A rich interior life with style
I would live in that sort of space
if would were could.
Instead, I take off my shoes at the door,
feel my bare toes on the polished woodwork,
settle into the chair, take out
the big square book entitled ‘Japanese Style’,
and with the contented sigh of one
who knows that solitude is
a status symbol in Japan,
give the body a rest, while the mind,
with its clever skills, no sweat,
as into a loose cotton robe,
feeling the air against the skin,
slips easily into two dimensions
contemplating three-dimensional space;
lives in these mindful geometries,
and feels a million yen;
goes to bed refreshed,
wondering whether waking up
a Japanese would be acceptable.
Maybe I’ll write a poem,
‘This quiet Spring evening
I sit in solitude
and love the unseen passers-by’
and take it to the calligrapher’s shop,
hang it outside the front door
for no-one to read
but all to see -
for in solitude, all is possible.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
In Solitude
A glass of red wine spent
Recalling life's events
Crowded in my skin
In Solitude
Relishing a melody of lament
Drifting through my window
Gliding in uninvited
In solitude
Last night I cried out loud
For the sake of hearing a sound
Though I did not hear me
In solitude
Gawking at my naked fear
Of living a life unseen
Yearning to belong
In solitude
I woke up in the evening
Read a book out loud
My voice wavering
In Solitude
As the heroine yearned
In an isolated crowd
To be loved
In solitude
I walked around naked
In my new home
My skin in flames
In solitude
Every molecule of air
Brushing against me
Scorched in vain
In solitude
It was raining that morn
When I came to life
My throat stinging
In solitude
I see no soul
I hear no breathing
I smell no skin
In solitude
I mourn not waking up
Next to my beloved
To warm my frozen hind
In solitude
Yet, I feel no cold
And life goes on
As I bury myself
In solitude
poem by Deva De Silva
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In The Solitude Of Prayer
In the solitude of prayer
deep
Lost in moments in between weep
and sleep
In the solitude of prayer
Lonliness finds a rest
Survived another test
Brings out our best
In the solitude of prayer
With nobody there
Except those far away
Reminded of their distant care
In the solitude of prayer
You pray for their smile
For their personal trial
Silently, all the while
In the solitude of prayer
Dreams seem more near
More hope than fear
Thoughts of those past those dear
In the solitude of prayer
Pray for their souls kind
Whose memory is still in your mind
And in your heart
In the solitude of prayer
Pray for your dear friends
Whose heart's you defend
As your own heart they mend
In the solitude of prayer
As for God's wisdom
And his love
As all love comes from above
In the solitude of prayer
Find grace to forgive
And to truely give
And to live
In the solitude of prayer
Recall how to dream
Of warm embraces of affection
And of love returned in your direction
In the solitude of prayer
Pray with conviction
Pray for the impossible
Without fear or restriction
poem by James T. Adair
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Honor And Courage
In Japan, they write on rice paper,
In America, we write on the sides of buildings.
In Japan they honor their elders,
In America, we rob them on buses,
And abuse them.
In Japan there is great love for their country.
In America, people are refusing to stand,
For the national anthem.
In Japan, men are volunteering to die,
Without a second thought,
To give up their lives,
To save their fellow citizens.
Oh yes, you'll say, the Japanese are great,
At dying, at suicide missions.
But is that the point?
Shouldn't the point be,
The Japanese love their homeland,
The Japanese love their own people,
The Japanese love their way of life,
The Japanese love their traditions,
Love, honor, respect, courage,
Nobody writes on Japanese walls.
Offenders are quickly and severely dealt with.
Wouldn't you volunteer also?
Maybe not.
Honor, and courage,
Seem to be,
In short supply,
Stateside.
3/26/11 Alton Texas
poem by Juan Olivarez
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Turning Japanese
Ive got your picture
Of me and you
You wrote, I love you.
I love you, too
I sit there staring when theres nothing else to do
Oh, its in color
Your hair is brown
Your eyes are hazel
And soft as clouds
I often kiss you when theres no one else around
Ive got your picture, got your picture
Id like a million of em over myself
I want a doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
Youve got me turning up, Im turning down, Im turning in, and Im turning round
Im turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Ive got your picture, Ive got your picture
Id like a million of them over myself
I want a doctor to take your picture
So I can look at you from inside as well
Youve got me turning up, Im turning down, Im turning in, and Im turning round
Im turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
No sex, no drugs, no wine, no women
No fun, no sin, no you, no wonder its dark
Everyone around me is a total stranger
Everyone avoids me like a cyclone ranger
Everyone
Thats why Im turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
(think so, think so, think so)
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
Turning japanese, I think Im turning japanese, I really think so
(think so, think so, think so...)
song performed by by Liz Phair
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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0011 How Rilke might have translated Bashó on poetry
Be solitary.
Love solitude, and don’t look for poetry;
don’t seek what former poets sought;
see what is still and changeless;
see also what is changing;
be filled with the true nature of things – mountains, rivers, trees, grasses, falling blossoms, the scattering leaves,
and, yes, humanity too, its true nature –
and the universe will become your companion.
So your solitude will be full of the universe;
and you will watch, unmoved, the reality
and the vacuity of the world.
Concentrate your thoughts, in solitude,
on an object, on each object;
in this concentration,
the space between oneself and the object will disappear,
and the essential nature of the object can be perceived.
Then be quick to express it, while it lives for you;
say quickly what is in your mind;
as a woodcutter fells a tree, or
a swordsman leaps at his enemy, or
as you cut a ripe watermelon with a sharp knife,
or take a large bite at a pear;
this immediacy will be the life of your poem,
for nature will write the poem for you.
The language may be untrue;
but it will live with the truth.
You may feel that writing so quickly,
you may always fail; but pay no attention;
know no other thing than writing poetry;
let it make you penniless, if that is
what it needs, to speak itself.
Then, in your solitude,
which is so full of everything,
the poetic spirit will lead you wherever you must go,
make you a friend of nature,
and every form of existence will reveal
its individual feelings to you –
which are similar to those of men;
and all things, you will know, have their fulfilment.
In this solitude, your mind will be undistracted;
and then, enlightened by nature itself,
you may return to the world,
with a lightness of being, and poems
as light as looking
at the sandy bed of a shallow river;
as a tree untouched by the axe,
seemingly useless,
vulnerable to wind and rain,
at ease in itself.
Like a poet.
(This text is Bashó's advice to a poet. But the medieval Japanese poet and the modern European poet seem to be so close in their search for essence, for being, that some of Bashó's phrases have the same ring as Rilke's own advice to a young poet. I have tried to bring this out discreetly..)
poem by Michael Shepherd
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A Place Of Solitude
Everyone has a place of solitude
where the world cannot invade.
Where we can sit in silence
and enjoy our own thoughts
away from everyone.
A park bench by a pond
dedicated to someone
who liked the view.
A church pew
where people sit
and ask god to see them through.
Everyone has their own place
that gives them peace of mind.
A place to rest their weary body
and leave
the rest of the world behind.
Their own space
a place of solitude.
4 May 2008
poem by David Harris
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Solitude
A solitude enjoyed...
Has been a solitude earned.
One who appreciates a quietness,
Is deserving of a mind at rest.
A few who arrive...
Will confess a complete acceptance,
With a welcomeness.
Especially after dealing,
With those who find themselves still reeling,
Back and forth with feelings mixed.
From lives showing signs of an emptiness.
Devoid of a happiness they keep stalled...
Without a desire to remove this at all.
Existing with drifting wishes.
I appreciate my solitude.
Every chance I get!
It is quite different than being alone,
In an unwanted loneliness...
Others may perceive,
One condones and grieves!
This solitude,
Has been chosen to satisfy a certain mood!
And not to be confused,
With one who sits to brood in an attitude.
Those fits of mind are totally diminished...
When a solitude comes to implant and plenish!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Light Breeze
As regards feeling pain, like a hand cut in battle,
consider the body a robe you wear.
When you meet someone you love, do you kiss their clothes? Search out who's inside.
Union with God is sweeter than body comforts.
We have hands and feet different from these. Sometimes in dream we see them.
That is not illusion. It's seeing truly. You do have a spirit body;
don't dread leaving the physical one. Sometimes someone feels this truth so strongly that he or she can live in mountain solitude totally refreshed.
The worried, heroic doings of men and women seem weary and futile to dervishes enjoying the light breeze of spirit.
Solitude
How many times have you told me you love her
As many times as I've wanted to tell you the truth
How long have I stood here beside you
I live through you
You looked through me
Ooh, Solitude,
Still with me is only you
Ooh, Solitude,
I can't stay away from you
How many times have I done this to myself
How long will it take before I see
When will this hole in my heart be mended
Who now is left alone but me
Ooh, Solitude,
Forever me and forever you
Ooh, Solitude,
Only you, only true
Everyone leave me stranded
Forgotten, abandoned, left behind
I can't stay here another night
Your secret admirer
Who could it be
Ooh, Can't you see
All along it was me
How can you be so blind
As to see right through me
And Ooh, Solitude,
Still with me is only you
Ooh, Solitude,
I can't stay away from you
Ooh, Solitude,
Forever me and forever you
Ooh, Solitude,
Only you, only true
song performed by by Evanescence
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Weight of Poetry
Poetry is core of arts
It’s not strange!
Not knowing that poetry is core of all arts
It’s not strange as well!
The many who don’t know that poetry is core of all arts
It’s not a strange at all!
Although the poets usually make foes against vulgarity
A city makes the poets wandering on the streets
Should utterly lack of the manner and style
A society brings the resentment to the poets
Should fully lack of consciousness
Solitude is the major topic in life
Solitude is poetry
Lack of poetry, art is a form of imitation
Lack of poetry, power is a presumptuous mediocrity
Lack of poetry, fortune is a wealthy poverty
Lack of poetry, love is a superficial organ
The extreme of love- solitude
The extreme of wealth- solitude
The extreme of power – solitude
The extreme of art- solitude
The extreme of climax - solitude
The extreme of world - solitude
The extreme of planets- solitude
Those who have never explored loneliness
Can write down the weight of poetry?
poem by DePen Chang
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Solitude
Duke ellington / eddie delange / irving mills
In my solitude
You haunt me
With dreadful ease
Of days gone by
In my solitude
You taunt me
With memories
That never die
I sit in my chair
And filled with despair
Theres no one could be so sad
With gloom everywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that Ill soon go mad
In my solitude
Im afraid
Dear lord above
Send back my love
song performed by by Billie Holiday
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In Solitude
In solitude I remain
With absolutely nothing to gain
Perhaps in time I will be strong
You see! Solitude is not my favourite song
A solitary place
Is not where I belong
Read my lips and trace the lines on my face
You see! Solitude is not my favourite song
But social isolation
Combined with social manipulation
Places me once again in solitude
You see! Solitude is not my preferred attitude
This isn’t a journey of spiritual enlightenment
As some people might say to my resentment
But in great loneliness of this magnitude
I must find some self awareness in solitude
I must find strength and pretend
That everyone around me is my friend
To put this state of scale of elevation to an end
I must pretend, I must pretend
That even Solitude is my friend
poem by Sylvia Chidi
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Solitude is never worse,
Solitude is never worse,
Solitude can never be worse,
Either way killing is not good,
Tyranny is not a wise calling in murders,
But a solitude with Ideas that change what is Human,
For man is a wild animal,
The monologue of good is even better,
This World hast a lot of problems,
We must bear to see fortune and not felonies,
That man is blessed that say's mankind is to love other's,
But detractors of solitude never cease to ease,
Solitude is never worse if it is for good of Humane,
Virtue is an insight that will regenerate a beauty of concept,
Thinking that solitude is not bad anyway,
But not solitude in making enemies,
But as a teacher,
An advisor and a good communicator.
poem by Maxpoet Beauty
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Ode To A Solitary Mind - 2
Oh mind what is that magnitude
attracting you always to solitude
without any sort of gratitude
for the goodness of the world.
with solitude when you campaign
with it's effects like the champagne
you fell and think of the orgies,
That teach you ungreatfulness
for the world with some goodness,
It, thus, dipicts your hollowness.
Solitude makes melancholy to you
Driving the mirth from you away
Deprieving you of the worldly joys
You get nothing though you grieve.
Lonely and binding yourself in a trance
Of solitude you forgo the chance
To give goodness & get it in return
From the world in your turn
from the society into spiteful
Aloofness which is too painful.
Poet: Ratnakar D Mandlik
poem by Ratnakar Mandlik
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Attitude (Lyrics)
Maybe I act on confused behavior.
Maybe waves crash like semi-trailer.
Maybe I’ll spend my off time without you.
It seems like we need our own space.
And all this time I wasted away;
Do not feel good unless you stay stay stay.
And all this time I chased you away,
Simply to catch back up with,
Your solitude is welcome welcome.
Your attitude is welcome welcome.
Your solitude is welcome, welcome
Your attitude is welcome.
All you see is red lights behind me,
Maybe this isn’t what you wanted baby.
And I don’t blame you falling backwards,
No one’s ever quite confused you this way.
And all this time we wasted away;
We don’t feel good unless we’re gray gray.
And all the times I chased you away,
I simply don’t feel good.
Your solitude is welcome welcome.
Your attitude is welcome welcome.
Your solitude is welcome welcome.
Your attitude is welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome.
All this time,
We heard,
Alarms,
Come to find,
We fell,
Apart.
This whole thing has crashed down,
Crashed down.
All this time,
We heard,
Alarms.
Your solitude is welcome welcome.
Your attitude is welcome welcome.
Your solitude is welcome welcome.
Your attitude is welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome.
You are welcome....
poem by Satan's Sibling
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For The Loneliness
There's one remedy,
If one tries to grab the solitude-
I approach to Antarctic,
Seals disturb me.
The strugle for own's existence,
vividly appears-
Blood spreads among the bondings,
So common are the incidents.
The pack hunts down,
scream spills in the air-
Union is the sense of intimacy,
these exhibit the courage.
Antarctic can't be lonely,
In search of eternal solitude-
I grab my index,
And there lies the space.
Might be a good reason,
To touch the sevens-
Is high for the rest,
I shall lower it.
Cross-bars of strength,
Are there in space-
They peep out our works,
We are just the viewee.
I can just remain still,
Watching them watch us-
Watch us in our works,
Position our sound as well.
Being alive,
Being social-
One wouldn't grab the solitude,
The one I wanted.
It's true,
Nature teases the being-
In sounds,
In flames.
I seek the solitude,
which is lonely within-
The morphology,
And the mentality.
poem by Bed Prakash Bhatta
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(V – 2010) The Serenity of Solitude
At times lonely
When we go for a solitary walk
Down the silent valley of solitude:
As we whisper a casual word
It echoes back to us with a renewed energy!
That’s the serenity of solitude.
As we throw a casual glance
It captures for us a hitherto unseen beauty!
That’s the serenity of solitude.
As we touch a casual thought
It blooms before us as profound poetry!
That’s the serenity of solitude.
At times busy
Something entices us to take a solitary walk –
That’s the serenity of solitude!
Lest not the night bereave in thine solitude
You sat with your solitude under the plenilune sky
And tell the shore to have a plangent sigh
Who was made by laws invisible to the eye
And be complaisant for you not to cry?
You tell the rain to pour?
To kiss your cheek and hide your tears at all
Do you believe that stars will close the canopy?
To give way to rain accordingly?
Thus your solitude found delight on refluence of tide?
blurted sounds with magic must abide?
Tell the moon that there's no ebbs of tide
The song it has you won't believe
Lest not the night bereave with thine solitude
if thy solitude won't compliment the dew
Though the night holds peaceful views
it follows a law, will you believe? Don't you believe it, Do you?
poem by Kristoffer Randolf Ramos
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Solitude
(1934) eddie delange, irving mills, duke ellington
In my solitude you haunt me
With reveries of days gone by
In my solitude you taunt me
With memories that never die
I sit in my chair
Filled with despair
Nobody could be so sad
With gloom evrywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that Ill soon go mad
In my solitude
Im praying
Dear lord above
Send back my love
Original lyric
In my solitude you haunt me
With reveries of days gone by
In my solitude you taunt me
With memories that never die
I sit in my chair
Im filled with despair
Theres no one could be so sad
With gloom evrywhere
I sit and I stare
I know that Ill soon go mad
In my solitude
Im praying
Dear lord above
Send back my love
song performed by by Nina Simone
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Solitude (Naani Poem)
Whenever time permits
gather your thoughts
into dreams
let solitude be your guide.
All you need
are quiet moments
to release your dreams
let solitude be your guide.
Let your dreams
take flight
show what is deep inside your mind
let solitude be your guide.
poem by Leonard Dabydeen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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