Related quotes: Nautical Terms The night above...

Nautical Terms

The night above me is like an elastic balloon, a plane penetrates
flies through and disappear only its engine roar remains and echoes
into the infinite. I can see its light, green for starboard and red for
portside. On a tramp ship I served on, the old captain, when he got
up on the bridge in the morning, open a locked drawer he only had
the key to; read on a piece of paper and closed the drawer again.
When he resigned, the first officer took over, he was curious about
the piece of paper, opened the drawer and found a folded piece of
paper. On it was written: right is starboard and left is portside.
It is good to meet people who know they are fallible.

poem by Oskar Hansen
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A Reminder

A Message
Our old captain was pensioned off, he had been
the master on the same ship for ten years and at
sixty five he didn´t know where to go as his whole
life had been the sea. The first officer was taking
over. He had noticed the old man every morning
went on the bridge, opened a locked drawer and
read something from a folded piece of paper.
The first officer having sewed on an extra ring on
his uniform, now had four, was curious opened
the drawer. On the paper was written: starboard
is right and portside is left.

poem by Oskar Hansen
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A Piece Of Paper

A diploma hanging on the wall
is really not you at all.
It's just a piece of paper.

A marriage certificate in your file
of when you two walked down the aisle
is just a piece of paper.

A birth certificate, signed and sealed
made you legal but concealed
that it's just a piece of paper.

A death certificate proves you're gone.
The truth is you've just moved on.
It was just a piece of paper.

All these papers that yellow with time
were really not worth one thin dime.
They were just pieces of paper.

Your life was never all those things.
Your life was when you took on wings
and soared with love for all.

poem by Edwina Reizer
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Mice versus rats

I'm not for spending money or traveling abroad, but when I opened
the drawer, at the bottom of my desk, it was full of tiny mice, nesting
on my check- book, since I hadn't opened for years; they had eaten
my passport too, and a couple of poems I thought were too racy to be
published.22 mice smaller than a baby's thumb confused in the glare
of light the creatures thought my fingers were other mice when I tried
to retrieve my check book- and out of date my passport.

Closed the drawer to the mice's delight, thought it had been a deviation,
got hold of a tin bucket opened the drawer again and put them all in there,
yes, even the babies- there are times in life when one can show no mercy-
my intention was to drown them, but could not, their struggle to climb up
the bucket must be honored. At night I let them free on the sandy lane.
When I opened the drawer next day a big rat sat there, bit my finger it had
stolen my credit card…. Now, how do you explain that to a bank manager?

poem by Oskar Hansen
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Paper And Ink

Touched the mirror
Broke the surface of the water
Saw my true self
All illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Sat down up close to the colored black hole
Like they'd always told me not to
Saw the one dimension polka dot pacifier
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Bared myself wholly heart and body unadorned
Stripped down solely
To the evil and the good
Felt no shame
Naked to the world
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Faced towards the sea
Looked to heaven up above
Felt the world revolve around me
No one could tell me otherwise
But the turbulent waters won't reflect this life
Only the sun the moon and sky
And all illusions shattered
Money's only paper only ink
We'll destroy ourselves if we can't agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Money's only paper only ink

song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Paper & Ink

Touched the mirror
Broke the surface of the water
Saw my true self
All illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Sat down up close to the colored black hole
Like theyd always told me not to
Saw the one dimension polka dot pacifier
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Bared myself wholly heart and body unadorned
Stripped down solely
To the evil and the good
Felt no shame
Naked to the world
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Faced towards the sea
Looked to heaven up above
Felt the world revolve around me
No one could tell me otherwise
But the turbulent waters wont reflect this life
Only the sun the moon and sky
And all illusions shattered
Moneys only paper only ink
Well destroy ourselves if we cant agree
How the world turns
Who made the sun
Who owns the sea
The world we know will fall piece by piece
Moneys only paper only ink

song performed by by Tracy Chapman
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Befores

It could all start again.
(And maybe end as well!)
Just a piece of paper.
An acceptance of notice!
(A requirement of proof of identity) and interest maybe!
An orange piece of paper.
A scrap, a twinkle in your eye.
I am enchanted, you're curious!
Who knows.
Wanting begins, despair ends.
It could all start again.
Stress relieved, direction back on line.
Health returned.
Befores, afters, all is new, fresh
Revived. reborn.

poem by Peter Vealey
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Did You Read The Morning Paper

(Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson/R. Monica)
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
There on the front page was a picture
Of a crowd as they watched a parade passing by
And through the haze of last nights sleep
Something familiar caught my eye
There was a couple looking so much in love, yes
They had a front line view
And as I pulled the paper closer
I realized standing next to her it was you
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Now I know why you've been working late each night
And no longer have desire to ever hold me tight
And your busy, busy schedule was all a lie
Oh, even the dream with a bonus, oh just another alibi
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Did you get the news today
Did you read the morning paper
Isn't the picture very clear
Where do we go from here
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headlines
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Oh, what now
Did you read the morning paper
Did you get the news today

song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Did You Read The Morning Papers?

(nickolas ashford/valerie simpson/r. monica)
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
There on the front page was a picture
Of a crowd as they watched a parade passing by
And through the haze of last nights sleep
Something familiar caught my eye
There was a couple looking so much in love, yes
They had a front line view
And as I pulled the paper closer
I realized standing next to her it was you
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Now I know why youve been working late each night
And no longer have desire to ever hold me tight
And your busy, busy schedule was all a lie
Oh, even the dream with a bonus, oh just another alibi
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headline
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Did you get the news today
Did you read the morning paper
Isnt the picture very clear
Where do we go from here
Did you read the morning paper
Did you see the front headlines
Did you read the morning paper
Baby let me lend you mine
Oh, what now
Did you read the morning paper
Did you get the news today

song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Unseen Butterfly

Folding the last edge of the paper
he pointed the folds
into the palm of his hand,
closing it in a clockwork swirl
he forms a fist.
Turning to the children,
He spoke…
‘What do you see? ’
‘A hand…
…a fist’, said the other.
Without acknowledgement
He asked, ‘Do you see the butterfly? ’
As if to turn,
and search the skies
The children shook their heads.
Slowly, gently
Unfolding his fingers like petals
He tenderly placed his finger
On the square of paper…
‘Do You see the Butterfly? ’
wide eyes and indignant laugh
revealed the children’s Puzzlement.
‘It’s a piece of paper’
became their mantra
Raising his eyebrows,
quiet finger to lips
he recaptures their attention.
‘Look, do you see the Butterfly? ’
the slip of paper pinched
between finger and thumb
‘Do You see the Butterfly? ’
Restless, the children
Shuffled from foot to foot
Peering around and about
As if looking through
the finger and thumb
‘It’s just a piece of paper! ’
mocking adult indifference
the children say again
‘it’s a piece of paper…’
Then let us see, he unfolds
The first edge opened
doubles the dimension
of what is visible
With his thumbs he expands
the dimension a step further
‘Do you see the butterfly? ’
with taut Patience
the children snap
‘it’s hidden…it’s hidden….
How can we see
What is hidden…’
Until it is unfolded?
Do You see the Butterfly?

poem by Adrian Wait
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Piece Of Crap (Eddie Vedder & Ministry) (White Label Demo)

Neil Young) (various dates)
Tried to save the trees, bought a plastic bag
The bottom fell out, it was a piece 'a crap...piece of crap...
Wanted an LP, only had CD's
Digitally clean, it was a piece of crap...piece of crap...
Bought myself a can, thought it'd take me far
The dealer was a liar, he was a piece of crap...piece of crap...
Got it from my friend, on him you can depend
I found out in the end, it was a piece of crap...piece of crap...
I'm trying to save the trees, I saw it on TV
They cut the forest down to build a piece of crap...piece of crap...
Picked up a magazine to read about the scene
It didn't tell me beans, it was a piece of crap...piece of crap...
I went back to the store, they gave me four more
The guy told me at the door it was a piece of crap...
It was a piece of crap

song performed by by Pearl Jam
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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2008: When You Let Sunlight Work On Your First Draft

We know why the old piece of paper is yellow
It's not because of overuse
With very little written on it
It's been set aside for so long

Not that anyone expected this page
To do anything by itself
He may have had high hopes
When he added a few black lines on white

If he had valued his work
Safely put it away
But it was left exposed
In a corner of the room

Right where the bright morning sun
Not slowed down by the thin glass
Did what he didn' t do
Finished turning the color of the paper

poem by Tom J. Mariani
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Bed Stand Drawer

Bed stand drawer
Drug paraphernalia
Lighter. Pack of
expired
condoms
Sad remain
Aspirin. Memories
of better days

On top
bed stand drawer
ticket
reads:
Destination
13° 45' North
100° 31' East
5352.66 Miles
and new
bed stand drawer
chances
of life

poem by Carsten Thomsen
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A Few Easy Pieces

Piece of this
piece of that

Peace and bliss,
Piece of crap

Peace of mind,
Piece of cake,

piece of work
Piece of steak,

Piece of eight
Piece of the action

Piece of the pie
Peace and satisfaction

Piece in the valley
Piece of glass

piece of my mind
Piece of a….

That’s quite enough now! ! !
Let’s quit this dance

Let’s stop while we’re ahead…
Let’s Give peace a chance

poem by David Whalen
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Esotericism

I do not indulge in this form of esoteric
Teachings, like the doctrines of Pythagoras
Or Aristotle,

Recondite,
I do not have some secrets now to hide,
What for? There is nothing private in me,
There is nothing worthy of confidentiality

This is not a poetry that is full of esoteric
Allusions to be understood only by the select
Few. What for? What for really?

There is nothing cryptic to the good that I must
Do for you, as one good man is wont to do for
Another good man,

For the good is open handed, it is not a closed
Fist, the fingers that behave like crumpled paper

I am opening like my fingers to the sky
Like a bud of this little white flower to see the sun

In fact, if you read me through and through
I am revealing myself through and through

Piece by piece layer by layer like you are
Going to the innermost me, there is no enigma

At the end and you may regret it though
I may not have cautioned you,
There are only drops of tears trapped in there

Salty and if you taste it, can be really sour.

poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Eight