Underwater Autumn
Now the summer perch flips twice and glides
a lateral fathom at the first cold rain,
the surface near to silver from a frosty hill.
Along the weed and grain of log he slides his tail.
Nervously the trout (his stream-toned heart
locked in the lake, his poise and nerve disgraced)
above the stirring catfish, curves in bluegill dreams
and curves beyond the sudden thrust of bass.
Surface calm and calm act mask the detonating fear,
the moving crayfish claw, the stare
of sunfish hovering above the cloud-stained sand,
a sucker nudging cans, the grinning maskinonge.
How do carp resolve the eel and terror here?
They face so many times this brown-ribbed fall of leaves
predicting weather foreign as a shark or prawn
and floating still above them in the paling sun.
poem by Richard Hugo
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Related quotes
At Broad Ripple
Oh luxury! Beyond the heat
And dust of town, with dangling feet
Astride the rock below the dam,
In the cool shadows where the calm
Rests on the stream again, and all
Is silent save the waterfall,--
I bait my hook and cast my line,
And feel the best of life is mine.
No high ambition can I claim --
I angle not for lordly game
Of trout, or bass, or wary bream --
A black perch reaches the extreme
Of my desires; and "goggle-eyes"
Are not a thing that I despise;
A sunfish, or a "chub," or a "cat"--
A "silver-side"-- yea, even that!
In eloquent tranquility
The waters lisp and talk to me.
Sometimes, far out, the surface breaks,
As some proud bass an instant shakes
His glittering armor in the sun,
And romping ripples, one by one,
Come dallyiong across the space
Where undulates my smiling face.
The river's story flowing by,
Forever sweet to ear and eye,
Forever tenderly begun --
Forever new and never done.
Thus lulled and sheltered in a shade
Where never feverish cares invade,
I bait my hook and cast my line,
And feel the best of life is mine.
poem by James Whitcomb Riley
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Surface Calm
Surface calm enfolds
the hidden tiger
of repressed emotions
sleeplessly prowling
within the inner reaches
of the mind’s cave.
Surface calm here holds
attention – geiger
counting the ocean motions
of reactivity, radioactivity
tuned into the wave lengths
of the [he]art’s rave.
Surface calm explodes
upon the calm surface
of a sheet which enfolds
the hidden tiger of.....
25 May 1991 revised? 31 May 2005
poem by Jonathan Robin
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Tranquil Day At The Edge Of A Field
A frog glides across frosty water
pooled at the base of a rock statue
tribute to years of cascading dreams
Drifting across the surface
breating in the mist lifting off
the icy blue water
unemerged green stalks
promises of flowers
calm the frog
hoping for a warm Spring ahead
poem by Chester Whitfield
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Lonely brothers
Across the lake I stare
Across through the morning fog
I hear the lonely call of my brother
His black white body
breaches the surface of the calm lake
His red eyes meet the green of mine
The call of our loneliness ring out across the water
To be swallowed by the fog
As my lonely brother dives ounce again
Never again to rise
Across the lake I stare
Across through the morning fog
Now I am truly alone.
poem by Matthew Ladin
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A Dream Of Home
This is where I want to be,
where everybody smiles at me.
This stretch of water that winds away,
from west to east and I will say,
If you like fishing this is the place,
to cast your line and slow your pace.
To take in the valley sun,
catching blue -gills by the ton
There's rio-grande perch and bass all around,
sunfish and bluegills and I've even found,
carp and garr all sorts of stuff,
even a big old copperhead in the rough.
I know I am dreaming, but soon I won't be,
and my little stream will be reality,
in McAllen, Texas, it waits patiently,
for me to return, fishing's for me.
4/26/10 29 palms ca.
poem by Juan Olivarez
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Feels Like Rains
Here I go again
Hanging on to the bitter end
All alone
Nothing left to lose
Don't want to face tomorrow
I can't sleep tonight
Blame it on the weather
Till I get over you.
Chorus:
Feels like rain
Feels like I'll never fall in love again
There's a cold wind blowing every cloud my way
And it feels like rain today
Taking down every picture
Hanging on every wall
Broken dreams, painfull memories
Like the times I never listened
And the times I didn't try
It's gotta be the weather
'Cause you're not here with me
Chorus:
Feels like rain
Feels like I'll never fall in love again
There's a cold wind blowing every cloud my way
And it feels like rain today
Regretting every minute
Since I watched you walk away
Cause it's not the same without you
And now the clouds are hiding
Every sunny day
I guess I'll stay inside again
Cause it feels like rain today
Feels like rain
Feels like we'll never fall in love again
There's a cold wind blowing every cloud my way
And the clouds are hiding every sunny day
and the storm is coming so I'm here to stay
'Cause it feels like rain today
Yes, it feels like rain today
song performed by by Peter Cetera
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I dread the calm
I dread the calm in the morning of a mourn without a sound
It is a calm that comes to foster a greater grief
It is a calm light of dusk before ever dew was falling from leaves
It is a calm sinking in calm pattering to the ground
I fear the calm and scudding winds in the high wold
And on the dews the drench the gorse
And all the silvery gossamer
Shaken into gilded gold
Is it calm and still in the dusky light over great plains
That sweeps late and swiftly in autumn bowers
Of secluded farms and solitary towers
To merge with the bounding and the saint
Is it calm on the vast sea under the spangled silver sleep
The waves that sway in colossus to lull themselves to rest
And the dead calm in the deepening breast
Which heaves with the heaving deep
Yet calm is the mute peace in the meadow’s air
The forest gloom with loom of leaves that redden to fall
And in my chest if calm can ever dwell at all
If any calm is there, it is the calm of despair
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Moving and Dreaming: # 2
Out and in morning’s blue, moving up,
moving down dew-covered asphalt ground,
snaking around tree lined curves,
progressing in morning’s blue,
warm air embraces face and
moves around huddling bushes
ruffling chattering chickadees unsettling
them to wing;
still rocking heel on toe, leaning
briskly into curves, falling into dreams
of our first kiss that roused,
setting in motion all that is in spring,
half- bloom- youth holding hands under
yellow moon, rising from far east
giggles wash the shame-face cradling
in his waves
couldn’t help note heart yearning,
feeling love in night’s filled mist.
Bones lacking mass, wobbly legs...eye lids
falling like autumn's brown leaves.
Slouching nearer to sunset still. Desiring dawn.
Days are shortening. Summers gone.
Falling leaves absence life.
Feeling chilly. Append ills,
Icy tomb. You just wait!
These living feet still warm.
I’m ready-perhaps not prepared.
Still dreaming and moving…
poem by Almedia Knight Oliver
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To Wilhelmina
A white face, drooping, on a bending neck:
A tube-rose that with heavy petal curves
Her stem: a foam-bell on a wave that swerves
Back from the undulating vessel's deck.
From out the whitest cloud of summer steals
The wildest lightning: from this face of thine
Thy soul, a fire-of-heaven, warm and fine,
In marvellous flashes its fair self reveals.
As when one gazes from the summer sea
On some far gossamer cloud, with straining eye,
Fearing to see it vanish in the sky,
So, floating, wandering Cloud-Soul, I watch thee.
poem by Sidney Lanier
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In Memoriam A. H. H.: 11. Calm is the morn without a sound
Calm is the morn without a sound,
Calm as to suit a calmer grief,
And only thro' the faded leaf
The chestnut pattering to the ground:
Calm and deep peace on this high wold,
And on these dews that drench the furze.
And all the silvery gossamers
That twinkle into green and gold:
Calm and still light on yon great plain
That sweeps with all its autumn bowers,
And crowded farms and lessening towers,
To mingle with the bounding main:
Calm and deep peace in this wide air,
These leaves that redden to the fall;
And in my heart, if calm at all,
If any calm, a calm despair:
Calm on the seas, and silver sleep,
And waves that sway themselves in rest,
And dead calm in that noble breast
Which heaves but with the heaving deep.
poem by Alfred Lord Tennyson
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Golden ginger Persian cat (Terzanelle)
You walk right up to me
with your striped tail in the air,
a hunter to the nth degree
with golden ginger hair,
you become a machine with claws and slim curves,
with your striped tail in the air
at the ready with nerves
at a razor’s edge,
you become a machine with claws and slim curves,
suddenly with electricity, sneaking up to the hedge
staring intently, ready to strike
at a razor’s edge,
waiting patiently like a shrike
with poise
staring intently, ready to strike
loosing interest and without any noise
you walk right up to me
with poise,
a hunter to the nth degree.
poem by Gert Strydom
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Cave Felix - 1313
Surface calm enfolds
the hidden tiger
of repressed emotions
sleeplessly prowling
within the inner reaches
of the mind's cave.
Surface calm here holds
attention - geiger
counting the ocean motions
of reactivity, radioactivity
tuned into the wave lengths
of the (he) art's rave…
Surface calm enfolds
the hidden tiger
of repressed emotions
sleeplessly prowling
within the inner reaches
of the mind's cave…
poem by Jonathan Robin
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Poem - I
In the dark caverns of the night,
Loveless and alone,
Friendless as wind that wails across the plains,
I sit, the last man left on earth,
Putting my fear on paper,
Praying that love will flow from my dry pen
And watching the tears make havoc on my page.
And I remember then,
Under the night's still mask,
The gallant geese
Making their way through storms,
The fieldmouse scattering to my door
Away from the black cloud,
And the gay snail
Garnishing the twig before leaves came.
The old ones told me,
'When you grow grey you think on little things ;'
Now these dreams kiss the bruises from my mind
Under the night's still mask,
As loveless and alone
I sit, till dawn the last man left
Who knows the sound of rain on summer leaves,
The graceful swan breasting the blood-red stream,
And heart's incompetence.
poem by Henry Treece
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I Am Calm In The Pain
I AM CALM IN THE PAIN
I am calm in the pain,
And calm in the rejection,
And calm through the insult,
And calm through the anger,
And calm calm calm,
Though I feel so deeply
How I have failed
I am calm
Very calm
So calm
Until suddenly
In the middle of the morning prayer
I begin to cry to God
Cry with a terrible crying
And then when the prayer done
Calm calm calm calm calm.
poem by Shalom Freedman
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Your mind is like water in a pond
Observe the water in a pond
Keep it still and particles will sediment to ground
Only then the surface becomes transparent and clear
Our reflections we can view without a blur
When wind blows and creates waves on the surface
Those sediments will be stirred up and make the water opaque
Then the water surface is no longer transparent and clear
And our reflections in it will become just blurs
Our mind is like water in that pond
Only when still and calm it can be clear and strong
If we let external forces disturb our still and calm mind
By those things we will be controlled and beguiled.
poem by Henry Chen
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A Visit to Qiantang Lake in Spring
Gushan temple north Jiating west
Water surface first flat cloud base low
Several places early orioles fight warm tree
Every house new swallows peck spring mud
Disordered flowers gradually almost confuse person eye
Light grass able hide horse hoof
Most love lake east go not enough
Green poplar shade in white sand causeway Gushan Temple is to the north, Jiating pavilion west,
The water's surface now is calm, the bottom of the clouds low.
In several places, the first orioles are fighting in warm trees,
By every house new swallows peck at spring mud.
Disordered flowers have grown almost enough to confuse the eye,
Bright grass is able now to hide the hooves of horses.
I most love the east of the lake, I cannot come often enough
Within the shade of green poplars on White Sand Embankment.
Autumn (2) (Lanturne)
Fall
Will start
It is near
Is in the air
Now
Say
Good-bye
To summer
Hot weather is
Gone
Air
Crispy
Starts to cool
No more burning
Sun
Birds
Migrate
Butterfly
Will return next
Year
Trees
Change garb
Leaves trasform
From golden to
Brown
Day
To thank
God for all
Thankgiving Day
Is
Good
Food on table
Family
God's blessings for
All
Pies
Turkey
Cranberry sauce
Apple cider
Sweet
Fall
Season
Of wonder
Enjoy rich change
Smile
Praise
Thank God
Fall is great
Serenity
Brings
Mild
Weather
Azure sky
Togetherness
Nice
Fall
Brings calm
And repose
After summer's
Storms
September 11th,2009
poem by Dorian Petersen Potter
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Curves
i love curves
like winding roads
that lull me
giving me such
needed rest
when i climb
mountain tops
for curves have
a way of making
things turn the
way they are not
and i marvel
about such
an intricacy
an art that winds
upon itself in
mystery, something
so profound
like what is that boa
hiding in its coils?
a pig? a goat?
a dog?
or a man?
curves heal
like a profound idea
entwining a man's mind
like a vine
delivering a yellow flower
to my lips
curves of a woman's body
like an argument that
wants to convince a stoical
and impartial jury
curves in my mind
not sharp not blunt not even piercing
but exaltingly stunning
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Think Of Me
Think of me, when 'mid joy and gladness
They bark glides smoothly down life's tranquil stream.
When thy life, free from care or sadness,
Is calm and peaceful as a summer dream.
Think of me, though thy path be dreary,
Though care and sorrow may thy life enshroud;
When crushed hopes make the heart grow weary
And life seems darkened by a wintry cloud.
Think of me, let thy heart grow kinder
In summer's sunshine or in winter's gloom,
Think of me, when thy sole reminder
Is but the shadow of my silent tomb.
poem by Thomas E. Spencer
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On Looking Up by Chance at the Constellations
You'll wait a long, long time for anything much
To happen in heaven beyond the floats of cloud
And the Northern Lights that run like tingling nerves.
The sun and moon get crossed, but they never touch,
Nor strike out fire from each other nor crash out loud.
The planets seem to interfere in their curves -
But nothing ever happens, no harm is done.
We may as well go patiently on with our life,
And look elsewhere than to stars and moon and sun
For the shocks and changes we need to keep us sane.
It is true the longest drout will end in rain,
The longest peace in China will end in strife.
Still it wouldn't reward the watcher to stay awake
In hopes of seeing the calm of heaven break
On his particular time and personal sight.
That calm seems certainly safe to last to-night.
poem by Robert Frost
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