The Sliprails and the Spur
The colours of the setting sun
Withdrew across the Western land --
He raised the sliprails, one by one,
And shot them home with trembling hand;
Her brown hands clung -- her face grew pale --
Ah! quivering chin and eyes that brim! --
One quick, fierce kiss across the rail,
And, `Good-bye, Mary!' `Good-bye, Jim!'
Oh, he rides hard to race the pain
Who rides from love, who rides from home;
But he rides slowly home again,
Whose heart has learnt to love and roam.
A hand upon the horse's mane,
And one foot in the stirrup set,
And, stooping back to kiss again,
With `Good-bye, Mary! don't you fret!
When I come back' -- he laughed for her --
`We do not know how soon 'twill be;
I'll whistle as I round the spur --
You let the sliprails down for me.'
She gasped for sudden loss of hope,
As, with a backward wave to her,
He cantered down the grassy slope
And swiftly round the dark'ning spur.
Black-pencilled panels standing high,
And darkness fading into stars,
And blurring fast against the sky,
A faint white form beside the bars.
And often at the set of sun,
In winter bleak and summer brown,
She'd steal across the little run,
And shyly let the sliprails down.
And listen there when darkness shut
The nearer spur in silence deep;
And when they called her from the hut
Steal home and cry herself to sleep.
. . . . .
{Some editions have four more lines here.}
And he rides hard to dull the pain
Who rides from one that loves him best;
And he rides slowly back again,
Whose restless heart must rove for rest.
poem by Henry Lawson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Jack Cornstalk as a Lover
'For he rides hard to dull the pain,
Who rides from him who loves him best;
But he rides slowly home again,
Whose restless heart must rove for rest.'
poem by Henry Lawson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Girl In The Swing
Do you see them coming through fields of snow?
Do you see them riding through fields of snow?
One rides for a woman who has no name
One rides for a king
And one just rides and rides and rides and rides
For the girl in the swing
They race like phantoms in the belmont light
You see them follow the belmont light
They ride through places where the walls are white
Where the noble voices of women sing
A brace of thanks and silent night
And a song for the girl in the swing
Well, you just asked me do I know what love is
Well, sure I know, sure I know what love is
Its the thief of sleep, a boy and his dog
A red rubber ball, these old foolish things
A rain that falls a long, long way from home
It lives in the girl in the swing!
It lives in the girl in the swing...
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Girl In The Swing
Do you see them coming through fields of snow?
do you see them riding through fields of snow?
One rides for a woman who has no name
one rides for a king
And one just rides and rides and rides and rides
for the girl in the swing
They race like phantoms in the Belmont light
you see them follow the Belmont light
They ride through places where the walls are white
where the noble voices of women sing
A brace of thanks and silent night
and a song for the girl in the swing
Well, you just asked me do I know what love is
well, sure I know, sure I know what love is
It's the thief of sleep, a boy and his dog
a red rubber ball, these old foolish things
A rain that falls a long, long way from home
it lives in the girl in the swing!
It lives in the girl in the swing...
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Girl In The Swing
Do you see them coming through fields of snow?
Do you see them riding through fields of snow?
One rides for a woman who has no name
One rides for a king
And one just rides and rides and rides and rides
For the girl in the swing
They race like phantoms in the belmont light
You see them follow the belmont light
They ride through places where the walls are white
Where the noble voices of women sing
A brace of thanks and silent night
And a song for the girl in the swing
Well, you just asked me do I know what love is
Well, sure I know, sure I know what love is
Its the thief of sleep, a boy and his dog
A red rubber ball, these old foolish things
A rain that falls a long, long way from home
It lives in the girl in the swing!
It lives in the girl in the swing...
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Another One Rides The Bus
(parody of queens another one bites the dust)
Riding in the bus down the boulevard
And the place was pretty packed (yeah!)
Couldnt find a seat so I had to stand
With the perverts in the back
It was smelling like a locker room
There was junk all over the floor
Were already packed in like sardines
But were stopping to pick up more, look out
(chorus)
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another comes on and another comes on
Another one rides the bus
Hey, hes gonna sit by you
Another one rides the bus
Theres a suitcase poking me in the ribs
Theres an elbow in my ear
Theres a smelly old bum standing next to me
Hasnt showered in a year
I think Im missing a contact lens
I think my wallets gone
And I think this bus is stopping again
To let a couple more freaks get on look out
(chorus)
(weird sound effects)
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus
Another one rides the bus ow
Another one rides the bus hey hey
Another one rides the bus hey-ey-ey-ey
The window doesnt open and the fan is broke
And my face is turning blue (yeah)
I havent been in a crowd like this
Since I went to see the who
Well I shouldve got off a couple miles ago
But I couldnt get to the door
There isnt any room for me to breathe
And now were gonna pick up more
(chorus)
song performed by by Weird Al Yankovic
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Cowboy Rides Away
I knew the stakes were high right from the start.
When she dealt the cards, I bet my heart.
Now I just found a game that I cant play,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
Chorus:
And my heart is sinking like the setting sun,
Setting on the things I wish Id done.
Its time to say goodbye to yesterday.
This is where the cowboy rides away.
Weve been in and out of love and in-between.
And now we play the final showdown scene.
As the credits roll a sad song starts to play,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
Chorus:
And my heart is sinking like a setting sun,
Setting on the things I wish Id done.
Oh the last goodbyes the hardest one to say,
And this is where the cowboy rides away.
Oh the last goodbyes the hardest one to say.
This is where the cowboy rides away.
song performed by by George Strait
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Falco Rides Again
These are the given lyrics for this song, but to my ears, most of the first verse sounds to me to be in german.
This is the story of a lonely man
Whos seen the world
From japan to afghanistan
Hey! ho!
Everybody thought that I was gone for good
But Im back - understood
Hey! ho!
Ive been through the snow and the storm
Felt the cold
No one to keep me warm
Agony and pain
Falco rides again - bang bang
I wont break
I wont bend
Falco rides again
Its me and my gang
I came back just like a boomerang
Ill fight till the end
Falco rides again
Ive been up, Ive been down
Ive been pushed around
Beated, mistreated,
Gagged and bound
Hey! ho!
Not a soul in the world thought I would survive
Took every muscle in my body to stay alive
Hey! ho!
Ill break down the walls
No more defeat
I want the taste of victory
Revenge is sweet
... rides again!
song performed by by Falco
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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He Is Worthy
From this time forth and forevermore
Our Lord is worthy of all praise
Blessed be the name of Christ our King
Into His holiness we all shall gaze
From the rising of the sun to its going down
His name shall be praised forever
His glory is high above the heavens
And His praise shall not end, no never
Who is like unto the Lord our God
He is glorious in majesty
He shall come victoriously in the sky above
And surely every eye shall see
That He rides upon a horse with a crown on His head
And a two-edged sword in His hand
He rides victoriously, this Lion of Judah
He rides all across the land.
poem by Frank McEleny
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Psalm 113
From this time forth and forevermore
Our Lord is worthy of all praise
Blessed be the name of Christ our King
Into His holiness we all shall gaze
From the rising of the sun to its going down
His name shall be praised forever
His glory is high above the heavens
And His praise shall not end, no never
Who is like unto the Lord our God
He is glorious in majesty
He shall come victoriously in the sky above
And surely every eye shall see
That He rides upon a horse with a crown on His head
And a two-edged sword in His hand
He rides victoriously, this Lion of Judah
He rides all across the land.
poem by Frank McEleny
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Palisades Park
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Last night I took a walk in the dark
A steamin place called palisades park
Turned around to see what I could see
Thats where the girls are
I took a ride on a shoopby shoo
The girl I sat beside was awful cool
And when we start I gave that girl a hug
My heart was flyin
Up like a rocket ship
Down like a roller coaster
Left like a loopdy loop
And around like a merry go round
We ate and ate at a hot dog stand
We danced around to a rockin band
And we we quit I gave that girl a hug
In the tunnel of love
You never know how great a kiss can be
Until you stop at the bottom of a ferris wheel
In the tunnel of love down at palisades park
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Yeah
Oh my god
Those coconuts are bad in the ass damn (? ? ? )
We ate and ? ? ? at a hot dog stand
We danced around to a rockin band
And we we quit I gave that girl a hug
In the tunnel of love
You never know how great a kiss can be
Until you stop at the bottom of a ferris wheel
In the tunnel of love down at palisades park
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Down at palisades park
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Down at palisades park
Run run runnin all the rides are runnin
Down at palisades park
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Peace Train
Now Ive been happy lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun
Oh Ive been smiling lately, dreaming about the world as one
And I believe it could be, some day its going to come
Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again
Now Ive been smiling lately, thinking about the good things to come
And I believe it could be, something good has begun
Oh peace train sounding louder
Glide on the peace train
Come on now peace train
Yes, peace train holy roller
Everyone jump upon the peace train
Come on now peace train
Get your bags together, go bring your good friends too
Cause its getting nearer, it soon will be with you
Now come and join the living, its not so far from you
And its getting nearer, soon it will all be true
Now Ive been crying lately, thinking about the world as it is
Why must we go on hating, why cant we live in bliss
Cause out on the edge of darkness, there rides a peace train
Oh peace train take this country, come take me home again
song performed by by Cat Stevens
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Youth and Age
Youth that rides the wildest horse,
Youth that throws the deadliest steer,
Spending strength without remorse,
Grappling with the ghosts of fear,
Knows it only holds to-day
All it freely flings away.
Youth that rides a race with Death
When the frightened cattle break,
Living in the moment’s breath,
Risking all for honour’s sake,
Lightly knows it holds in fee
Life and immortality.
Age that rides the spavined grey,
Age that seeks the safest track,
Scenting perils by the way,
Dreaming of the journey back,
Leaves behind it all the truth
Known to the wild heart of youth.
poem by Vance Palmer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dark Road Ahead
The dark road ahead goes
On and On
Till I can stand no more
I sit down by an oak
And start to drift away
Into the distance I can see
A looming figure staring at me
On a horse it rides
On the on going road
He rides on the wind and the owl
Hoots he's coming home
The figure on the horse sits straight
And has a silhouette of black
As I drift to sleep I can't help but
Remember the figure from a dream
As it approaches I fall
Asleep
But for many days to come
In my dreams it'll stay
poem by Taylor Scherer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Still They Ride
Jesse rides through the night
Under the main street light
Ridin slow
This ol town, aint the same
Now nobody knows his name
Times have changed, still he rides.
Traffic lights, keepin time
Leading the wild and restless
Through the night
Still they ride, on wheels of fire
They rule the night
Still they ride, the strong will survive
Chasing thunder
Spinning round, in a spell
Its hard to leave this carrousel
round and round
And round and round
(chorus)
song performed by by Journey
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Behold! The Night Mare
Ive faced the fathoms in your deep
Withstood the suitors quiet siege
Pulled down the heavens just to please you
Appease you
The wind blows and I know
I cant go on, digging roses from you grave
To linger on, beyond the beyond
Where the willows weep
And whirlpools sleep, youll find me
The coarse tide reflects sky
And the night mare rides on, and the night mare rides on
With a december black psalm
And the night mare rides on
What I fear is lost here
The wind blows and I know
All you have to do is run away
And steal yourself from me
Become a mystery to gaze into
Youre so cruel in all you do
But still I believe, I believe in you
So may you come with your own knives
Youll never take me alive
With all the force of what is true
Is there nothing I can do?
I cant go on, digging roses from you grave
To linger on, beyond the beyond
Where the willows weep
And whirlpools sleep, youll find me
And the night mare rides on, and the night mare rides on
With a december black psalm
And the night mare rides on
Ive faced the fathoms in your deep
Withstood the suitors quiet siege
Pulled down the heavens just to please you
To hold the flower I cant keep
song performed by by Smashing Pumpkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Haunted Oak
Pray why are you so bare, so bare,
Oh, bough of the old oak-tree;
And why, when I go through the shade you throw,
Runs a shudder over me?
My leaves were green as the best, I trow,
And sap ran free in my veins,
But I say in the moonlight dim and weird
A guiltless victim's pains.
They'd charged him with the old, old crime,
And set him fast in jail:
Oh, why does the dog howl all night long,
And why does the night wind wail?
He prayed his prayer and he swore his oath,
And he raised his hand to the sky;
But the beat of hoofs smote on his ear,
And the steady tread drew nigh.
Who is it rides by night, by night,
Over the moonlit road?
And what is the spur that keeps the pace,
What is the galling goad?
And now they beat at the prison door,
"Ho, keeper, do not stay!
We are friends of him whom you hold within,
And we fain would take him away
"From those who ride fast on our heels
With mind to do him wrong;
They have no care for his innocence,
And the rope they bear is long."
They have fooled the jailer with lying words,
They have fooled the man with lies;
The bolts unbar, the locks are drawn,
And the great door open flies.
Now they have taken him from the jail,
And hard and fast they ride,
And the leader laughs low down in his throat,
As they halt my trunk beside.
Oh, the judge, he wore a mask of black,
And the doctor one of white,
And the minister, with his oldest son,
Was curiously bedight.
Oh, foolish man, why weep you now?
'Tis but a little space,
And the time will come when these shall dread
The mem'ry of your face.
I feel the rope against my bark,
And the weight of him in my grain,
I feel in the throe of his final woe
The touch of my own last pain.
And never more shall leaves come forth
On the bough that bears the ban;
I am burned with dread, I am dried and dead,
From the curse of a guiltless man.
And ever the judge rides by, rides by,
And goes to hunt the deer,
And ever another rides his soul
In the guise of a mortal fear.
And ever the man he rides me hard,
And never a night stays he;
For I feel his curse as a haunted bough,
On the trunk of a haunted tree.
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Long, Tall Texan
One, two, three, four
Giddy up
Giddy up
Well Im a long tall texan
I ride a big white horse
(he rides from texas on a big white horse)
Well Im a long tall texan
I ride a big white horse
(he rides from texas on a big white horse)
Well people look at me and say
Hurrah hurrah is that your horse?
(he rides from texas on a big white horse)
Yeah
Well Im a long tall texan
I wear a ten gallon hat
(he rides from texas with a ten gallon hat)
Well Im a long tall texan
I wear a ten gallon hat
(he rides from texas with a ten gallon hat)
Well people look at me and say
Hurrah hurrah is that your hat?
(he rides from texas with a ten gallon hat)
Yeah
Well I was walkin down the street
With my shinin badge
My spurs jinglin down at my feet
I seen a man a comin
Comin with a gun
And I just cant be beat
Well Im a long tall texan
I enforce justice for the law
(he rides from texas to enforce the law)
Well Im a long tall texan
I enforce justice for the law
(he rides from texas to enforce the law)
Well people look at me and say
Hurrah hurrah are you the law?
(he rides from texas to enforce the law)
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lonesome Cowboy Bill
(reed)
Lonesome cowboy bill
Rides the rodeo.
Lonesome cowboy bill,
You got to see him yodel ay-hee-ho!
Lonesome cowboy bill
Rides the rodeo.
Ever since he was a little lad,
Loves the rodeo.
Bucking broncs, yeah, sipping wine,
You got to see him go,
And all the ten-gallon girls
Love to hear him yodel ay-hee-ho!
Because
Lonesome cowboy bill
Rides the rodeo.
Lonesome cowboy bill,
You got to see him yodel ay-hee-ho!
Oh, lonesome cowboy bill,
You still ride the rodeo.
Up round the colorado shore,
Down by the ohio.
Sometimes even new orleans,
Down by the mardi gras,
And all the ten-gallon girls
Love to hear him yodel ay-hee-ho!
Hes lonesome cowboy bill, he rides the rodeo.
Just a lonesome cowboy bill,
You got to see him yodel ay-hee-ho!
You got to see him in the rodeo
When hes ridin, goin too darn fast.
You got to hear the people scream and shout
They call him,
Lonesome cowboy bill
Hes a
Lonesome cowboy bill
He goes...
Lonesome cowboy bill
Rides the rodeo.
Lonesome cowboy bill,
You got to see him yodel ay-hee-ho!
I said,
You got to see him yodel ay-hee-ho!
Oh hes a lonesome cowboy bill, lonesome cowboy bill...
song performed by by Velvet Underground
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Veteran
He asks no favour from the Field, no forward place demands
Save what he claims by fearless heart and light and dainty hands;
No man need make a way for him at ditch or gap or gate,
He rides on level terms with all, if not at equal weight
His eyes are somewhat dimmer than they were in days of yore,
A blind fence now might trap him where it never trapped before;
But when the rails stand clean and high, the walls stand big and bare,
There's no man rides so boldly as there's no man rides so fair.
There is no other in the Field so truly loved as he;
We better like to see him out than any younger three;
And yet one horseman day by day rides jealous at his rein
Old Time that smarts beneath the whip of fifty years' disdain.
He crowds him at his fences, for he envies his renown;
Some day he'll Cross him at a leap and bring a good man down,
And Time will take a long revenge for years of laughing scorn,
And fold the faded scarlet that was ne'er more nobly worn.
Here's luck! Oh! good, grey sportsman! May Time be long defied
By careful seat and Cunning hand and health and heart to ride,
And when that direful day be come that surely shall befall,
We'll know you still unbeaten, save by Time that beats us all!
poem by William Henry Ogilvie
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The Black Horse Rider
For George Anthell
Between them is the land of broken colors,
the land that makes a mock of him
with miles.
He rides, he rides,
he passes through the flat
chrome wheatfields
cut by the plough of the river makers.
The hills are aslant,
the clay torsos, the hills,
the clay has a red wound,
it gapes.
The white roots cry,
there is a mute susurrus in the dark:
poppies, poppies are you not
their pain?
With hoof on flint and flint
the black horse
rides: black wind, black
against fire.
The black horse crooks his
forelegs, the hills split open,
his nostrils pour flame.
Snort, snort through miles,
O charger, through rock.
He drinks the mezas,
he burns his thin knees over
braziers of grass:
Ride, ride.
Sky is spilt water,
a silver hello is flung
from star to star.
Black horse breaks
fire underfoot and now
his mane is a burnt city,
his mouth churned ocean,
foam on his belly a constellation.
At last he tramples
the sand
behemoth
Asleep before the sea.
poem by Pierre Loving
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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