Here's How it Works
A piece of paper, filed somewhere, tells you
All you need to know: we own, poor sap,
And you do not, and, thus, though we don't
Lift a finger, we're entitled to a share of
Anything that you produce, and, should
You find yourself in need, you'll have to
Sign another paper making clear that you've
Surrendered more to us to own.
poem by Lawrence Beck
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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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
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Unseen Butterfly
Folding the last edge of the paper
he pointed the folds
into the palm of his hand,
closing it in a clockwork swirl
he forms a fist.
Turning to the children,
He spoke…
‘What do you see? ’
‘A hand…
…a fist’, said the other.
Without acknowledgement
He asked, ‘Do you see the butterfly? ’
As if to turn,
and search the skies
The children shook their heads.
Slowly, gently
Unfolding his fingers like petals
He tenderly placed his finger
On the square of paper…
‘Do You see the Butterfly? ’
wide eyes and indignant laugh
revealed the children’s Puzzlement.
‘It’s a piece of paper’
became their mantra
Raising his eyebrows,
quiet finger to lips
he recaptures their attention.
‘Look, do you see the Butterfly? ’
the slip of paper pinched
between finger and thumb
‘Do You see the Butterfly? ’
Restless, the children
Shuffled from foot to foot
Peering around and about
As if looking through
the finger and thumb
‘It’s just a piece of paper! ’
mocking adult indifference
the children say again
‘it’s a piece of paper…’
Then let us see, he unfolds
The first edge opened
doubles the dimension
of what is visible
With his thumbs he expands
the dimension a step further
‘Do you see the butterfly? ’
with taut Patience
the children snap
‘it’s hidden…it’s hidden….
How can we see
What is hidden…’
Until it is unfolded?
Do You see the Butterfly?
poem by Adrian Wait
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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 Lies
(music: marillion lyrics: steve hogarth & john helmer)
When you look into the mirror
Do you see a face you hardly recognise
If you look into the sun too long
Do the things you see begin to burn your eyes
Paper lies
Just to express what hes thinking
Must a man take all the mail will bring?
Are we living only for today
Its a sign of the times ... we believe anything ... and nothing
Paper lies
When you kill the truth
You can make a killing
You might just make losing look like winning
You came to tell the people whats goin on
But nobody knows whose side youre on
Seems like youre sailin pretty close to the wind again
Paper lies
You have already won a prize!
I know something that you dont know
Something that you ought to know
Its burning a hole in my pocket book
Listen ... do you want to know a secret?
We can print our own money here
If you let us do a piece on you
We can take you to pieces
When you look into the money do you see a face you hardly recognise?
When you get behind the news of the world do the things you find begin to bend your mind?
Paper lies
Why dont ya let us take a piece outta you?
song performed by by Marillion
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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40-Year Leases
high on compensation
they tell me right from wrong
say the old days are over
you gotta sign the paper
coming on the charter plane
all friendly sitting round
say we gonna fix this place
you gotta sign the paper
I sign the paper
charter planes fly away
no more sit down circle
I wait for the fixing
my wife says
what you waiting for
come fishing with us
just like the old days
poem by Ali Eckermann
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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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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
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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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
Submitted by anonym
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Paper And Ink
Touched the mirror
Broke the surface of the water
Saw my true self
All illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Sat down up close to the colored black hole
Like they'd always told me not to
Saw the one dimension polka dot pacifier
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Bared myself wholly heart and body unadorned
Stripped down solely
To the evil and the good
Felt no shame
Naked to the world
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Faced towards the sea
Looked to heaven up above
Felt the world revolve around me
No one could tell me otherwise
But the turbulent waters won't reflect this life
Only the sun the moon and sky
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Money's only paper only ink
song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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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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Paper & Ink
Touched the mirror
Broke the surface of the water
Saw my true self
All illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Sat down up close to the colored black hole
Like theyd always told me not to
Saw the one dimension polka dot pacifier
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Bared myself wholly heart and body unadorned
Stripped down solely
To the evil and the good
Felt no shame
Naked to the world
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Faced towards the sea
Looked to heaven up above
Felt the world revolve around me
No one could tell me otherwise
But the turbulent waters wont reflect this life
Only the sun the moon and sky
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Moneys only paper only ink
song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Old Man
My old man
Hes a singer in the park
Hes a walker in the rain
Hes a dancer in the dark
We dont need no piece of paper
From the city hall
Keeping us tied and true
My old man
Keeping away my blues
Hes my sunshine in the morning
Hes my fireworks at the end of the day
Hes the warmest chord I ever heard
Play that warm chord, play and stay baby
We dont need no piece of paper
From the city hall
Keeping us tied and true
My old man
Keeping away my blues
But when hes gone
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The beds too big
The frying pans too wide
Then he comes home
And he takes me in his loving arms
And he tells me all his troubles
And he tells me all my charms
We dont need no piece of paper
From the city hall
Keeping us tied and true
No, my old man
Keeping away my blues
But when hes gone
Me and them lonesome blues collide
The beds too big
The frying pans too wide
My old man
Hes a singer in the park
Hes a walker in the rain
Hes a dancer in the dark
We dont need no piece of paper
From the city hall
Keeping us tied and true
No, my old man
Keeping away my lonesome blues
song performed by by Joni Mitchell
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Nautical Terms
Nautical Terms
The night above me is like an elastic balloon, a plane penetrates
flies through and disappear only its engine roar remains and echoes
into the infinite. I can see its light, green for starboard and red for
portside. On a tramp ship I served on, the old captain, when he got
up on the bridge in the morning, open a locked drawer he only had
the key to; read on a piece of paper and closed the drawer again.
When he resigned, the first officer took over, he was curious about
the piece of paper, opened the drawer and found a folded piece of
paper. On it was written: right is starboard and left is portside.
It is good to meet people who know they are fallible.
poem by Oskar Hansen
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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 have never examined the subject of humor until now. I am surprised to find how much ground it covers. I have got its divisions and frontiers down on a piece of paper. I find it defined as a production of the brain, as the power of the brain to produce something humorous, and the capacity of percieving humor.
quote by Mark Twain
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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That Old Sweet Roll
(gerry goffin / carole king)
Hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi
Gonna find me a piece of the sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-di-ho
Listen, i've been down so low
That the bottom looked like up
Once i felt like second saves
Was enough to fill my cup
Now i've offered all i have
But it ain't no way to live
Being taken by the ones who have
The least amount to give
Singing hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi
Got to find me a piece of the sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho
I wanna tell you
Once i met the devil
He was mighty slick
Tempted me with worldly goods
Said i could have my pick
But when he laid the paper on me
And showed me where to sign
I said "thank you very kindly
But i'm in too great a need of mine"
Singing hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi, oh
Got to find me a piece of that sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah
Hi-de-hi-de-ho
Hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah
Hi-de-hi-de-ho
Hi-de-hi-de-hi
Talking 'bout hi-de-hi-de-ho
song performed by by Dusty Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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That Old Sweet Roll (Hi-de-ho)
(gerry goffin / carole king)
Hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi
Gonna find me a piece of the sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-di-ho
Listen, Ive been down so low
That the bottom looked like up
Once I felt like second saves
Was enough to fill my cup
Now Ive offered all I have
But it aint no way to live
Being taken by the ones who have
The least amount to give
Singing hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi
Got to find me a piece of the sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho
I wanna tell you
Once I met the devil
He was mighty slick
Tempted me with worldly goods
Said I could have my pick
But when he laid the paper on me
And showed me where to sign
I said "thank you very kindly
But Im in too great a need of mine"
Singing hi-de-ho, hi-de-hi, oh
Got to find me a piece of that sky
Gonna find me some of that old sweet roll
Singing hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah
Hi-de-hi-de-ho
Hi-de-hi-de-ho, yeah
Hi-de-hi-de-ho
Hi-de-hi-de-hi
Talking bout hi-de-hi-de-ho
song performed by by Dusty Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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As I sit down and start to work, I often panic. I stare at the empty piece of music paper. How can I say that my piece will be ready for performance next January when I do not have a recipe for making it happen?
quote by Lukas Foss
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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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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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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