Six Poems for Poetry Chicago
1
“Limon tree very pretty
And the limon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon
Is impossible to eat”
In Riverside we saved the oranges first (by smudging) and left
the lemons last to fend for them selves. They didn’t usually
A no good crop. Smudge-pots
Didn’t rouse them. The music
Is right though. The lemon tree
Could branch off into real magic. Each flower in place. We
Were sickened by the old lemon.
2
Pieces of the past arising out of the rubble. Which evokes Eliot
and then evokes Suspicion. Ghosts all of them. Doers of no
good.
The past around us is deeper than.
Present events defy us, the past
Has no such scruples. No funeral processions for him. He died
in agony. The cock under the thumb.
Rest us as corpses
We poets
Vain words.
For a funeral (as I live and breathe and speak)
Of good
And impossible
Dimensions.
3
In the far, fat Vietnamese jungles nothing grows.
In Guadacanal nothing grew but a kind of shrubbery that was
like the bar-conversation of your best friend who was
not able to talk.
3
Sheets to the wind. No
Wind being present.
No
Lifeboats being present. A jungle
Can’t use life-boats. Dead
From whatever bullets the snipers were. Each
Side of themselves. Safe-
Ly delivered.
4
The rind (also called the skin) of the lemon is difficult to
understand
It goes around itself in an oval quite unlike the orange which, as
anyone can tell, is a fruit easily to be eaten.
It can be crushed in canneries into all sorts of extracts which are
still not lemons. Oranges have no such fate. They’re pretty
much the same as they were. Culls become frozen orange
juice. The best oranges are eaten.
It’s the shape of the lemon, I guess that causes trouble. It’s
ovalness, it’s rind. This is where my love, somehow, stops.
5
A moment’s rest. I can’t get a moment’s rest without sleeping
with you. Yet each moment
Seems so hard to figure. Clocks
Tell time. In elaborate ceremonial they tick the seconds off
what was to come.
Wake us at six in the morning with messages someone had given
them the night before.
To pierce the darkness you need a clock that tells good time.
Something in the morning to hold on to
As one gets craftier in poetry one sees the obvious messages
(cocks for clocks) but one forgets the love that gave them
Time.
6
The moment’s rest. And the bodies entangled and yet not
entangled in sleeping. Could we get
Out of our skins and dance? The bedclothes
So awry that they seem like two skins.
Or all the sorts of skins that we wore, wear (the orgasm),
wanted to wear, or would be wearing. So utterly tangled.
A bad dream.
A moment’s rest. The skins
All of them
Near.
I saw the ghost of myself and the ghost of yourself dancing
without music.
With
Out
Skin.
A good dream. The
Moment’s rest.
poem by Jack Spicer
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The Sour Lemon Tree
A sour lemon tree flower attracts the bee
While its fruit is bitter not so its flower
White is its flower sweet and very pretty
Only the fruit is bitter and that's just a pity
As the beauty of its flower resist not a bee
It's the simple truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
With fruit that is bitter bears a lemon tree
But useful is its fruit good for everyday use
Once said a bee... your flower is very sweet
It carries fragrance scented out in the street
Yet bears you fruit bitter no one wants to eat
It's partly the truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
A citrus tree with fruit no other tree bears
Then out of the tree came a nice neat voice
'Twas like a voice of one who's very wise
This is what it said trees are not so free
One made a decree for every bearing tree
It's partly the truth
Or see the sour lemon tree
The Creator decides the fruit a tree bears
Whether it be bitter or whether it be sweet
The Creator decrees for every bearing tree
To bring forth fruit ordained for it to bear
Then sweet or bitter bears a tree its fruit
It's the simple truth
Or see the sour lemon tree.
poem by Clarence Prince
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In This Moment
In life there comes a moment when all things are made clear, and my clarity is in this moment.
In this moment I know that I want to live the rest of my life beside you.
In this moment I know I want to start my own branch on my family tree with you.
In this moment I know that I love you.
So as I take your hand and gaze into your eyes I know that this moment is the right moment to ask you to be my wife.
Now, before you say yes think because if you do our life together forever begins
in this moment.
One Must Learn To Love The Present Good Moment
One must learn to love the present good moment
In itself and for itself
As if there were only it and no other-
One must learn to love the present good moment
Without wondering why it will pass
And why all things must –
One must learn to give one’s heart and mind wholly to the present good moment-
And when it is over
Wake from the dream
With joy and gratitude
Despite regretting that the moment is gone.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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The Lemon Tree
There's a girl next door to me who's round the bend
But she wonders why she can't make any friends
From her garden she could see me
In her silver-clad bikini
Singing, dancing round her fruit tree
Here we go round the lemon tree
Mister, can't you hear me
Here we go round the lemon tree
Mister, don't come near me
Could i calm her down by throwing stones at her
If only i could make the right approach to her
Think i'd rather tame a tiger
Turn those lemons into cider
Still i'd like to get beside her
Chorus
Three o'clock in the morning
I could her her toneless singing
I could smell her lemon perfume in the air
I walked up to the window
In the hope that i might see her
Could the deadly shade of night still bring her there
Chorus
Morning came and into action went my plans
Went to meet her dressed in bright green underpants
I crept in and sang discreetly
Seemed to change your mind discreetly
Danced together singing sweetly
Chorus
Chorus
song performed by by Electric Light Orchestra
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A pair of Sparrows on my lovely Lemon Tree
Those were the days
So joyous and carefree
When I could watch the preening of
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree
Summer days were so short, winters were so long
And for endless hours one could go on a kite flying spree
When I could watch, hopping here and there
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree
Enjoying tender sunshine in winter is a past
And chapattis from an earthen hearth a history
When I could watch, assembling of a nest by
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree
What seemed to be mundane at that time
Life in my backyard so ordinary
Bliss it is in hindsight, chirping of
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree
I still sometimes motivate myself
To get off the treadmill and shake the shackles free
But can’t anymore find in my back yard
That pair of sparrows and that lovely lemon tree
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree..
A pair of sparrows on my lovely lemon tree.......
30 July 09
poem by Ravi Singh
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Inspiration
let the brush begin
let the strokes be gentle
but let all these be
definite with a sense of
a mission
a purpose
paint me oranges
like suns
green patches of
grass
like peace
paint me the blueness
of the seven seas
let these be not as dark
as the night
let there be openings
like doors and
windows
so i can breathe
let me live
like i was once so alive
let me go through all these gently
like the fluttering wings
of a sky blue butterfly
you are my flower
scented with morning lemon
let me
on such a short moment
bloom
and then
even for a day
just a day
wilt with you.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The Lemon's Quest
The whole of the fruit world were assembled
to hear what the lemon had to say.
In anticipation the fruit sat and trembled,
would it be the lemon’s day?
“Why can’t there be a sweet tasting lemon? ”
Said lemon in a tone of revolt.
To the fruit world this was open rebellion
and had to be brought to a halt.
The atmosphere turned sour towards lemon,
as he said, “This is not a lot to ask,
it’s a reasonable enough question,
and I’m sure not a major task.
I cannot understand your objections
about a fruit that wants to progress.
I’m open to all and any suggestions,
but until then I’ll sit and digress.”
The avocado replied to the question,
“The lemon is bitter and that is that! ”
“That’s an unfounded objection, ” said lemon.
“It maybe, ” said the Chairman, “but it is a matter of fact.”
The language was now strong and offensive,
as Chairman Plum called out for restraint,
“Order, fruit please, we must not be derisive.”
The tangerine looked likely to faint.
Chairman Plum summed up with a speech,
“This raises many questions for all nations, ”
he was then rudely interrupted by the peach,
“Just think about the complications? ”
A voice shouted from the back of the room,
it was grape with an answer to the problem,
“A sweet lemon must have its own bloom,
without it there will be no conclusion.
The answer is simply, graft and propagation,
a vine, with a lemon tree shoot.
It’s straight forward and without complication,
and should produce a sweet lemon fruit.”
The assembly calmed and became much quieter;
grape was thanked for his solution.
The outlook was now decidedly brighter,
bringing an end to the lemon’s resolution.
The lemon looked across at the chairman
and asked if there were any one with doubt.
The avocado said, “Yes, you give me indigestion, ”
“Out of order, ” said plum, “cut it out! ”
“All those in favour say aye, ” said plum.
“Then the ayes win the vote gentlemen.
We now await a fruitful outcome,
and this assembly is adjourned until then.”
One year later
On the grafted lemon tree a fruit appeared,
but the colour didn’t quite look right.
The lemon was fighting back his tears,
as the grape suggested more light.
Two weeks later
“What beauty of yellow and blue, ” said plum,
“It must be time to judge the taste, ” said grape.
“Why, it’s delicious and sweet; a job well done,
we must have a drink to celebrate.”
Three weeks later
At the next assembly, Lemon beamed with happiness
and announced the success of the new taste.
The avocado said, “I don’t wish to spoil your party,
but aren’t you celebrating in haste?
A lemon is a lemon and will be forever just a lemon,
a beautiful smelling fruit with a taste that's bitter!
I sincerely hope that you have learned your lesson,
a lemon no, but a new fruit that tastes much better.
So with this sweet new fruit I congratulate your success,
but lemon, please don’t try to be what you are not,
you’re famous for your aroma and countless other uses,
so be happy with what you’ve got.”
poem by Orlando Belo
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A Lemon
Out of lemon flowers
loosed
on the moonlight, love's
lashed and insatiable
essences,
sodden with fragrance,
the lemon tree's yellow
emerges,
the lemons
move down
from the tree's planetarium
Delicate merchandise!
The harbors are big with it-
bazaars
for the light and the
barbarous gold.
We open
the halves
of a miracle,
and a clotting of acids
brims
into the starry
divisions:
creation's
original juices,
irreducible, changeless,
alive:
so the freshness lives on
in a lemon,
in the sweet-smelling house of the rind,
the proportions, arcane and acerb.
Cutting the lemon
the knife
leaves a little cathedral:
alcoves unguessed by the eye
that open acidulous glass
to the light; topazes
riding the droplets,
altars,
aromatic facades.
So, while the hand
holds the cut of the lemon,
half a world
on a trencher,
the gold of the universe
wells
to your touch:
a cup yellow
with miracles,
a breast and a nipple
perfuming the earth;
a flashing made fruitage,
the diminutive fire of a planet.
poem by Pablo Neruda
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Saturday Paseo: Adelina
Oranges
do not grow in the sea
neither is there love in Sevilla.
You in Dark and the I the sun that's hot,
loan me your parasol.
I'll wear my jealous reflection,
juice of lemon and lime-
and your words,
your sinful little words-
will swim around awhile.
Oranges
do not grow in the sea,
Ay, love!
And there is no love in Sevilla!
poem by Federico García Lorca
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Fantastic Place
(HogarthKellyMosleyRotheryTrewavas)
[Islands are mountain-tops]
It's always a struggle
To let somebody go
It's a natural desire
To own your lover, I know
And you can screw a man down
Until he takes to drinking
He'll give you all of his money
You still won't know what he's thinking
Take me to the fantastic place
Keep the rest of my life away
Take me to the fantastic place
Keep the rest of my life away
Take me to the island
I'll watch the rain over your shoulder
The streetlights in the water
The moment outside of real life
I never could dream while I was sleeping
Put your arms around my soul
And take it dancing..
Take me to the fantastic place
Keep the rest of my life away
Take me to the fantastic place
Keep the rest of my life away
Take me to the island
I'll watch the rain over your shoulder
The streetlights on the wet stone
The moment outside of real life
Say you understand me
And I will leave myself completely
Forgive me if I stare
But I can see the island behind your tired, troubled eyes
Take me to the island
I'll tell you all I never told you
The boy I never showed you
More than I gave in my life
Take me by the hand
You'll either kill me or you'll save me
Take me to the island
Show me what might be real life
song performed by by Marillion
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blueprint Of Time Is My Life
Every second, minute and hour go,
Even i have so much to say or do,
Every moment is gone forever,
Do i have time or not?
I am running to catch illusions,
I am living the present moment,
Only hours seem like seconds,
Do i have time to catch time and make it mine or not?
Time keeps on running,
In its worldwide cycle,
How could i make it stop?
Do i have to tame the time or not?
Time is an infinite matter,
Never ends and never stops,
I wish i could make time my prisoner,
And live an infinite present moment.
The tracks of time remains,
Even time keeps running,
Blueprint of time is my life,
My past, my memories, my present.
poem by Cristina Teodor
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Lemon Parade
I wish I'd seen you as a little girl
Without your armor to fend off the world
I would have kept you underneath my wing
I would protect you from everything
Make way for the lemon parade
Make way for my girl
Make way for the lemon parade
Make way for my girl
Did the boys all tease you when they had
the chance
Always left standing when it came time
to dance
Did you hide behind your books girl
Did you find your secret friends
Always I'll want you
Always 'till the end
Make way for the lemon parade
Make way for my girl
Make way for the lemon parade
Make way for my girl
song performed by by Tonic from Lemon Parade
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Calico Skies
It was written that I would love you
From the moment I opened my eyes
And the morning when I first saw you
Gave me life under calico skies.
I will hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life
Always looking for ways to love you
Never failing to fight at your side
While the angels of love protect us
From the innermost secrets we hide
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life
Long live all of us were crazy soldiers who
Were born under calico skies
May we never be called to handle
All the weapons of war we despise
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill hold you for the rest of my life
Ill hold you for as long as you like
Ill love you for the rest of my...
For the rest of my life
song performed by by Paul McCartney
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When Life Gives You Lemons
When Life Gives You Lemons
Shopping for a lemon and honey
For money can actually buy
At a Chinatown grocery store
The lemon acidity diminish phlegm
The honey to replenish sweetness lost
In conjunction with Chamomile Green Tea
To soothe my throat from this stupid lingering cough
When Life Gives You Lemons
I throw the lemons right back
For my lashing is the acidity squirted at malicious people
Their juice from the lemon is very weak
For the acid is deflected right back
Honey, I've got a lot more sweetness should malicious people throw acid at me
Yet attempt to destroy my sunshine as my uplifting spirit continues to be envied
Have a shot of Limoncello!
You Can't Just Leave It If It's Good
A sweet peach eaten down to the pit.
May keep that pit sitting,
In one's mouth a bit.
Like a hold...
Onto a taste one can't let go.
To show...
How something good can take control.
Dried pineapple slices and raw cashews too.
Can hook someone to snacking,
No matter the mood.
Like a hold...
Onto a taste one can't let go.
To show...
How something good can take control.
A nice banana smoothie with strawberries too.
Added with some orange juice and lemon to boost...
Is good.
Just to have it as a beverage,
Is good!
No matter the mood.
A sweet peach eaten down to the pit.
May keep that pit sitting,
In one's mouth a bit.
Dried pineapple slices and raw cashews too.
Can hook someone to snacking,
No matter the mood.
Like a hold...
Onto a taste one can't let go.
To show...
How something good can take control.
A nice banana smoothie with strawberries too.
Added with some orange juice and lemon to boost...
Like a hold...
Onto a taste one can't let go.
To show...
How something good can take control.
Like a hold...
Onto a taste one can't let go.
To show...
How something good can take control.
You can't just leave it if it's good!
Like a hold that has control.
You can't just leave it if it's good!
Like a hold that has control.
You can't just leave it if it's good!
Like a hold that has control.
You can't just leave it if it's good!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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San Pedro de Alcantara
[An orange on the table
Your dress on the rug
And you in my bed
Sweet gift of the present
Freshness of the night
Warmth of my life
- 'Alicante', Jacques Prevert]
Clothes strewn on the table
Juice stains the floor board
He rises above you
You journey beneath him
I watch from the window
Cold in the night
Lemon tea on the dresser
Seed of pomegranite
Adorning your belly
As he falls above you
You draw down his kisses
Warm essence of life
Stranded at the station
In the cold of the morning
My bed for your sleeping
The rug for your dress
In the warmth of awakening
Dawn your caress
Lemons on the table
You make up by the window
I lie in my bed
Unable to watch you
The night steals the freshness
The gift that you left
Now I lie beside you
Emptiness on the table
Your hem in my fingers
The gift a deliverance
Your presence a memory
Warmth of the past.
poem by Frank Bana
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Love Of My Life
You are the only one who can take my breath away
For the rest of my life, I need you by my side,
My love to you still feels like on the first day
You are the queen of my heart
You are the love of my life
You are the love of my life
You are the key to survive
I need you by my side, every day, every night
I swear I love you
You are the love of my life
You are the key to survive
Wherever you go, I just want you to know
Stay here in my life
Sun always shines when you're near
Sharing your secrets my dear
You are the one I need
Without you I can't breathe
Give me one moment in time
I wish you'll always be mine
Nothing that I wouldn't do
You know I guide you through
You're the one that I love
Send from heaven above
You are the queen of my heart
Every breath that I take
Every move that I make
All is for you, worth the wait
I picture your face in my hands
Hoping this love never ends
I will be by your side
For the rest of my life
Give me one moment in time
I wish you'll always be mine
Live for each moment a day
And I hear myself pray
song performed by by DJ Bobo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Now!
Out of your whole life give but a moment!
All of your life that has gone before,
All to come after it, -- so you ignore,
So you make perfect the present, condense,
In a rapture of rage, for perfection's endowment,
Thought and feeling and soul and sense,
Merged in a moment which gives me at last
You around me for once, you beneath me, above me --
Me, sure that, despite of time future, time past,
This tick of life-time's one moment you love me!
How long such suspension may linger? Ah, Sweet,
The moment eternal -- just that and no more --
When ecstasy's utmost we clutch at the core,
While cheeks burn, arms open, eyes shut, and lips meet!
poem by Robert Browning
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Carpe Diem
actually my dear, the most that matters is
now. This is the moment. There is no other.
what is inside my palm is not yours to guess
for i may not follow your wish
your dream, what is here inside me is alive
but only for this moment, there is no time to think
or imagine. This is only the moment. The now.
This is the only moment. It is now.
Hold my hand. As we pass the river of our lives.
Do not look back, as the rush of the water may be
too harsh. Look at my eyes. This is the only moment.
Do not look down at your feet. The water is flowing.
And flowing. There is nothing that you can hold
with your fingers and drink. It is and it will be impossible
to grasp, a past reality, a future possibility.
This is the only moment.This is the only truth. Grab it
with both hands and tell me. Now, is the only truth. This
moment of our lives. You hear the sound of a cascade.
That is what we are now.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The lost Key
the air tells the wind when to fly, the stone
hold the mountain to stop and the night call
the darkness to shine the star above beyond
the universe, as envy entangle the galaxy
hangs on the heaven best of creation
watered me the distance of your heart and
push the every cloud near to my wondering
soul; the beginning of where the roots of
fading courage as it lose every glorious
moment of the past joy and happiness you
give
ever change the time that you'll with me in a
dream of reality, back then and try again
waiting not the magic of a real friend, may be
this is the time that love wouldn't end and
maybe it is you who'll take my heart
as you fill my life tonight, glows of darkness
flows in a dawning dream of every dreams,
an awakening stream of lonely years from
whom you want to hold ever more in every
moment of time, till love never ends
key my day and hold my heart......waiting the
season of moment to come and carried me
in your arm of forgiveness
poem by Antonio Liao
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