Drifting To Shift Away
We seem to have been always great.
With the feeding of this,
Throughout generations.
And accepting nothing less,
Served to us on an overflowing plate.
Room that left opportunities,
To become better...
Did not exist.
Many had no time for this to fit.
Since what we were in our minds,
Was a perfection to be envied.
And a way of life,
That was hard to resist!
With an easiness to define.
And...
Defend with quickness.
We seem to have been always great.
With no tolerance for others...
That did not equal,
Or emulate the image.
With an appeasing done,
To uphold those preferenced druthers...
The chosen and elite believed one needed to meet.
Or challenge,
To be selected for defeat!
And still,
To this very day...
We express, we do, our dissatisfactions!
Becoming dismayed...
Towards those who are different in custom.
And mannerisms diversed in ethnic actions displayed!
To perceive a greatness understood...
Should and could become strengthened from within.
But,
Then again...
To ignore and rid of constant discipline...
With no attention given to it or its importance,
Will eventually find concrete foundations...
Crumbling into quarreling divisions.
With a hated directed and mentioned,
On everyone's lips.
Shared until it bores from familiarity.
Leaving 'this' ideal of a greatness to sit.
Until the memory of it drifting to shift away,
From a purpose...
Any purpose.
Fades,
As if...
Every thought of greatness was no more than a myth!
Like a victim of a tragic coincidence observed..
But left unassisted with an interest vanishing.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Related quotes
Sonnet: On Greatness
Greatness is not a thing, much like an art;
Some man turns great if on it he stumbles;
His greatness ceases, if he thinks, he's great;
Great is he truly who tho' great, humbles.
Greatness is not true greatness, self-proclaimed;
Greatness is not what world showers on us;
Greatness is neither got by being claimed.
Greatness is not achieved by making fuss.
Greatness could come if world decides to give;
Greatness will stay if God blesses our work;
Such greatness, God-destined comes while men live;
Greatness can grow even without much luck.
Greatness doesn't come to everyone on earth;
Some men are made great; some are great by birth.
poem by John Celes

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Greatness
You want to be led to greatness.
You believe that it comes,
Without pain and sacrifice.
You perceive it to be a condition taught.
Something instructed or can be bought.
Something delivered upon your acceptance.
But no one known that is considered great...
Waited in anticipation to have it placed,
And presented on a plate as they safely ate!
Greatness isn't something someone takes.
Greatness is announced...
After someone has been trounced,
Through the trenches!
And 'remarkably' survives.
Surprising even the one who is stunned.
This was not a consideration,
In the mind of one who kept focused...
On what at the time,
Needed to be done!
And greatness was bestowed,
By what one did and showed!
Rising to heights,
Inspite of opposition!
And not submitting to a conformity,
That sits and seeks to be led!
Greatness is ahead of those,
Following!
Those feeding,
Upon wishes to be fed!
By that which has been left,
To nibble and taste...
From pioneering explorations!
In a desperation to succeed!
And most times discovered,
In disregard of danger!
In disregard...
Of blood one might bleed!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Reaching The Pinnacle
Greatness!
And reaching the pinnacle,
Of fame and success...
Obtained carefully and taken by steps.
Can leave one unsuspecting...
Breathless.
And insecure at such a lofty height.
But that greatness achieved,
Is not a timeless annointment...
To be left to go unchecked.
Without a truth one should face,
With all that there is centered upon it...
To maintain as greatness is accomplished.
Can never be disrespected or it eventually fades.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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The 'Potential' For Greatness IS There
If a greatness is indeed appreciated,
Wouldn't it take more than one to satiate the taste?
It would lessen the propaganda.
And the hype of it would not be faked.
'Well...
Okay.
Let me say...
The 'potential' for greatness is there.'
mmm...
That makes the taste of it easier to take,
Somehow.
That way,
My expectations aren't set so high.
And I can determine what is given,
More delicious than it is!
You get my point?
'I think so.
YOU want to determine,
The 'greatness'.
And when and 'if' that should be labelled as such!
Giving 'you' a purpose to encourage and spread the word.'
Of course.
I don't want to have it enforced.
I would think you would want my expectations to rise!
To declare something 'great'...
Leaves it to be criticized and opened to be downsized.
'Maybe we should hire you to do our marketing? '
Well...
As you yourself stated,
The 'potential' for greatness is there.
'I now can see,
The point you are making.
The potential for greatness 'IS' there.'
Exactly!
There is no need to overwhelm the message.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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The greatness of human actions is measured by the inspiration that it brings. Blessed is he who carries within himself a God, an ideal of beauty and obeys it: an ideal of art, ideal of science, ideal of country, ideal virtues of the Gospel! These are the wellsprings of great thoughts and great actions. All reflections illuminate infinity.
quote by Louis Pasteur

Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.
quote by William Shakespeare

Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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The Hype and Marketing of Medocrity
They belong to that generation,
That just isn't going to get it!
They are the ones adorned in 'bling'.
Life means for them to live externally.
The surface thinkers with no depth.
Reductive reasoning...
Has not a mind within them,
Where that kind of thought process...
Has of yet not met.
They belong to 'that' generation!
The folks who have no clue as to why?
But quick to plan for the 'when' and 'where'.
AND...
How much will it cost,
To take them 'there'.
Whenever and wherever there 'is'!
That's what we have done to these 'kids'.
Disconnected from thoughtfulness.
Wanting the end result...
Without putting discipline and hard work to the test.
That's what we have done to these 'kids'.
Many now adults...
Without enough common sense between them to share.
Or time to spare...
If it does not address self gratification.
And some of 'us' STILL expect greatness?
But...
Who is there in a mindset left to know,
What the better of best is?
To identify a greatness when it has been achieved?
Who can really today say what that even means?
Since the hype and marketing of medocrity...
Has made nonsense 'high' on low self esteem!
And those uptight who scream...
Do it!
But...
For what purpose?
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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All Of It Is Educational
If education had been a priority,
Its connection to greatness...
Would not have been an elective,
For the selective chosen few to possess.
If education had been a priority,
The providing of it...
Would have been more collective.
Without those costly decisions made,
To leave behind many subjected...
And left to think of themselves as fools.
Like those who have proven to be incompetent.
With abilities to deceive.
If education had been a priority,
Its connection to greatness...
Would not have been an elective,
For the selective chosen few to possess.
And a greatness declared,
Through one's ability to produce weaponry...
Isn't greatness.
That's the height of evil stupidity.
Eventually used to attack its producer.
'Like that mad scientist obsessed,
Who exhumed bodies...
To design his own human beings.
He alone would command their dependency.
But his first and only creation turned on him.
What was his name? '
Frankenstein.
'Are you sure? '
Not really.
So many have been running for political office.
'You refer to Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde.'
Does it really matter when all of them are monsters?
'Yes it does.
Because all of it is educational.
All of it.'
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Kept Number One
What makes no sense to you now...
Has never made sense ever!
It's just that the expense of your escapes,
Have been diminished.
Like the realization of your question...
Does race matter?
In a place where cowboys and indians,
Has laced the bottom of Christmas trees
With packaged toy guns.
Gift wrapped to delight the eyes,
To have little boys and girls...
Chasing each other to run...
With visions to win something won,
From each other for fun?
And has made race the number one issue,
Whether at work or entertaining minds...
To this very day?
Does race matter?
It may now make no sense to you!
However...
From the point of view of those,
Sold on greatness...
And how that greatness has been achieved?
You better believe...
Race matters to them,
Who wish to keep that dream alive...
And thirsting within every soul that thrives.
To do it by using race and weapons...
And the fear of losing 'interests' threatened,
By those enemies created...
Wishing to put a limitation to these dreams!
Of course race matters!
That's why the momentum of hate,
Has been kept number one in the marketplace!
So it seems.
Does race matter?
Aren't people living in scattered divisions?
Reminding themselves of ethnic and religious,
Superiorities?
And 'what' deity is 'supreme to all of these?
Where do you think all of this started?
In the land that professes equal opportunities!
And all for one and one for all!
But not for everyone!
Unless you're lucky enough to play...
Professional basketball!
Or football.
Or baseball!
And carry those kinds of 'balls'!
To entertain and please,
For those kinds of escaping games.
To bring such tensions to ease.
For purposes to boast...
Of championships and hoist trophies!
And that's why race matters!
Even though that concept...
Has left a mess unaddressed.
And treasured foundations undone,
To distress!
Does race matter?
Isn't that on the lips...
Of those in mental fits?
Check your history!
When did it not exist?
OR statistics kept and strategies!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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I am the woman
I am the woman who is unstoppable
I am the woman
Whose dreams are immeasurable
I am the woman
Of a different breed, unbelievable
I am the woman
Of all times, incredible
I am a woman
With passion and purpose, unspeakable
I am the woman
Who decides where I should fall
In this universe, unpredictable
I am the woman
Who refuse to lessen my dreams
To meet man’s expectation, inconceivable
I am a woman
Of greatness and this greatness
Should never be compromise, remarkable
I am that GREAT WOMAN
poem by Kathy Elliott

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0162 Greatness
How great is greatness? asks my questing soul:
scenting behind that quest, eternity;
that dark which, studied, lights the dazzling whole
and brings to finite thought, infinity;
as when great singers sing, all hearts can sing;
great dancers give us sense that all can dance;
great actors speak for all of us; we think
to know all painted greatness at one glance:
we know already, greatness' unfenced whole,
we know that boundless place, the human heart;
Creation is no secret to our soul;
all being sings its song in every part.
How glorious those sages who can see
in everything that lives, totality!
poem by Michael Shepherd

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Our Own Greatness
We do not need kingdoms
To be kings, we do not need
Lands and money to be rich
And be powerful and be famous
And be great to the eyes of men
We only need our simple selves
At peace within our hearts
Admiring the greatness of God
And His Wondrous creations
We only need this humble humanity
Inside us always looking at the
Others’ mysteries always thinking
The true world beyond us on this journey
Our own greatness lies in our being ourselves
Knowing what we are and fulfilling the purpose
Of why we are here and what we are destined to be...there
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Center of Golden Trinkets
The greatness of this land...
Goes uncelebrated on foreign soil,
Where oil is abundant and sold to enrich...
The lives of those upon land God has chosen,
For 'them' to nourish and enrich themselves!
'May the eyes of the wise open! '
No one can fake an ownership that does not exist.
The consciousness of the Earth will not permit it!
A divineness given has made some minds sick...
With a wicked self centeredness that is going to be punished.
'May the eyes of the wise open! '
Integrity kept was not swept away by the feeding of greed.
It stay and wanted to share resources.
Forces proceeded to addict a mindset to things.
Increasing the need to fill empty spaces with waste.
And the luxury of bad taste.
With the acceptance of disrespect.
As well as a lack of discipline...
And that which is connected.
'May the eyes of the wise open! '
Dishonesty became the treason of pride.
Not too many hid that they lied to get what they wished...
And did.
What.
They.
Wanted to do!
Dishonesty became the treason of pride.
Not too many hid that they lied to get what they wished...
And did.
What.
They.
Wanted to do!
Integrity kept was not swept away by the feeding of greed.
In fact...
Any who had any of that left,
Wept!
And helplessly stood by to watch their country bleed.
Dishonesty became the treason of pride.
Not too many hid that they lied to get what they wished...
And did.
What.
They.
Wanted to do!
'May the eyes of the wise open! '
The greatness of this land...
Goes uncelebrated on foreign soil,
Where oil is abundant and sold to enrich...
The lives of those upon land God has chosen,
For 'them' to nourish and enrich themselves!
But others too impatient to wait for God's command...
Believed they only had to steal to find themselves the chosen.
To find themselves the center of golden trinkets to adorn,
And distract!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Extendibly Kept
Greatness declared,
Seems almost too simple to say.
Too simple to adorn that which isn't...
With such a high placed esteem.
Greatness just to say,
With few ways of it expressed.
Seems as if a parody,
Of what isn't there with wishes it could be.
A greatness achieved and extendibly kept,
Takes a constant self reflection.
And a careful watching of one's steps.
A greatness achieved and extendibly kept,
Takes repeated self examination.
With a wanting always to do one's best.
Greatness declared,
Seems almost too simple to say.
Too simple to adorn that which isn't...
With such a high placed esteem.
Greatness just to say,
With few ways of it expressed.
Seems as if a parody,
Of what isn't there with wishes it could be...
Forever peceived and to others believed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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Many Will Never Recover At All
Leave those alone who are comforted by their own beliefs.
Fragmented realities had at one time brought relief...
To the ones who pocketed funds from such divisions!
Choosing not to listen and making wrong decisions.
Those days are fading fast for them.
From all fronts their outlooks are crumbling within.
Soon those affected can not refuse the truth.
It will be there shared by all.
And those who run from it,
Need not be pursued!
For them there will be no exit!
Let them with limited time persist.
Sit back and watch their minds split to bits.
And feel blessed you were able to see it for what it was.
Some might be able to grow from it.
Unfortunately...
Many will never recover at all!
Since honesty for them,
Was something they felt could be put off!
And reality for them will be a wound to go exposed...
Never to heal.
Creating defeat and their downfall.
With minds sold on treasures gone...
A purpose to exist leaves them nothing left to feel.
But a ground for their hands and knees to crawl.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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A Price Is Always Paid
Why is it people forget,
What it is they do to others...
When paybacks become due,
And are to them directed.
These selected memory folks,
I have mentioned before.
But as the more of them appear,
From behind their closet doors...
It is believed their deeds are cleared,
As if wiped clean to be erased...
From school chalk boards.
No!
A price is always paid,
When one consciously does to others...
With a purpose to use to do a screwing.
Why is it people forget,
What it is they do to others...
When paybacks become due,
And are to them directed.
Time is on no one's side,
Just to let things slide by to hide and deny.
No!
A price is always paid,
When one consciously does to others...
With a purpose to use to do a screwing.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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You Are Much Too Generous
Why is it you 'must' remind me,
Of your greatness periodically?
What's up with that?
'Well...
If you are reminded and I am convinced,
Eventually I won't be left to do all the PR.'
And...?
'And what? '
What about me?
'What about you?
As long as you do what you're suppose to do,
I'll let you entertain the notion of being just as great.
We'll create an equal opportunity campaign!
How's that? '
You are much too generous.
'Tell me about it.
I've been trying to convince the others of that,
For years, decades, lifetimes.'
Don't get too full of yourself.
One day you might find yourself,
Swimming to catch up to that boat you claimed...
You hand built alone with no help!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

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The man who is anybody and who does anything is surely going to be criticized, vilified, and misunderstood. That is part of the penalty for greatness, and every great man understands it; and understands, too, that it is no proof of greatness. The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure continously without resentment.
quote by Elbert Hubbard

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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We shall never resolve the enigma of the relation between the negative foundations of greatness and that greatness itself.
quote by Jean Baudrillard

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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From Where Shall I Greatness Buy?
Mom tells me to finish my homework quickly,
When I ask why? , she tells me
“You should become great as great as your dad”.
When I ask, where is my dad Mom?
She tells me, “He is now god’s guest.”
Again when I ask Mom,
“Can I not become great by being the god’s guest”?
She slaps me gently and tells me,
“Now just shut up and get your homework done”.
Little later when I ask she says,
“Your Dad fought like a tiger,
risking his life, he never bothered.
His gun has brought him greatness
and the honour of being the god’s guest.
Again when I ask,
“Do people become great when they fight”?
If so, I will beat in the school,
My friend Philip, with my might.”
Now, Mom calls me stupid and gives me a push.
Crying I go to sleep in her lap,
Now she says, “Tomorrow I will
give you pocket money for ice-cream”.
Wiping my eyes when I ask,
Mom! ”Can I by saving pocket money,
try greatness buy”?
Tell Mom, “From where shall I greatness buy”?
She tells, “Oh god help me”
and begins to cry.
poem by Dr. Sandeep Kumar Kar

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