Proem.
I only knew one poet in my life.
— BROWNING.
I have not known a poet but myself,
If I'm indeed one, as I ought to be,
Considering how these many years I've made
The Muse now such a woman in my life.
No flesh and blood could put to proof the art
With which I wooed her; ay, and woo her still,
Though, as I deem, ere this she has been won.
I have not known another, as I say,
Who could be called a poet, or has been
Acclaimed such by the not too wise in wit
Who label literature's itinerants —
Professed discerners (as in every art
With sheer cock-surety there be those who
Deem their diploma Fame's own warranty);
Who in this journal or in that take stock
O' the issue of thought's making — song at best
A poor result, not to much tending (or if
Esteemed, good, e'en though flawed in some way still).
So these crumb-gatherers for the multitude
Still dole their wit or wisdom week by week,
‘Piece out our imperfections,’ choose, elect
In this or that craft him or her as first,
Second, or third, whatever the degree
Arrived at in the inkling of a whim;
And so with their diploma set the seal
To the rank world's preferment, failing which,
Mere poets must have a bad time of it!
Or haply some one in song's craft himself
Elects himself the chief musician, and
The other nine and ninety jugglers, who
Jig ape-like in the halo of his vogue.
'Tis then song does become ridiculous,
And the proud name of poet poor indeed.
Proud name? Alas! the power of pride is gone,
And the dull world's humility is theirs;
The new bards who, unlike the old, gauge not
The grandeur of the office they fulfil —
The old knight-errantry of Song who rode
Triumphant with God's targe in the world's eye,
Emblazoned with the heraldry of soul
In this wise or in that — the squires of Truth,
Love's worshippers or Beauty's votaries,
Whose mere life was the melody of all.
It may, in fact, be song at best is but
The rind of this life's apple, not its core,
And the chief singers still but mendicants
Of the world's love; and yet it is in sooth
The one thing sweet to its own votary;
As to the painter his art, too, is all,
And to the sculptor his. Ay, though but rinds
At best, allowed, of our life's apples here,
Yet the rind, no less than the core, is part
O' the perfect fruit — more toothsome than the core,
So the white flesh is eaten with it — so
Song includes life, as life, including song,
Retains the sweetness of its strength, and yields
To all sustainment and fruition too;
Though, as within the earthy fruit, thought's pulp
Is th' first thing still, and failing which indeed
The eater then deems his enjoyment null:
Song without life is such a withered fruit.
Ah! but thou sayest that song's subserviency
To life, the mere foot on the daily fact
Treading, not the imaginary air,
But the mire of the actual, breeds alloy
Too gross for beauty; that 'tis not in these —
The soilure of the animal, the slag
Of the material, or custom's pack, —
Ay, not in these the effluent wings dilate,
The breath diviner has its issue, nor
Spirit to heaven finds the nearest way!
And rightly sayest: Life in these is all,
And has with these its ending too; but song,
That more than life of which the poet sings
With power authentic in each syllable,
As the moon sends a gleam down watery glooms
To hint of heaven — song, as it were, unwraps
All the dense folds of life, one by one, so
To find a spark of the divine; or tears
The bodily vesture from the breathing man,
And on the soul's escape pursuing sings
Of th' more than life, which 'neath the earthy rags,
For years it may be blind and deaf and dumb,
Was so uncognisant that God was near —
That heaven was possible, and the escape
So easy when His sesame was said!
As thou, I then on song this value set,
That it can leaven life, — a yeast of soul
So quickening us, we are not mere dough, but
Dough with a resurrection in it here,
And capable of any miracle! —
At that we'll let it stand; sometime elsewhere
With other eyes and other ears we may
Perceive a higher meaning in it all;
Song-perfect then, or so life-perfect, we
Shall be the song, not make it any more.
poem by Robert Crawford
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Related quotes
Song of the World
such a wonderful song
song of life
song of death
wedding song
famine song
happy song
sad song
love song
all-american song
bullshit song
druggie song
girls' song
sweet song
crazy song
MY song
poem by Rachel Stoddard
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I'm Singing
I’m Singing…
I’m Singing a New Song…
Deep Inside my Heart…
It’s a Song…that is different from any other song I have sung before…
It is a Song of…
A Song of Hope,
A Song of Love,
A Song of Fate,
A Song of Peace,
A Song of Friendship,
A Song of Family,
A Song of Life,
A Song of Healing,
A Song of Strength,
A Song of Courage,
A Song of Light,
A Song of Flight…
My Heart is beginning to Soar…
I’m finally starting to Fly…
I’m Singing…
poem by Bleeding Heart
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A Poet's Song
~♥ ♥ ♥ ~
I have read
Works of great men and women
Simple poems and stories
I also have written
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
I love poetries
So too are stories
They are simple daisies
Filling my fantasies
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
It is my refuge
When in sorrow
My hopes and dreams
In my unknown tomorrow
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
I am a poetess
With the dream of sharing
And with my knowledge and skills
Tomorrow, my dreams I will be fulfilling
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
I and my works
May never be great
But I will never lose hope
In God, I place my faith
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
I will never surrender to failure
I shall never retire until I reach my goal
I will read and write literature
I will hear the cry of my hoping soul
This is the song of a poet
The song of my soul
~♥ ♥ ♥ ~
poem by Belleza Edella Marian SwanCullen
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A Sweet Song Of Love
Listen to this sweet song of love,
a different love song of our strife.
The victory of truth in life,
listen to this sweet song of love....
Walking together in our dreams where have we reached,
just look how blue is the sky here.
Our song is even sung by the birds here,
where ever our eyes can see is pure light spread.
Listen to this sweet song of love,
a different love song of our strife.
The victory of truth in life,
listen to this sweet song of love....
Cool cool breezes blow here always,
beyond the stars is our little cottage.
The rainbow colours are here to manage,
they where they commence their journeyof joys.
Listen to this sweet song of love,
a different love song of our strife.
The victory of truth in life,
listen to this sweet song of love....
Forbidden to meet each other in this world,
encircled within our customs were we both.
imprisoned and guarded were we both,
we died in breaking away from the customs of this world.
Listen to this sweet song of love,
a different love song of our strife.
The victory of truth in life,
listen to this sweet song of love....
poem by Renu Kakkar
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A poet's song
A poet's song
Is one of singing.
A poet's song
Is one of felling.
A poet's song
Is one of thanksgiving
A poet's song
Is one of understanding.
A poet's song
Is one of knowledge.
A poet's song
Is one of wisdom.
poem by Natasha Norville
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The Sing Of A Song Of Life
a song in our eyes
a song in our imagery ears
a song in our hands
a song in our feet
It's a distant song
It's a future song
A song who says
beyond future, beyond distances, beyond nothing,
a song that resembles your life, so tell it
in a song as if you were telling it in a story
poem by Anye'a B. Pinnock
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Life is a song
Life is a song,
Sing it your Way,
Sing your heart out,
Sing it to God.
Life is a song,
When I play my guitar,
Let my guitar sings along the way,
My life is an angel when I live in eternity.
Life is a song,
Follow the rhythm,
Follow the heart beat,
Follow the time signature and instinct.
Life is a song,
When seasons come and go,
When we down and happy, ,
When we lonely and alone.
Life is a song,
Never bore with it,
Never let it passes by,
Instead compose it your way,
The way you love to sing your song.
poem by Lawrence Hiung
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The Song Within Me
There lives a Song within me
There exists a melody in me
I am pregnant of a special Song
This Song energizes my soul
The echo is eternal
Many hears Him
Few believe His lyrics
Few elects enjoy listening to Him
The sound is sonorous
The percussion is melodious
He is unique and distinct
The lines are not composed by man
But divinely arranged
To bring succour to the hopeless
This Song is the eternal Rock
Mountains are thrashed by my Song
Boisterous storms are quietened by my Song
He enlivens my spirit
He is an everlasting Song
Who ever does not know this Song
Is bereft of the incandescent Light
Without the Song
Life is unsung
So, join me to sing my Song
My Song is Jesus Christ.
poem by Babatunde Aremu
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A Song..to Whom Does It Belong
a song
to whom does it belong
once it is born, , , and stays alive for so long
the poet has done his bit
he has put his heart and soul
to give the song a soul
the musician has done his bit
he has put his work and mind
to give the song a form
the singer has done his bit
he has put his voice to emote
to give the song a life
whose song is it now...to whom does it belong
the song has become a bird
it goes around the world
it is by itself..a persona
it goes on to live for long
[the indian film songs..at least a few go on to live for long
i tried to say how itis made and how it stays]
poem by Samanyan Lakshminarayanan
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Life And Song.
'If life were caught by a clarionet,
And a wild heart, throbbing in the reed,
Should thrill its joy and trill its fret,
And utter its heart in every deed,
'Then would this breathing clarionet
Type what the poet fain would be;
For none o' the singers ever yet
Has wholly lived his minstrelsy,
'Or clearly sung his true, true thought,
Or utterly bodied forth his life,
Or out of life and song has wrought
The perfect one of man and wife;
'Or lived and sung, that Life and Song
Might each express the other's all,
Careless if life or art were long
Since both were one, to stand or fall:
'So that the wonder struck the crowd,
Who shouted it about the land:
`His song was only living aloud,
His work, a singing with his hand!''
poem by Sidney Lanier
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A Song For The Journey
A SONG FOR THE JOURNEY
Sometimes you may sing in your heart
or have song running through your head
but there’s always singing’s in your soul
and it’s on this song’s journey you’ll be led.
Towards a distant point, as yet unclear
your singing soul will lead you on
to find that place of understanding
with all your preconceptions gone.
Yet we sometimes meet more questions
Hard, hash decisions we must make
So the Soul song leads you onwards
along the pathway you must take.
The road can be both rough and smooth
its horizon hidden from your view
But the power within the singing
gives you strength to see it through.
With every step upon the road
the soul song keeps its tune and beat
and from its verses courage comes
to face the challenges you meet.
For some the song is understood
they come to recognise the voice
and in the facets of their lives
they use the song to make their choice
Some feel of the sound of singing
but don’t care, or know, where from
The song it doesn’t differentiate
into each soul it still sings on.
If we can listen to the message
and the true meaning in the song
Our footfall becomes much gentler
down the paths we walk along.
It’s the soundtrack of the life we lead
of the choices in life we make
The pragmatic or compassionate
a search for beauty, greed, or hate
Somewhere wthin the soul song
are great sacrifice and pain
and a promise ever present
of eternal peace and life again.
In the silence and the stillness
between all the bustle and the strife
listen carefully and you’ll recognise
the first and last love song of your life.
poem by Bill Mitton
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Soulful Beats
Can I write a song with words that bring the beat to life with rhythm that feels alive deep into the core of your soul? The meaning hidden and buried for another intellect to feel the magic with the cords of there heart like my lover that smiles at me as the rain dances around her, above her, with her. She is my reason for this verse, this chorus, this repeat of a string of melodies that always see the light in her. She does not belong here in this place of confusion and misdirection of the minds.
She belongs in the arms of nature, smiling at the sky and watching all the beautiful universe pass her by. She is not a copy of perfection, yet she is not perfect, but seems to belong to an imperfect person. I cannot write a song without her eyes of knowledge that has read me through the years to make me a book of holiness to her. The music is between us and plays as we play. It is our love song, wedding song, anniversary song, birth song, happy ever after song and a funeral song. She hums the tune when she loves me and it our song that sings together that we are happy.
poem by Melvyn Mohan
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Your song
Stars fill the sky,
Night is so young.
I feel so happy and high,
So, sing me a song.
Bring your guitar,
and raise up your voice.
Take me to a place so far,
away from people and their noise.
Your song takes me up,
and guide me through the haze.
Your song never stopped,
to throw me in a maze,
A maze where i'm breathless but free
where i love you and you love me.
Sing me that song about your life,
and how it started when we met.
Sing me that song about our love,
that song i shall never forget.
Sing me your song and bring me to life,
for those moments only..i surfive.
Angels took your song and wrote it in the sky,
with the beautiful cluster stars.
All the world saw it and they knew,
we are in love and you belong to my arms.
Your song is the love anthem,
As you sing that, you will wait for me,
you love me,
you need me.
Your song puts rules for love.
Sing your song all our lives,
i'll never get enough...
Song For You
Ive been so many places in my life and time
Sung a lot of songs Ive made some bad rhyme
I got out my life in stages
With ten thousand people watching
But were alone now Im singing this song
Singing this song for you
I know your image of me is what I hope to be
Ive treated you unkindly but darling cant you see
Theres no one more important to me
Darling can you please see through me
Cause were alone now
And Im singing this song for you
You taught me precious secrets of the truth
Were only nothing
You came out in front when I was hiding
But now Im so much better
And if my words can come together
Listen to the melody
Cause my love is in there hiding
I love you in a place where theres no space or time
I love you for my life you are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and I was singing this song for you
Singing this song, singing this song for you
song performed by by Cher
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Poet’s Song
A poet’s song
Is one of singing.
A poet’s song
Is one of felling.
A poet’s song
Is one of thanksgiving
A poet’s song
Is one of understanding.
I am Qalme Tari Mistress of Death Nat. Norville.
Cretics Welcome.
poem by Athena Goddess of Wisdom Lumis Light to all
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My Song
I have no song
But still I sing
I let my voice
Fly on wing
For even though
My heart is bare
I have a song
Yet to spare
The song I sing
It has not one word
But far and wide
It's ever heard
My song is
Universal see
Song of wild
Always free
Sung by many
Sung by one
Sung beneath
A dying sun
Song of joy
Yet song of pain
Song of long nights
In the rain
Song of battles
Song of strife
Song of death
But also life
I'll sing untill
I have no breath
And then I'll sing
My song in death
poem by Anonymous Ghurl
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Music (The Song)
It plays to my heartstrings...
It is the music to my ears-
...It is the tender love song of my life-
And the refelections of my years...
All in a simple sweet melody-
...The rhythm and harmony flow-
Yes, dancing at my heartstrings-
...The memories, they come and they go...
It is the music of my lifetime-
...It is the gentle refrain, in my head-
'A play it to my soul song'
...Down the road of love-
...I am led...
It is a once, in a lifetime song-
...Forever growing, it is, in me-
It is, a broken heart tune-
...And a haunting melody...
It is the songs of our Nation-
...The Anthems and Hymns...
It is the: 'Glory to the World My Friend, ' song-
...That has become, way too dim...
It is the 'Light of My Life' ballad-
...In perfect melodic harmony-
It is the say it all: 'With Words and Music'
...It is the Best that Music Can Be...
poem by Theodora Onken
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Music, Dance And Song
Without song and dance and music how boring life would be
From the cares of life these three can set the heart free
The music inspires people to dance and song
And you with the sad face you can sing along,
Music, song and dance cross the cultural divide
These three loved by billions and performed World-wide
They soothe the savage breast and people unite
And open the soul windows to allow in light,
Song and dance and music they are part of life
On Valentine's day the man sings to his wife
And people have been dancing for thousands of years
And music can stir the feelings to laughter and tears
And though the Seasons have come and the Seasons have gone
Music, dance and song will forever live on.
poem by Francis Duggan
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A Song For You
(leon russell)
Ive been so many places
In my life and time
Ive sung a lot of songs
I made some bad rhymes
Ive acted out my life in stages
Ten thousand people watching
But were alone now
Im singing this song for you
I know your image of me
Is what I hope to be
I treated you unkindly
But darling cant you see?
Theres no-one more important to me
Oh, baby, cant you please see through me?
cause were alone now and
Im singing this song for you
You taught me precious secrets
Of the truth withholding nothing
You came out in front
I was hiding
Oh, but now Im so much better
If the words dont come together
Just listen to the melody
cause my love in there hiding
Ooh, ooh
Oh, I love you in a place
Where theres no space or time
Love you for my life
You are a friend of mine
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together
We were alone and
I was singing this song for you
We were alone
I was singing this song for you, oh
Singing
I was singing, singing, singing, singing, singing this song for you
Oh, yes
Singing this song for you
song performed by by Dusty Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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This Song, Same Song
Surprise
Reprise
Sunrise
Your eyes
Two eyes
Four eyes
Blue
Something
A thing
The thing
That thing
What thing
Our thing
Love
To do
Should do
How do
You do
Can do
Will do
Done
Forward
Toward
The ward
Awkward
Backward
Upward
Down
Sunlight
Moonlight
New light
Low light
Old light
No light
Sleep
No no
Yes no
I know
You know
Say no
Means no
Yes
Play card
In yard
Glass shard
Life marred
So hard
M'vis Bard
Band
This day
New day
Today
Good day
Someday
No day
Free
Our world
This world
Your world
His world
Her world
Whole world
Wide
This song
Same song
My song
Your song
A song
Our song
End
poem by David DeAngelo
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