The Shivering Beggar
NEAR Clapham village, where fields began,
Saint Edward met a beggar man.
It was Christmas morning, the church bells tolled,
The old man trembled for the fierce cold.
Saint Edward cried, “It is monstrous sin
A beggar to lie in rags so thin!
An old gray-beard and the frost so keen:
I shall give him my fur-lined gaberdine.”
He stripped off his gaberdine of scarlet
And wrapped it round the aged varlet,
Who clutched at the folds with a muttered curse,
Quaking and chattering seven times worse.
Said Edward, “Sir, it would seem you freeze
Most bitter at your extremities.
Here are gloves and shoes and stockings also,
That warm upon your way you may go.”
The man took stocking and shoe and glove,
Blaspheming Christ our Saviour’s love,
Yet seemed to find but little relief,
Shaking and shivering like a leaf.
Said the saint again, “I have no great riches,
Yet take this tunic, take these breeches,
My shirt and my vest, take everything,
And give due thanks to Jesus the King.”
The saint stood naked upon the snow
Long miles from where he was lodged at Bowe,
Praying, “O God! my faith, it grows faint!
This would try the temper of any saint.
“Make clean my heart, Almighty, I pray,
And drive these sinful thoughts away.
Make clean my heart if it be Thy will,
This damned old rascal’s shivering still!”
He stooped, he touched the beggar man’s shoulder;
He asked him did the frost nip colder?
“Frost!” said the beggar, “no, stupid lad!
’Tis the palsy makes me shiver so bad.”
poem by Robert Graves
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Related quotes
Hand Me Downs
Ive taken so many down
Ive helped them all to dismount
Ive followed so many down
I take their hand me downs
All with hope
All with hope
That emptiness brings fullness
And loss of love brings wholeness
All with hope
All with hope
That emptiness brings fullness
And loss of love brings wholeness
To us all
Everything that I believe
Crawls from underneath the streets
Everything I truly love
Comes from somewhere far above
Everything that I believe
Is wrong with you is wrong with me
Everything I truly love
I love in you and I love in me
So give me hope
Give me hope
That emptiness brings fullness
And loss of love brings wholeness
To us all
You swear you cant swim the river
(Ive become the beggar now)
(youve become the saint somehow)
But I saw you running to jump in
(Ive become the beggar now)
(youve become the saint somehow)
I swore Id never be your sinner
(Ive become the beggar now)
(youve become the saint somehow)
Til I held your sin
Hand me downs
Now you ask me why Im here
The same as you
Im scared - its fear
Ive become the beggar now
And youve become the saint somehow
Twist the words and place the blame
And tell me now arent we the same
Tripping in our yellow feet
Checking underneath our sheets
For some hope
Give me hope
That emptiness brings fullness
And loss of love brings wholeness
Give me hope
Give me hope
That emptiness brings fullness
And loss of love brings wholeness
To us all
song performed by by Indigo Girls
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Beggar To Beggar Cried
'TIME to put off the world and go somewhere
And find my health again in the sea air,'
Beggar to beggar cried, being frenzy-struck,
'And make my soul before my pate is bare.-
'And get a comfortable wife and house
To rid me of the devil in my shoes,'
Beggar to beggar cried, being frenzy-struck,
'And the worse devil that is between my thighs.'
And though I'd marry with a comely lass,
She need not be too comely -- let it pass,'
Beggar to beggar cried, being frenzy-struck,
'But there's a devil in a looking-glass.'
'Nor should she be too rich, because the rich
Are driven by wealth as beggars by the itch,'
Beggar to beggar cried, being frenzy-struck,
'And cannot have a humorous happy speech.'
'And there I'll grow respected at my ease,
And hear amid the garden's nightly peace.'
Beggar to beggar cried, being frenzy-struck,
'The wind-blown clamour of the barnacle-geese.'
poem by William Butler Yeats
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Little Saint Nick
Oooooooo
Merry christmas saint nick
Christmas comes this time each year
Oooooooo oooooooo
Well, way up north where the air gets cold
Theres a tale about christmas that youve all been told
And a real famous cat all dressed up in red
And he spends the whole year workin out on his sled
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Just a little bobsled we call it old saint nick
But shell walk a toboggan with a four speed stick
Shes candy-apple red with a ski for a wheel
And when santa hits the gas, man, just watch her peel
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Run run reindeer
Run run reindeer
Whoaa
Run run reindeer
Run run reindeer
He dont miss no one
And haulin through the snow at a frightenin speed
With a half a dozen deer with rudy to lead
Hes gotta wear his goggles cause the snow really flies
And hes cruisin every pad with a little surprise
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Its the little saint nick
Ooooo, little saint nick
Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry christmas saint nick
Christmas comes this time each year
Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry christmas saint nick
Christmas comes this time each year
Ahhhhhh
Oooooooo
Merry christmas saint nick
Christmas comes this time each year
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A saint is a person who gives of themself without asking for anything in return. That's how simple it is to be a saint. Try it! Try being a saint.
quote by Edward James Olmos
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A saint is a person who gives himself without asking for anything in return. That's how simple it is to be a saint. Try it! Try being a saint.
quote by Edward James Olmos
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Bible in Poetry: Gospel of St. John (Chapter 9)
Jesus saw a man, blind since birth;
His disciples asked Him, ‘Rabbi,
By whose sins was the man born blind-
His own sins or that of parents’? ’
So, Jesus answered them, ‘Neither.
It is so that the works of God
Be manifested through the man.
The day is meant for all to work;
The night is for slumber and rest.’
‘While in this world, I am the light.’
Then Jesus spat on ground near-by
And mixed the clay with saliva;
He smeared the clay over man’s eyes
And said, ’ Go wash in Siloam Pool! ’
The man did so and got vision.
The beggar was able to see!
The neighbors saw and then remarked,
‘Isn’t this the beggar who was blind? ’
The beggar replied, ‘Yes, I am! ’
They asked, ‘How were your eyes opened? ’
The man described the whole story.
They asked him, ‘Where is Jesus now?
The beggar said, ‘I do not know.’
They brought the man to Pharisees;
Now Jesus did the miracle,
On Sabbath day and all knew that.
The Pharisees queried the man;
They said, ‘This man is not from God!
He does not keep the Sabbath-day.
How can a sinful man do signs?
They asked the beggar’s opinion;
He told them, ‘He is a prophet! ’
The Jews summoned his parents then
And enquired about their son;
His parents said, ‘He was born blind.’
But they didn’t know how he saw then.
They neither knew the healer’s name;
They told them to ask the beggar.
His parents were afraid of Jews;
If anyone believed Jesus,
And acknowledged Him, Messiah,
They were expelled from synagogue.
They called the beggar once again,
And asked him to give praise to God,
For, Jesus was a sinner great!
The man replied, ‘I do not know
If Jesus is a sinner great;
One thing was true that I was blind
And Jesus helped to make me see, ’
They asked him for more details then;
The beggar lost his cool and said,
‘Do you wish to be disciples? ’
They ridiculed the beggar-man
And said, ‘We are Moses’ disciples!
We don’t know where Jesus is from? ’
The man answered them quite bravely,
‘Isn’t it amazing that although,
You do not know who Jesus is,
Yet, He had made me to see then? ’
‘God does not listen to sinners;
If one’s devout, God listens then.
So far no one had given sight
To man who was blind, since his birth.’
‘If Jesus did not come from God,
He wouldn’t do miracles like this.’
They told the man, ‘You’re born in sin;
So, do not try to preach to us.
They drove the beggar-man away!
Then Jesus heard of incident;
He found the beggar-man and asked,
‘Do you believe in Son of Man? ’
He queried, ‘Who is he, tell me
So that, I may believe in Him.’
Then Jesus said, ‘You have seen Him;
The one speaking to you is He! ’
The man believed and worshipped Him.
Then Jesus said, ‘I came in here,
Into this world for judgment just,
And make ones who couldn’t see, to see,
And those who see become so blind.’
Some Pharisees who heard him said,
‘Surely we’re blind, are we not then? ’
Jesus told them, ‘If you were blind,
You wouldn’t have sins, but as you see,
Your sin remains and you are blind! ’
Copyright by Dr John Celes 5-23-2007
poem by John Celes
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Happy Poems
Two Sadorma poems
Path unknown
Yet walked before
My footsteps.
Trees know me
Turn winter into April
Just to gladden me.
Saw a saint
Walking down the street
Brutal rain
Cold as frost
But the saint, comfy and dry
Under his halo.
poem by Oskar Hansen
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Magdalena
Writers: danny okeefe
Magdalena sits in her chair
Speaking on the mass
She talks in splice and splinters
She laughs not breaking glass
She said that she would have me
Spirit her away
Stealing all my images
Till theres nothin left to say
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
Your love is like a razor
My heart is just a scar
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
She tells me that she wants me
Then she tells me not to bother
She tells me that I couldnt hold
A candle to her father
She knows that shes got me
When I start to rave about
Shell justsmile and flash her eyes
And blow the candle out
Oh, magdalena
Oh, ho, ho, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
Magdalena lying there
Could make a dancer stumble
Make a preacher bite his tongue
And leave him with a mumble
And if you think Im crazy babe
Or that Im kiddin you
Just pay your dues and lose your blues
When she gets her tongue in you
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
Your love is like a razor
My heart is just a scar
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
Well, I cant be forgotten
And I cant be ignored
You find me with my poems
And my songs
But if upon your journey youre turning to l.a.
Wont you take this little red-haired girl aong?
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
Your love is like a razor
My heart is just a scar
Oh, magdalena
Nothing like the saint you are
song performed by by Leo Sayer
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Masonic
The prominent names connected with Masonary are Kings
Solomon and Hiram and Saint John, the parent Lodge
is King Hiram in Ingersoll, and Saint John is the off-spring.
Both masters in 1884 are legal gentlemen.
Craft of King Hiram and Saint John
They figurative work on stone,
King Hiram he is the old sire
And he was famous King of Tyre.
But great as King upon a throne
Is the good, kind, true Saint John ;
Cathedrals did craftsmen raise,
Fills all our mind now with amase.
No modern chisel hath the power
To trace such leaf, and bud, and flower ;
But though our structures now are rude
Let us all make the mortar good.
And this injunction never spare
To have the work both plum and square,
And it must have no crack or flaw
So masters will lay down the law.
Of all our work this is the chief,
To give the needy ones relief ;
And with truth and brotherly love
We sublime structure raise above.
The greatest honor has been won
By that great builder, Solomon,
And craftsmen o'er the world do sing
The praises of that mighty King.
poem by James McIntyre
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Prayer to St. Francis
'The eyes of the saint make all beauty holy and the hands of the saint consecrate everything they touch.' Thomas Merton
Look at me, O Saint,
sagging skin,
thinning hair, face
lined with roads
too far traveled.
Can you see
in me God's
beauty?
Then touch me!
O take into
your holy palms
my living heart.
Fill me with desire!
Make of me
a holy psalm,
consecrated host,
eternal fire.
poem by Steven Federle
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The Spaewife
OH, I wad like to ken—to the beggar-wife says I—
Why chops are guid to brander and nane sae guid to fry.
An’ siller, that ’s sae braw to keep, is brawer still to gi’e.
It ’s gey an’ easy spierin’, says the beggar-wife to me.
Oh, I wad like to ken—to the beggar-wife says I—
Hoo a’things come to be whaur we find them when we try,
The lasses in their claes an’ the fishes in the sea.
It ’s gey an’ easy spierin’, says the beggar-wife to me.
Oh, I wad like to ken—to the beggar-wife says I—
Why lads are a’ to sell an’lasses a’ to buy;
An’ naebody for dacency but barely twa or three.
It ’s gey an’ easy spierin’, says the beggar-wife to me.
Oh, I wad like to ken—to the beggar-wife says I—
Gin death’s as shure to men as killin’ is to kye,
Why God has filled the yearth sae fu’ o’ tasty things to pree.
It ’s gey an’ easy spierin’, says the beggar-wife to me.
Oh, I wad like to ken—to the beggar-wife says I—
The reason o’ the cause an’ the wherefore o’ the why,
Wi’ mony anither riddle brings the tear into my e’e.
It ’s gey an’ easy spierin’, says the beggar-wife to me.
poem by Robert Louis Stevenson
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the modern martyr in the kingdom of God
i've just seen the picture of a man
devout catholic
gunned down in broad day,
falling to the ground,
and declared another martyr for
mother church,
sooner he becomes a saint
because he died
to the hands of the fanatics
the unbelievers,
sometimes i ask myself if this is the only way to become
a martyr, the only way to be a saint,
(does it really matter if one becomes a saint?)
i guess, there is another happy child of God
who has worked for the church
who cooked faith, who served beliefs,
who traveled far just to show how good God is,
the happy child does not have to die
for God wants him to be with his side,
smiling and alive,
He too is a saint. He sowed happiness.
He did not plant guilt. He did not grown scruples.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Good King Wenceslas (Tell Me What You See)
=====================
Good King Wenceslas
=====================
Good King Wenceslas looked out
on the feast of Stephen,
when the snow lay round about,
deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
though the frost was cruel,
when a poor man came in sight,
gathering winter fuel.
Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou know it telling:
yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
underneath the mountain,
right against the forest fence
by Saint Agnes fountain.
Bring me flesh, and bring me wine.
Bring me pine logs hither.
Thou and I will see him dine
when we bear the thither.
Page and monarch, forth they went,
forth they went together
through the rude wind's wild lament
and the bitter weather.
Sire, the night is darker now,
and the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Ark my footsteps my good page,
tread thou in them boldly:
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
freeze thy blood less coldly.
In his master's step he trod,
where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, be sure,
wealth or rank possessing,
ye who now will bless the poor
shall yourselves find blessing.
song performed by by Beatles
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You cannot make a sinner into a saint by killing him. He who does not live as a saint here will never live as a saint hereafter.
quote by Charles Spurgeon
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Saint
Im taking my time
Ill fix it, dont worry now
Im needing you there
Make sure that youre coming too
All of my life
Is all Ill give you here
The meaning of me
Is something to pursue
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
Grown ups dont know
How to dream anymore
Their heads in the sand
And they choose to ignore it all
All of my life
Is all Ill give you here
The meaning of me
Is something to pursue
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
A man inside the boy
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
song performed by by Texas
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Saint
Im taking my time
Ill fix it, dont worry now
Im needing you there
Make sure that youre coming too
All of my life
Is all Ill give you here
The meaning of me
Is something to pursue
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
Grown ups dont know
How to dream anymore
Their heads in the sand
And they choose to ignore it all
All of my life
Is all Ill give you here
The meaning of me
Is something to pursue
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
Stretched out like a saint now
I love you to death
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
Catch another dream now
We can find them somehow
I know that theres a boy inside the man
Catch another dream now
Take all we are allowed
For I know that theres a man inside the boy
A man inside the boy
You think Im a saint
Its in your pretty head
song performed by by Texas
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Scandalous Life
Im the king of the city of broken hearts
Ill let you in, but nobodys gotten out alive yet
No saint, no sinner, no sinner, no saint
But theyve all come looking for some satisfaction
Pain and pleasure, pleasure and pain
No I cant give you what you want
But I can give you what you need baby
Ill be your lover but Im not your friend
Cause when your heart it breaks
Wont be round long enough to pick it up
Yeah baby
Ive lived a scandalous life
Dont try to change it and dont mistake it
Ive lived a scandalous life
And in the end Ill be the one to take your heart and break it
Sure enough, youve got men with more money and grace
Ill make love til the sweats running down my face
Pain and pleasure, pleasure and pain
Yeah youve got it if your looking for some action
Ill take you to heaven
Heaven and hell
Though I dont give you what you want
I can give you what you need baby
Though you just might regret somebody like me
But when your legs are shaking
Youll know I know just how to serve it up
Yeah baby
song performed by by Rick Springfield
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sinner Or Saint
Stand bold, for the ride,
Right now, you know that is the place to be
To watch humankind, stumble into another century
Take no prisoners,
Their sure at giving you the run-around
Violance, on your mind,
Cus your attention is the battleground
What are you?
A sinner or saint
You gotta be
A sinner or saint
Ice cool walawyers,
Straight up and guerentee your gonna get
All that you deserve,
Sit down, blockin your way, seen nothin yet
(chorus)
What are you?
That is your fate
You gotta be
A sinner or saint
Some poeple love too fast
Some people live too long
And so Ive got to ask
Do you know right from wrong?
Disa-ssembler, will you ever, really be a saint...
Still on for the ride,
Who cares if you loose or win
They can bleed you dry,
When youre, a pumping the adrenelin
(chorus)
What are you?
Its never too late
You gotta be
A sinner or saint..
song performed by by Duran Duran
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Jack Frost & The Hooded Crow
Through long december nights we talk in words of rain or snow
While you, through chattering teeth, reply and curse us as you go.
Why not spare a thought this day for those who have no flame
To warm their bones at christmas time?
Say jack frost and the hooded crow.
Now as the last broad oak leaf falls, we beg: consider this ---
Theres some who have no coin to save for turkey, wine or gifts.
No childrens laughter round the fire, no family left to know.
So lend a warm and a helping hand ---
Say jack frost and the hooded crow.
As holly pricks and ivy clings,
Your fate is none too clear.
The lord may find you wanting, let your good fortune disappear.
All homely comforts blown away and all thats left to show
Is to share your joy at christmas time
With jack frost and the hooded crow.
song performed by by Jethro Tull
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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His Prayer To Ben Jonson
When I a verse shall make,
Know I have pray'd thee,
For old religion's sake,
Saint Ben to aid me.
Make the way smooth for me,
When I, thy Herrick,
Honouring thee, on my knee
Offer my lyric.
Candles I'll give to thee,
And a new altar,
And thou, Saint Ben, shalt be
Writ in my psalter.
poem by Robert Herrick
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