The Path
THERE are no beaten paths to Glory's height,
There are no rules to compass greatness known;
Each for himself must cleave a path alone,
And press his own way forward in the fight.
Smooth is the way to ease and calm delight,
And soft the road Sloth chooseth for her own;
But he who craves the flower of life full-blown,
Must struggle up in all his armor dight!
What though the burden bear him sorely down
And crush to dust the mountain of his pride,
Oh, then, with strong heart let him still abide;
For rugged is the roadway to renown,
Nor may he hope to gain the envied crown
Till he hath thrust the looming rocks aside.
poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar
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The Narrow Way
Believe not those who say
The upward path is smooth,
Lest thou shouldst stumble in the way
And faint before the truth.
It is the only road
Unto the realms of joy;
But he who seeks that blest abode
Must all his powers employ.
Bright hopes and pure delights
Upon his course may beam,
And there amid the sternest heights,
The sweetest flowerets gleam;
On all her breezes borne
Earth yields no scents like those;
But he, that dares not grasp the thorn
Should never crave the rose.
Arm, arm thee for the fight!
Cast useless loads away:
Watch through the darkest hours of night;
Toil through the hottest day.
Crush pride into the dust,
Or thou must needs be slack;
And trample down rebellious lust,
Or it will hold thee back.
Seek not thy treasure here;
Waive pleasure and renown;
The World's dread scoff undaunted bear,
And face its deadliest frown.
To labour and to love,
To pardon and endure,
To lift thy heart to God above,
And keep thy conscience pure,
Be this thy constant aim,
Thy hope and thy delight,
What matters who should whisper blame,
Or who should scorn or slight?
What matters - if thy God approve,
And if within thy breast,
Thou feel the comfort of his love,
The earnest of his rest?
poem by Anne Brontë from Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell (1846)
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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All For The Cause
Hear a word, a word in season,
for the day is drawing nigh,
When the Cause shall call upon us,
some to live, and some to die!
He that dies shall not die lonely,
many an one hath gone before;
He that lives shall bear no burden
heavier than the life they bore.
Nothing ancient is their story,
e’en but yesterday they bled,
Youngest they of earth’s beloved,
last of all the valiant dead.
E’en the tidings we are telling,
was the tale they had to tell,
E’en the hope that our hearts cherish,
was the hope for which they fell.
In the grave where tyrants thrust them,
lies their labour and their pain,
But undying from their sorrow
springeth up the hope again.
Mourn not therefore, nor lament it,
that the world outlives their life;
Voice and vision yet they give us,
making strong our hands for strife.
Some had name, and fame, and honour,
learn’d they were, and wise and strong;
Some were nameless, poor, unlettered,
weak in all but grief and wrong.
Named and nameless all live in us;
one and all they lead us yet
Every pain to count for nothing,
every sorrow to forget.
Hearken how they cry, “O happy,
happy ye that ye were born
In the sad slow night’s departing,
in the rising of the morn.
“Fair the crown the Cause hath for you,
well to die or well to live
Through the battle, through the tangle,
peace to gain or peace to give.”
Ah, it may be! Oft meseemeth,
in the days that yet shall be,
When no slave of gold abideth
’twixt the breadth of sea to sea,
Oft, when men and maids are merry,
ere the sunlight leaves the earth,
And they bless the day beloved,
all too short for all their mirth,
Some shall pause awhile and ponder
on the bitter days of old,
Ere the toil of strife and battle
overthrew the curse of gold;
Then ’twixt lips of loved and lover
solemn thoughts of us shall rise;
We who once were fools defeated,
then shall be the brave and wise.
There amidst the world new-builded
shall our earthly deeds abide,
Though our names be all forgotten,
and the tale of how we died.
Life or death then, who shall heed it,
what we gain or what we lose?
Fair flies life amid the struggle,
and the Cause for each shall choose.
Hear a word, a word in season,
for the day is drawing nigh,
When the Cause shall call upon us,
some to live, and some to die!
poem by William Morris
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The Turn Of The Road
WHERE confident, calm I strode,
I walk with hesitant feet;
For at yonder turn of the road
What shall I meet?
The youth of the day has gone,
And my shadow goes before;
I know that the road runs on —
I know no more.
I have travelled a goodly way,
As one at a glance may see,
Since the East and the break o' day
Called out to me.
Though the highway be hard to miss
With its signs and stones and such,
The worst of the road is this —
It turns too much.
For a part of its length it flows
(Too brief is that stretch, alas!)
'Twixt hedges of palm and rose,
O'er fern and grass.
The butterfly fancies flit
On their lit wings, gossamer-frail;
And a host of roysterers sit
At cakes and ale.
With the flight of their glory hour,
The Fancies flutter and die;
And the nectared heart of the flower
Grows sere and dry.
Though the cakes and ale are done,
And the roysterer's moment gone,
Yet under the slanting sun
The road winds on.
Good-bye to the flower and fern,
And the hedges at each grass-side! —
Maybe at the next road-turn
New pleasures hide.
New pleasures? 'Tis turned, and lo!
Hot miles and a driving dust
'Twixt trees that are grey as woe,
Gnarled limbs out-thrust!
Yet Hope is a bright allure,
A light in the hearts of men —
At the end of a league, for sure,
'Twill turn again.
Though the highway be hard to miss
With its signs and stones and such,
The best of the road is this —
It turns so much!
Towards the turn of the roadway you
I walk with hesitant feet;
When I come to the turn, anon —
What shall I meet?
poem by Roderic Quinn
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To Molde
Molde, Molde,
True as a song,
Billowy rhythms whose thoughts fill with love me,
Follow thy form in bright colors above me,
Bear thy beauty along.
Naught is so black as thy fjord, when storm-lashes
Sea-salted scourge it and inward it dashes,
Naught is so mild as thy strand, as thine islands,
Ah, as thine islands!
Naught is so strong as thy mountain-linked ring,
Naught is so sweet as thy summer-nights bring.
Molde, Molde,
True as a song,
Murm'ring memories throng.
Molde, Molde,
Flower-o'ergrown,
Houses and gardens where good friends wander!
Hundreds of miles away,-but I'm yonder
'Mid the roses full-blown.
Strong shines the sun on that mountain-rimmed beauty,
Fast is the fight, let each man do his duty.
Friends, who your favor would never begrudge me,
Gently now judge me!-
Only with life ends the fight for the right.
Thought flees to you for a refuge in light.
Molde, Molde,
Flower-o'ergrown,
Childhood's memories' throne.
Oh, may at last
In thine embrace, life's fleeting
Conflict past,
Glad thine evening-glory greeting,
-Where life let thought awaken,-
My thought by death be taken!
poem by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson
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Ballade Of The Muse
The man whom once, Melpomene,
Thou look'st on with benignant sight,
Shall never at the Isthmus be
A boxer eminent in fight,
Nor fares he foremost in the flight
Of Grecian cars to victory,
Nor goes with Delian laurels dight,
The man thou lov'st, Melpomene!
Not him the Capitol shall see,
As who hath crush'd the threats and might
Of monarchs, march triumphantly;
But Fame shall crown him, in his right
Of all the Roman lyre that smite
The first; so woods of Tivoli
Proclaim him, so her waters bright,
The man thou lov'st, Melpomene!
The sons of queenly Rome count ME,
Me too, with them whose chants delight, -
The poets' kindly company;
Now broken is the tooth of spite,
But thou, that temperest aright
The golden lyre, all, all to thee
He owes--life, fame, and fortune's height -
The man thou lov'st, Melpomene!
ENVOY.
Queen, that to mute lips could'st unite
The wild swan's dying melody!
Thy gifts, ah! how shall he requite -
The man thou lov'st, Melpomene?
poem by Andrew Lang
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O, My Friend, Be With Me!
O My friend, be with me,
On the path of life,
Full of stones and thorns,
Breeze and storms.
walking along with you,
all I feel well, fresh and light always!
You bear your pain, you fight with them,
I can't fight for you or you can't for me,
but our hearts wishing good for one another,
Makes all difference,
well, it can make all look different!
O, My Friend, my faith in you.
And smile on your face,
eyes shine when you crack joke,
my mind feel light,
when your teeth twinkle,
between smiling lips,
show my path even in dark!
I can bear my pain easily,
when you are with me,
neither you bear my pains and strains, nor I Ask you to,
only I and you can share the beauty of life,
My burden look light when you walk along with me!
But if you are away I can't bear the weight of heart,
heavy it becomes,
without breeze your smile,
Or without the jokes and thoughts
you share with me!
poem by Ramdas Bhandarkar
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The beauty of sorrow
I drink from the cup of sorrow
I ate the delicious bread of hope
that sorrow placed in front of me
It craves my heart day and night
Not telling me how to climb the height
The height that is pulling my heart too tight
The height that tells me not to be frighten
But what helps me out is the beauty of sorrow
The drink it place in front of me makes me calm
Though, it's bitter and sour
But when it does, it feels cold like a plate of ham
Total humbleness pull me through
Total submission to what to come
Sorrow gives me hope
Those are the best dayz in my life
Sorrow dayz
poem by Olufunmbi Aransiola
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Burden To Carry
Every man has a burden to carry
And some seem to carry it very well
While others complain, about the burden and strain
And as their fall from grace to all they must tell.
They will blame all others for the life they live
And then brag and lie for pity and shame
They will tell themselves to halt, that it was never their fault
So they figure their loss will also be their gain.
Every man has a burden to carry
And some need to carry that burden alone
As they don't seek help, from no one but themselves
And only GOD will feel their pain or hear them moan.
The burden they have is their right of passage
As they walk through life to become a man
Every step that they take, another worry they will forsake
And truly that a vigilante only he should understand.
Every man has a burden to carry
And so many carry it with a vigor and pride
As they head down the road, with their own life's load
While keeping a happiness and love and joy deep inside.
They live the life that was presented to them
And never once do they complain or quit
They take life in it's stride, they throw their chest forward in pride
And what they lost or will loose, they will never miss.
Every man has a burden to carry
And to see it just look upon a mans face
He will either be wearing a smile, like holding a child
Or else you'll see pain and sorrow and even disgrace.
Just walk in his footsteps at least one time
Take his journey as he run's or walks or even tarries
Then you will feel the weight, that man can't escape
As every man has a burden, that he must carry.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
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Upon The Hill And Grove At Bill-borow
To the Lord Fairfax.
See how the arched Earth does here
Rise in a perfect Hemisphere!
The stiffest Compass could not strike
A line more circular and like;
Nor softest Pensel draw a Brow.
So equal as this Hill does bow.
It seems as for a Model laid,
And that the World by it was made.
Here learn ye Mountains more unjust,
Which to abrupter greatness thrust,
That do with your hook-shoulder'd height
The Earth deform and Heaven frght.
For whose excrescence ill design'd,
Nature must a new Center find,
Learn here those humble steps to tread,
Which to securer Glory lead.
See what a soft access and wide
Lyes open to its grassy side;
Nor with the rugged path deterrs
The feet of breathless Travellers.
See then how courteous it ascends,
And all the way ir rises bends;
Nor for it self the height does gain,
But only strives to raise the Plain.
Yet thus it all the field commands,
And in unenvy'd Greatness stands,
Discerning furthe then the Cliff
Of Heaven-daring Teneriff.
How glad the weary Seamen hast
When they salute it from the Mast!
By Night the Northern Star their way
Directs, and this no less by Day.
Upon its crest this Mountain grave
A Plum of aged Trees does wave.
No hostile hand durst ere invade
With impious Steel the sacred Shade.
For something alwaies did appear
Of the Great Masters terrour there:
And Men could hear his Armour still
Ratling through all the Grove and Hill.
Fear of the Master, and respect
Of the great Nymph did it protect;
Vera the Nymph that him inspir'd,
To whom he often here retir'd,
And on these Okes ingrav'd her Name;
Such Wounds alone these Woods became:
But ere he well the Barks could part
'Twas writ already in their Heart.
For they ('tis credible) have sense,
As we, of Love and Reverence,
And underneath the Courser Rind
The Genius of the house do bind.
Hence they successes seem to know,
And in their Lord's advancement grow;
But in no Memory were seen
As under this so streight and green.
Yet now no further strive to shoot,
Contented if they fix their Root.
Nor to the winds uncertain gust,
Their prudent Heads too far intrust.
Onely sometimes a flutt'ring Breez
Discourses with the breathing Trees;
Which in their modest Whispers name
Those Acts that swell'd the Cheek of Fame.
Much other Groves, say they, then these
And other Hills him once did please.
Through Groves of Pikes he thunder'd then,
And Mountains rais'd of dying Men.
For all the Civick Garlands due
To him our Branches are but few.
Nor are our Trunks enow to bear
The Trophees of one fertile Year.
'Tis true, the Trees nor ever spoke
More certain Oracles in Oak.
But Peace (if you his favour prize)
That Courage its own Praises flies.
Therefore to your obscurer Seats
From his own Brightness he retreats:
Nor he the Hills without the Groves,
Nor Height but with Retirement loves.
poem by Andrew Marvell
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Our way is not soft grass, it's a mountain path with lots of rocks. But it goes upward, forward, toward the sun.
quote by Ruth Westheimer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The King and The Wise Man
A king asks to a wise man:
'Should my heart hot?
Full of energy and blood
Or should my heart cold?
Full of calculation and plot'
A wise man answers:
'Should your heart warm
So everybody could feel calm
In your arms'
A king asks to a wise man:
'Should my heart black?
Rules my kingdom with fear and dark
Or should my heart white?
Always lives in the world's bright side'
A wise man answers:
'Should your heart grey
The color of human that wants to seek
What's wrong and right'
A king asks to a wise man:
'Should my heart hard?
Strong like steel that can't be beaten by anyone
Or should my heart soft?
Harmless like cotton that easily touched by everyone'
A wise man answers:
'Should your heart flexible
Mold like rubber that could protect people you love'
poem by Maria Sudibyo
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A Desert Flower
Just four or five months
If only you bear with my unsightliness
There, yonder on the frame of this rugged body
I give birth to an amazing flower
That flower with its fleeting prettiness
Will balance your months of tolerance
With utmost ease
The flower will swing at the end of the creeper
With joy you can never get at
My body may gash the fingers that touch me
But within me I bring to life a dainty flower
That turns red just at mere touch
Within, I bear a wondrous beauty
To give shape to an amazing beauty
Beyond your imagination
Your eyes’ thirst for color do I quench
With a handful of good looks
I’ve drawn from my desert inheritance
Flower may wither
But with memories fresh
I make you savor the experience
Of a love eternal, for me
Just four or five months
If only you bear with my unsightliness
There, yonder on the frame of this rugged body
I give birth to an amazing flower
*Original in Telugu by Vinnakota Ravishankar
06 Oct 2010
23.27hrs
poem by Indira Babbellapati
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The Rose That Grew From Concrete (credits to Tupac)
The Rose that grew from concrete
Still beautiful in every form
Its stem is strong and sturdy
Although some petals have been torn
The petals could be tears
As it struggled to get through
The fight was rough and fierce
The weight was something new
For no other rose
Had ever gone through this road
It was given a path less traveled
It was given a tremendous load
But the rose began to grow
To everybody’s surprise
Nobody ever thought
From the concrete it would rise
Through the concrete it continued
Getting roughed up as it grew
Gaining valuable experience
Learning things it never knew
Its perseverance led to strength
As it broke through the cracks
It knew it had come this far
Why bother to look back
But the dues paid to get here
Are sometimes to be admired
It shows the character and heart
And the strength of its desire
After fighting for so long
It finally reached the light of day
It was then it knew
It didn’t want it any other way
For all of the characteristics of this rose
Have led it to persevere
The journey was dark and troublesome
But the effort was sincere
Along the way there were moments
What its mind was full of doubt
Times it had to dig deep
If it ever wanted to sprout
Now in full blossom
The rose looks back at its struggle
It beams bright with pride
For overcoming its troubles
The rose that grew from concrete
Powerful and pure
Beautiful yet rugged
After everything endured
The rose that grew from concrete
Certainly one of a kind
Love growing in the heart
Memories etched in the mind
The rose that grew from concrete
At last standing in peace
Forever living in glory
As the battle has now ceased
poem by Jose Chavez
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The Path of Hope
The Path of Hope
The Path of Life is layed before you
Life is like a novel…It has elements
It has Characters
It has Settings
It has a Plot
It has Ideals and Morals
Like Friendship and Love
Like Faith and Sacrifice
Like Fate and Destiny
Like Hope and Despair
There are Paths…Paths of your destiny
The Path of Good or The Path of Evil
The Path of Darkness or The Path of Light
The Path of Hope or The Path of Despair
Only you can choose your path
But chose wisely…For you can’t turn back time
You must follow your heart…For it will guide you
Never give up on your dreams
Always Believe…Trust your heart
Don’t let the bad people get you down
Just Believe,
Trust your Heart,
Have Faith in your Dreams,
Have Hope in the Despair,
Follow the Light in the Darkness
Find the Euphoria in the Sorrows,
Trust your Friends,
Follow the Stars…They will Guide you
May the Stars be a Light for you when all other Lights go out
Life is like a Novel…
poem by Bleeding Heart
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Decreed
Into all lives some rain must fall,
Into all eyes some tear-drops start,
Whether they fall as gentle shower,
Or fall like fire from an aching heart.
Into all hearts some sorrow must creep,
Into all souls some doubtings come,
Lashing the waves of life's great deep
From dimpling waters to seething foam.
Over all paths some clouds must lower,
Under all feet some sharp thorns spring,
Tearing the flesh to bitter wounds,
Or entering the heart with their bitter sting.
Upon all brows rough winds must blow,
Over all shoulders a cross be lain,
Bowing the form in its lofty height
Down to the dust in bitter pain.
Into all hands some duty's thrust;
Unto all arms some burden's given,
Crushing the heart with its weary weight,
Or lifting the soul from earth to heaven.
Into all hearts and homes and lives
God's dear sunlight comes streaming down,
Gilding the ruins of life's great plain--
Weaving for all a golden crown.
poem by Anonymous Americas
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The Narrow Way
What thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when 'tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of God
Will seek or choose it for their own.
A thousand ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleased with a journey to the sky.
No more I ask or hope to find
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind
That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.
The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek immortal joys above;
There glory without end shall be
The bright reward of faith and love.
Cleave to the world, ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust!
But God shall fight with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.
poem by William Cowper
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Olney Hymn 61: The Narrow Way
What thousands never knew the road!
What thousands hate it when 'tis known!
None but the chosen tribes of God
Will seek or choose it for their own.
A thousand ways in ruin end,
One only leads to joys on high;
By that my willing steps ascend,
Pleased with a journey to the sky.
No more I ask or hope to find
Delight or happiness below;
Sorrow may well possess the mind
That feeds where thorns and thistles grow.
The joy that fades is not for me,
I seek immortal joys above;
There glory without end shall be
The bright reward of faith and love.
Cleave to the world, ye sordid worms,
Contented lick your native dust!
But God shall fight with all his storms,
Against the idol of your trust.
poem by William Cowper
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Nature
Full of rebellion, I would die,
Or fight, or travel, or deny
That thou has aught to do with me.
O tame my heart;
It is thy highest art
To captivate strong holds to thee.
If thou shalt let this venom lurk,
And in suggestions fume and work,
My soul will turn to bubbles straight,
And thence by kind
Vanish into a wind,
Making thy workmanship deceit.
O smooth my rugged heart, and there
Engrave thy rev'rend law and fear;
Or make a new one, since the old
Is sapless grown,
And a much fitter stone
To hide my dust, than thee to hold.
poem by George Herbert
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Dross and Gold
**Life is dross, but Love is gold*
So, throughout the numbered days.
Mine to keep and thine to hold.
Be it as the Master says.
Clean-intentioned ; each to each
Shall a Staff of Travel be,
Down the Roadway to the Beach
Of the tideless, timeless Sea,
Down the Roadway of the years
Till our Web of Life is spun.
Ours the laughter and the tears;
Ours the cream of cloud and sun.
Some there be who place and gain
Reckon over and above;
Some there be who joy and pain
Weigh in equal scales — of Love:
Those shall be as they were not.
At the Road-end by the Shore;
These, who lost and who forgot
Shall have triumphed evermore.
poem by Edwin James Brady
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La Corona
Deign at my hands this crown of prayer and praise,
Weaved in my lone devout melancholy,
Thou which of good hast, yea, art treasury,
All changing unchanged Ancient of days.
But do not with a vile crown of frail bays
Reward my Muse's white sincerity ;
But what Thy thorny crown gain'd, that give me,
A crown of glory, which doth flower always.
The ends crown our works, but Thou crown'st our ends,
For at our ends begins our endless rest.
The first last end, now zealously possess'd,
With a strong sober thirst my soul attends.
'Tis time that heart and voice be lifted high ;
Salvation to all that will is nigh.
poem by John Donne
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