In Praise of the Hemp-Seed
Tis paper (being printed) doth reveale
Th' Eternall testament of all our weale:
In paper is recorded the records
Of the Great all-Creating Lord of Lords.
Upon this weake ground, strongly is engran'd
The meanes how man was made, and lost, and sav'd,
Bookes Patriarchall, and Prophetical,
Historicall, or heav'nly Mystical,
Evangelicke, and Apostolical,
Writ in the sacred Text, in general.
Much hath the Church (our mother) propagated
By venerable Fathers workes translated
Saint Jerome, Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine,
Saint Basill, Bernard, Cyprian, Constantine:
Eusebius, Epiphanius, Origen,
Ignatius, and Lactantius (reverend men)
Good Luther, Calvine, learned Zwinglius,
Melancton, Beza, Oecolampadius,
These, and a world more then I can recite
Their labours would have slept in endlesse night,
But that in paper they preserv'd have bin
T' instruct us how to shun death, hell, and sin.
How should we know the change of monarchies,
Th' Assyrian, and the Persian Emperies,
Great Alexanders, large, smal lasting glory
Or Romes high Caesars often changing story?
How should Chronologies of Kings be knowne
Of either other countryes, or our owne?
But that Josephus, and Suetanius
Pollidore, Virgil, and Oretlius,
Seneca, and Cornelius Tacitus
With Scaliger, and Quintus Curtius;
Plutarch, Guichiardine, Gallobelgicus
Thomasio, and Hector Boetius;
Fox, Copper, Froysard, Grafton, Fabian,
Hall, Hove'den, Lanquet, Sleiden, Buchanan,
The Reverend learned Cambden, Selden, Stowe,
With Polychronicon, and Speed, and Howe,
With Parris, Malmsbury, and many more
Whose workes in paper are yet extant store.
Philemon Holland (famous for translation)
Hath (with our owne tongue) well inricht our nation.
Esope, and Aristotle, Pliny, Plato,
Pithagoras, and Cicero, and Cato,
Du Bartas, Ariosto, Martial, Tasso,
Plantus, and Homer, Terence, Virgill, Naso,
Fraunciscus Petrark, Horace, Juvenal,
Philosophers, and ex'lent Poets all.
Or Orators, historians, every one
In paper made their worthy studies knowne.
Who ever went beyond our learned King,
Whose Art throughout the spacious world doth ring:
Such a Divine, and Poet, that each State
Admires him, whom they cannot imitate,
In Paper, many a Poet now survives
Or else their lines had perish'd with their lives.
Old Chaucer, Gower, and Sir Thomas More,
Sir Philip Sidney who the Lawrell wore,
Spencer, and Shakespeare did in Art excell,
Sir Edward Dyer, Greene, Nash, Daniell.
Silvester, Beaumont, Sir John Harrington,
Forgetfulnesse their workes would overrun
But that in paper they immortally
Do live in spight of death, and cannot die.
And many there are living at this day
Which do in paper their true worth display:
As Davis, Drayton, and the learned Dun,
Jonson, and Chapman, Marston, Middleton,
With Rowyle, Fletcher, Withers, Messenger,
Heywood, and all the rest where e're they are,
Must say their lines, but for the paper she ete
Had scarcely ground whereon to set their feete.
Acts, Statues, Lawes, would be consum'd and lost
All right and order, topsy-turvy tost:
Oppression, wrong, destruction and confusion,
We'rt not for paper, were the worlds conclusion.
Negotiations, and Embassages
Maps, Cartes, discoveries of strange passages:
Leagues, truces, combinations, and contracts,
Lawes, Nat'rall, Morall, Civill and Divine,
T' instruct, reprove, correct, inlarge, confine.
All Memorandums of forepassed ages,
Sayings and sentences of auncient Sages,
Astronomy, and Phisick much renownd,
The Liberall Arts rules, maxiomes, or ground,
The glory of Apolloes Radient shine,
Supporter of the Sacred sisters Nine,
The Atlas, that all histories doth beare
Throughout the world, here, there, and every where.
All this and more is paper, and all this,
From fruitfull Hempseed still produced is. . . .
poem by John Taylor

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Related quotes
Paper And Pen
Paper and pen
Trying to write a song again
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Trying to write a song again
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Can’t think of anything to say today
Can’t think of anything to do
Can’t think of anything to play today
Minds gone blank
Leaving me here, just sitting here
Listening to my hair grow
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
And I look towards you
For an inspiration or a word or two
I try but I find
Every road only leads me back to these lines
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Piano, guitar
I try but don't get very far
Paper and pen
Piano, guitar
Paper and pen
Trying to write a song again
Paper and pen
Paper and pen
Copyright Colin Coplin 1985 / 2010
poem by Colin Coplin

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Paper
Hold the paper up to the light
(some rays pass right through)
Expose yourself out there for a minute
(some rays pass right through)
Take a little rest when the rays pass through
Take a little time off when the rays pass through
Go ahead and mis it up...go ahead and tie it up
In a long distance telephone call
Hold on to that paper
Hold on to that paper
Hold on becuase its been taken care of
Hold on to that paper
See if you can fit it on the paper
See if you can get it on the paper
See if you can fit it on the paper
See if you can get it on the paper
Had a love affair but it was only paper
(some rays they pass right through)
Had a lot of fun, could have been a lot better
(some rays they pass right through)
Take a little consideration, take every combination
Take a few weeks off, make it tighter, tighter
But it was never, it was never written down
Still might be a chance that it might work out (if you)
Hold on to that paper
Hold on to that paper
Hold on because itll be taken care of
Hold on to that paper
Dont think I can fit it on the paper
Dont think I can get it on the paper
Go ahead and rip up, rip up the paper
Go ahead and tear up, tear up the paper
song performed by by Talking Heads

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Paper
Paper promises, Dunstead said,
paper cups, wallpaper being stuck
up on the wall for the next to last
time, paper tigers, paper to wipe
the ass and best of all paper to
create art, to have it from the heart,
to see it out there, being gazed at,
studied by some bearded guy with
glasses and paper money to buy
the next paper to create and then
if I’m lucky the muse turning up on
time and giving me the big nudge
in the right direction or some paper
picture of some nude dame giving
the long time wished for erection.
poem by Terry Collett

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Upon this paper my life is written
Upon this paper my life is written,
a tree doubled over in pain.
The red ink flows over the skin,
full stops and commas are hair and stars:
eyes of sea left on ships,
destroyed houses, rusting girders.
This paper is as black as the storm,
destroyed villages where there is no fiesta.
This paper burns as reason does,
lightning in the sky flashes in its millions.
This paper is a sky where there is no God,
this paper is alone…
this paper does not fly…
this paper… it is I.
poem by Menotti Lerro from The Poetry of Menotti Lerro (2011), translated by Andrew Mangham, Maria Rosaria La Marca

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Paper Boy
Roy orbison
I walk down to the blue side of town
Where there's no happiness, no joy
Down at the end of a long dark street
I saw a little paper boy
Paper boy paper boy
I've got bad news for you
Paper boy paper boy
Me and my baby are through
She was my love my one and only
I feel so bad i'm oh so lonely
I'm looking for my love
I've got my own headlines for today
They've been the same since she went away
"one dark haired angel disappears
She's been missing for a million years"
Paper boy paper boy
So long goodbye
Paper boy paper boy
Thanks for listening while i cry
I feel a little better now that someone knows
But i will go on looking forever, i suppose
I'm looking for my love
Extra extra read all about it
My baby's gone and i wanna shout it
I'm looking for my love
I'm looking for my love
I'm looking for my love....
song performed by by Roy Orbison

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Piece Of Paper
A diploma hanging on the wall
is really not you at all.
It's just a piece of paper.
A marriage certificate in your file
of when you two walked down the aisle
is just a piece of paper.
A birth certificate, signed and sealed
made you legal but concealed
that it's just a piece of paper.
A death certificate proves you're gone.
The truth is you've just moved on.
It was just a piece of paper.
All these papers that yellow with time
were really not worth one thin dime.
They were just pieces of paper.
Your life was never all those things.
Your life was when you took on wings
and soared with love for all.
poem by Edwina Reizer

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A Paper-boat just on the Sea!
A paper-boat, I tend to be!
The sea of life is too stormy;
Afraid I am, it could sink me,
Before I can reach land’s safety!
But if He wants, the Almighty,
Could work miracles still for me;
And guide the boat to shore safely,
And keep me dry eternally!
A paper-boat just on the sea!
How can it float for long freely?
And when the sea becomes angry,
Can it escape its cruelty?
But all the same, I move slowly;
Nothing on earth can deter me;
Unless something so cowardly,
Drenches the boat mercilessly.
A paper-boat just on the sea!
I know I must make it surely;
And when I reach the shore, may be,
I will feel immensely happy!
A paper-boat just on life’s sea!
Who else would want to be like me?
God is my guide and my safety;
In Him, I have strong faith truly!
A paper-boat just on the sea!
A paper-boat, I tend to be;
A paper-boat, I want to be-
A paper-boat just on life’s sea!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 4-26-2000
poem by John Celes

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And then the paper is dirty
You start with a clean sheet of paper
Write some words, scribble, draw some lines
Some curves, sharp lines, tangent to bold
Lines, and rough sketches of faces and
Bodies, thin lines that get crooked from
End to end of this limited space,
You doodle, you get wild with so
Many lines unimaginable, senseless,
The paper finally looks dirty,
And you do not like it, you crumple
It and throw it in a waste basket,
You get another clean sheet,
And this time, you think what is
It really that you want to make
Out of this new clean sheet of paper.
You think, you ponder, and you need
More time this time not to waste
This clean, glossy sheet of paper.
I think you are doing well with your life.
You see you are supposed to be careful
Every word is delicate and every paper
Is actually accounted.
Never mind guilt, set it aside for a while.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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A Scrap of Paper
"Will you go to war just for a scrap of paper?" -- Question
of the German Chancellor to the British Ambassador,
August 5, 1914.
A mocking question! Britain's answer came
Swift as the light and searching as the flame.
"Yes, for a scrap of paper we will fight
Till our last breath, and God defend the right!
"A scrap of paper where a name is set
Is strong as duty's pledge and honor's debt.
"A scrap of paper holds for man and wife
The sacrament of love, the bond of life.
"A scrap of paper may be Holy Writ
With God's eternal word to hallow it.
"A scrap of paper binds us both to stand
Defenders of a neutral neighbor land.
"By God, by faith, by honor, yes! We fight
To keep our name upon that paper white."
poem by Henry Van Dyke

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Paper Rain
From miles above
poured the paper rain
Flooding the streets
whiteing out the clear September day
peoples thoughts floated from the hell fire
like paper rain
First like a mist
then like a monsoon
the paper rain spread across the city
engulfing the running masses below
in a hurricane of paper rain
When the storm stopped
and the clouds of fire ceased
millons of unread words litter the streets
like a sea
of paper rain
Swept into the gutters
went the thoughts of the dead
the paper rain gone
Until the next unpredicted storm arises
and the heavens pour down peoples sorrows
ON PAPER RAIN
GOD BLESS ALL THE VICTIMS AND THERE FAMILYS
OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 TRAGEDY
poem by Vincent Armone

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I Broke It All In Two
How could I have been so cruel
After all you've done for me
I should go back to school
To learn
The ways
Of love
I see the tables turn
Please don't desert me now
I acted like a fool
I know
I just stumble
Through the night
I pushed you way too far
Though you're my guiding star
I broke it all in two (broke it all in two)
Like a row of paper chains (a row of paper chains)
My heart's not made of stone (heart's not made of stone)
Though it seems to be that way
Baby, what can I say?
You mean the world to me
Don't throw it all away
I promise
I'll change
One day
I pushed you way too far
Though you're my guiding star
I broke it all in two (broke it all in two)
Like a row of paper chains (a row of paper chains)
My heart's not made of stone (heart's not made of stone)
Though it seems to be that way (my heart's not made of stone)
I pushed you way too far
Though you're my guiding star
I broke it all in two (broke it all in two)
Like a row of paper chains (a row of paper chains)
My heart's not made of stone (heart's not made of stone)
Though it seems to be that way (my heart's not made of stone)
I broke it all in two (broke it all in two)
Like a row of paper chains (a row of paper chains)
My heart's not made of wood (heart's not made of wood)
Though it seems to be that way
(heart of woo-oooh-ood)
(heart of woo-oooh-ood)
song performed by by Erasure

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Ode to Being Five (Children)
I made a paper Valentine
all red and edged with lace.
And on my paper Valentine,
I drew a pretty face.
I painted on two big blue eyes
and then a great big grin
and knew it wouldn't be complete
without a dimpled chin.
I love you, paper valentine,
and just between us two,
I hope someday when I grow up
I'll look as sweet as you.
Burnt Paper
it is a cut-out paper
thin
delicate white
sharp
it is my world
apart from yours
i stay away from
rain
put my paper feet
on wood
as you pretend to be
the woman of
my pen
you touch
but what you touch is just
my paper
me
i have no more flesh
no bone
the years have eaten them
all
it cut-out from a shape
of your desire
i am burnt.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Did You Read The Morning Paper
(Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson/R. Monica)
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
There on the front page was a picture
Of a crowd as they watched a parade passing by
And through the haze of last nights sleep
Something familiar caught my eye
There was a couple looking so much in love, yes
They had a front line view
And as I pulled the paper closer
I realized standing next to her it was you
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Now I know why you've been working late each night
And no longer have desire to ever hold me tight
And your busy, busy schedule was all a lie
Oh, even the dream with a bonus, oh just another alibi
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Did you get the news today
Did you read the morning paper
Isn't the picture very clear
Where do we go from here
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headlines
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Oh, what now
Did you read the morning paper
Did you get the news today
song performed by by Diana Ross

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Paper Heart
At valentines day we all
cut out little paper hearts,
then we hand them to the
people we want to be our valentine.
And we cut them into all shapes
and sizes and make them all pretty.
Well I have one.
Her name is sally.
She is my paper heart.
I gave her to my valentine,
thinking they would take
good care of her?
Well bad thing about paper,
it gets torn apart, and ripped to shredds
very very easily.
My valentine tore my heart apart.
Then she gave me back Sally,
and all I could do was ask why?
I got no response.
I don't like paper hearts,
they don't last very long, and
get hurt very quickly.
My paper heart will never be the same.
So much for my perfect valentine.
poem by Fallen Pixie

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a poem for Rosie
the castle of paper
that we create from a
sheet of white
bond paper
stands on the brown
table
tall and proud so
they say
but we know Rosie
that this is just plain
creativity
could be a way of
expressing your
self's discontent of the
surroundings
the foul air
the heavy rain that
seems not to stop
the muddy path
to the market and the
church
betraying fate
and foolish friends
but you know Rosie
very well that nothing
lasts forever
the water paper
the paper castle
gathers dusts
and soon we are fed up
on this
i am going away and
you too
but we shall not
be together for i also
get fed up
on you as you shall soon
to me.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Did You Read The Morning Papers?
(nickolas ashford/valerie simpson/r. monica)
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
There on the front page was a picture
Of a crowd as they watched a parade passing by
And through the haze of last nights sleep
Something familiar caught my eye
There was a couple looking so much in love, yes
They had a front line view
And as I pulled the paper closer
I realized standing next to her it was you
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Now I know why youve been working late each night
And no longer have desire to ever hold me tight
And your busy, busy schedule was all a lie
Oh, even the dream with a bonus, oh just another alibi
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Did you get the news today
Did you read the morning paper
Isnt the picture very clear
Where do we go from here
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headlines
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Oh, what now
Did you read the morning paper
Did you get the news today
song performed by by Diana Ross

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Paper In Fire
She had a dream
And boy it was a good one
So she chased after her dream
With much desire
But when she get too close
To her expectations
Well the dream burned up
Like paper in fire
Chorus:
Paper in fire
Stinkin up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smokin up the alleyways
Whos to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire
He wanted love
With no involvement
So he chased the wind
Thats all his silly life required
And the days of vanity
Went on forever
And he saw his days burn up
Like paper in fire
Chorus:
Paper in fire
Stinkin up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smokin up the alleyways
Whos to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire
Theres a good life
Right across the green fields
And each generation
Stares at it from afar
But we keep no check
On our appetites
So the green fields turn to brown
Like paper in fire
Chorus:
Paper in fire
Stinkin up the ashtrays
Paper in fire
Smokin up the alleyways
Whos to say the way
A man should spend his days
Do you let them smolder
Like paper in fire
song performed by by John Mellencamp

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Paper
the paper is a stage
for mind to act out
its dreams, draw
people to the possible
as well as the impossible
the paper could hold
the whole universe
on this stage is born
all the world's great
philosophers, builders
dramatists, musicians
poem by John Tiong Chunghoo

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Mummy News Cries
Mummy don't leave me today.
Mummy he hurts me again and again
Mummy I'm sorry I upset you
Mummy of course I'll go again.
News in the paper of a little girls death
News in the paper of the abuse
News in the paper of a grieving mother
News in the paper of a life gone too soon.
Cries the mother who didn't heed the cry
Cries the mother who failed to hear
Cries the mother who sent her there
Cries the mother for her dead child.
poem by Alison Smith

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