A blank page for the Self
‘About the Self, dear seeker,
nothing can be said..’
say the bright-eyed sages with
a chuckle and a wink;
a chuckle and a wink..
granting, later, that if you
can spare the timeless time,
you could start listing (for your self-same self)
that which Self is not..
well I’m not satisfied with that..
I’m going to start a list
for you yourself to add to,
of those times when… so, so nearly…
you almost, almost, saw yourself -
(when of course, not looking for yourself…)
as you passed that mirror in the cloakroom,
the shopwindow that’s been newly washed;
looked into the rockpool,
in your childhood’s waking dream..
when you hear – not the first note,
but the second, of some Mozart piece:
and something tells you that the mind
that knew what chord must follow from the first
has heard, has known, its self;
the moment that the playful wind
makes plastic bag into a jellyfish;
just as you see a kite tail-twisting over the rooftops;
before you wonder whether there’s a string;
just as a taste you never met before
meets several places in your mouth at once;
the moment that the scent of summer field
is sweeter to the nose than any flower;
these, like messages to say,
you’ll never catch me; but you’ll know
that I’m around..
And now I’ll leave the remainder of this page
for you to add to; or to rest blank,
as the remainder that is perfect evermore;
or for you to gaze some moments at…
contented; asking nothing
when there’s nothing left to ask;
knowing that you know your present self..
and need to know no more right now;
yet know that there, beyond,
is where all stillness smiles.
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Unity of Source
That’s what she called it;
surprised that, as musician,
knowing how a piece of music
sets out from, and finally returns to
some chosen ‘key’ based on a single note:
which remains in mind of the composer
and the listener alike; calling back, after
the great adventure, to your loving home;
she, finding that poems, too,
maintain that sound, somewhere in mind – of
what the poem’s about; and whence it started;
which guides each word that’s chosen;
where it shall return to rest..
You hear this (even if you know
nothing about music..) in Mozart’s playful sounds:
as if each day, he packs a rucksack with a snack,
sets out for hills and mountains, clouds,
the tinkling streams, bird cries, goats clambering and
bleating; maybe hears a village band
practising down there below; smiles;
perhaps clouds gather; lightning flashes,
thunder rolls; for that is life..
then, as the shadows of the evening mountains
begin to creep towards the city streets,
follows the streams that skip beside him down the hillside,
paths appearing now, by goats and men more worn;
knowing that, at the end,
his home will still be where it was
that morning after breakfast…
Sometimes, when no-one’s listening but myself,
I sit at the piano, and play the ‘Mozart game’ –
strike a keynote chord; then close my eyes or turn away,
put a finger on an unknown note,
say, around two octaves above that; then
listen as a melody unfurls from inner ear; perhaps
an intermediate harmony assists; and
finally, return to that loved home; now refreshed,
shining-eyed; content; and needing only rest…
Unity of source..
you hear it now?
how much we know of this,
yet scarcely knew we knew..
*
for Elizabeth
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Cease smilng, Dear! a little while be sad
Cease smiling, Dear! a little while be sad,
Here in the silence, under the wan moon;
Sweet are thine eyes, but how can I be glad,
Knowing they change so soon?
For Love's sake, Dear, be silent! Cover me
In the deep darkness of thy falling hair:
Fear is upon me and the memory
Of what is all men's share.
O could this moment be perpetuate!
Must we grow old, and leaden-eyed and gray,
And taste no more the wild and passionate
Love sorrows of to-day?
Grown old, and faded, Sweet! and past desire,
Let memory die, lest there be too much ruth,
Remembering the old, extinguished fire
Of our divine, lost youth.
O red pomegranate of thy perfect mouth!
My lips' life-fruitage, might I taste and die
Here in thy garden, where the scented south
Wind chastens agony;
Reap death from thy live lips in one long kiss,
And look my last into thine eyes and rest:
What sweets had life to me sweeter than this
Swift dying on thy breast?
Or, if that may not be, for Love's sake, Dear!
Keep silence still, and dream that we shall lie,
Red mouth to mouth, entwined, and always hear
The south wind's melody,
Here in thy garden, through the sighing boughs,
Beyond the reach of time and chance and change,
And bitter life and death, and broken vows,
That sadden and estrange.
poem by Ernest Christopher Dowson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
0164In Mind
It’s only now, only now, that I remember, that I can see,
how you made your presence felt so often;
so long unlooked for, seeing only absence, never believing presence;
for in the subtlety of your wisdom, the wisdom of your subtlety,
you leave reminders of that presence in that secret place
where it’s as safe as childhood happiness
forgotten, then remembered…
for you speak a closer language to a child,
closer than the growing child comes to believe.
When was the first time - now I can remember who you are,
when you first spoke to me?
Wasn’t it that day when I could toddle unsteadily
but with wide open eyes, where the lion’s head
poured water from its mouth into the basin?
and in the paving of the bricks – which anyone could see –
you left me that private, secret message,
knowing that I’d not notice, (so I’d not forget) ,
until one day it swam out of memory?
For this is your so secret, open generosity: you leave every one of us
this secret message: that moment when we knew
that we knew something certain – and yet,
did not know what that something was?
And then, that time after a year or two – a lifetime for a child –
when you announced your presence by your so painful absence,
and I made that solemn decision for a four-year-old,
never to trust a grown-up ever again; not because
of being a helpless child – but because there was that in me
which knew when you were there, and when you weren’t?
Then you left so many messages I did not need to heed
-or so it seemed, because they were so obvious –
and only in your absence was your presence felt:
the day after a gale, the ozone of the beach, the sea
now brown but calming, seaweed salty on the stones;
the field of flowers and dewdrops –the moths in ecstasy;
and in that silent glade of woodland, as if you had made that space
between the trees, to leave a message loud and clear: that
you live in space, so visibly invisible…
then later, on the tennis court, green grass just newly cut,
that exhilarating smell; lime-white lines just newly marked;
and when the ball hit the centre of the racquet, just so,
I missed your message, in the will to win…
And then, grown up: how are we to know – until we know –
your messages left all around, in so many places, all so different?
When, like the unicorn, we know we’ll never see you,
yet know we know that in our minds, you live?
That single horn upon its clear-eyed brow,
that dips in recognition of innocence,
how could we miss your message, so gently elegant,
one-pointed image of yourself, in mind?
poem by Michael Shepherd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
As the wind color our dream.....
waking is not the beginning of time, it’s the start of a
day; the end has just started another point, to a start, an
end to a new beginning of a wondeful and beautiful
moment of time
open up my eyes and waste no time to close, the day
has just started, and a glow of every memories never
return the passing moment of what was gone now, as it
has wondered each solitudes of time in the midst of
yesterday’s goodbye
such a dream, captured my past, dreaming to the
presence of my heart, pushing me to leave no cause to
surrender my day of what was yesterday’s gone,
happiness brought me to hold, to mirror of what was
the end, an end to scant and resolute the meaning of
you in my life
recollect my soul of the dream that i have to go, beneath
those vine of memories; cable my joy to reunite my joy
to the beginning of another moment to live in this
wonderful days of my existence, humble my dear heart to
rejuvenate the most exciting adventure of my moment
with you in my dream
passion as you takes the ruins of yesterday and brings
my beginning to stand with your wings of what the future
brings, the day of yesterday, is just a beginning of today
and the passing scene is what is to come for another day,
it’s today my dear
come take me to your rest and paint with your golden
brush the beginning of my life, always color as you’ll be
to sweeten the tomorrow's of today................
poem by Antonio Liao
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Wink For Me
Wink for me today
For I know I’m full of life
Wink when you work
I’ll be reminded of my work
Wink when entering the toilet
I’ll know others are half attached
Wink when you eat
I’ll buy my own lunch
Wink when kissing
I’ll miss my wife more
While driving still wink
I’ll work and buy my own
When you die please wink
I’ll prepare my suitcase for take off
Please wink for me
poem by Lawrence s. Makola
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Fly
In a moment
Everything can change
Feel the wind on your shoulders
For a minute
All the world can wait
Let go of your yesterday
Can ya hear it calling?
Can ya feel it in your soul?
Can ya trust this longing?
And take control
(chorus)
Fly
Open up the part of you
that wants to hide away?
You can shine
Forget about the reasons
why you can't in life
and start to try
Cause its your time
Time to fly
All your worries
leave them somewhere else
Find the dream you can follow
reach for something
When theres nothing left
And the world is feeling hollow
can ya hear it calling?
Can ya feel it in yourself?
Can ya trust this longing?
And take control
(chorus)
Fly
Open up the part of you
that wants to hide away
You can shine
Forget about the reasons
why you can't in life
and start to try
Cause its your time
Time to fly
And when you're down
and feel alone
Just wanna run away
Trust yourself and
don't give up
You know you better
than anyone else
In a moment
everything can change
Feel the wind on your shoulders
For a minute
all the world can wait
Let go of yesterday
Fly
Open of the part of you
that wants to hide away
You can shine
Forget about the reasons
why you can't in life(can't in life)
and start to try (start to try)
Fly
Forget about the resons
why you can't in life (can't in light)
and start to try (start to try)
Its your time
time to fly
In a moment
everything can change
song performed by by Hilary Duff
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
In This Moment
In life there comes a moment when all things are made clear, and my clarity is in this moment.
In this moment I know that I want to live the rest of my life beside you.
In this moment I know I want to start my own branch on my family tree with you.
In this moment I know that I love you.
So as I take your hand and gaze into your eyes I know that this moment is the right moment to ask you to be my wife.
Now, before you say yes think because if you do our life together forever begins
in this moment.
Kicked A Dog To Death
When that hound
Came around
The first time
It was wagging its tail
We were all smiles
We were all smitten
No one could know
I'd kick the dog to death
Oh when we lay out on the beach
Burning in the sun
The wind playing tricks
On the heat we thought we felt
Another of nature's illusions
There was no way of knowing
There was no way to guess
I'd kick that dog to death
I made a joke
You made a mess
And we both lay in bed
Eyes wide and hearts beating
Trying to focus my thoughts
You were trying to focus your thoughts
But we would have never thought
I'd kick a dog to death
I was living
You were living
We were breathing
Like it was all we knew to do
You were staring
My mind was snapping
Like it was all I knew to do
The dog was barking
The day descending
Like it was all it knew to do
I heard it growling
I heard you screaming
And my body answered the moment
And I kicked a dog to death
In those slow beating moments
Right there on the pavement
All the sounds of the world faded out
The contrast of the colours increased
You were on mute in my head
But you were saying something
Over and over
On mute in my head
As the dog lay there dead
I was living
You were living
We were breathing
Like it was all we knew to do
The dog was bleeding
The pavement darkening
Like it was all it knew to do
The sound slowly came back
The colours returned
Like it was all they knew to do
Waking that morning
We could never have known
We would never have guessed
I'd kick a dog to death
The moments before it
All erased
The years before it
All erased
When I kicked a dog to death
Like it was all I knew to do...
(2008)
poem by B. Alexander
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Life Affair
(gardner cole/matthew garey)
Were off to the right start
Put your hand on my heart
Feel it beat with sweet intention
Dont tell me sit tight
Im too excited tonight
Every touch takes me to heaven
Got so much love inside, you know were gonna make it
Come here and turn the key, unlock all this extacy
Lets start a life affair
We have no time to spare
To show how much we care
Come on now lets start a life affair
You know Ill be right there
We make the perfect pair
High as a kite now
Ive got perfect sight now
I can see beyond forever
Its gonna be just you and me boy
Every day a new joy
Loving more than we can measure
So many dreams out there,
I know where we can find them
Cant wait a minute more,
Youre all Ive been waiting for
Lets start a life affair
We have no time to spare
To show how much we care
Come on now lets start a life affair
You know Ill be right there
We make the perfect pair
Dancing together this dance that lasts forever
Never been so in love
Eyes bright and open, a thousand new emotions
Raining down from above
Lets start a life affair
We have no time to spare
To show how much we care
Come on now lets start a life affair
You know Ill be right there
We make the perfect pair
song performed by by Tiffany
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Dreaming
Waking up takes so much effort,
I crawl out of bed,
dreading my day.
I know I should...
if I only could,
find a way...
not today.
In craziness I start off,
kids, dressing, feeding, fighting, and being cross.
Oh forget it...really?
At this point, this day seems silly!
A moment of quiet before I start my job,
fix the final touches, lashes perfect, hair done, teeth brushed....
now time to run.
A glance at my reflection,
yes...
no one can tell....
I torture myself in my own little hell.
With a flip of my hair I start the car,
on the radio...another scar.....
channel flipping while weaving through traffic.....
always a rush, and time for panic.
In the morning meetings,
I stop to dream.....
alittle thought about the happy me.
Foiled by challenges that really can't be met,
oh geez is this day over yet?
I approach a stranger staring blankly....
do you need help? here...something to see.....
he smiles at me, as if a great feat...
so contagious...I listen to his story.
His loss, his growth, and much much more,
story of sadness,
and resolving life....
about him loosing his wife.
He cries softly as he tells me more....
lifting his chin, as I've done before,
he tells me its resolved inside his heart...
ready to make a new start.
The hope he had,
after all that was bad....
affected me...wanting to dream.
Things may not always be what they seem.
I'm not alone in this place I call hell.
People they suffer,
but only time can tell.
So in this I find that I can dream.
My wanting heart...
My wanting life....
Yet once again...my eyes can gleam.
So yes...
I have a dream.
A Satisfied Mind
A satisfied mind
Written by j. h. red hayes & jack rhodes
How many times have you heard someone say,
If I had his money, I could do things my way.
But little they know that its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was winning in fortune and fame;
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
But suddenly it happened, I lost every dime,
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
Money cant buy back your youth when youre old
Or a friend when youre lonesome or a love thats grown cold;
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life is over, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain, when it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world with a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Bob Dylan
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Stolen Moments
Because you were stillborn my little niece
The moment of me holding you in my arms for the first time has been stolen.
I’ll never have that moment of hearing you say my name that moment has also been stolen.
I’ll never feel your sweet kisses on my cheek or your hugs around my neck more stolen moments.
A lot of the special moments we would have shared have been stolen.
But I want you to know the moment of me loving you my little sweet angel was not.
The moment I knew of you; you stole my heart.
I’ll love you in this moment and every moment for the rest of my life.
This poem is dedicate in memory to my little niece who I passed away today 3/1/08. She was stillborn
The intense chuckle
When I feel proud of myself I chuckle.
Let it be my cast, rank or my product.
When someone says that he is proud of me
I chuckle and that chuckle is more intense.
25.12.2010
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
A Satisfied Mind
How many times have you heard someone say,
"If I had his money, I could do things my way."
But little they know, its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was living in fortune and fame,
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
Then suddenly it happened, I lost every dime.
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
Cause money cant buy back your youth when youre old,
Or a friend when youre lonely
Or a love thats grown cold.
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times,
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life has ended, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain
When it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world
With a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Lindsey Buckingham
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Dear Dream
Dear Dream
Dear dream it always start like you
A simple dream to start my day, dear dream
This morning I dream of greatness, dear dream
I remember waking up in the world of glory, dear dream
It was a wishful world full of rich color even though it always start out in black and white
Dear dream, I have experience the most wonderful thing this morning
Dear dream, I have witness my eyes change color this morning
Dear dream, I have seem a colorful road with turn
A road that lead to a shinning castle, a castle that show its color through a shooting fire
Dear dream, the castle stood as the only beautiful picture in front of me
My eyes are shatter with firework shooting in and out of the picture
Dear dream I was in peace
My mind is in a field of glory, wondering in the light of greatness
Dear dream, good morning and yah I am awake
poem by Robert Otim
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Marriage Is A Package My Dear
marriage is a package my dear
not much of a box of chocolates
you take all, the good and the bad times
you stick it all, the worse and the better,
you are two together from the start till the end,
body and shadow, boat and rudder,
kite and string, hand to mouth.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Satisfied Mind
Written by red hayes & jack rhodes.
How many times have you heard someone say,
If I had his money, I could do things my way.
But little they know, its so hard to find
One rich man in ten with a satisfied mind.
Once I was living in fortune and fame,
Everything that I dreamed of to get a start in lifes game.
Then suddenly it happened, I lost every dime.
But Im richer by far with a satisfied mind.
cause money cant buy back your youth when youre old,
Or a friend when youre lonely
Or a love thats grown cold.
The wealthiest person is a pauper at times,
Compared to the man with a satisfied mind.
When life has ended, my time has run out,
My friends and my loved ones Ill leave, theres no doubt.
But one thing for certain
When it comes my time,
Ill leave this old world
With a satisfied mind.
song performed by by Lindsey Buckingham
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Million Miles Away
Written by ricki & kim wilde
A while ago you looked at me
And said thered come a time
Youd have to go away
You put it on the line
And told me we should only
Take each moment day by day
Well I know that theres a time in life
When people change
And go their separate ways
But I miss you, more each day
Youre a million miles away
But I feel you in my heart
Though it hurt to leave that way
Well we knew that from the start
Cos you never did pretend
Our love would never end
There is no way to love
No rules that we can follow
Nothing simple or defined
We make our own
And some we borrow
Hoping it wont end
But darling now we know
Weve got no-where left to go
Youre a million miles away
But I feel you in my heart
Through it hurt to leave that way
Well we knew that from the start
Cos you never did pretend
Our love would never end
Our love would never end
And if I travelled to the stars
Would I find out where you are
Touch the secret in your heart
And set it free
Or would you turn away
Cos I miss you more each day
Youre a million miles away
But I feel you in my heart
Through it hurt to leave that way
Well we knew that from the start
Cos you never did pretend
Our love would never end
Our love would never end
song performed by by Kim Wilde
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Sweet Romance
Father dear, dont you hear me
Im alone, and I cant sleep from crying
Father dear, well if you hear me
Ive been held closely by a stranger
Sweet romance
The moment that my eyes first saw him
In a glance
I knew right from the start that I adored him
Sweet romance
I may never see the man again, so help me find him
So help me find him
Listen, if you find him
Wont you tell him just how much I love him
Father, Ive only got you
Please, wont you make him love me too
Sweet romance
The moment that my eyes first saw him
In a glance
I knew right from the start that I adored him
Sweet romance
I may never see the man again, so help me find him
So help me find him
Oh, oh, oh
Sweet, sweet
Sweet romance
The moment that my eyes first saw him
In a glance
I knew right from the start that I adored him
Sweet romance
I may never see the man again, so help me find him
So help me find him
Father, hear me calling
Youre the only one I can turn to
My life has been so empty
And he could fill my emptiness too
Sweet romance
The moment that my eyes first saw him
In a glance
I knew right from the start that I adored him
Sweet romance
I may never see the man again, so help me find him
Help me, help me
song performed by by Donna Summer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Six Poems for Poetry Chicago
1
“Limon tree very pretty
And the limon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon
Is impossible to eat”
In Riverside we saved the oranges first (by smudging) and left
the lemons last to fend for them selves. They didn’t usually
A no good crop. Smudge-pots
Didn’t rouse them. The music
Is right though. The lemon tree
Could branch off into real magic. Each flower in place. We
Were sickened by the old lemon.
2
Pieces of the past arising out of the rubble. Which evokes Eliot
and then evokes Suspicion. Ghosts all of them. Doers of no
good.
The past around us is deeper than.
Present events defy us, the past
Has no such scruples. No funeral processions for him. He died
in agony. The cock under the thumb.
Rest us as corpses
We poets
Vain words.
For a funeral (as I live and breathe and speak)
Of good
And impossible
Dimensions.
3
In the far, fat Vietnamese jungles nothing grows.
In Guadacanal nothing grew but a kind of shrubbery that was
like the bar-conversation of your best friend who was
not able to talk.
3
Sheets to the wind. No
Wind being present.
No
Lifeboats being present. A jungle
Can’t use life-boats. Dead
From whatever bullets the snipers were. Each
Side of themselves. Safe-
Ly delivered.
4
The rind (also called the skin) of the lemon is difficult to
understand
It goes around itself in an oval quite unlike the orange which, as
anyone can tell, is a fruit easily to be eaten.
It can be crushed in canneries into all sorts of extracts which are
still not lemons. Oranges have no such fate. They’re pretty
much the same as they were. Culls become frozen orange
juice. The best oranges are eaten.
It’s the shape of the lemon, I guess that causes trouble. It’s
ovalness, it’s rind. This is where my love, somehow, stops.
5
A moment’s rest. I can’t get a moment’s rest without sleeping
with you. Yet each moment
Seems so hard to figure. Clocks
Tell time. In elaborate ceremonial they tick the seconds off
what was to come.
Wake us at six in the morning with messages someone had given
them the night before.
To pierce the darkness you need a clock that tells good time.
Something in the morning to hold on to
As one gets craftier in poetry one sees the obvious messages
(cocks for clocks) but one forgets the love that gave them
Time.
6
The moment’s rest. And the bodies entangled and yet not
entangled in sleeping. Could we get
Out of our skins and dance? The bedclothes
So awry that they seem like two skins.
Or all the sorts of skins that we wore, wear (the orgasm),
wanted to wear, or would be wearing. So utterly tangled.
A bad dream.
A moment’s rest. The skins
All of them
Near.
I saw the ghost of myself and the ghost of yourself dancing
without music.
With
Out
Skin.
A good dream. The
Moment’s rest.
poem by Jack Spicer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!