dias set his ships sails
and left king John ashore,
he was prepared to sail
to the ends of the earth
and no horrendous sea creature
could keep his ships in check.
I wonder what he thought
when the fog faded away
and table mount sprang into view
and table bay lay stretched out
up to its shore
and when he set his cross
did he know that he was marking
a great place
and when he marked his charts
did he wish to come back
to that stormy Cape?
When King John gave the name
Cabo da Bõa Esperança,
did he know that he was naming a place
from where a nation would sprout
and that it would become a city of hope?
[Reference: =>”Cabo da Bõa Esperança=>Cape of Good Hope”]
poem by Gert Strydom
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White Prism
Theres a white prism with phony jism
Spread across its face
And the soulful convicts forever interred
Lose the smile across their faces
The smile that registered hopes or dreams
Has proven just a waste
And Im the indentured servant
Forever in his place
Im the indentured servant
Forever in his place
I wish I built a cabinet
Of shiny bolts and wood
Secret draws and hiding places
Sculpted out of wood
Secret places, secret lies
In a desk lying alone
A secret letter written to you
To be read when youre alone
A secret letter written to you
To be read when youre alone
It says, Im your indentured servant
I can no longer pretend
That Im a lover or an equal
Im not even a friend
Im not good enough to serve you
Im not good enough to stay
So it is that I beseech you
To please turn me away
So it is that I beseech you
To please turn me away
Turn me away
Turn me away
Turn me away
Im asking you to let me go
It hurts me when youre sad
And I can not do better than this
Which must surely make you mad
Id be better off in your cabinet
Or in a prison made of cloth
Crouched beneath your dress I come
Shooting little spurts
Crouched beneath your dress I come
Shooting little spurts
Im your indentured servant
But even I have pride
In what I make or say or do
Although Ive lots to hide
I hide from freedom and I hide from you
cause youve found me out
I belong in prison beneath your legs
In a cabinet that Ive built
Beneath a candle in a secret drawer
In a prison by a moat
Im your indentured servant
And Im asking you to leave
Me outside this prison cell
Where only you can breathe
I-i-i, Im your indentured servant
But Im asking you for this
Please release me from this love
And do it with a kiss
Im your indentured servant
Im the one youll miss
Do it with a kiss
Do it with a kiss
Do it with a kiss
Im the one youll miss
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Talk About The Good Times
(words & music by jerry reed hubbard)
Well I remember when I was as children
The time the people used to treat the neighbor like a fellow man
And all their singin and big prayer meetins
When a man was proud to walk up and shake his neighbors hand
Oh you talk about the good times,
Talk about the good times
Oh if you ever needed help a friend was there
Some good neighbor
Help lift your burden
Mmm, and the simple joys of life a friend would share
Times are harder and the people are changin
Now most folks couldnt tell you who their neighbors are
All their guns are loaded, the front doors are bolted
Aint this ol world takin hate and fear just a little too far
Oh you talk about the good times,
Talk about the good times
I wish I could go back to the days Im speakin of
When a friend would meet you
And a smile would greet you
What this ol world needs now is a little old fashioned love
My granddaddy God rest his soul now
Well we had a big long talk together the day he died
Said son this world is full of hate and venom
An I cant wait to leave this ol place and rest on the other side
Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
Im gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol days
Well have a big hand shakin
An sit and talk together
Sit down by the river jordan and sing our blues away
Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
Im gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol days
Well have a big hand shakin
An sit and talk together
Sit down by the river jordan and sing our blues away
Oh you talk about the good times, talk about the good times
Talk about the good times
Im gonna see all the friends I knew in the good ol days
Well have a big hand shakin
An sit and talk together
Sit down by the river jordan and sing our blues away
song performed by by Elvis Presley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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What's In New York? (Part II)
As I screamed the chorus of 'New York' by Snow Patrol to him, he screams it back at me:
'Come on, Come out
Come here, Come here
Come on, Come out
Come here, Come here'
Shocked, I turn looking Northward...I then advance toward him...he waves beckoning that I should run....I do and I'm taken up in mid-air...He then proceeds to tell me why I should be Northward and not in 'New York'(the world) ...
'The lone neon light and the ache of the ocean and the fire that was starting to spark...I miss it all from the love to the lightning and the lack of it snaps me in two...Just give me a sign that there's an end not a beginning to the quiet chaos driving me mad...the lone neon light and the warmth of the ocean and the fire that is starting go out'...
I cry, he cries too, but wipes mine and tells me...The angels, the heavenly hosts have always been there...I made you from dust and breathed all of me into you...I wanted a friend...A companion...I wanted you...
I talked and laughed with Adam...we ran and played together(the fire that was starting to spark) ...He was like me but we were different... so I made him a companion of his kind...But sin came and took my friend away...I cried and was broken, but still found it in me to make him some clothes to wear as he walked away from me forever(the fire that was starting to go out) ...From that day till this day, few people put me first(the quiet chaos driving me mad) ...Heaven's justice demands your death for your sins...I, the judge took off my glorious robe and left my throne...stood with you in the dock and took your place...I died for you...so, that in all ways we would be friends again...I am loved for what I can do, not who I am(I miss it all from the love to the lightning) ...I love it when you sing to me and read your heart to me...I love you...Come on, Come out, be my friend, talk to me and when you can, walk with me...I will always love you in spite of you...You always come first with me...I hope someday I will come first with you...
He danced with me to the song of all songs(his life) and gently placed me with his hands back in 'New York' to make a choice. I chose him. I choose him. What comes first with you? He loves you.
P.S: Alexander Pope wrote:
'You purchase pain with all that joy can give
And die of nothing but a rage to live'.
poem by Jenim Dibie
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Death Is My Companion
(4/3/12)
Where do we go from here? When death is very near.
Is there another plateau we must climb
Before we reach the end of the line.
Death is just a resting place - a rest stop if you must!
You will not be afraid if in GOD you put your trust.
Death is my companion - he holds my hand
Death is my companion - he understands.
Known as the angel of death, the grim reaper
Of this temporary life he is the keeper.
In his clutches you'll be for a short spell
Till they decide if you're going to heaven or hell.
This is a rest stop where you take a break
Till they decide what is your fate.
So while I am on this plateau
There is no where that I will go.
Where do we go from here?
Your guess is as good as mine
As long as I'm not here until the ends of time.
This must be purgatory that I hear so much about
Maybe this is where we can turn our lives about.
Death! I know you're my companion
And we have walked hand in hand
But there is something I think you should understand
There are things on this earth that I must do
And until I finish them, my life on earth is not through.
I put my faith in GOD that he will show me the way
And from that road, I know I will not stray.
poem by Louis Rams
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No Tears In heaven
To All My Friends Relatives Gone before me and who will go after me....
No Tears In Heaven!
A friend is someone who lends a helping hand,
With a friendship to last forever in this earthly land
They will be friends forever and may not end up together,
With precious memories that will last forever and ever.
A friend is not a maid, a servant, a distant past, certainly not!
They hold a piece of you in their hearts and its forget me not.
Brightens up your deepest darkest hour... day by day
Shares your smile, your victory, in many a glorious way,
Words to describe, i certainly find it hard and its sad
But i am grateful, friends have i, when my times are bad.
And when the curtain falls the journey bravely we will carry on
Wondering.. Will you know my name if I saw you in heaven?
poem by Shirani Ibrahim
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The Speed Of Love
Words by neil peart, music by geddy lee and alex lifeson
Love is born with lightning bolts
Electro-magnetic force
Burning skin and fireworks
A storm on a raging course
Like a force of nature,
Love can fade with the stars at dawn
Sometimes it takes all your strength
Just to keep holding on
At the speed of love
A radiance that travels
At the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
Love is born with solar flares
From two magnetic poles
It moves towards a higher plane
Where two halves make two wholes
Like a force of nature,
Love shines in many forms
One night we are bathed in light
One day carried away in the storms
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
We dont have to talk
We dont even have to touch
I can feel your prescence
In the silence that we share
Got to keep moving
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
Got to keep on shining
At the speed of love
Nothing changes faster
Than the speed of love
My heart goes out to you
song performed by by Rush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Long have I dreamed as a warrior
Long have I dreamed
as a warrior
to have the right weapons
and armour
to be able to face any foe.
Bring me the shield of Achilles
that can block every blow
and twist to wherever
An enemy go.
Give me the aegis of Athena
to cover my back and my chest
on which the circling snakes
never rest
and spit beams of lightning
on whoever touches me.
Let the giant sword of Goliath
find its way into my hand
and when the blue steel flickers
no enemy will be able to stand.
but moreover let the spear of bitter mercy
protect me
even against unseen enemies
and let me remember
who’s side it did pierce
and always be true to Him.
poem by Gert Strydom
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A Rent Free Home To Live In
once you were offered
a rent free home to live in
for you and your family
a full time job
for both your wife
and yourself
a much higher salary
than you were making
a salary for your wife
house was warm freshly painted
beautify prepared for your family
not taken was this opportunity
a school was next street behind
but a short walk for your children
your salary was fully guaranteed
house waited empty a full year for thee
opportunity open dawn bright for thee
salary guaranteed in perpetuity for thee
you chose instead nuts and bolts living
you choose instead continued paying renting
time passes now your bills I am not paying
poem by Terence George Craddock
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A real despair
I shall call on you not out of despair
I will be there when it has gone beyond repair
It won’t look in niceites and fair
It is definitely blown over by air
I shall be on your side for all the times
It has been witnessed in recent times
You too stood for values and principles
I was always there as staunch disciples
The clouds were gathering storms
The relation was strained and not remaining warm
I could see great difficulty and danger
It should not have been spoiled with anger
The shadow looming large over our relation
There was going to be big mark in question
How could I thwart off the situation?
It still needed some solace or evaluation
I was not expecting to do a wonder
But still I had many questions to ponder
I had lot more to do the good to the friendship
It was to remain in tact as companionship
I could emotionally hide my feeling
It was inwardly pinching and killing
I had earnest try to keep it in tact
This was to be the centre core in fact
I would love to be on his side
The speculation was very wide
I had nothing to hold back or hide
There might have been some deviation slidr
I shall strive for nice spot
It may not be considered than big blot
We may blow some times cold or hot
The wordy dual is unnecssarily fought
I may still go for fair name
People may have no chance to blame
It will be nice and pefect bond
I always stood for it and was very much fond
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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Man Watches And Sees
Man watches you hide behind
your shadow.
Why do you think you need to
to hide?
No man should want to hide
along side or behind his
shadow.
Stand up and show your
face to man.
Your life will still travel on.
And your shadow, will
follow behind.
No shadow can stay still
even at your will.
You are, your shadow of you..
You'll always travel together
It'll be forever.
No man can travel without
his shadow.
As long as there is light
from earth or man made.
Then you will always travel along
with your shadow
poem by Gayle Anne Goff
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The Flying Dutchman
The blue water stretches
as far as visibility allows to see
and there’s fog
rising white before the storm
out of the water.
The dusk becomes grey
and the sea from blue to dark black
while the night
darker than ink, as only companion
folds over the old ancient ship.
It’s Van der Decken standing as tiller man
behind the big wheel
and forever he steers the ship
on the journey that she goes.
Always cursing
his loud voice thunders
like lightning falling around him
for sailors to tend the sails right
and sails are hoisted crunching, groaning and trembling
with strong ropes
and the ship jumps
over the smashing waves.
Like a phantom
the Flying Dutchman appears
with white sails like a wraith
over the horizon
where it sails before a storm with speed.
The ship becomes lager
as the storm wind
brings her closer
and you hear her creak
against the power of the wind.
There’s thunder bolts blinding suddenly
and sea birds flies screeching
out in front of her,
while Van der Decken’s skeleton
drills his men powerless
to set the sails right
that is vibrating against the wind.
“How long still Lord, ”
echoes against the sea and sky,
without a answer
ever coming
and suddenly the ship is gone
as if it disappeared in the naught.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Come O'er the Sea
Come o'er the sea,
Maiden with me,
Mine through sunshine, storm, and snows;
Seasons may roll,
But the true soul
Burns the same, where'er it goes.
Let fate frown on, so we love and part not;
'Tis life where thou art, 'tis death were thou are not.
Then come o'er the sea,
Maiden with me,
Come wherever the wild wind blows;
Seasons may roll,
But the true soul
Burns the same, where'er it goes.
Was not the sea
Made for the Free,
Land for courts and chains alone?
Here we are slaves,
But, on the waves,
Love and Liberty's all our own.
No eye to watch, and no tongue to wound us
All earth forgot, and all heaven around us --
Then come o'er the sea,
Maiden, with me,
Mine through sunshine, storms, and snows
Seasons may roll,
But the true soul
Burns the same, where'er it goes.
poem by Thomas Moore
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A Peaceful Harbor
I have rode the high seas,
Through many violent storms.
Tidal waves crashing around
me,
Churning against my vessel.
The more I learn, the better
equipted I am,
To handle the storms of life.
My ship is resting in a peace-
ful harbor,
Returning to sea no more.
My peaceful harbor is you.
poem by Heather Burns
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Move home move dust
Go - no shelter will ever deny
Go - no word will ever define
Those who have no home
Away – no hand will wave goodbye
Away – each land is good enough to die
Hide- no hide can bear a naked skin
Hide – the first day to the last is kin
Shield – no word will shield the screams on edge
Shield – no road will cover your silent pledge
poem by Miroslava Odalovic
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The deluge
The crust of the world breaks open
and water gushes up
from below,
while heavy continual rain
pours down from above.
Lightning bolts roar menacing
flashing white blue
against a clouded black sky
and the sun is blocked off
and it’s like night.
The ark rises on water
which floods universally
causing havoc and catastrophe
and in tremendous winds
Noah steers the ship
to ride gigantic waves.
His massive arms
is rock solid on the wheel
while huge waves break
splashing him soaking wet
and the chill creeps in
right through to his bones,
but the biggest chill
is in his heart of humanity,
while he watches the rest
birds and animals die
and dead bodies drift
as far as his eyes can see.
Solid rain pours down for forty days
without end, winds howl in great intensity
and waves break and rock the ship
uncaring for its destiny
and it’s as if every lightning bolt
finds the ship
as the only thing available to bash down on.
Days and nights he watches
dark green water rising,
rushing, crushing and coiling out
and in the dark the wake at the stern
gleams white.
[Reference: Genesis 6-8.
poem by Gert Strydom
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What A Friend We Have In Jesus
What a friend believers have in Jesus, yes what a friend forevermore,
What a friend you'd have in Jesus, indeed my friend He's at the door.
He's a friend so kind and loving; is the one thing I must underscore,
For He's a friend unlike any other, for His love will forever endure.
What other friend would suffer and die a wicked death upon a tree,
His death was more than just an effort to be a friend for eternity.
Through His death He cleansed my soul and forever He set me free,
Free to have His friendship now and be with Him through all eternity.
He's a friend, who's always at my side with a faithful helping hand,
And His loving friendship never wavers in this troubled weary land.
He is The Eternal Rock of Ages, when I find myself in shifting sand,
And when I lose my footing, He firmly holds me and helps me stand.
Not even knowing why or when, He sought me out to be my friend,
He's unlike any other friend; He promised to be with me to the end.
Not only my sin would He cleanse, as my hurt He will heal and mend.
And so I wouldn't stray again, I have The Spirit He promised to send.
In a trial I'm not denied, He says let's reason together, you and I,
So with a heavy heart I can not hide, I enter His Throne up on High.
God's Grace, is the reason why, through His blood I am not denied,
And because of His love I can't deny, that I am His and He is mine.
(Copyright © 06/2003)
Beauty
LIBERAL Nature did dispence
To all things Arms for their defence;
And some she arms with sin'ewy force,
And some with swiftness in the course;
Some with hard Hoofs, or forked claws,
And some with Horns, or tusked jaws.
And some with Scales, and some with Wings,
And some with Teeth, and some with Stings.
Wisdom to Man she did afford,
Wisdom for Shield, and Wit for Sword.
What to beauteous Woman-kind,
What Arms, what Armour has she'assigne'd?
Beauty is both; for with the Faire
What Arms, what Armour can compare?
What Steel, what Gold, or Diamond,
More Impassible is found?
And yet what Flame, what Lightning ere
So great an Active force did bear?
They are all weapon, and they dart
Like Porcupines from every part.
Who can, alas, their strength express,
Arm'd when they themselves undress,
Cap a pe* with Nakedness?
poem by Abraham Cowley
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