Men
When I was young, I used to
Watch behind the curtains
As men walked up and down the street. Wino men, old men.
Young men sharp as mustard.
See them. Men are always
Going somewhere.
They knew I was there. Fifteen
Years old and starving for them.
Under my window, they would pauses,
Their shoulders high like the
Breasts of a young girl,
Jacket tails slapping over
Those behinds,
Men.
One day they hold you in the
Palms of their hands, gentle, as if you
Were the last raw egg in the world. Then
They tighten up. Just a little. The
First squeeze is nice. A quick hug.
Soft into your defenselessness. A little
More. The hurt begins. Wrench out a
Smile that slides around the fear. When the
Air disappears,
Your mind pops, exploding fiercely, briefly,
Like the head of a kitchen match. Shattered.
It is your juice
That runs down their legs. Staining their shoes.
When the earth rights itself again,
And taste tries to return to the tongue,
Your body has slammed shut. Forever.
No keys exist.
Then the window draws full upon
Your mind. There, just beyond
The sway of curtains, men walk.
Knowing something.
Going someplace.
But this time, I will simply
Stand and watch.
Maybe.
poem by Maya Angelou
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
The Street Only Knew Your Name
Your street, rich street or poor
You should always be sure of your street
There's a place in your heart,
When you know from the start
And you can't be complete without a street
Keep movin' on, just like a train
Sometimes you gotta look back to the street again
Would you prefer all those castles in spain
Or a view of the street from your window pane
When you were young, so young
So very very young
When you were young, so young
So very very young
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name, oh your precious name, precious name
There was walter and joy, kate and roy
All hung around the corner lamplight
Get together sing some songs
Like boppin' the blues - you make me feel alright
That was long before fortune and fame
No such thing as a star when you've played that game
Everyone knew who everyone was
There was no preference in the street no, no
When you were young, so young
So very very young
When you were young, so young
So very very young
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name, oh your precious name
And you walked around in the heart of town
Listening for that sound
And you walk around in the heart of town
Listening for that sound
Blue suede shoes, it was the blue suede shoes
When you were young, so young
So very very young
When you were young, so young
So very very young
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name
And the street only knew your name
song performed by by Van Morrison
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Girl of Fifteen
Girl of fifteen,
I see you each morning from my window
As you pass on your way to school.
I do more than see, I watch you.
I furtively draw the curtain aside.
And my heart leaps through my eyes
And follows you down the street;
Leaving me behind, half-hid
And wholly ashamed.
What holds me back,
Half-hid behind the curtains and wholly ashamed,
But my forty years beyond your fifteen?
Girl of fifteen, as you pass
There passes, too, a lightning flash of time
In which you lift those forty summers off my head,
And take those forty winters out of my heart.
poem by James Weldon Johnson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When I Was A Young Girl
(A Song of Old Ballads)
WHEN I was a young girl, all in a green arbor,
When I was a young girl in Springtimes gone by
All the long days I went singing and smiling,
Down by the roses the sweet days beguiling,
Love in the arbor and love in the sky . . .
When I was a young girl, a young girl, a young girl,
When I was a young girl, how happy was I!
Oh, the long days I must sit at my sampler,
Oh, the slow way that the still time would go!
I longed to be running across the bright heather,
'Off with the silk gown and on with the leather,
Following the raggle-taggle gypsies, oh!'
When I was a young girl, a young girl, a young girl,
When I was a young girl, a long time ago!
When I was a young girl in days that were golden,
When I was a young girl, and life had no smart,
All the world seemed a place for my playing,
Full of great lovers to come to me, saying,
'Madam, I give you the keys of my heart . . .'
When I was a young girl, a young girl, a young girl,
When I was a young girl, and dreaming apart!
When I was a young girl, I dreamed of my lover,
A tall cavalier who should whisper me low,
'Love, on your lips are red roses a-blowing,
I am your true love, and fast is time going
Am I your true love? Oh, say yes or no!'
When I was a young girl, a young girl, a young girl–
When I was a young girl, a long time ago!
When I was a young girl there came my true lover,
Swiftly I knew him in glad days gone by;
Never a sword or a lovelock or feather,
But oh, at his touch 'twas our hearts came together,
Love in the arbor and love in the sky . . .
When I was a young girl, a young girl, a young girl,
When I was a young girl, how happy was I!
poem by Margaret Widdemer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Your Between And My Betwixt
We so easily
slip into the
intestacies
of Time's Pauses
where we
make love;
where time
draws the window curtains
for our modesty
and our pleasure.
Moments
swirl
dance and play
on window sills
and make
toys
for our play
and taffida
ornaments
singing.
Touch my lips
with soft breath,
finger tips
down my
curved back
where hands
land
on smooth skin
erupting
senses
meshed
rising.
Instants
play
on your chest
dance upon
your breasts
rising to my touch.
All is wonderful here.
Shut away
are the Outside Fears
the Them Out There
for Inside Here
is Our World
perfectly mixed
with your Beating Open Heart
and my Desire-
My Between
and Your
Betwixt
Igniting.
There is in this
no other time
than this
Our Time
there is no other gift
than this gift given
Betwixt
and Between us.
poem by Lonnie Hicks
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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No Difference
i stared out the window
at the bare frozen limbs
of my favorite old tree...
i closed my eyes...
saw leaves bud forth
and turn green...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i stared at the young girl
reading at a corner table
i closed my eyes...
and saw an old grandmother
washing dishes with her grandbabies
playing in the floor at her feet...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw the young man
carrying his son on his shoulders
i closed my eyes...
and saw an old man standing
by his son's casket
draped by a flag...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw an old man
standing on the corner begging
i closed my eyes...
i saw a young boy
playing ball in the street
laughing and dodging cars
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a crack head shivering
by an electric heater in a bare apartment
i closed my eyes...
and saw a young a/g student
helping some kid with his math
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a desperate girl
walking the streets
looking for a john
i closed my eyes...
and saw a young girl's room
stuffed animals on the bed
pictures of her and her daddy on the wall
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a young man
wild-eyed with fear
in a prison cell
i closed my eyes...
i saw a young boy gone hunting
with his grandpa on thanksgiving morn
with his dog by his side
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i pulled back the veil of time...
knowing, there is no difference!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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This Little Girl
Here she comes, walking down the street
You know shes walking just like shes walking to come and see
Oh shes so young
And shes so fine
I know whats on your mind, know what you want to do
But if you mess with her, Im gonna mess with you
You better watch your step, you better stay in line
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
Oh oh this little girl is mine
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
Well if the world were mine to do with what I want to do, sir
Well Id wrap it up in a bow and giver it all to her
Yeah and all of my love, all of the time
You know Id hold her tight, Id never let her go
And late at night you know Id love her so
Yeah Id treat her right, so shed never mind
That
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
Hey ! you better watch out
Im telling you the score
Or youre gonna be sweeping your broken heart up off the floor
Oh and that aint all
Im telling you my friend
I know whats on your mind, know what you wanna do
But if you mess with her, Im gonna mess with you
You like the way she moves, you like to watch her walk
You better listen up, cause man this aint just talk
You better watch your step, you better stay in line
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
Oh oh this little girl is mine
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
Oh oh this little girl is mine
This little girl is mine, oh oh
This little girl is mine, this little girl, this little girl is mine
song performed by by Bruce Springsteen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young
(b. dylan)
May God bless
And keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb every road
And may you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light surrounding you
May you always be gracious
Stand upright and be strong
And may you stay
Stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
With the winds changing shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
And may you stay
Forever young
Forever young
Stay forever young
Stay forever young
Stay
Stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
Stay forever young
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young (Bob Dylan)
May god bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
song performed by by Bruce Springsteen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
And may you stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the light that's surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you always stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
And your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the wind of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
And your song may it be sung
And may you stay forever young
Forever young
Forever young
May you stay forever young
song performed by by Meat Loaf
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young
May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you
May you always be courageous
Stand upright and be strong
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
May your hands always be busy
May your feet always be swift
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift
May your heart always be joyful
May your song always be sung
May you stay forever young
Forever young, forever young
May you stay forever young
song performed by by Bruce Springsteen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young
May God bless and keep you always, may your wishes all come true.
May you always do for others and let others do for you.
May you build a ladder to the stars and climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young.
Forever young, forever young, may you stay forever young.
May you grow up to be righteous, may you grow up to be true.
May you always know the truth and see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous, stand upright and be strong.
May you stay forever young.
Forever young, forever young, may you stay forever young.
May your hands always be busy, may your feet always be swift.
May you have a strong foundation when the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful, may your songs always be sung.
May you stay forever young.
Forever young, forever young, may you stay forever young
song performed by by Grateful Dead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Little Girl in the Window
There's a little girl in a window looking sweetly at you
She know you and admires you
Yet you don't even know her name
She quietly sits by you in class and wtaches you in the halls
Never talking, just writing
She loves you, don't you know?
But you can't even see it,
You don't see her.
The girl is loosing hope in all she knew
For school is almost over and you'll be gone forever
She knows that she's not pretty enough,
That she's too quiet
Yet she still loves to watch you from her window,
Always having to look in, never wanted
Now it's 2049,30 years have passed
You casually talk to your friends again at your reunion
A girl you once knew tells about the girl in the window
She committed suicide...
As you finally see this little girl, read her things
You realize who she truly was
You finally see the little girl in the window.
Except she is still 14
And you 48
You see that was was pretty and amazing
Yet you neer knew
With the truth known,
You look once more at this girl
And offer her a silent prayer
Saying the final goodbye to the little girl in the window
poem by Corey Mason
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Young Girl
Young girl Abused and broken
Young girl Alone and Frightened
Young girl Worthless and Ugly
Young girl feels so alone
She has no one to hold her
Young girl's father to drunk to even care
The young girl gets beaten everyday
The young girl wanting to runaway
Young girl will not leave her father alone
Like he has done to her
This young girl's teacher has a note
She reads the note aloud to the class
This young girl was beaten to death
No one had the guts to save her
This young girl bruised and dead
This young girl buried in the cold ground
This young girl has no one to visit her grave
No one asked her how she got her bruises
No one even took a second chance
Goodbye young girl fly away into the arms of God
For He loved you and always will
This young girl happy again
poem by Jasmine Kayleen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Birds Fly
A little too tall for me
Beautiful flowing hair
Over a tailored jacket
Purse and matching - - - - - -
Those long legs
Then she turned
I saw the face with
The same sharp crisp lines
The rest of her had promised
She went walking by - - - - -
Not for me
Just to get by
The strides
The way her jacket swung
Draping her as she walked
It was like watching a bird
Through your shaded window
As it pauses on your lawn
Unless something makes a noise
Then birds fly
poem by Tom J. Mariani
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Under Cover of Night
To slip into your shadow under cover of night.
To follow your footsteps, your shadow at the window.
That shadow at the window is you and no one else;
it's you.
Do not open that window behind whose curtains you're moving.
Shut your eyes.
I'd like to shut them with my lips.
But the window opens and the breeze, the breeze
which strangely balances flame and flag surrounds my escape
with its cloak.
The window opens: it's not you.
I knew it all along.
poem by Robert Desnos
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Young Man's Town
You wake up one morning and it's passed you by.
You don't know when and you don't know why.
You feel like an old memory hangin' round.
And man, you've gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
You knew this day was comin' all along.
So why bitch and moan and say they done you wrong?
Just teach 'em what you know an' pass it on down,
'Cause man, you gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
Chorus:
It's a young man's town,
Full of young man's dreams.
And all God's children
Gotta learn to spread their wings.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground,
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town.
You always seem to be the last to know.
Man, that's just the way that the story goes.
There's nothin' you can do when the fields have turned brown.
Man, you gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
Chorus:
It's a young man's town,
Full of young man's dreams.
And all God's children
Gotta learn to spread their wings.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground,
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground.
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town...
song performed by by Vince Gill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Young Man's Town
You wake up one morning and it's passed you by.
You don't know when and you don't know why.
You feel like an old memory hangin' round.
And man, you've gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
You knew this day was comin' all along.
So why bitch and moan and say they done you wrong?
Just teach 'em what you know an' pass it on down,
'Cause man, you gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
Chorus:
It's a young man's town,
Full of young man's dreams.
And all God's children
Gotta learn to spread their wings.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground,
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town.
You always seem to be the last to know.
Man, that's just the way that the story goes.
There's nothin' you can do when the fields have turned brown.
Man, you gotta face it, it's a young man's town.
Chorus:
It's a young man's town,
Full of young man's dreams.
And all God's children
Gotta learn to spread their wings.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground,
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town.
Sometimes you gotta stand back,
And watch 'em burn it to the ground.
Even though you built it,
It's a young man's town...
song performed by by Vince Gill
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Forever Young
(r. stewart/j.cregan/k.savigar)
May the good lord be with you
Down every road you roam
And may sunshine and happiness
Surround you when youre far from home
And may you grow to be proud
Dignified and true
And do unto others
As youd have done to you
Be courageous and be brave
And in my heart youll always stay
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
May good fortune be with you
May your guiding light be strong
Build a stairway to heaven
With a prince or a vagabond
And may you never love in vain
And in my heart you will remain
Forever young, forever young
Forever young, forever young
Forever young
Forever young
And when you finally fly away
Ill be hoping that I served you well
For all the wisdom of a lifetime
No one can ever tell
But whatever road you choose
Im right behind you, win or lose
Forever young, forever young
Forever young ,forever young
Forever young, forever young
For, forever young, forever young
song performed by by Rod Stewart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Turpentine
Baby going down, cant look you in the eye
Where you gonna go with no place to die
My water breaks like turpentine
I survive in your sacrifice
Now you get watch
You get to watch
Now you get to watch me die
Bless my body and bless my soul
Wrap it in turpentine
Its a stare down - whatever for
I like it cold and raw
Who really knows where the ruby lies
I see all the sick reflections in your ruby eyes
And I know all you devils by your christian names
And I know all you bitches by your christian names
Now I get to watch
Now I get to watch
Now I get to watch you die
Bless my body and bless my soul
Wrap it in turpentine
..? ...
Put your head up over your legs
Count backwards from infinity
Oh oh woah
Eat the rose and the dirt it grows in
I dont even know what hole thats supposed to go in
Now youre man and you snuff at me
It stinks up now in the junkie tree
Now you get to watch
You get to watch
You get to watch me die
Bless my body and bless my soul
Wrap it in turpentine
Back and it feels like ?
Put your legs up over your head
I walk in to your suicide
Hold down suicide
I cease to exist on the christmas list
I cease to exist in the old disease
I lie right down baby give it to me
I lie right down
Nowhere to walk backwards forwards
Nowhere to walk backwards forwards
Nowhere to walk...
song performed by by Hole
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Brittle Bones
Though I am an old man
With my bones very brittle,
Though I am a poor old man
Worth very little,
Yet I suck at my long pipe
At peace in the sun,
I do not fret nor much regret
That my work is done.
If I were a young man
With my bones full of marrow,
Oh, if I were a bold young man
Straight as an arrow,
And if I had the same years
To live once again,
I would not change their simple range
Of laughter and pain.
If I were a young man
And young was my Lily,
A smart girl, a bold young man,
Both of us silly.
And though from time before I knew
She'd stab me with pain,
Though well I knew she'd not be true,
I'd love her again.
If I were a young man
With a brisk, healthy body,
Oh, if I were a bold young man
With love of rum toddy,
Though I knew that I was spiting
My old age with pain,
My happy lip would touch and sip
Again and again.
If I were a young man
With my bones full of marrow,
Oh, if I were a bold young man
Straight as an arrow,
I'd store up no virtue
For Heaven's distant plain,
I'd live at ease as I did please
And sin once again.
poem by Robert Graves
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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