The Survivor
Once more he sees his companions' faces
Livid in the first faint light,
Gray with cement dust,
Nebulous in the mist,
Tinged with death in their uneasy sleep.
At night, under the heavy burden
Of their dreams, their jaws move,
Chewing a non-existant turnip.
'Stand back, leave me alone, submerged people,
Go away. I haven't dispossessed anyone,
Haven't usurped anyone's bread.
No one died in my place. No one.
Go back into your mist.
It's not my fault if I live and breathe,
Eat, drink, sleep and put on clothes.'
poem by Primo Levi
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Related quotes
Last Answers
I wrote a poem on the mist
And a woman asked me what I meant by it.
I had thought till then only of the beauty of the mist,
how pearl and gray of it mix and reel,
And change the drab shanties with lighted lamps at evening
into points of mystery quivering with color.
I answered:
The whole world was mist once long ago and some day
it will all go back to mist,
Our skulls and lungs are more water than bone and tissue
And all poets love dust and mist because all the last answers
Go running back to dust and mist.
poem by Carl Sandburg
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The Dreams
Spare a little candle
Save some light for me
Figures up ahead
Moving in the trees
White skin in linen
Perfume on my wrist
And the full moon that hangs over
These dreams in the mist
Darkness on the edge
Shadows where I stand
I search for the time
On a watch with no hands
I want to see you clearly
Come closer than this
But all I remember
Are the dreams in the mist
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
Is it cloak n dagger
Could it be spring or fall
I walk without a cut
Through a stained glass wall
Weaker in my eyesight
The candle in my grip
And words that have no form
Are falling from my lips
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
There's something out there
I can't resist
I need to hide away from the pain
There's something out there
I can't resist
The sweetest song is silence
That I've ever heard
Funny how your feet
In dreams never touch the earth
In a wood full of princes
Freedom is a kiss
But the prince hides his face
From dreams in the mist
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
These dreams go on when I close my eyes
Every second of the night I live another life
These dreams that sleep when it's cold outside
Every moment I'm awake the further I'm away
song performed by by Heart
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Halloween Quartet No 1 Graveyard Special
Standing at the bus stop waiting,
when the stranger asked.
“Has anyone seen the Graveyard Special?
I hope I haven’t missed it
or they won’t let me out next year.”
I shook my head and said. “Sorry, no.”
The stranger turned to me.
He wore a tuxedo, bow tie and patent polished shoes.
He looked like a dancer
and an odd smell rose around him
that of rotting decay.
“Been a nice night, hasn’t it.”
“Yes, but they forecast rain.”
“Been out with your girlfriend
and now catching the last bus home? ”
“No, I haven’t got one.”
A cloud passed across the moon
and the strangers face became partially visible
under the pale light of the moon.
A pale face with a sullen look
engraved with hard shadows.
“Going home? ” I asked,
“Yes, we are only allowed out once a year.”
“You live in an old people’s home? ”
“Something like that.” Returned a whispery reply.
A mist descended and swirled around us.
“My bus I can see it.”
The mist became thicker swallowing us up.
The brightly lit bus stopped,
its destination board read Graveyard Special.
The stranger got on and the bus doors shut.
Into the mist, it went to be swallowed up.
The mist then evaporated as quickly as it came.
My bus arrived and as I paid my ticket I remarked.
“I didn’t know the bus company
put on a special bus just for Halloween.”
The driver shook his head and said.
“They don’t, that bus is for the dead ones
who get out once a year.
I have been following it on its route
as it picks them up one by one
to take them back before
the first streaks of dawn appear in the sky.
It takes them back to the graveyard
for another year to stay.”
Getting my ticket, I sat
my hands trembling at the thought
that I had spoken to a ghost.
poem by David Harris
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Don't Leave Me
Don't leave me
I have to wait for you to come back
I will miss you too much
When you leave me I be depression
Don't leave me
You are my angel
Please stay and tell me whatever I did wrong or say and I'm sorry
You make me not want to eat or sleep if you leave me
Don't leave me
What will I do without you
Everyday not seeing you anymore will make me sad and
Think it all my fault if you leave me
You are the only one for me
Don't leave me
You are my angel
Please stay and tell me whatever I did wrong or say and I'm sorry
You make me not want to eat or sleep if you leave me
Don't leave me and
I have to wait for you
I will move onto another guy and forget you
So baby please stay with me and give me another chance
Don't leave me
I will never smile again
I can't stand back up if
You not here by my side so please stay baby
Don't leave me
poem by Christina Phan
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All Night Stand
All night stand,
Been around seen a thousand places.
All night stand,
Seen a good half a million faces.
Because Ive lived this life,
And I made it for myself.
If you scandalize my name,
Then you scandalize yourself.
Because Im not to blame,
For the things that Ive been doing.
You all say that Im bad,
And Ill only end in ruin.
All night stand,
With a different girl each night.
All night stand,
With two hundred miles to ride.
But I wont give it up,
As long as I can make the bread.
When I do, I shall stop,
Close my eyes and go to bed.
And forget all this night[? ],
And all the people on my back.
Once Im free from these chains,
I aint never looking back.
All night stand,
Been around seen a million faces, yeah.
All night stand,
Seen a good half a million places, yeah.
All night stand,
Cant get these people off my back.
All night stand,
Ten percent for this and that.
All night stand,
All night stand.
song performed by by Kinks
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Intoxicated (Life Of An Alcoholic)
A tear runs down my face
as i stare down this half empty
bottle man i remember back then
so young and pure
where did this days go
i miss the old me but so much
been accomplished can i give it all up
i take a sip as the liquor being to hit
oh man i feel good stress free
i want this feeling to stay so i sip again
yea i sit back and rock back and forth
as they all sleep am still here
haven't left yet as all come rushing back
so i take a bigger sip
and wishes it goes away
heard news about a former class mate died
damn more stress so i
grab the bottle a little harder
as i drink my tears away
missing my family so i drink more
as i sing lullabies to this fragmented glass
poem by Robert Roberts
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Demystified for M' lady Cate
The mist persists, it will insist
it has the right to block the light
with trailing wisps of dirty white.
The mist is wrong and it will learn
to leave when it has served its turn
Because the sun will rise and burn
the remnants of the mist away
There is no way that it can stay
once the bright sun comes out to play.
The mist defeated has to go.
It leaves reluctantly and slow
but where it goes I do not know.
It will return with fall of night
lurk in the darkness hid from sight.
Unless outlined by the moonlight.
The silver light makes it appear
to be the ghosts which cause men fear.
But they will quickly disappear
When banks of cloud obscure the light.
Be re-absorbed into the night.
to their dismay but men’s delight.
The mists persist they wont desist
as long as day and night exist
and if they did they would be missed.
The moisture which the mist supply
the plants trees drink thirstily.
Without the mists some plants would die.
1-Jun-08
http: // blog.myspace.com/poeticpiers
poem by Ivor Or Ivor.e Hogg
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Let The Night Sleep
Let the night sleep
Sleep for ever deep
With the night I sleep
Beyond the world to peep
Universe will sleep
Plants and trees
Birds and bees
Stars and moon
To sleep very soon!
Fruits and flowers
Joy with showers
Will sleep with me and the night
Not to keep the life very tight!
No dawn of the day
Right upto the dooms day!
Sleep permanent
In the world impermanent
I'll sleep without light
My agonies will sleep
My worries will sleep
My pains will sleep
My sins will sleep!
While in sleep
I am pure
I am peace
I am noble!
While my body is asleep
Awake my soul I keep
Sleep akin to death
Death akin to sleep in mirth?
Let the night sleep
Sleep for ever deep
With night I sleep
Sleep to eternity
Soul to merge in Divinity!
poem by Subbaraman N V
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Smoke, Mist and Nebulous Things
Tell me then your perceptions of the past
Tell me why hard facts are hard today
Facts tomorrow, then gone away
Do facts, then, rarely last?
Watching the march of time, the artefacts
The ruins they continue to dig up day by day
What remains of those wonderful beings
Who peopled our fables and myths
Smoke, mist and other nebulous things
Spirited them away
Tiptoe in history’s corridors
Crowns, coins and chariots
People, peasants, and simple folk
Just spirited clean away
Where do they lie now?
Unknowns jostling in history’s corridors.
Queens, courtesans, mothers of kings
Toys and things, necklaces and dreams
Smoke, mist and other nebulous things
Spirited them away
Tiptoe in history’s corridors
The modified history of the world
Domination, nomination, abomination
Smoke and mist and nebulous things
Have spirited everyone away.
poem by Rani Turton
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Only When I Sleep
You're only just a dream boat
Sailing in my head
You swim my secret oceans
Of coral blue and red
Your smell is incense burning
Your touch is silken yet
It reaches through my skin
Moving from within
And clutches at my breast
But it's only when I sleep
See you in my dreams
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe
Somewhere in my sleep
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside down
But it's only when I sleep
And when I wake from slumber
Your shadow's disappeared
Your breath is just a sea mist
Surrounding my body
I'm working through the daytime
But when it's time to rest
I'm lying in my bed
Listening to my breath
Falling from the edge
But it's only when I sleep
See you in my dreams
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe
Somewhere in my sleep
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside down
But it's only when I sleep
But it's only when I sleep
It's reaching through my skin
Moving from within
And clutches at my breast
But it's only when I sleep
See you in my dreams
Got me spinning round and round
Turning upside down
But I only hear you breathe
But it's only when I sleep
Got me spinning round and round
Up to the sky
Where angels fly
I'll never die
Hawaiian high
song performed by by The Corrs from Talk On Corners
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Baby Crib
A baby soon will sleep in that crib
He will have lots of dreams
Soon you will have those sweet dreams baby
And in your dreams you will be able to count the ships baby
While the angels come down from haven and watch out for you baby
That crib will be the place where he will go to sleep
That crib belongs to him
That crib is an old one
It is one of a kind
You don’t see it anymore
That crib will be nice and warm for him to sleep in the winter nights
And cool in the summer for him to sleep
poem by Aldo Kraas
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Instead of Portraying Togetherness
Haven't we once touched upon this before?
Haven't we both together paced...
Back and forth upon these floors?
Haven't we sat,
In corners...
Facing closed doors latched?
Quietly dispatched to a matching silence,
We attracted in defiance!
Didn't we have our backs against the walls...
Calling out to one another,
In faint whispers no one now recalls?
As darkness descended upon each other....
Discovering then we both needed to begin anew,
Perhaps with someone other.
Like so many have done and do!
You promised that to me...
And I promised that to you!
Why are we now struggling,
In shadows that subdue?
Haven't we once touched upon this before?
Haven't we both together paced...
Back and forth upon these floors?
Didn't we say the last time never again...
We'd come to this end?
Pretending a fresh start we'd begin,
...again!
Back then?
This is not the bliss we wished.
Why can't we forget...and end this?
Instead of vowing to stay,
In a union that brings us both dismay!
Instead of portraying togetherness...
Let's together from this just split,
And walk away!
Not tomorrow!
Now...
Today!
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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I'm Gonna Move Right In
Well she's straight and look like a lot of fun
The bar's open I'm gonna go have a drink with everyone
Walking downtown skies can't get any greater
Haven't got no money and I haven't got a prayer
I'm gonna move right in (x3)
After we hang a little we're gonna have a little fun
Gonna go shoot and kill and go knife everyone
The bar looks like haven gonna have myself a drink
Hey man don't you know I fell right in to the swing
I'm Gonna move right in (x3) Yeah
Gonna go uptown so I can get myself straight
Gonna go see my mama see if I got myself a date
Time is runnin' out I'm comin' right down to the wire
Gotta go do something to get myself higher
I'm gonna move right in (x3) Hey
song performed by by Velvet Underground
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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In My Dream, light plays!
Night is the time,
Sleeping in infinite nothing,
becoming nothing in beloved
embrace,
forgetting everything! In the lap of beloved enjoy
dreams,
may some come true,
Some may not,
Observing dreams one sees the
light within,
Randomly light plays in my dream
At the dawn, with gentle breeze,
Dreams melt, innerlight into light
of world,
Never go back to sleep,
If you sleep at dawn,
What will be there at dusk? If dustfree dawn make you sleep,
Failing to Smile and work,
If can't feel lighter in the light of
dawn,
Sure the darkness covering light,
Will make you faint at dusk!
Seeds says seed of immortality
is packed in mortal seed coat!
DNA sings, its immortality
covered in mortality of seed,
Finally Life sings,
Immortality of life is packed in mortal DNA,
and Self whispers, my
immortality is sung by mortal
life!
poem by Ramdas Bhandarkar
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Sleep, sleep, my sweet one sleep
Sleep, sleep, my sweet one sleep
Let the film of Morpheus come
Like a veiled mist
And visit your eye-lids
And in the airs around
Invisible a sweet sylph sings
A lulling lullaby.
Sleep, sleep, my sweet one sleep
And woes forget and ills
And wrongs and plots
And treacheries:
Like a veiled mist
Dreams are falling through
Falling
Falling
Falling thro’ your eye-lids thick
With the lead of Morpheus awhile
A sylph doth sing
A lulling lullaby.
Sleep, sleep, my sweet one sleep
And think of day and night
And dusk and dawn
And even
As one film images pass
Along your eyes a-dreaming
a-dreaming
A-dreaming
Awhile
A sylph doth sing
A lulling lullaby.
poem by Emmanuel George Cefai
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The Boys Are Back In Town
Guess who just got back today?
Those wild-eyed boys that had been away
Haven't changed, haven't much to say
But man, i still think those cats are great
They were asking if you were around
How you was, where you could be found
I told them you were living downtown
Driving all the old men crazy
The boys are back in town
You know the chick that used to dance a lot
Every night she'd be on the floor shaking what she'd got
Man when i tell you she was cool, she was red hot
I mean she was steaming
That night over at johnny's place
Well this chick got up and she slapped johnny's face
Man we just fell about the place
If that chick don't want to know, forget her
Friday night they'll be dressed to kill
Down at dino's bar and grill
The drink will flow and blood will spill
If the boys want to fight, you'd better let them
That jukebox in the corner blasting out my favorite song
The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
It won't be long till summer comes
Now that the boys are here again
The boys are back in town
song performed by by Everclear
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Haven't Forgotten
I haven't forgotten when I meet you first!
I haven't forgotten when I greet you last!
I haven't forgotten your pretty face!
I haven't forgotten your smile and grace!
I haven't forgotten how we started chatting!
I haven't forgotten when we started dating!
I haven't forgotten our last walk together!
I haven't forgotten how I became a loser!
I haven't forgotten how it became too late!
I haven't forgotten when I understood fate!
I haven't forgotten that summer's northwester!
I haven't forgotten and won't forget ever!
poem by Asif Andalib
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Haven't A Clue
I haven't a clue of what to do.
Even though I know it's true.
Anxiety fills my body through.
The thought of rejection makes me blue.
Although the thought of success pushes me to.
Should I take the chance to find romance?
Or should I just pull back from this uncertain dance?
I want it bad. I'm going mad.
If you reject me I'll feel sad.
I haven't a clue of where to go.
The coming of it seems so slow.
Massive impatience inside me grows.
Despair and hoplessness greatly flow.
If it's time how will I know?
I haven't a clue of what to say.
All the answers come in shades of gray.
I can't continue in this awful play.
It seems I'm bound to lose in every way.
I haven't a clue now what I'll do.
I guess I'll sit here like a fool.
Never moving for what's cool.
I haven't the balls to claim this jewel.
Where to go and what to do?
All I can say is I haven't a clue.
poem by Michael McParland
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Como La Lluvia En El Cristal (Watercolours In The Rain)
Never looked back on a love affair.
I never spent minutes on history,
it made me sad, it made me so sad.
And in no time no time at all
a change has begun and the name is you,
I feel strange, you've made my life strange.
Cos baby when you get close to me
I say there's a certain chemistry
Come back before you leave.
I haven't got room for a broken heart.
Come back before you leave.
You shouldn't go at all,
you shouldn't go at all
So many years and so many nights,
I still can recall oh the way that you move when you dance,
do you want to dance?
We've had our habits and attitudes,
you make me remember the power when everything's right,
please stay the night.
Cos baby when you get close to me
there's something about you I really need
Come back before you leave...
Babe, come back before you leave,
I'll be the air for you when you breathe,
I'll be the raising sun.
Close the door, let's make love,
all God's angels sing above into the rising sun.
song performed by by Roxette
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sweet Sleep
Sleep
Sweet Sleep
A haven
In our stressful world
Sleep
Sweet Sleep
Bringing dreams
And rest to the world
Sleep
Sweet Sleep
I love you
Sooo much
poem by Autumn Winds
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