I don’t remember the word I wished to say
I don’t remember the word I wished to say.
The blind swallow returns to the hall of shadow,
on shorn wings, with the translucent ones to play.
The song of night is sung without memory, though.
No birds. No blossoms on the dried flowers.
The manes of night’s horses are translucent.
An empty boat drifts on the naked river.
Lost among grasshoppers the word’s quiescent.
It swells slowly like a shrine, or a canvas sheet,
hurling itself down, mad, like Antigone,
or falls, now, a dead swallow at our feet.
with a twig of greenness, and a Stygian sympathy.
O, to bring back the diffidence of the intuitive caress,
and the full delight of recognition.
I am so fearful of the sobs of The Muses,
the mist, the bell-sounds, perdition.
Mortal creatures can love and recognise: sound may
pour out, for them, through their fingers, and overflow:
I don’t remember the word I wished to say,
and a fleshless thought returns to the house of shadow.
The translucent one speaks in another guise,
always the swallow, dear one, Antigone....
on the lips the burning of black ice,
and Stygian sounds in the memory.
poem by Osip Emilevich Mandelstam
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
I Swallow
I swallow pride,
I swallow guilt,
I swallow everything he spilt.
I wipe away the remnants of,
What is left of both our love.
I swallow all that is not seen,
I swallow every broken dream,
I swallow when I want to scream,
This by itself is magic.
I swallow if just for his likes,
I swallow and it’s tragic.
poem by Mrs. Cynosure
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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As Psyche-Life goes down to the shades
As Psyche-Life goes down to the shades
In a translucent forest in Persephone's tracks,
A blind swallow falls at her feet
With Stygian tenderness and a green branch.
The shades flock to meet the fugitive,
Welcome their new visitor with laments,
Wring their feeble hands before her
Bewildered and in timid hope.
One holds a mirror, another a phial of perfume --
The soul is a woman, fond of trifles
And the leafless forest is sprinkled with fine rain of
Laments, dry transparent voices.
And in the gentle confusion, not knowing what to begin,
The soul does not recognize the spectral wood,
Breathes on the mirror, and hesitates to give
The copper coin from the misty crossing.
poem by Osip Emilevich Mandelstam
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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ThE pAiN..........
I'll swallow the pain of being misunderstood.
I'll swallow the pain of being no good.
I'll just swallow the pain of not fitting in.
I'll just swallow the pain of not deserving.
I'll swallow the pain of hiding myself.
I'll swallow the pain of having no help.
I'll just swallow the pain of being constantly hurt.
I'll just swallow the pain of being thought as a nerd.
I'll swallow the pain of breaking my heart.
And in all of my dreams, with sorrow I'll part........
poem by Urmila Reghunath
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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From The Short Story What The Swallows Did
Swallow, swallow, neighbor swallow,
Starting on your autumn flight,
Pause a moment at my window,
Twitter softly your good-night;
For the summer days are over,
All your duties are well done,
And the happy homes you builded
Have grown empty, one by one.
Swallow, swallow, neighbor swallow,
Are you ready for your flight?
Are all the feather cloaks completed?
Are the little caps all right?
Are the young wings strong and steady
For the journey through the sky?
Come again in early spring-time;
And till then, good-by, good-by!
poem by Louisa May Alcott
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Rishi Kesh Song
- alright, the happy rishi kesh song
All you need to do
Is to say this little word,
I know it sounds absurd
But its true.
The magics in the mantra,
Well give you all the answers
So swallow this,
Thats all youve got to do.
Evrything you need is here,
And evrything thats not here,
Is not there.
And yet theres something missing
In this God almighty plan,
Could it be you need a woman?
Ah now, all you need to do
Is to say this little word,
I know it sounds absurd
But its true.
The magics in the mantra,
Well give you all the answers
So swallow this,
Thats all youve got to do.
But still...
Youre so suicidal,
Something is wrong.
This cant be it
Something is wrong.
Uuh -
Something is wrong,
Something is wrong,
Something is wrong,
song performed by by Yoko Ono
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Think of me
Think of me
while the horizon glows red
at dusk,
that folds like a translucent cloak
around the earth
where on the porch
you watch the wild doves
and people
passing in the street
and the church bell
counts the evening hour in the distance
and the sweet taste of the tea
disappear with satisfaction into you
and the night flowers
open their cups.
Think of me
while nights draws out long
and the smell of jasmine
comes sweet through the window
soaking in from the garden
and you awake
from your dreams at night
and the old black dog
make whimpering sounds in her sleep
because I am the whole time
right here next to you
and want to remember
every moment with you.
poem by Gert Strydom
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Speak The Word
Unsettled hearts
Promise what they cant deliver
Bring me the wine
And the cold night air to clear my head
Gray matter memory house
Master of this trembling flesh
Steady still my doubts
Let me speak the word that precedes bliss
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
These weakened knees
Have not touched ground or pew in ages
I havent bowed my head
I offer thanks to any God or to ask for favors
But watch me now
Im falling down
Praying
To speak the word that precedes bliss
To speak the word
To speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Love love love love love love love love
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
Let me speak the word
song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Itylus
Swallow, my sister, O sister swallow,
How can thine heart be full of the spring?
A thousand summers are over and dead.
What hast thou found in the spring to follow?
What hast thou found in thine heart to sing?
What wilt thou do when the summer is shed?
O swallow, sister, O fair swift swallow,
Why wilt thou fly after spring to the south,
The soft south whither thine heart is set?
Shall not the grief of the old time follow?
Shall not the song thereof cleave to thy mouth?
Hast thou forgotten ere I forget?
Sister, my sister, O fleet sweet swallow,
Thy way is long to the sun and the south;
But I, fulfilled of my heart's desire,
Shedding my song upon height, upon hollow,
From tawny body and sweet small mouth
Feed the heart of the night with fire.
I the nightingale all spring through,
O swallow, sister, O changing swallow,
All spring through till the spring be done,
Clothed with the light of the night on the dew,
Sing, while the hours and the wild birds follow,
Take flight and follow and find the sun.
Sister, my sister, O soft light swallow,
Though all things feast in the spring's guest-chamber,
How hast thou heart to be glad thereof yet?
For where thou fliest I shall not follow,
Till life forget and death remember,
Till thou remember and I forget.
Swallow, my sister, O singing swallow,
I know not how thou hast heart to sing.
Hast thou the heart? is it all past over?
Thy lord the summer is good to follow,
And fair the feet of thy lover the spring:
But what wilt thou say to the spring thy lover?
O swallow, sister, O fleeting swallow,
My heart in me is a molten ember
And over my head the waves have met.
But thou wouldst tarry or I would follow
Could I forget or thou remember,
Couldst thou remember and I forget.
O sweet stray sister, O shifting swallow,
The heart's division divideth us.
Thy heart is light as a leaf of a tree;
But mine goes forth among sea-gulfs hollow
To the place of the slaying of Itylus,
The feast of Daulis, the Thracian sea.
O swallow, sister, O rapid swallow,
I pray thee sing not a little space.
Are not the roofs and the lintels wet?
The woven web that was plain to follow,
The small slain body, the flower-like face,
Can I remember if thou forget?
O sister, sister, thy first-begotten!
The hands that cling and the feet that follow,
The voice of the child's blood crying yet
Who hath remembered me? who hath forgotten?
Thou hast forgotten, O summer swallow,
But the world shall end when I forget.
poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dementia
My mother forgot how to swallow.
Before that, she lost my face and my name,
erased from her memory by sickness and age.
Her nurses complained she took too long to feed
They wanted a peg and a tube for the deed
My mother forgot how to swallow
She forgot her late spouse, disremembered her vow.
With the loss of the past there is no here and now.
Once she read to my child, then my girl read to her-
Until all the sounds were a meaningless blur
My mother forgot how to swallow
Jesus and Mary and her patron saint
would loved to have helped her, so weak and so faint,
but she had forgotten the simplest prayer -
the beads in her hand little use to her here.
My mother forgot how to swallow
The night nurses found her while making their round
She was cold to the touch, no pulse to be found
She stared, eyes wide open, at the cross on the wall
Perhaps the Messiah had come after all.
poem by John F. McCullagh
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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She Won't Swallow It
Warning-Sexual content! May not be suitable for all readers!
Parody of the classic song from the film of the same name The Girl Can't Help It
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She walks by, got mine standing at attention
Tight inside of my jeans
Still...
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She winks her eye, flirts with me so outragous and naughty
Gets me so damn horny
Only to burn me like toast
Cos no matter how often I ask
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She' s got me turned on the most
Yet even if I got down tonight on my knees
I think I know still what her answer would be
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
The girl won't swallow it
Won't get down on her knees
Not even once just to see if she would like it
Oh yeah
Sad but true
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
And even when I beg her pretty please
A horny boyfriend down on his knees
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
Still I'm hopin' and prayin' someday
Her answer will be
The girl will swallow it cos she's just as horny as me
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She won't even pretend to mess around with it
In the dark or in the sun
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
If I give her some good old fashion lovin' way down there
Then should't she do the same for me?
The girl won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
Always makes me feel so damn bad just for askin'
Just like a dirty old grandpa instead of the young kinky 21 that I am
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
The girl won't swallow it
Won't get down on her knees
Not even once just to see if she would like it
Oh yeah
Sad but true
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
And even when I beg her pretty please
A horny boyfriend down on his knees
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
Still I'm hopin' and prayin' someday
Her answer will be
The girl will swallow it cos she's just as horny as me
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
She walks by, got my manhood locked up tight in a vise
As I pant and moan for that little something
That little something more that she just won't give
Still I'm hopin' and prayin' someday
Her answer will be
The girl will swallow it cos she's just as horny as me
She won't swallow it, the girl won't swallow it
2008 Ramona Thompson
poem by Ramona Thompson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Dying Brain
Do you recall how I was once your fire –?
And we, a regal cloud of unity
Meandering through the closing blues of night,
Commanding stars to glitter;
Dawn to blush?
Your answer comes in ever-blanking stares:
A wall that blocks the know,
Damping down the glow that used to emanate
From clear and lucid eyes.
They've lost the will to recognise.
But hear! We are fifty years together –
And once we writhed in pleasure –
Drowning in emotion,
That which was our prime.
You don't recall.
You only lie as vegetation
Scattered on the ground:
A living mound of flesh,
Devoid of any neural mesh
To let you say 'I'm sound.'
Don't worry Dear,
For I'm aware with memory!
I'll tell you how we were.
We have our right of history!
If you could just concur.
Copyright Mark R Slaughter 2009
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember me
Please remember, remember me, remember, remember
Please remember, remember me, remember
Please remember, remember me
Please remember, remember
Please remember
Please
poem by Mark R Slaughter
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Leader Of Men
Tell your friends not to think aloud
Until they swallow
Whisper things into my brain
Your voice sounds so hollow
I am not a leader of men
Since I prefer to follow
Do you think I could have a drink
Since it's so hard to swallow
So hard to swallow
So turn the television off
and I will sing a song
And if you suddenly have the urge
You can sing along
I touch your hand
song performed by by Nickelback from The State
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Word I Say
A word is dead
until it's said.
And so I say
my word to you.
And what word is it
I say to you?
I have never had
to think it through.
For it has always been
the word I've said
and will say repeatedly
until I'm dead.
The word I say
is what I feel.
The word you hear
has sweet appeal.
So I give to you
the word I've heard
that always and ever
repeats in my being
like the song of a bird
that sings to its mate
and can't hold back
before it's too late
to hear.
That word is love,
my dear.
poem by Edwina Reizer
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Clarity
do not eat words
do not eat my poetry
do not attempt to chew it
do not swallow it whole like how a boa swallows the whole pig
take your time. look at it. from the first word to the last.
think of this poem as syllables, not as thoughts, not as my thoughts.
or your thoughts. think of this poem as a feeling.
a baby sleeping. a calm look at the eye. a stare.
a grip. a hand grasping another hand.
a breath suspended in cold air.
two hands in prayer. think of this as the sound of a distant bell.
an orange dressed monk walking at the shore.
a leaf falling on the white sand.
a last step on the trip.
a beginning of a dream.
do not think now. Feel the sands slipping from your fingers.
See the sands falling on the floor of the sand.
do not move. Do not swallow your saliva.
And then speak the first word of this line.
This i think is clarity.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Today... 'The Word
Word of love and the Word made flesh
Word incarnate forever blessed
Word of life and the Word of light
Word of power and Word of might.
Word that was spoken, Word of the Lord
Word of the Law and the Word of God
Word of peace and Word eternal
Word of truth and last Word of all.
Word of wisdom and the Word of healing
Word from heaven, a Word so appealing
Word fulfilling the Word of prophecy
Word of the Spirit and Word of destiny.
Word of exhortation and Word of grace
Word of encouragement and Word of faith
Word of promise and a Word of insight
Word from the beginning and Word of delight.
Word of knowledge and a Word of boldness
Word of peace and the Word of righteousness
Word of the covenant and Word of love
Word of the Father from heaven above.
(see also the additional information in the Poet's notes box)
Then I Wake Up
i smell the fragrance
of your hair
feel your fingers and your breath
on my skin
when we're here alone like this
a crazy world makes perfect sense
i hear you whisperin' my name
your kisses leave the sweetest taste
on my lips
when you say 'i love you too'
soft and tender like you do
i know all m dreams have come true
(chorus)
then i wake up
on the floor beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just a precious memory
i can count on every night to hold me tight
then i wake up
i lay here while the truth sinks in
im still alone you're still not here
and we're still through
i remember our last night
every word right up to goodbye
slowly i drift off again
im saing words i wish id said
that night, to you
and you dont drive off in your car
and i dont have a broken heart
and you cant wait to be in my arms
(repeat chorus)
im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just
a precious memory
i can count on every night
to hold me tight
then i wake up
on the floor
beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
song performed by by Trace Adkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Then I Wake Up
i smell the fragrance
of your hair
feel your fingers and your breath
on my skin
when we're here alone like this
a crazy world makes perfect sense
i hear you whisperin' my name
your kisses leave the sweetest taste
on my lips
when you say 'i love you too'
soft and tender like you do
i know all m dreams have come true
(chorus)
then i wake up
on the floor beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just a precious memory
i can count on every night to hold me tight
then i wake up
i lay here while the truth sinks in
im still alone you're still not here
and we're still through
i remember our last night
every word right up to goodbye
slowly i drift off again
im saing words i wish id said
that night, to you
and you dont drive off in your car
and i dont have a broken heart
and you cant wait to be in my arms
(repeat chorus)
im still in love
with who we used to be
now you're just
a precious memory
i can count on every night
to hold me tight
then i wake up
on the floor
beside our bed
where i sleep
ever since the night
you left me alone
in this old house
days go by
but im still in love
song performed by by Trace Adkins
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Top Of The World
I wished I was smarter
I wished I was stronger
I wished I loved Jesus
The way my wife does
I wish it had been easier
Instead of any longer
I wished I could have stood where you would have been proud
But that won't happen now
That won't happen now
There's a whole lot of singing that's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Think I broke the wings off that little song bird
She's never gonna fly to the top of the world right now
Top of the world
I don't have to answer any of these questions
Don't have no God to teach me no lessons
I come home in the eveing
Sit in my chair
One night they called me for supper
But I never got up
I stayed right there in my chair
There's a whole lot of singing that's never gonna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Think I broke the wings off that little song bird
She's never gonna fly to the top of the world right now
Top of the world
I wished I'd a known you
Wished I'd a shown you
All of the things I was on the inside
I'd pretend to be sleeping
When you come in in the morning
To whisper good-bye
Go to work in the rain
I don't know why
Don't know why
'Cause everone's singing
We just wanna be heard
Disappearing everyday without so much as a word somehow
Wanna grab a hold of that little song bird
Take her for a ride to the top of the world right now
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
To the top of the world
song performed by by Dixie Chicks from Home
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Fallen Saint
The song once sung with sanguine summer sounds
Still echoes in the canyons of the past
Through time and space in memory resounds
Repeating in percipience it pounds
And lingers on unheeded to the last
The song once sung with sanguine summer sounds
Temptation closes in as it surrounds
Forgotten grace once easily amassed
Through time and space in memory resounds
Slowly every shelter finds the ground
The time of its temerity long past
The song once sung with sanguine summer sounds
Assured of its destruction as it pounds
The die of its undoing once was cast
Through time and space in memory resounds
A melody once treasured, now unfound
Its comfort and its glory unsurpassed
The song once sung with sanguine summer sounds
Through time and space in memory resounds
poem by Carlton Lloyd Smith
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Parting Hour
Not yet, dear love, not yet: the sun is high;
You said last night, 'At sunset I will go.'
Come to the garden, where when blossoms die
No word is spoken; it is better so:
Ah! bitter word 'Farewell.'
Hark! how the birds sing sunny songs of spring!
Soon they will build, and work will silence them;
So we grow less light-hearted as years bring
Life's grave responsibilities - and then
The bitter word 'Farewell.'
The violets fret to fragrance 'neath your feet,
Heaven's gold sunlight dreams aslant your hair:
No flower for me! your mouth is far more sweet.
O, let my lips forget, while lingering there,
Love's bitter word 'Farewell.'
Sunset already! have we sat so long?
The parting hour, and so much left unsaid!
The garden has grown silent - void of song,
Our sorrow shakes us with a sudden dread!
Ah! bitter word 'Farewell.'
poem by Olive Custance
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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