Sandpiper
The roaring waves that is shaking the beach
the hissing surf that shines like glass
is part of its world and continually it is just out of reach
where wave upon wave is passing as it runs fast
and it is quick on little brittle dark feet
where sucking small sand grains
sweep in and out and water foams on sheet upon sheet
and there the rushing little bird remains
while its world is at times filled with vapour
and then again suddenly clear
it is focussing on things minutely small while waters roar
are drawing very near
it is continually searching for some allure
it runs and runs on little feet that are sure
poem by Gert Strydom
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Related quotes
Sandpiper
The roaring alongside he takes for granted,
and that every so often the world is bound to shake.
He runs, he runs to the south, finical, awkward,
in a state of controlled panic, a student of Blake.
The beach hisses like fat. On his left, a sheet
of interrupting water comes and goes
and glazes over his dark and brittle feet.
He runs, he runs straight through it, watching his toes.
- Watching, rather, the spaces of sand between them
where (no detail too small) the Atlantic drains
rapidly backwards and downwards. As he runs,
he stares at the dragging grains.
The world is a mist. And then the world is
minute and vast and clear. The tide
is higher or lower. He couldn't tell you which.
His beak is focussed; he is preoccupied,
looking for something, something, something.
Poor bird, he is obsessed!
The millions of grains are black, white, tan, and gray
mixed with quartz grains, rose and amethyst.
poem by Elizabeth Bishop
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Sandpiper (Cavatina)
(after Elizabeth Bishop)
The leaping spray that roar, the swishing fling
of surf and sand,
plays in and out as waves rush to and thro;
where it does stand
while searching for something on tiny legs;
it understands
the roaring toss, a world of surf and foam,
while rushing on the wet beach it does roam.
[Reference: 'Sandpiper' by Elizabeth Bishop.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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While You Are With Me
When Adam and Eve lived in Eden
the sea of faith stretched out into the blue
meeting the sky’s canopy
and its waves pulsed anciently
gathering water from the stream of life
and love, grace even the power of man
seemed at that time as to be unlimited
as if life could stretch on into eternity
Tonight the wind is blowing through the window
moving the curtains in a tender breeze
and in the distance I can hear the ebb and flow
in which the waves continually go
and the moon is casting light
that stretches out over the endless ocean
Your breath touches my breast and face softly
and I read true happiness in the smallest things
see your breasts rising and subsiding
while the sea is continually flinging
grains of sand crushing on the distant beach
and though sometimes it feels as if out of reach
happy moments are lingering
while you are with me
[Reference: “Dover beach” by Matthew Arnold.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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The Earth
the earth bursts
forth in the bloom
in its desire to show itself
a colourful wear
to weave its magic
sends its greeting to the world
this physique that enables
the earth to spring forth
with all its its senses, faculties
speaks in an array of tongues
creates love lines, jealousies, rivalries
earth runs its way through the world
with legs, wings, fins
from every inch in the garden
a new personality bursts forth
through the bloom
through homosapiens
from every patch of land
the earth talks
runs through me
those tiny grains below your feet
that help you stand on your two feet
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo
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Waves
The ocean waves curl
before rushing up the shore.
Their watery fingers exploring
before retreating back once more.
We stand bare feet in the sand
as each wave encircles our feet
and for a few moments, we feel
the waters felt by millions before.
(11 August 2011)
poem by David Harris
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Devotion
admiration followed him from the men and women
of the beach as he walks one summer
his skin glowing to the sun: gold
the color of mud, his hair blowing freely
on his head, his steps mellow to the sand
a young maiden from the village follows him
at a distance but not so near bringing him his shirt
neatly folded in her hands-
a little bit angry, she looks at him lifting her eyes
but again not so near
she gives up devotion and throws his shirt
on the grey sand
runs toward the other end of the shore
and disappears
her feet are so tiny leaving this awkward
cloud when she runs away from him
he sees her vanish
ignoring what cloud she left from her tiny feet
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Continually our love surprises me
Continually our love does me surprise,
as sometimes you bring me pain
and sometimes you hold on to me
while sometimes it feels as if I am reaching into a whirlpool
but sometimes you take away everything bad.
Continually our love does me surprise,
and sometimes tears run over your cheeks
but sometimes it's as if the sun shines through your eyes
and sometimes you hold on to me
while our love is much stronger than just a maybe,
and I am smitten by the look on your face.
Continually our love does me surprise,
as if new depths continually comes to it,
you become part of my awareness
and sometimes you hold on to me
and it's as if we perfectly fit into each other's lives
while continually you are part of me, of my existence;
continually our love does me surprise,
and sometimes you hold on to me.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Pigeons
ODALISQUES, odalisques,
Treading the pavement
With feet pomegranate-stained:
We bartered for, bought you
Back in the years
Ah, then we knew you,
Odalisques, odalisques,
Treading the pavement
With feet pomegranate-stained!
Queens of the air
Aithra, lole,
Eos and Auge,
Taking new beauty
From the sun's evening brightness,
Gyring in light
As nymphs play in waters
Aithra, lole,
Eos and Auge!
Then down on our doorsteps,
Gretchen and Dora. . . .
II
Pigeons that have flown down from the courts behind the orchards! Pigeons that run along the beach to take sand into your crops! What contrast is between you, birds of a rare stock, and the waves that know only the buccaneer sea-gulls and the sand-marten emigrants! And what contrast is between your momentary wildness here and your graces in the courtyards beyond the orchards!
You rise up and fly out five wave lengths from the beach. And now a strange element is under you the green, tumbling, untried sea. With that half-remembered element below you, you think, maybe, of rocky breeding-places and strong mates. Bravely
you hang above the untried, alluring sea just five wave-lengths out!
You remind us of the ladies who came down to the gypsy carts that were on the beach yesterday, and swore they would take to the gypsy ways!
And now you run along by the waves, taking more grains of sand into your crops!
A wave-break startles you. You take to your wings again. Now you see the dove-cotes beyond the orchards, and you fly towards them.
And all night long you will hear the sea breaking, and you will dream, maybe, in the dove-cotes, of strong mates and rocky breeding places.
At dawn you will fly down to the beach again, run along the hard sand, take grains into your crops, and fly five wavelengths
from the beach.
The sand-martens will have left their holes, and you will see them gathered in flocks on the sand-heights, the dusky gypsies.
And you will not notice when they have departed, going without after-thoughts, going over that green, alluring element, the sea.
Pigeons that run along the beach, taking sand into your crops!
poem by Padraic Colum
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Be With Me
(carly simon/zach weisner)
River runs to the sea
Salmon runs to the sea
If you need someone
You can run to me
Flowers grow to the sun
Shines on everyone
If youve lost the warmth
I will give you some
Lay back on the starry night
Feel as big and as small as you are
Well I see who you are
And I like what I see
If you want to be
You can be with me
song performed by by Carly Simon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Beach
Sitting on the beach with my feet in the sand
Letting the song of the ocean clear my mind of ever thing
Sitting on the beach with my feet in the sand
Watching the surfers chase the perfect wave
Sitting on the beach with my feet in the sand
Watching the sun set on yet another perfect day
poem by Ron St Jean
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The Leviathan: Far, Far Down In The Freezing Deeps
(after Alfred Lord Tennyson)
Far, far down in the freezing deeps
where icy water continually over it sweeps
its arms twirls and its body is like a mass of rock
where it for centuries sleeps
and in the dark world below
it lies like a prehistoric monster as if in its grave
while the waves and hidden streams over it flows
and above it break wave upon wave
where it is silent since the devastating flood
hardly notices the waters rush,
while very slowly flows its lifeblood
and it lays waiting in ambush
until the day that Michael returns to earth
to erupt above the waters as if coming from new birth
as a gigantic monstrous thing
with multiple heads and fiery beaks that swing.
[Reference: “The Kraken” by Alfred Lord Tennyson.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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Eternal torque
subtle waves
move water
little stones
sand grains
slightly move along
for a moment
settling down
on the sandy bottom
of the sea
or the wet beach
they all reflect
the light
if they are in sight
of the sun
while hiddenin sand
waiting for the moment
the land above them
is on the move again
everything is about to change
that next wave
causes an earthquake
in that little world
of stones, water, sand and sea
poem by Ellie Daphne van Stralen
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Table Bay [2]
I can hear the waves roar,
slamming shingle on the rocks, the beach
drawing in and out
on Bloubergstrand
and the cadence is a age old shuddering
of waves breaking, continuing like before
and in the distance Table Bay
lies stretched out specked with
hundreds of little lights
like a enormous crown
with the flat mountain top
on display, etched against the night sky
and its full tide, the moon is full
yellow and magnificent
and the place of good hope,
lies on the shore
with waves breaking forever more
and lonely the beach stretches out before me,
in a long white ribbon
and the dark water goes out to the horizon,
almost as far as I can see
and the sea wind is fresh and new
and there's no light in sight
on the wavering ocean
just a darkness that envelopes me
as the waves
are throwing pebbles out
and drawing them in
before breaking on the beach
and there's nobody to be true to,
nobody to trust, only the reality of the here and now
and all hope, all promises, all joy and pain
remains the same
swept in and out of a confused world
forever breaking, forever rushing in.
poem by Gert Strydom
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As We Walked Upon The Unspoiled Beach
As we walked upon the unspoiled beach
the sea touching our feet swept in and out,
rushing water swept our tracks out of reach
and we laughed and splashed and did shout.
Around us little crabs rushed with their shells,
while the waters was rushing higher in the bay,
we were caught, captured in the sea’s magical spell
but with the rising water could not any longer stay
as the water in splashing spray did rise and swell
to escape the rising danger, to much higher we went
as the sea was coming in, its salty odour we did smell
while we did wander in the surf to our heart’s content.
we found some tranquillity, did our love renew
on a rock surf splashed, falling on us like dew.
poem by Gert Strydom
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That's When You Know
for everyone
the story goes
there's a special someone
to make them whole
someone to give their heart completely
and you may search
high and low
and when you find your angel
and when you know
then you finally get that feeling
it'll be as clear as the air you're breathing
that's when the world feels small beneath your feet
its when the stars above are only just out of reach
when you feel you're alive for the very first time
and there's nothing that you can rise above
that's when you know that you're in love
who can tell the time and place
when you see your soul reflected in their face
it'll be a spell you're under
and it'll hit you just like thunder
that's when the world feels small beneath your feet
it's when the stars above are only just out of reach
when you feel you're alive for the very first time
and when you hold them in your arms and cant let go
that's when you know
for all of my life
I have been searching
for something I couldn't find
but now that I know that you are the one
I understand
I read the signs
cos now the world feels small beneath my feet
and all the stars above are only just out of reach
when you feel you're alive for the very first time
and there's nothing that you can rise above
that's when you know that your in love
song performed by by Gareth Gates from What My Heart Wants To Say
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Continually the red weaver gambols
Continually the red weaver gambols around,
when the dove continually sings in sorrow
and he lands frolicking on the wet ground,
before it takes insects to its chicks
that twitter, jump up and down in the nest,
and at night when the moon rises silver-white,
when small sounds pierce through everything
then I hear a joyous song and then I hear him
tell about life, about every small thing,
when that small bird sings with caring affection.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Pain runs through my body
Pain runs through my body, and I don't need anymore.
Pain runs through my body, so leave me alone you whore.
Pain runs through my blood, as I start to bleed.
Pain runs through my body, and love is what I need.
Pain runs through my body, everyday of my life.
Pain runs through my body, as I pick up the knife.
Pain runs through my body, as I put it through my chest.
Pain runs through my body and I think you know the rest.
poem by Ari Castillo
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A Level Headed Gaze
I come from another place and time
and did walk as a child bared feet in the marsh
I am from a place that is different from this city
where here people and things are trampled upon
and respect, integrity and duty has disappeared
where tarred roads reach to the horizon,
where cyber lights shines like small suns at night
where dust, sooth and ash cover all things.
Here people, animals and almost every thing
has a price that is set for them
while they are involved in a tinned existence
while crowds continually jostle people out of the way
and nothing remains sacred, not bodies or even beliefs
while lives are wasted and nothing brings salvation.
poem by Gert Strydom
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The Surf Talks
Oooh I love you
Giggle giggle
The surf talks
Do you love me too?
If the surf could talk, I know shed ask
Do you think youre equal to the task?
If the surf could talk, shed say
Beware I love you
So Id answer very carefully
And Id ask if shed be there for me
And the surf says always
Beware I love you
The surf says I want you like you want me
Am I in you? are you in me?
Tell me
The surf talks
And it knows what to say
The surf talks
I must learn to obey
The gun cocks, the clock stops, the earth rocks, the surf talks
The surf talks
Puts its tongue on my skin
The surf talks
While its sucking me in
The door locks and unlocks, the veil drops, the surf talks
She has promised me a beach of pearls
And an endless wave, a perfect curl
And she tells me always
Beware I love you
She will place the world inside my hand
She will touch the soul of every man
She will take my message
Im here to love you
The surf says I want you here inside me
Am I in you? are you in me?
Tell me
We are standing on a beach of pearls
We are riding deep inside the curl
And everybody all around the world
Must surrender when your flag unfurls
We are standing on a beach of pearls
We are riding deep inside the curl
And everybody all around the world
Will be dancing in the sea.
song performed by by Todd Rundgren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lost At Sea.
You remember now the sound of the sea,
The crashing of waves, the white and grey
Gulls in the sky. Mother said, don’t go too
Far out; keep an eye on the young ones.
The cold water made you hop about when
It first went over your bare feet. You knew
Where the young ones were, you could see
Them there at the water’s edge running in
And out as the cold water chased them.
The beach was crowded; the crowds seemed
To occupy each area with their deckchairs,
Windbreakers and towels spread on the sand.
The bright sun shone down heavily; the air
Was still. And Mother’s voice loudly shouting,
Where’s Baba? Where’s she gone? And the
Place she was with the others was without
Her presence now; the panic gripped you.
Your eyes scanned the beach and sea; you ran
Along the beach near the water’s edge gazing
Out at the wide expanse of ocean, ignoring the
Passing ships on the horizon, the sailing boats,
The far out swimmers, just looking for Baba,
Your eyes searching each face, each child, every
Little one running on the beach or out at sea out
Of reach. Mother came running down the beach
Towards you, her face red with effort, her mouth
Screaming out words carried off by the other
Sounds and the sea’s call, pointing out at ocean’s
Hold as a man came up and out of the waves,
Water dripping, eyes wide, and in his arms, Baba
Limp and her swaying head, hair hanging wet,
Seeming lost to you, small arms swinging, dead.
poem by Terry Collett
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