Theme and Variation
That summer there was no honey.
The queens led their swarms away,
the strawberry bed dried up in a day,
the berrypickers went home early.
All that sweetness, swept on one ray of light
off to sleep. Who slept this sleep before his time?
Honey and berries? He is a stranger to suffering,
the one with the world at his hands. In want of nothing.
In want of nothing but perhaps a bit,
enought to rest or to stand straight.
He was bent by caves-and shadows,
because no country took him in.
He wasn't even safe in the wood-
a partisan whom the world reliquished
toher dead satellite, the moon.
He is a stranger to sufferin, the one with the world
[at his hands,
and was anything not handed him? He had the bettle's
cohort wrapped round his finger, blazes
branded his face with scars and the wellspring
appeared as a chimera before his eyes,
where it was not.
Honey and berries?
Had he ever known the scent, he'd have followed it
long ago!
Walking a sleepwalker's sleep,
who slept this sleep before his time?
One who was born ancient
and called to the darkness early.
All that sweetness swept on one ray of light
before him.
He spat into the undergrowth a curse
to bring drought, he screamed
and his prayers were heard:
the berrypickers went home early!
When the root rose up
and slithered after them, hissing
a snakeskin remained, the tree's last defense.
The strawberry bed dried up in a day.
In the village below, the buckets stood empty
like drums waiting in the square.
Then the sun struck
and paradiddled death.
The windows fell shut,
the queens led their swarms away,
and no one prevented them from fleeing.
Wilderness took them in,
the hollow tree among ferns,
the first free state.
The last human being was stung
and felt no pain.
That summer there was no honey.
—Translated from the German by Lilian M. Friedberg
poem by Ingeborg Bachmann
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Night Owl
A catfish he tends to groove on the water
Its just where hes bound to be
And a monkey kinds of flashes on fruits and bananas
So he lives in the top of a tree
But my eyes are made for darkness
And so the nighttime is right for me
Said Im a night owl, honey
Sleep all day long
Now most folks they like the good day time
They like to see the shining sun
Theyre up in the morning
Off and running
till theyre too tired for having fun
But when the sun goes down
And them bright light shine
My daytime has just begun
Im a night owl, honey
Sleep all day long
Said turn off that bright light, baby
Youre just about to drive me blind
Draw them curtains for me, mama
You watch and youll see
How my love light shines
Now, theres two sides to this
Great big world
And one of them is always night
Hey, if you can take care of
Business in the sunshine, baby
I guess youre gonna be alright
But dont come looking for stringbean
To lend you a hand
Because my eyes they cant stand the light
No, Im a night owl, honey
Sleep all, sleep all day long
I said sleep all day long
Im a night owl, honey
song performed by by James Taylor
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Night Owl
(james taylor)
Now a fish kinda likes the water
And thats just where he wants to be
And a monkey kinda digs bananas
So he lives in the top of a tree
But my eyes are made for darkness
So the nightime is right for me
cause Im a night owl honey, sleep all day long
Im a night owl honey, sleep all day long
Most folks they like the daytime
cause they like to see the shining sun
Theyre up in the mornin
Off and a runnin till theyre too tired for havin fun
But when the sun goes down
And the bright lights shine
My daytime has just begun
cause Im a night owl honey, sleep all day long
Im a nightowl honey, sleep all day long
Wont you turn out them bright lights baby
Theyre just about to drive me blind
Oh wont you draw then curtains for me papa
Watch and youll see my love light shine
Now there are two sides to this great big world
And one of them is always night
If you can take care of business in the sunshine baby
I guess youre gonna be alright
But dont come looking for me to lend you a hand
My eyes just cant stand the light
cause Im a night owl honey, sleep all day long
cause Im a night owl honey, sleep all day long
song performed by by Carly Simon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Wild Honey
B. wilson
Mama Im tellin you as sure as Im standin here
Shes my girl and thats the way Im keepin it my mama dear
No good will it do you to stand there and frown at me
The girls got my heart and my loves comin down on me
Last time I met her since I got a taste of wild honey
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
You know shes got the sweetness of the honey bee
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Honey, (sweet, sweet, my honey bee) she got me all and stung me good, oh, yesiree
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Before he even stung bees buzzin around her hive
She singled me out, single handed took me alive
Im gonna take her home and spend my life
Eatin up the wild honey
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Oh mama shes sweeter (sweeter) and sweeter (sweeter) and sweeter, sweeter
Yaaaa, honey (sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
Let me tell you how she really got to my soul (sweet,sweet my honey)
It aint funny, (sweet, sweet, my honey bee) the way she made me want to sing a little rock and
Roll (sweet, sweet, my honey)
Theres nothing quite as good as the taste of wild honey
Break my back workin just to save me some money
I can spend my life with her eatin up her wild honey
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
Oh honey shes sweeter (sweeter) and sweeter (sweeter) and sweeter, sweeter
Now
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
(sweet, sweet, my honey bee)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Gimme some gimme some
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Gimme some gimme some(shes the one)
(sweet, sweet, my honey)
Gimme some wild honey
Gimme some gimme some..........
song performed by by Nazareth
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Stranger
Maybe she was smilin in the mirror
Maybe I was too, cause I was stoned
Singin every sad song on the juke-box one more time
Honey, they were hittin close to home
And I said - maybe thisll make you think Im crazy
Honey, dont feel lonesome if you do
But if you wanna make a young man happy one more time
Id sure like to spend the night with you
Chorus:
And she said - stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
Maybe you got all you got together
Maybe you keep rollin like a stone
Maybe some old lonesome songll take you by surprise
And leave you just a little more alone
Chorus:
Singing - stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
Chorus:
Keep singing - stranger
Shut out the light and lead me
Somewhere - shut out the shadows, too
And while we lay there, makin believe you love me
Stranger, could I believe in you
song performed by by Kris Kristofferson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All I Ever Need Is You
Sometimes when i'm down and all alone
just like a child without a home.
The love you give me keeps me hanging on
oh honey, all i ever need is you.
Your my first love your my last.
Your my future your my past.
And loving you is all i ask
oh honey, all i ever need is you.
Winters come and they go,
and we watch the melting snow.
sure as summer follows spring
all the things you do.
give me a reaon to build my world around you.
Some men follow rainbows i am told.
some men search for silver some for gold.
i have found my treasure in your soul honey
all i ever need is you.
without love i'd never find a way,
through ups and downs of every single day.
i won't sleep at night until you say my honey,
all i ever need is you.
song performed by by Cher
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All I Ever Need Is You
Sometimes when I'm down and alone
I feel just like a child with out a home
The love you give me keeps me hangin' on, honey
All I ever need is you.
Your my first love, your my last
Your my future, your my past
Ohhh loving you is all I ask, honey
All I ever need is you.
Winters come and then they go
And we watch the melting snow
Sure summer follows spring, all the things you do
Give me a reason to build my world around you.
(World around you)
Some men follow rainbows I am told
Some men search for silver, some for gold
But I found my treasures in my soul
And all I ever need is you.
Without love I'd never find the way
Through ups and downs of every single day
And I won't sleep at night until you say
Honey, all I ever need is you.
La, La, La, La, La, La
The love you give me keeps me hangin' on
Honey, all I'll ever need is you.
La, La, La, La, La, La
But I found my treasures in my soul
Honey, and all I ever need is you.
La, La, La, La, La, La...
song performed by by Kenny Rogers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Honey Hi
Written by christine mcvie.
Honey, honey, honey
Who could be sweeter than you
Honey, honey, honey
Bitter sweet, but what can I do
Lord, its good to talk to you
Even sweeter than wine
Dont take the love light away
cause Im far away from home
Daddy, all Im trying to tell you
Lord, I really love you, love you, love you
Honey, honey, honey hi
Honey, honey, honey hi
Honey, honey, honey hi.
song performed by by Fleetwood Mac
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All I Need Is You
(betty jean robinson)
Sometimes when Im down and alone
I feel just like a child with out a home
The love you give me keeps me hangin on, honey
All I ever need is you
Your my first love, your my last
Your my future, your my past
Ohhh loving you is all I ask, honey
All I ever need is you
Winters come and then they go
And we watch the melting snow
Sure summer follows spring, all the things you do
Give me a reason to build my world around you
( world around you )
Some men follow rainbows I am told
Some men search for silver, some for gold
But I found my treasures in my soul
And all I ever need is you
Without love Id never find the way
Through ups and downs of every single day
And I wont sleep at night until you say
Honey, all I ever need is you
La, la, la, la, la, la
The love you give me keeps me hangin on
Honey, all Ill ever need is you
La, la, la, la, la, la
But I found my treasures in my soul
Honey, and all I ever need is you
La, la, la, la, la, la
song performed by by Kenny Rogers
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Go On Ahead
You go on ahead, honey
You have a good time there
You make me feel funny
Im no ordinary lover or friend
I believe we have things to do
I believe in myself and I believe in you
I believe when I sleep you are near to me
When you sleep I am near to you
You walk out of the room with your hands so deep in your pockets,
I dont recognize you
You say youre a ghost in our house and I realize
I do think I see through you
So, you go on ahead, honey
You have a good time there
You make me feel funny
Im no ordinary lover or friend
Its death in our love that has brought us here
Its a birth that has changed our lives
Its a place that I hope well be leaving soon
And I fear for the year in his eyes
And it goes around in circles
One night is lovely, the next is brutal
And you and me are in way over our heads with this one
Its hard to admit it
But you hold me and I cant feel you
We hurt but we smile
I promise Ill make it back when the summer has warmed me awhile
You go on ahead, honey
You have a good time there
You make me feel funny
Im no ordinary lover or friend
I believe we have things to do
I believe in myself and I believe in you
I believe when I sleep you are near to me
When you sleep I am near to you
song performed by by Liz Phair
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sleep Forever
Down I lie
Sleeping all day
Still asleep for years
Surrounded by tears
Of friends, relations and further
But still sleep, sleep and sleep forever.
My eyes all closed extremely shut
My body is dry, straight and flat
As I lie in wooden house
Helpless like a dead mouse
Alone with no any other
As I sleep, sleep and sleep forever.
In my best black suit
My voice on mute
Waiting for the judgement
In a new environment
Coping with underground weather
As I sleep, sleep and sleep forever.
I've left all my worth
And ignored all my breath
Tell that I slept to each and every head
For that's a polite word to me as the dead
To come back I'll never
It's a sleep, sleep and sleep forever.
poem by Walani Ndhlovu
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Saigon
You got everything that a girl should grow
Im so afraid to kiss you I might lose control
You can hold me tighter but turn loose of my gun
Its a sentimental present all the way from saigon
Honey, honey, honey, please call me
You dont need no money we can do it for free
I got a friend in phoenix with a two-way radio
All the static in my attic getting ready to blow
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
All the static in my attic getting ready to blow
I was talking to the mailman late last week
He had a letter in his sweater from stuttering don
He said things are getting better in sa, sa, sa, sa, sa
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Things are getting better back in saigon
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Things are getting better back in saigon
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Things are getting better back in saigon
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Saigon, honey, honey, honey
Things are getting better back in saigon
song performed by by John Prine
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Honey Would You Stand By Me
(bob mcdill)
If I quit my job for the simple life
Honey would you stand by me
If I bought a little cabin on a mountainside
Honey would you stand by me
Would you be my one true friend
Stick with me through thick and thin
If the roof was old and the rain came in
Honey would you stand by me
If I tried my luck in hollywood
Honey would you stand by me
If my break never came like I thought it would
Honey would you stand by me
Would you be my heart of gold
And never complain when the money was low
If your coat was thin and your shoes were old
Honey would you stand by me
And if I joined up with the rodeo
Honey would you stand by me
If we traveled around from show to show
Honey would you stand by me
Would you be a cowboys dream
And smile right on when times got lean
If you didnt have nothin but boots and jeans
Honey would you stand by me
Honey would you stand
Honey would you stand by me
Honey would you stand
Honey would you stand by me
Honey would you stand
Honey would you stand by me
song performed by by Kenny Chesney
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Pappepee
Pappepee is a bumble bee
who wants to have a honey tree
why? he simply is a lazy bee!
he flew over the sea
just to find a honey tree
all it can be is the tree to Pappepee.
Pappepee found the tree
the honey tree, the honey tree
now dead tired, he did fall free
and this is what the ants did see
so they all went to Pappepee
devoured him under the honey tree
poor Pappepee, poor Pappepee
poem by Estrellita Dedel
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Wild Honey Pie
Pixies - wild honey pie
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honey pie, honey pie
Honey pie, honey pie
Honey pie, honey pie
Honey pie, honey pie
Honey pie, honey pie
Honey pie, honey pie, honey pie, honey piieehoooeyeah
(john lennon/paul mccartney)
song performed by by Pixies
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Money Honey
(words & music by j. stone)
You know, the landlord rang my front door bell.
I let it ring for a long, long spell.
I went to the window,
I peeped through the blind,
And asked him to tell me whats on his mind.
He said,
Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey, if you want to get along with me.
Well, I screamed and I hollered,
I was so hard-pressed.
I called the woman that I loved the best.
I finally got my baby about half past three,
She said Id like to know what you want with me.
I said,
Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me.
Well, I said tell me baby, whats wrong with you?
From this day on our romance is through
I said, tell me baby, face to face
How could another man take my place?
She said,
Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get a long with me.
Well, Ive learned my lesson and now I know
The sun may shine and the winds may blow.
The women may come and the women may go,
But before I say I love you so,
I want
Money, honey.
Money, honey.
Money, honey,
If you want to get along with me.
song performed by by Elvis Presley
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tupelo Honey
(van morrison)
You can take all the tea in china
Put it in a big brown bag for me
Sail right round the seven oceans
Drop it straight into the deep blue sea
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Now you cant stop us on the road to freedom
You cant keep us cause our eyes can see
Men with insight, men in granite
Knights in armour bent on chivalry
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
I heard a tale of old manhattan
Ive never been there, but I want, wanna go
Standing waiting on my number
And my number, its gonna show
Hes as sweet as tupelo, tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Hes an angel of the first degree
Hes as sweet as tupelo honey
Just like honey, baby, from the bee
Hes as sweet, hes as sweet
song performed by by Dusty Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Money Honey
Well the landlord rang my front door bell
He let it ring for a long, long spell
Went to the window, peeked through the blind
Asked him to tell me what was on his mind
An' he said:
Money honey
Money honey
Money honey
If you want to stay up here with me.
I was screamin' green an so hard pressed
I called the woman that I love the best
Finally found my baby 'bout a quarter to three
She said "I wanna know what you want with me"
An I said:
Money honey (Just a little bit)
Money honey
Money honey
If you wanna git along with me.
Well she screamed and said
"What's wrong with you?
From this day on our romance is through."
I should tell my baby, face to face
How could another man take my place?
An she said:
Money honey (lots and lots of that)
Money honey (you got to give me some)
Money honey
If you wanna git along with me.
I learned my lesson and now I know
Sun may shine and the wind may blow
Women come and women may go
But before I'll tell em that I love em so.
I want
Money honey (Do you have some?)
Money honey
Money honey
If you wanna get along with me
Money honey, (Give me)
Money honey, (I need some)
Money honey, if you wanna get along with me.
song performed by by 38 Special
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Wild Honey
Sweet sweet wild honey bee
Eat up eat up eat up honey
Mama Im tellin you as sure as Im standing here
Shes my girl and thats the way Im keeping it now mama dear
No good will it do you to stand there and frown at me
The girls got my heart and my loves coming down on me
My loves coming down since I got a taste of wild honey
You know shes got the sweetness of a honey bee
Wild honey
She got it on and stung me good yes sirree
With all the other stud bees buzzing all around her hive
She singled me out single handed took me alive
Well can you can you gonna take my life eating up her wild honey
(sweet sweet wild honey bee)
(eat up eat up eat up honey)
Oh mama shes sweeter
Gettin sweeter
Sweeter sweeter
Sweet
Wild honey
Let me tell you how she really got to my soul
It aint funny
The way she make wanna sing a little rock n roll
Theres nothing quite nice as a kiss of wild honey
I break my back workin just to save me some money
So I can spend my life with her
Sock it to me wild honey
Wild honey shes mine
Wild honey shes mine
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Dreamed About Mama Last Night
I've just been to heaven with someone so true I dreamed about mama last night
She read me the Bible like she used to do I dreamed about mama last night
She never close her eyes to sleep till we were all in bed
And on party nights when we come home she often sat and read
We little thought about it then for we were young and gay
Just how much mama worried when we children were away
We only knew she never slept when we were out at night
That she waited just to know that we'd all come home alright
Why sometimes when we'd stay away till one or two or three
It seemed to us that mama heard the turnin' of the key
For always when we'd step aside she'd call and we'd reply
But we were all too young back then to understand the reason why
Until the last one had returned she'd always keep a light
For mama couldn't sleep until she kissed us all goodnight
She had to know that we were safe before she went to rest
She seemed to fear that the world might harm the ones that she loved the best
And once she told me when you're grown to women and to men
Perhaps I'll sleep the whole night through I may be different then
And so it seemed that night and day we knew a mother's care
That always when we got back home we'd find her waitin' there
Then came the night that we were called together round her bed
The children're all with you now the kindly doctor said
And in her eyes the gleam again that old time tender light
That told that she's just been waitin' to know that we were alright
She smiled that old familiar smile and prayed to God to keep
Her children safe from harm throughout the years tand then she went to sleep
My dream is a treasure that I'll always keep I dreamed about mama last night
song performed by by Hank Williams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Money Honey
(jesse stone)
(a) - (d) - (e) capo on 1
(a) well, the landlord rang my frontdoor bell
(e) I let it rang for a long, long spell
(d) went to the window, peeped through the blind
(e) asked him to tell me what was on his mind
He said, (a) money honey, (d) money honey, (a) money honey
(e) if you wanna stay here with (a) me
I was clean and screened and so hard pressed
I called the woman that I loved the best
Finally found my baby bout a quarter to three
She said, Id like to know what you want with me
And I said, money honey, money honey, money honey
If you wanna get along with me
Well, she screamed and said
Whats wrong with you, from this day forth
Our romance is through
I said, tell me baby, face to face
How could another man take my place ?
She said, money honey, money honey, money honey
If you wanna get along with me
Ive learned a lesson and now I know
Sun may shine, wind may blow
Women may come and women may go
But before I tell em that I love em so
I want money honey, money honey, money honey
If you wanna get along with me
song performed by by Ry Cooder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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