What is Good
“What is the real good?'
I asked in musing mood.
Order, said the law court;
Knowledge, said the school;
Truth, said the wise man;
Pleasure, said the fool;
Love, said the maiden;
Beauty, said the page;
Freedom, said the dreamer;
Home, said the sage;
Fame, said the soldier;
Equity, the seer;—
Spake my heart full sadly:
'The answer is not here.'
Then within my bosom
Softly this I heard:
'Each heart holds the secret:
Kindness is the word.'
poem by John Boyle O'Reilly
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Related quotes
The Real Good
'What is the real good?'
I ask in a musing mood.
'Order,' said the law court;
'Knowledge,' said the school;
'Truth,' said the wise man;
'Pleasure,' said the fool;
'Love,' said the maiden;
'Beauty,' said the page;
'Freedom,' said the dreamer;
'Home,' said the sage;
'Fame,' said the soldier;
'Equity,' said the seer.
Spake my heart fully sad:
'The answer is not here.'
Then within my bosom,
Softly this I heard:
'Each heart holds the secret:
'Kindness' is the word.'
poem by John Boyle O'Reilly
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Love And Freedom!
Loveless life is like bird without wings;
Nation without freedom is big prison!
Love and freedom go together always;
Without love and freedom life is useless!
Love and knowledge are two eyes for all!
But without love and freedom no chance
There is for one to accomplish any wish
As interest and desire never leave one ever!
Love and knowledge only make one perfect
To enjoy real freedom in joy and peace ever!
Beauty is truth only when love is true there,
Where real freedom prevails as heart's desire!
Love, beauty and truth make one perfect
To enjoy real freedom in life of joy and peace!
poem by Ramesh T A
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Happiness One Enjoys......!
Happiness in life lies in the pleasure one enjoys!
Satisfaction in life lies in the work one does!
Sans happiness and satisfaction freedom is nothing!
Knowledge and love give real freedom here!
Beauty and truth make one perfect in work!
Beauty, truth, love, joy and peace one seeks in life!
With knowledge, vision and ambition one makes achievement!
Knowledge, living, pleasure and absolute constitute life!
Sufferings are due to ignorance and negligence of wisdom!
Pleasures sans knowledge will thrust only in deep abyss!
Life is for enjoying happiness out of knowledge and love!
This is the grand truth both religion and literature say ever.
Losing happiness in life is entirely due to vehemence only;
Happiness one enjoys, so, is due to perfection by truth and love!
poem by Ramesh T A
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Soldier
Am a soldier at war
I have never seen violence
Because when I fight there is still
Silence
I have no weapon except
My heart it doesn't fire
Zinc bullets it only fires
Pink feelings
Am a soldier at war
Fighting for my other leg
For if am not successful
I will fall
Am a soldier that shows
True colours I fight with
Passion for I don't need
A camouflage suite to hide
Am a soldier that doesn't
Salute but holds on to his
Heart with no malice pollution
Am a soldier at war with
A warm heart but fighting
Against ice cubes
Am a soldier fighting for
A nocturnal issue which is
Replacement
Am a soldier that doesn't
Listen to any sergeants
Commands only my heart
shall give me an order
Am soldier fighting for
THE LOVE OF MY LIFE
poem by Atlay Mwenifumbo
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Real Love
How to say love?
How to see love?
or to seize love?
saying love u out of your lips
not the way to say love
say i love u in your heart
whom u love then they can hear
with their hearts
if u sees in your eyes
u still never see the real love
but with open heart
and open mind
if u accept the real light
then u can see the beauty
the beauty of be love
and to be in a real love
in every where
in every time
u can seize the real love
when u let the devotee to fly
and to shine
like the sun of the noon
like the moon
fade the darks of night
like the birds of the north
coming back to their home
from south
u can say in every word
the real love
u can see in every where
the real love
and reveal
the real love
in your soul
the real love
the
real
love
at the end
is a dream
of real woman
and the deeds
of real man.
poem by Sallam Yassin
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The Wise Words of Gareth Pugh
Gone, baby gone -
are the days of youth
brought mostly in school!
Home sweet home safer?
=NOT!
School sweet school safer?
=Yes more or less!
Your wise words did not bore
a hole; rather it gently unlocked a...
closed heart -
into an open heart.
My days spent here are soon to be over
in this ole'but school sweet school.
The words will stay
stitched into...
...an open heart! -
as my respnsibulities change.
Advice given = advice used
in words; unlocking a door -
a door to say Thank You!
Gone, baby gone -
are the days of youth
brought mostly in school!
Home sweet home safer?
=NOT!
School sweet school safer?
=Yes more or less!
A door opens wide -
and in comes a breezy breeze...
...enveloping with my freedom
as your wise words described
it in images of hope and longing!
Now it finally but trully arrived
at my door step.
The wise words embraced and brought me to a freedom...
of hope!
poem by Celine Berghmans
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Two Lives
Maybe iam a dreamer
Maybe just a fool
Lately I can hardly see the sun
If you had a secret
I could take a guess
But nothin in your eyes seems to hold me
Truth or consequences
Which one will be?
(*) someone said
That time would ease the pain
Of two lives love has torn apart
But I believe whoever wrote that song
Never had a broken heart
One of us is hidin
One of us can tell
And no one likes to be the first to know
Someone has to answer
cause someone has to ask
If keepin on like this is torture
And goin undecided
You know, is twice as bad for sure
Repeat (*)
No, I cant believe its over
Its over
And I love you more than ever
And ever
Repeat (*)
song performed by by Carpenters
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Common Law and Equity
The common law is male
Equity is female.
Each needs the other
For justice to be in order.
The common law is lame
Without equity’s fame.
Equity’s a piece of nonsense
Without common law’s presence.
When the conflicts arise,
Equity should stand tall
But upon the common law.
Both make justice rise.
The common law and equity
What a wonderful blend!
poem by Saintmoses Eromosele
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The Girl Who Tamed A Poets Heart
Those words which screamed out
From a heart into a silent world
Those passionate dreams once known
Of a love which seem to be a stranger
The lyrics and the verse which sang
To love, to a love they longed to find
All fell silent, all slept sound
She came from such silence
Full beauty body, heart and mind
Her words touched and soothed
The mind of a poet like never before
The wild tempest which once reigned
The heart and the imagination
Each word which built their world
Now spoke softly to a love they knew
Now whispered gently her name
She came as though called
To answer each prayer and wish
She took the heart in her hands
And cradled it in a kiss
She tamed its wild passion
And heard it sing anew
To the girl who tamed a poets heart
I shall forever love you
poem by Matthew Holloway
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Power And Fame
Great is your power.
Great is your fame.
But what do people
think of your name?
The power you have
what good has it done?
The fame you have
how did it come?
This you must ask
and answer with truth.
Did it come to you
in your innocent youth?
Or were you enticed
by the power for greed?
Did your love of ego
fulfill your need?
Do you use your power
to do good deeds?
Does the fame you have
fill others' needs?
Too many have fallen
into the trap
and drew for themselves
a fool's roadmap.
For only a fool
can think his fame
will immortalize
his earthly name.
For names are forgotten
by generations, new.
They don't remember
your fame or you.
poem by Edwina Reizer
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Charity
Charity begins at home,
Love begins in the womb,
Hope is the mind that lives at peace always.
The bud opens,
The flower blossoms,
Charity envies not;
So, let no man despise your youth and beauty.
A kiss of charity,
Like a true proverb;
Charity out of a pure heart is full of kindness.
When the Almond Tree blossoms,
Charity is full of love;
So is this muse that flows to teach many.
Let all your things be done with charity,
Charity is very kind;
Let all your dreams be with love,
Charity edifies;
And, be very wise always.
Do not let charity pass you by,
Gain your hope from your gift;
Cos', it will always lead you on.
Charity begins at home,
So compare her actions rooted in your yard;
Charity out of a pure heart is full of kindness,
So compare her acts ruling in the year;
Charity envies no one.
The love of a muse,
The love of the acts;
Charity begins at home.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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An Incident
’Twas on a sunny summer day
I trod a mighty city’s street,
And when I started on my way
My heart was full of fancies sweet;
But soon, as nothing could be seen,
But countenances sharp and keen,
Nought heard or seen around but told
Of something bought or something sold,
And none that seemed to think or care
That any save himself was there,
Full soon my heart began to sink
With a strange shame and inward pain,
For I was sad within to think
Of this absorbing love of gain,
And various thoughts my bosom tost;
When suddenly my path there crossed,
Locked hand in hand with one another,
A little maiden and her brother
A little maiden, and she wore
Around her waist a pinafore.
And hand in hand along the street
This pretty pair did softly go,
And as they went, their little feet
Moved in short even steps and slow
It was a sight to see and bless,
That little sister’s tenderness;
One hand a tidy basket bore
Of flowers and fruit a chosen store,
Such as kind friends oft send to others
And one was fastened in her brother’s.
It was a voice of meaning sweet,
And spake amid that scene of strife
Of home and homely duties meet,
And charities of daily life;
And often, should my spirit fail,
And under cold strange glances quail,
’Mid busy shops and busier throng,
That speed upon their ways along
The thick and crowded thoroughfare,
I’ll call to mind that little pair.
poem by Arthur Hugh Clough (1836)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Confidence Trick
Never meant to hurt you, I dont know why
You come with your lawyers and your alibi
How can you look me straight in the eye
When you know
The clock on the wall is singing our song
The love in my heart is all dead and gone
You know why
You know why
There you go with your confidence trick
Im much too wise, you dont fool me a bit
Feeling so low and looking so high
We both know that your truth is a lie
I never really knew you all these years
You lied to my face while I undressed your fears
Then you set me a-sail on an ocean of tears
Said goodbye
The clock on the wall is ticking real slow
Theres nothing to say and theres nowhere to go
You know why
You know why
There, there you go with your confidence trick
Im much too wise, you dont fool me a bit, no no
Feeling so low and looking so high
We both know that your truth is a lie
Its a lie
Looking up to the truth of what you are
Blinding all colours and beauty
And the sparkle in your eye is blinding
The clock on the wall is singing our song
The love in my heart is all dead and gone
You know why
You know why
Why, why, why, why, why, why
There, there you go with your confidence trick
Im much too wise, you dont fool me a bit
Feeling so low and looking so high
We both know that your truth is a lie
Its a lie, lie
(the truth is, the truth is a lie)
(repeats in background)
And you never stopped loving me
Choaking back tears for you
So lovable
And we never go
And we never know
See Im over
But Im under
I dont ever wanna come down
I dont ever wanna come down
I dont ever wanna come down
To where you are
song performed by by Culture Club
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Fundamental of Liar Chapter LIV: Expert
if I am the expert
and I'm the only one who have that knowledge
I hope I will never meet that day
when I know I can lie with my knowledge
and nobody knows
nobody
I can fool everyone
I can take their money
if someday somebody suspicious about me
that I lie to him with my knowledge
I will fool him
I will kill him easily to keep my secret
nobody will ever know
nobody
if I am an expert and I die
and I'm the only one who have that knowledge
I will leave no notes, letters, pictures, memories
so nobody will ever know which's right
or have I lied with my knowledge
I'll take my secret with my decayed body
and nobody will ever find the truth
nobody
poem by Maria Sudibyo
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The Questioning Spirit
The human spirits saw I on a day,
Sitting and looking each a different way;
And hardly tasking, subtly questioning,
Another spirit went around the ring
To each and each: and as he ceased his say,
Each after each, I heard them singly sing,
Some querulously high, some softly, sadly low,
We know not, what avails to know?
We know not, wherefore need we know?
This answer gave they still unto his suing,
We know not, let us do as we are doing.
Dost thou not know that these things only seem?
I know not, let me dream my dream.
Are dust and ashes fit to make a treasure?
I know not, let me take my pleasure.
What shall avail the knowledge thou hast sought?
I know not, let me think my thought.
What is the end of strife?
I know not, let me live my life.
How many days or e’er thou mean’st to move?
I know not, let me love my love.
Were not things old once new?
I know not, let me do as others do.
And when the rest were over past,
I know not, I will do my duty, said the last.
Thy duty do? rejoined the voice,
Ah, do it, do it, and rejoice;
But shalt thou then, when all is done,
Enjoy a love, embrace a beauty
Like these, that may be seen and won
In life, whose course will then be run;
Or wilt thou be where there is none?
I know not, I will do my duty.
And taking up the word around, above, below,
Some querulously high, some softly, sadly low,
We know not, sang they all, nor ever need we know!
We know not, sang they, what avails to know?
Whereat the questioning spirit, some short space,
Though unabashed, stood quiet in his place.
But as the echoing chorus died away
And to their dreams the rest returned apace,
By the one spirit I saw him kneeling low,
And in a silvery whisper heard him say:
Truly, thou know’st not, and thou need’st not know;
Hope only, hope thou, and believe alway;
I also know not, and I need not know,
Only with questionings pass I to and fro,
Perplexing these that sleep, and in their folly
Imbreeding doubt and sceptic melancholy;
Till that, their dreams deserting, they with me
Come all to this true ignorance and thee.
poem by Arthur Hugh Clough
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Wheat Grains
AS grains from chaff, I sift these worldly rules,
Kernels of wisdom, from the husks of schools:
I.
Benevolence befits the wisest mind;
But he who has not studied to be kind,
Who grants for asking, gives without a rule,
Hurts whom he helps, and proves himself a fool.
II.
The wise man is sincere: but he who tries
To be sincere, hap-hazard, is not wise.
III.
Knowledge is gold to him who can discern
That he who loves to know, must love to learn.
IV.
Straightforward speech is very certain good;
But he who has not learned its rule is rude.
V.
Boldness and firmness, these are virtues each,
Noble in action, excellent in speech.
But who is bold, without considerate skill,
Rashly rebels, and has no law but will;
While he called firm, illiterate and crass,
With mulish stubbornness obstructs the pass.
VI.
The mean of soul are sure their faults to gloss,
And find a secret gain in others' loss.
VII.
Applause the bold man wins, respect the grave;
Some, only being not modest, think they're brave.
VIII.
The petty wrong-doer may escape unseen;
But what from sight the moon eclipsed shall screen?
Superior minds must err in sight of men,
Their eclipse o'er, they rule the world again.
IX.
Temptation waits for all, and ills will come;
But some go out and ask the devil home.
X.
'I love God,' said the saint. God spake above:
'Who loveth me must love those whom I love.'
'I scourge myself,' the hermit cried. God spake:
'Kindness is prayer; but not a self-made ache:'
poem by John Boyle O'Reilly
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Two Schools
I put my heart to school
In the world, where men grow wise,
"Go out," I said, "and learn the rule;
Come back when you win a prize."
My heart came back again:
"Now where is the prize?" I cried. ----
"The rule was false, and the prize was pain,
And the teacher's name was Pride."
I put my heart to school
In the woods, where veeries sing,
And brooks run cool and clear;
In the fields, where wild flowers spring,
And the blue of heaven bends near.
"Go out," I said: "you are half a fool,
But perhaps they can teach you here."
"And why do you stay so long,
My heart, and where do you roam?"
The answer came with a laugh and a song, ---
"I find this school is home."
poem by Henry Van Dyke
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The Everlasting Throes of Those
The Everlasting Throes
Of Those
Who Argue about Poetry versus Prose
And about the Propriety or Crime
Of Meter and Rhyme
In Poetry:
as I see it, it’s back to the ancient Greek idea
of three near-absolutes – Truth, Beauty and Goodness
and although they’re all absolute in their aim,
and therefore theoretically equal,
most of us, I suspect, have our personal order for this list
those who put Truth first at all costs are more likely
to write prose; but if they love beauty in words
and have the urge to write something beautiful in words
they may try poetry; but to them,
rhyme is untruthful, dishonest, because
looking for a rhyme
becomes a crime:
and leads your mind away from the strict Truth.
while those who put Beauty first don’t have
a fixed attitude – they may, as children do,
love the formal music of hearing about
A certain Mrs Dhutti
Who was very slightly nutty
She wouldn’t wear a saree
As her arms and legs were hairy
And thought it was much better
To wear trousers and a sweater
etc.
or they may feel that their response to the world
is so full of love, of awe, of wonder
(of which Aristotle said the second and third
are shared by philosophers, that is, lovers - note the word - of wisdom,
and poets – though a poet
may not know it…)
where was I oh yes, their response to the world
is most truly - note the word - expressed
in free verse
which may be better poetry
or worse
and what about Goodness – oh let’s not
get into that: the poetry Forums are full of the emptiness
(though it’s a necessary evil, looked at in a way)
of poets and readers and critics saying
what’s good poetry and what’s bad
according to them and feeling
they’ve made a contribution to
Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, in that order
by pronouncing this.
some few, some worthy few, and I’ll mention no names
for reasons not unconnected as Milton might put it
with the previous stanza,
whose brilliance of that servant mind which we all share,
manages to juggle Beauty, Goodness and Truth,
in that order in this instance, and not only juggle but
remain faithful to them all; we could call them
The Absolutely Great – they speak straight from heart to heart
and they don’t worry about prosaic considerations like the above
because they’ve got it all, all this, within their art; within
their constant heart.
(Readers, please note,
that last line’s a quote.)
poem by Michael Shepherd
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Fool
No,
But must go
By the argument
With little amusement
Sad part to resent
Over the comment
But truth remains
There is much to gain
Speak no truth
Hold tongue behind teeth
It is sign of wisdom
Witnessed seldom
One of the strongest sides
Difference is very wide
But fool is wise
Full of wisdom with no promises
He knows
Not to give reason for others to blow
To face the criticism for revelation
And raise many questions
Fool is full of wisdom
Enough scope for freedom
Wise may suffer
Fool has nothing to offer
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
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The Heart Never Learns
Only time can bring the peace of mind
you treasure
only love can really break your heart
but we must feel the pain before the pleasure
only then can we tell them apart
we are never too afraid of taking chances
searching in the dark with no concerns
but it's always the same with
all romances
it's the heart that never seems to learn
thinking that it's finally my turn
like a fool believing every word
you tell me that it's over but
that's not what I heard
'cause my heart just never
seems to learn
many times I've wished that love had
never found me
after knowing all the pain that
it brings
always hoping to feel your arms
around me
without fear
of losing everything
it's the heart that will awaken
all the senses
and the senses light up the soul
but we hide what we feel with
more pretences
than the pride that comes before
the fall
thinking that it's finally my turn
like a fool believing every word
you tell me that it's over but
that's not what I heard
'cause my heart just never seems
to learn
how can I ever find what I've
always wanted
with a heart that never seems
to learn
never seems to learn
song performed by by Gloria Estefan from Destiny
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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