Setting You Free
i sit here with a gavel on hand
dressed in black
you fear me for what i can do
for i sit in judgment of you
i look at you
and find this tranquility of your
spirit and i humble myself before
you, an innocent man
silenced by the cruelty of the laws
of his brethren
and then i bang the gavel
setting you free and then
i get down from the heights of
man's self-made bench
glossy yet so cold and then
i shake your hand
it is warm and
it had long been
thirsty.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Related quotes
From the beginning, we promised folks that they'll see whatever event we cover in its entirety, from gavel to gavel - whether it's the House of Representatives or the Senate. That's the whole reason for being.
quote by Brian Lamb

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The thing is, if you control the Senate meetings, you control the gavel. And the gavel is a very important instrument... an instrument of power. An instrument that establishes the agenda.
quote by Dan Quayle

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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It is sad when the hand of justice trembles in front of the judge's gavel.
aphorism by Hasier Agirre, translated by Dan Costinaş

Submitted by Dan Costinaş
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But For Remembrance of Thee...
But for rememberance of thee, long since would I have past!
With me in spirit are you though, strength for me to last!
Long has been the road I have been asked to travel,
Over must it be soon, taking but the swing of a gavel!
Stronger am I for having to tow this road
Thanks be, in large part, to your love, owed!
Pain suffered, yet character garnered-
For though, your love, I would travel still much farther!
Hopeful for the day I may envision again-
Your beauteous spirit, as lead by an ethereal wind!
My love for thee, though tested, ne'er waned-
In fact, as I look back, surely it has gained!
All the love for a lady possible from a man-
After our most tragic of storms, again I shall find myself holding your hand!
Maurice Harris,29 February 2008
poem by Maurice Harris

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Prison As Metaphor
The time was almost right
for the recitation of a poem
when the judge asked me
if I had anything to say before sentencing.
I wanted to say Yes – why the 'anything to say' ritual?
To make me squirm
before the varnished gavel comes down?
Oh, and why the gavel ritual?
But I said No.
I am guilty
so there is nothing else you need to know about me,
My crime, not me,
sits in a cell with green walls
When I arrived I would not lie down
Because that would make it my home
A voice on the radio says
“My life feels like prison.”
I want them to use a different metaphor.
One that doesn’t suck my life up
and turn it into a little diorama with plastic figurines
in aluminum foil chains
Behind bars made of pretzels
As if I could eat my way out of here
poem by Michael Philips

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Shake A Hand (take 2)
Just leave it to me
Don't ever be ashamed
Just give me a chance
I'll take care of everything
Your troubles I'll share
Let me know and I'll be there
I'll stay close to you
Anyplace and anywhere
Shake a hand, shake a hand
Shake a hand if you can
Be truthful to me,
I'll be truthful to you
I'm in love with you so
Till I don't know what to do
So, let's call it a day
I said all I have to say
Except don't forget to pray
And shake a hand ev'ry day
Shake a hand, shake a hand,
Shake a hand if you can
song performed by by Elvis Presley

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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So It Will Be Taxes For The Meantime
so these weeks and for more other weeks perhaps
it will all be about taxes: allowable deductions, exemptions
and assessments, and avoidances and
perhaps evasions
be careful
be careful
do not be too gross in setting aside the poems from those
stack of notes and in depth-studies
something might go wrong
in your stock of metaphors
you need balance
have poetry during breaktime
and some more poetry before going to sleep
but i find poetry more useful
before i start my day with taxes and new laws and circulars
and even before i bang
my gavel
the poems seem to make the
reminders: this is life, this is humanity,
there is God and every man and woman and children
are his children and flock and friends
be careful
be careful
your poems shall judge you in time
and their Furies shall soon come and pull your hair
or the nymphs shall take you to the green valleys
by the side of the cool rivers
your conscience speaks to you
at night
your pillows your blankets
soon they will speak
what time is it? it's still 6: 36 in the morning here.
you see? i know that you know that i am true to what i am saying.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Shake A Hand
(Morris)
Just leave it to me, now don't you ever be changed,
just give me a chance and I'll take care of everything.
Your troubles I share, I'll let you know when I'll be there.
I'll take care, take care of you, any place and everywhere.
Shake a hand, shake a hand, a-shake a hand if you can.
Shake a hand, shake a hand, shake a hand if you can.
Be truthful to me and I'll be truthful to you.
But I'm in love, I'm in love with your soul, and I don't now just what to do.
So let's call it a day, I've said all I've gotta say
except, oh yeah, baby, you gotta learn how to pray and shake a hand every day.
Be truthful to me and I'll be truthful to you.
But I'm in love, I'm in love with your soul, and I don't now just what to do.
So shake a hand, shake a hand, shake a hand if you can.
Shake a hand, shake a hand, shake a hand if you can.
song performed by by Paul McCartney

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Hand Of Faith
Hope-in-waiting
For the Hand to lift me
To bring me out
Into the open air
I used to trust
I fall beyond a failing
To the source of healing
Where the gavel lies-
the home of the just.
poem by Kamini Arichandran

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Shake A Hand
(words & music by joe morris)
Just leave it to me
Dont ever be ashamed
Just give me a chance
Ill take care of everything
Your troubles Ill share
Let me know and Ill be there
Ill stay close to you
Anyplace and anywhere
Shake a hand, shake a hand
Shake a hand if you can
Be truthful to me,
Ill be truthful to you
Im in love with you so
Till I dont know what to do
So, lets call it a day
I said all I have to say
Except dont forget to pray
And shake a hand evry day
Shake a hand, shake a hand,
Shake a hand if you can
song performed by by Elvis Presley

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Irony
people who look at me as dispenser of justice
do not know, that i am a victim of injustice myself.
as i wear the black robe, i too, hide within this cloth
my own suffering from the political system that swears that
everything is owned, one must have a master,
that in this small stage, they try to make marionettes
out of our broken bones, their hands are there manipulating the strings
and those who do not follow, who do not dance shall be severely
punished
i keep this irony, i close my mouth and then i bang the gavel
hard, i give you justice, no one gives me the same.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

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Spirit
I can see my destination
I can hear my call
No more hesitation, mmm
This time I'm goin' for all
'Cause I know where this road leads to
And therefore I will rise
I know this dream will come true, mmm
And I will soar the sky
(Spirit, spirit)
Would you guide me? Oh
(Spirit) oh (spirit)
Stand by me
Come on, Come on, Come on
Set me free
I can feel the penetration
Of a strong wind movin' me, mmm
I feel can the elevation, mmm
Of an angel lifting me, mmm
'Cause I know where this road leads to
Therefore I will rise
I know this dream will come true, oh
And I will soar the sky
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Would you guide me? Ohh
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Standin' by me
Come on, Come on, Come on
Set me free
(Oh spirit)
Now that I've found my way home
I've got to get there, get there (get there)
Though one step seems one mile long
Your bridge before my face (your bridge before my face)
I will take the leap of faith (I will take the leap of faith)
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Would you guide me? Oh
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Stand by me, oh
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Set me free...
(Spirit) spirit (spirit) spirit
Spirit, set me free
(Spirit) help me find my way (spirit) stand by my side
Spirit take my hand and be my guide
(Spirit) run free (spirit) run free
Run free, run free
(Spirit) run free (spirit) run free...
song performed by by R. Kelly

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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My Other Hand...
the black man's hand,
the poor man's hand.
the Muslim hand, the Jewish hand...
the gay man's hand,
the working man's hand,
the ex-convict's hand,
the farmer's hand, the garbage man's hand...
the Christian's hand, the atheist's hand,
the father's hand, the soldier's hand,
the peacemaker's hand,
the healer's hand, the teacher's hand,
the prodigal's hand, even the murderer's hand...
the victim's hand, the broken hand,
the praying hand, the touching hand...
all, when extended,
feel like my other hand!
poem by Eric Cockrell

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Dead End
Well easily with me I show affection,
But it's a creepin up, a creepin up on me in another direction
I love, I write, and I die
And I try to ask no questions,
But the weary one is still me,
Do you think its obsession?
The smoke will find you a choker that matches your coat, not fit to be tied
The mirror it makes it all clearer as you stand alone and cant see your behind
Yea
They tried to tell me I could say that nobody could believe this
Well they tried to tell me I could say nobody could achieve this
The way you stayed of, locked away of
Keeping the flame for yourself,
The way you stayed of, pushin the blame of, reaping the fame for yourself
Oh well, it's a, it's a, dead end
It's a dead end
Oh, it's a dead end lonely day,
Say it's a dead end
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a dead end day
It's a dead end oh day
And it's a long way, a long way down,
Hey well it's a long way, a long way down
Change is coming a baby,
Don't be startled lady
Every once in a while they do it again
You gonna shake it, shake it,
You know you wanna take it
Back to where you once belonged,
Back beneath the sheets and between the pillow cases
And the snake he races out and he, he tangles into your hair
Funny the fruits you choose
Oh the time you take, the words you loose
And it all goes back to rotation over the back of your hand
Oh the back of your hand, oh the back of your hand
Oh the map is your hand,
it's the back of your hand, the back of your hand
say the back of your hand, oh the map is your hand, it's the back of your hand
stop whining all the time,
don't you find a little secret to yourself always saved your life,
stop listening to the words that you've heard
no one else but yourself will agree with you more
that it's a long, long way
it's a long, long way
and it's a long, long way, a long way down
hey, and it's a long way down,
and it's a lo- oh- oh- ng way down
hey, hey, hey, and it's a long, long, long, long way down,
say say, SCATS
and it's a lo- oh- oh- ng way down, hey and it's a long way dooooown
it's a dead end
it's a dead end oh
it's a dead end lonely day
it's a, it's a dead end
It's a, it's a, it's a, it's a, it's a dead end day
It's a dead end oh day
song performed by by Jason Mraz

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dread & The Fugitive Mind
Dave mustaine
Let me introduce myself Im a social disease
Ive come for your wealth leave you on your knees
No time for feeling sorry, I got here on my own
I wont ask for mercy, I choose to walk alone
Whats yours is mine and whats mine is mine too
If you shake my hand better count your fingers
What if I do get caught? what if there is no judgment?
If Im right I lose nothing, if youre right I lose it all
I ought to get caught because Im doing something wicked
Im guilty haunted by my fear and the only consequences
Are dread and the fugitive mind
You built walls to protect you so no one will infect you
Pursued by those out there that vanish in thin air
Come a long way to find what you really left behind
You dont know when the end is but its coming fast
Whats yours is mine and whats mine is mine too
If you shake my hand better count your fingers
What if I do get caught? what if there is no judgment?
If Im right I lose nothing, if youre right I lose it all
I ought to get caught because Im doing something wicked
Im guilty haunted by my fear and the only consequences
Are dread and the fugitive mind
Solos - mustaine, pitrelli
song performed by by Megadeth

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Big Old Bang
Female flies in a plastic glass
Take the Waltz with ice cube boys
How long it's anybody's guess
It's just a suicide toy in a bony hand
Pistol in a bony hand
Lies in hiding down below
We could do with some bang bang bang
To end the big old bang
To end the jingle show
Cast your eyes around the room
You might see a single man
He's a puppet doll of the king of fools
He's gonna blow up now
With a big old bang
It's all around a passing show
Just like a cigarette
Or all those melting ice cube boys
And the female flies in a plastic glass
Hey bang bang bang, big old bang
Just dance me to an endless joy
Dance with me I'll pay the band
song performed by by Quimby

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Where Angels Play
Come with me to a place no likes Ive ever seen
A million miles from here where no one's ever been
God-given rays and a holy heaven phase [?]
I'm on the edge of something shadowy
I'm coming through
'Ok, let's fly,' she says, 'this carpet's made for two'
This room be [?] a little box, no place for me and you
Our carpet falls on a dew-fresh daffodil plain
Take a look around, there's something happening
All the colors fade
I don't want you now, bang bang bang gone
Ooh I don't need you now, the seeds are sown
Ooh bang bang pretty pretty, bang bang
I don't think so, no no
I don't think so, no no
Bang bang, bang bang
Out below the country rolls like a mighty boiling sea
The warm red sun gives up and sinks into the tree
But I've no pill [?] I can't stand here betrayed
Take a look around there's something happening
All the colors fade
I don't want you now, bang bang bang gone
Ooh I don't need you now, the seeds are sown
Ooh bang bang pretty pretty, bang bang
I don't think so, no no
I don't think so, no no
Bang bang, bang bang
song performed by by Stone Roses

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Bang-bang
Bang bang, you shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down
I was five and you were six
We rode on horses made of sticks
I wore black, you wore white
You would always win the fight
Bang bang, you shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down
Seasons came and changed the time
I grew up, I called you mine
You would always laugh and say
Remember when we used to play
Bang bang, you shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down
Music played and people sang
Just for me the church bells rang
After echoes from a gun
We both vowed that wed be one
Now youre gone I dont know why
Sometimes I cry
You didnt say goodbye
You didnt take the time to lie
Bang bang, you shot me down
Bang bang, I hit the ground
Bang bang, that awful sound
Bang bang, my baby shot me down
song performed by by Cher

Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Blood Suckers
Driving down the fast lane.
I hope one day I don't miss my turn.
To capture the moment.
To hold it in my hand.
Show you how it is so grand.
Setting the butterfly free.
It was the way it was meant to be.
Just look at those beautiful wings.
All the vivid colors.
We are holding so many back.
Slaves with the invisible whip smacking their backs.
Can you see the welts?
Can you the blood dripping yet?
It is being inflicted by you.
So tell me why is it you don't care?
A benefit to whom?
A dark cloud over all of us looms.
As lightning strikes and thunder makes a loud boom.
Tell me who it is gonna be? You?
Driving down the fast lane.
I hope one day I don't miss my turn.
To capture the moment.
To hold it in my hand.
Show you how it is so grand.
Driving down the fast lane.
I hope one day I don't miss my turn.
To capture the moment.
To hold it in my hand.
Show you how it is so grand.
Setting the butterfly free.
It was the way it was meant to be.
Just look at those beautiful wings.
All the vivid colors.
All the vivid colors.
Where do they go?
A distortion of human existence.
We are both ruthless and relentless.
But when the teeth become dull.
Why is it we continue to gnaw?
A leech that can't kick the habit.
Even when all the blood is already gone.
A dried up slug with just a dash of salt.
Does this mean your defeat?
To continue on would only be a blatant lie.
Yet you continue to try.
Trying to deny the very laws of nature.
A pedestal slowly crumbles and everyone will be crushed as you fall.
And it is not any of their faults.
Sacrificing the innocent for your absolute arrogance.
Destroying anyone who tries to stop you along the way.
A bonfire has already been made.
Is it in your or honor?
Or is it your grave?
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts

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The child tastes the tear
The tear is made of salt
The tear is made of water
The tear is made of the sea
But you cannot swim in it
The tear can leak down the cheek
The tear is like a good rhyme
The child wipes away the tear
The wipe is made of the hand
The hand is made by…who
The child thinks of the hand
The hand can shake a hand
The hand can slap a cheek
The hand can wipe the tear away
The hand and tear are made
The child is thinking
I am made too
poem by Miroslava Odalovic

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