When Bessie Died
If from your own the dimpled hands had slipped,
And ne'er would nestle in your palm again;
If the white feet into the grave had tripped--'
When Bessie died--
We braided the brown hair, and tied
It just as her own little hands
Had fastened back the silken strands
A thousand times-- the crimson bit
Of ribbon woven into it
That she had worn with childish pride--
Smoothed down the dainty bow-- and cried
When Bessie died.
When Bessie died--
We drew the nursery blinds aside,
And as the morning in the room
Burst like a primrose into bloom,
Her pet canary's cage we hung
Where she might hear him when he sung--
And yet not any note he tried,
Though she lay listening folded-eyed.
When Bessie died--
We writhed in prayer unsatisfied:
We begged of God, and He did smile
In silence on us all the while;
And we did see Him, through our tears,
Enfolding that fair form of hers,
She laughing back against His love
The kisses had nothing of--
And death to us He still denied,
When Bessie died--
When Bessie died.
poem by James Whitcomb Riley
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Related quotes
Bessie Girl
Bessie Girl once so lively and young
Bessie Girl would be here to come
Bessie Girl always here to comfort
Bessie Girl always fought!
She fought for the people she loves the most
She fought for the people she loved to boast
She fought for a lousy piece of toast
But most of all,
She fought for the people she loved the most
Bessie wanted to last forever
Bessie never wanted there to a NEVER
Bessie wanted what everyone had
Bessie was never, ever sad.
Bessie Girl had a happy life
Bessie Girl loved the night
Bessie Girl had awesome family and friends
Bessie Girl, Our hearts have to mend!
Bessie is with us all in our hearts
Bessie will never let us part
Bessie Girl is attached to our hearts
Bessie Girl who ever let us apart.
Bessie fought for her survival
Bessie fought for her last breath
But couldn't hang on no more
Bessie will always be the one we adore!
poem by Kaitlyn Breitkreutz
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Bessie Smith
Bessie was more than a friend of mine
We shared the good times and the bad
Well many years has since passed me by
I still recall the best thing I ever had
Now I'm going down the road to see Bessie
Oh see her soon
I'm just going down the road to see Bessie Smith
When I get there I wondering what she'll do
Now all the crazy things I had to try
Well I tried them all and then some
But if you're lucky one day you will find out
Where it is that you're really coming from
Now I'm going down the road to see Bessie
Oh see her soon
I'm just going down the road to see Bessie Smith
When I get there I wondering what she'll do
Now in my day I've made some foolish moves
But back then I didn't worry about a thing
Now and again I still wonder to myself
Was it the sweet love or the way that she could sing
I'm just going down the road to see Bessie Smith
When I get there I wondering what she'll do
I'm just going down the road to see Bessie Smith
When I get there I wondering what she'll do
song performed by by Norah Jones
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Bessie Was A Cow
Bessie was a cow,
Flower was a goat;
Two better friends
You would never know.
Bessie trimmed the grass,
And Flower ate the weeds;
A pair of better gardeners
You would never need.
Wherever Flower went,
Bessie went there too;
If Flower ate some clothes,
Bessie watched with rue.
If Bessie ate some hay,
Flower ate some clover-
If one passes heaven,
They'll both get over.
poem by Patti Masterman
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Bessie Smith
(r. danko and j.r. robertson)
Bessie was more than just a friend of mine
We shared the good times with the bad
Now many a year has passed me by
I still recall the best thing I ever had
Im just goin down the road t see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin down the road t see bessie smith
When I get there I wonder what shell do
Now all the crazy things I had to try
Well I tried them all and then some
But if youre lucky one day you find out
Where it is youre really comin from
Im just goin down the road t see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin down the road t see bessie smith
When I get there I wonder what shell do
Now in my day Ive made some foolish moves
But back then, I didnt worry bout a thing
And now again I still wonder to myself
Was it her sweet love or the way that she could sing
Im just goin down the road t see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin down the road t see bessie smith
When I get there I wonder what shell do
Theres so much time has gone right on by
I didnt think one could be so wrong
And then one night I was drinkin and a-thinkin
In the bottom of the glass I could see bessies face so strong
Im just goin down the road t see bessie
Oh, see her soon
Goin down the road t see bessie smith
When I get there I wonder what shell do
When she sees me will she know what Ive been through?
Will old times start to feelin like new?
When I get there will our love still feel so true?
Yet all I have, Ill be a-bringin it to you
Oh bessie, sing them old-time blues
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lovely Mistake
Marriage, often a mistake,
can be a lovely one.
In marriage you can have your cake
and it eat––oh what fun! ––
although it isn’t perfect––what
on earth is that? It can
be lovely though it may be not
precisely what a married
man or woman would describe
as peachy. It is carried
like remainders after you
divide, but better not divided.
Mistakes, though multiplied,
in marriage should not be derided,
and always should be eyed
as much part of the territory
as what in Eden’s Garden stood,
the famous Error Tree
without which Eve and Adam could
not have lived lovingly.
Inspired by what Michael Tilson Thomas, in a concet program called “The Thomashefskys” says his grandmother, Bessie Thomashefsky, once told him about her marriage with her husband Boris, whom she left when he established a liaison with a beautiful Romanian Jewess called Mrs. Zuckerberg who, he told Bessie, reminded him of her when she was young girl. Bessie married Boris when she was less than sixteen and was undeterred by his multiple liaisons with his many fans until Mrs. Zuckerberg came along. But even though she left him and even competed with him on different stages she told her grandson: “Our marriage was a beautiful mistake.” Bessie was at Boris’s bedside when he died.
12/21/08
poem by Gershon Hepner
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Up On Cripple Creek
Up on cripple creek
When I get off of this mountain
You know where I want to go
Straight down the mississippi river
To the gulf of mexico
To lake charles, louisiana
Little bessie, a girl that I once knew
And she told me just to come on by
If theres anything she could do
{refrain}
Up on cripple creek she sends me
If I spring a leak she mends me
I dont have to speak she defends me
A drunkards dream if I ever did see one
Good luck had just stung me
To the race track I did go
She bet on one horse to win
And I bet on another to show
Odds were in my favor
I had him five to one
When that nag to win came around the track
Sure enough he had won
{refrain}
I took up all of my winnings
And I gave my little bessie half
And she tore it up and blew it in my face
Just for a laugh
Now theres one thing in the whole wide world
I sure would like to see
Thats when that little love of mine
Dips her doughnut in my tea
{refrain}
Now me and my mate were back at the shack
We had spike jones on the box
She said, I cant take the way he sings
But I love to hear him talk
Now that just gave my heart a fall
To the bottom of my feet
And I swore as I took another pull
My bessie cant be beat
{refrain}
Now, its hot in california
And up north its freezing cold
And this living off the road
Is getting pretty old
So I guess Ill call up my big mama
Tell her Ill be rolling in
Bet you know, deep down, Im kinda tempted
To go and see my bessie again
{refrain}
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Rose Family' Song 1
O flower at my window
Why blossom you so fair,
With your green and purple cup
Upturned to sun and air?
'I bloom, blithesome Bessie,
To cheer your childish heart;
The world is full of labor,
And this shall be my part.'
Whirl, busy wheel, faster,
Spin, little thread, spin;
The sun shines fair without,
And we are gay within.
O robin in the tree-top,
With sunshine on your breast,
Why brood you so patiently
Above your hidden nest?
'I brood, blithesome Bessie,
And sing my humble song,
That the world may have more music
From my little ones erelong.'
Whirl, busy wheel, faster,
Spin, little thread, spin;
The sun shines fair without,
And we are gay within.
O balmy wind of summer,
O silver-singing brook,
Why rustle through the branches?
Why shimmer in your nook?
'I flutter, blithesome Bessie,
Like a blessing far and wide;
I scatter bloom and verdue
Where'er my footsteps glide.'
Whirl, busy wheel, faster,
Spin, little thread, spin;
The sun shines fair without,
And we are gay within.
O brook and breeze and blossom,
And robin on the tree,
You make a joy of duty,
A pride of industry;
Teach me to work as blithely,
With a willing hand and heart:
The world is full of labor,
And I must do my part.
Whirl, busy wheel, faster,
Spin, little thread, spin;
The sun shines fair without,
And we are gay within.
poem by Louisa May Alcott
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That's what the cat said to the canary when he swallowed him - 'You'll be all right.'
quote by Alvah Bessie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Day I Died
The air was close, but it would not rain
The day I died.
And smog enshrouded Gotham town
The day I died..
I should have stayed in Oceanside
The day I died.
Instead of a hellish subway ride
The day I died.
It started with a stabbing pain
The day I died.
Then waves of nausea deep inside
The day I died.
I fell to earth, I could not breathe
The day I died.
Co workers rushing to my side
The day I died.
Sirens scream on distant streets
The day I died.
bringing hosts of E.M.T.’s
The day I died..
Too late for me, this proud heart fails
The day I died.
I thought” This is the last of Earth”
The day I died.
poem by John F. McCullagh
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I refused to take no for an answer.
quote by Bessie Coleman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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So, my sweetheart back home writes to me and wants to know what this gal in Bombay's got that she hasn't got. So I just write back to her and says, Nothin', honey. Only she's got it here.
quote by Alvah Bessie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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How many times has God died for me?
HOW MANY TIMES HAS GOD DIED FOR ME?
How many times has God died for me?
Yes, he’s died
And time and time again
As I’ve written in my book
How many times has God died for me?
How many times has God died for me?
A useful if cryptic phrase
Nietzsche coined in the 19th century
“When Zarathustra was alone, however,
he said to his heart:
'Could it be possible!
This old saint in the forest
hath not yet heard of it,
that God is dead! '
How many times has God died for me?
Each time I’ve had a paradigm shift
In my theological perspective
The God I had died and was replaced
Not by no God but a new God
How many times has God died for me?
A new God but still my God
The product of my heart and my head
A bit less Trinitarian
A bit closer to my own self
How many times has God died for me?
Now he’s not up there nor out there
But in there, a personal creation
Adaptable and changing with circumstances
According to my living, according to my reading.
How many times has God died for me?
I have no room for a God who is exclusive
I have no room for a God who is dogmatic
I have no room for a God, who is sexist,
Racist, anti-gay and British.
How many times has God died for me?
Yes God, my God, needed to die
And be reborn, reinvented
In a more user-friendly package.
So to make God more like me is to make God more PC!
How many times has God died for me?
Till God has become indistinguishable from me
God close to me, God in me
An undying God-sense
A God made to fit every circumstance
A God made to fit every mood
That God will never die for me
Even when I die I pray he will accompany me
The undying God
Who never died on Calvary
Who never died with Nietzsche.
©2009
James Hart
poem by James Hart
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Love is mutually feeding each other, not one living on another like a ghoul.
quote by Bessie Head
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The air is the only place free from prejudices.
quote by Bessie Coleman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Maybe! Maybe! Maybe if your aunt had a beard, she'd be your uncle.
quote by Alvah Bessie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Died
Joy Mukherjee
Died.
Dharam Dev
Pishorimal
Anand,
Also known as
Dev Anand -
Died.
Bhupen Hazarika
Died.
Jagmohan (Jagjit)
Singh Ji died.
Mansoor Ali Khan
Pataudi died.
They all
Did their
Best -
And died.
I'm also
Doing my
Best -
So that
You don't
Complain:
She didn't do
Anything ;)
She just
Existed -
And died!
poem by Aparna Chatterjee
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A discipline I have observed is an attitude of love and reverence to people.
quote by Bessie Head
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It's a long old road, but I know I'm gonna find the end.
quote by Bessie Smith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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When you're dealing with monkeys, you've got to expect some wrenches.
quote by Alvah Bessie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I ain't good-lookin', but I'm somebody's angel child.
quote by Bessie Smith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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