To The Willow-tree
Thou art to all lost love the best,
The only true plant found,
Wherewith young men and maids distrest
And left of love, are crown'd.
When once the lover's rose is dead
Or laid aside forlorn,
Then willow-garlands, 'bout the head,
Bedew'd with tears, are worn.
When with neglect, the lover's bane,
Poor maids rewarded be,
For their love lost their only gain
Is but a wreath from thee.
And underneath thy cooling shade,
When weary of the light,
The love-spent youth, and love-sick maid,
Come to weep out the night.
poem by Robert Herrick
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
A lover's plight
My blood shall run down my lover's sword
My throat parched till i lost my vaguest word
In the river of my own tears, let me drown
But i have, with my mortal lip not forsworn
My days are slained, murdered in love's drearies
Night in daylight, O nights, my darkest miseries
Sorrow my comfort, and joy, my pain
For love's malady has infested my vein
Sick i now, with no cure in sight
For only love can heal a lover's plight
Fetch then the one i love the most
To give life to my love once lost
Then shall my tears and fears begone
For love has torn, and love has worn!
poem by Okonkwo Osamedua. Allen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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I Love Thee
I love thee—I love thee!
'Tis all that I can say;—
It is my vision in the night,
My dreaming in the day;
The very echo of my heart,
The blessing when I pray:
I love thee—I love thee!
Is all that I can say.
I love thee—I love thee!
Is ever on my tongue;
In all my proudest poesy
That chorus still is sung;
It is the verdict of my eyes,
Amidst the gay and young:
I love thee—I love thee!
A thousand maids among.
I love thee—I love thee!
Thy bright hazel glance,
The mellow lute upon those lips,
Whose tender tones entrance;
But most, dear heart of hearts, thy proofs
That still these words enhance,
I love thee—I love thee!
Whatever be thy chance.
poem by Thomas Hood
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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To His Mistress
Why dost thou shade thy lovely face? O why
Does that eclipsing hand of thine deny
The sunshine of the Sun's enlivening eye?
Without thy light what light remains in me?
Thou art my life; my way, my light's in thee;
I live, I move, and by thy beams I see.
Thou art my life-if thou but turn away
My life's a thousand deaths. Thou art my way-
Without.thee, Love, I travel not but stray.
My light thou art-without thy glorious sight
My eyes are darken'd with eternal night.
My Love, thou art my way, my life, my light.
Thou art my way; I wander if thou fly.
Thou art my light; if hid, how blind am I!
Thou art my life; if thou withdraw'st, I die.
My eyes are dark and blind, I cannot see:
To whom or whither should my darkness flee,
But to that light?-and who's that light but thee?
If I have lost my path, dear lover, say,
Shall I still wander in a doubtful way?
Love, shall a lamb of Israel's sheepfold stray?
My path is lost, my wandering steps do stray;
I cannot go, nor can I safely stay;
Whom should I seek but thee, my path, my way?
And yet thou turn'st thy face away and fly'st me!
And yet I sue for grace and thou deny'st me!
Speak, art thou angry, Love, or only try'st me?
Thou art the pilgrim's path, the blind man's eye,
The dead man's life. On thee my hopes rely:
If I but them remove, I surely die.
Dissolve thy sunbeams, close thy wings and stay!
See, see how I am blind, and dead, and stray!
-O thou art my life, my light, my way!
Then work thy will! If passion bid me flee,
My reason shall obey, my wings shall be
Stretch'd out no farther than from me to thee!
poem by Lord John Wilmot
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Arabah
My tears bath my pillow in the night like a river and,
My bed soaks all around me in the night like a lake;
But to whom shall i keep my peace with when,
I am lost in the ocean of the night?
Praise so be to you who understands my problem,
For how long can i swim to you on this river of love?
I am lost, naked lonely;
And i need your ture love to carry me on.
I am lost on this side of the river and,
How can i swim through this ocean of love?
Since, the woes of the night is all over me.
You can hear the noise of the river and,
You also see the pains to my movements;
But the sea of love to my heart is like this lake around me.
Come and carry me over this ocean,
Come and take me to the other side of love;
And like two lovers lost in the deep blue sea,
Why should my night be so long on your love?
This night needs an escape to your love zone,
So come oh my lover and take me across the sea;
And, why should this trap run over me without my lover?
For the cold of the night had also traped me than thought.
Come oh my lover and see me through,
For i am very lonely and naked;
And there comes the river of my tears again.
I have to overcome this lake and rushed into the ocean,
For your sweet love is enough to see me through the waves of the sea.
Why should this occur to me when, i am cold and lonely?
For a beggar knows his own lover and the blind knows his own way;
But i am alone and lost in my dreams.
Come oh my lover,
Come and see mee through;
Arabah is your name and, i will overcome this water by your sweet love.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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The Nobleman's Wedding
I once was a guest at a Nobleman's wedding;
Fair was the Bride, but she scarce had been kind,
And now in our mirth, she had tears nigh the shedding
Her former true lover still runs in her mind.
Attired like a minstrel, her former true lover
Takes up his harp, and runs over the strings;
And there among strangers, his grief to discover,
A fair maiden's falsehood he bitterly sings.
'Now here is the token of gold that was broken;
Seven long years it was kept for your sake;
You gave it to me as a true lover's token;
No longer I'll wear it, asleep or awake.'
She sat in her place by the head of the table,
The words of his ditty she mark'd them right well:
To sit any longer this bride was not able,
So down at the bridegroom's feet she fell.
'O one, one request, my lord, one and no other,
O this one request will you grant it to me?
To lie for this night in the arms of my mother,
And ever, and ever thereafter with thee.'
Her one, one request it was granted her fairly;
Pale were her cheeks as she went up to bed;
And the very next morning, early, early,
They rose and they found this young bride was dead.
The bridegroom ran quickly, he held her, he kiss'd her,
He spoke loud and low, and listen'd full fain;
He call'd on her waiting-maids round to assist her
But nothing could bring the lost breath back again.
O carry her softly! the grave is made ready;
At head and at foot plant a laurel-bush green;
For she was a young and a sweet noble lady,
The fairest young bride that I ever have seen.
poem by William Allingham
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Love's Lost Letter
As a traversed the earth, looking for gold
I realized my journey was tedious as time is old
Until I found something worth more than treasure
A beautiful soul lost in an enchanting letter.
Like a fool that I am I picked it up,
but to my better, to my pleasure I found something more valuable than ancient old treasure.
The Letter
Lost in heaven, I feel no love, without my dear- there is no bliss for me here. I see languid angels lament with love; the sweetest symphony of fingers playing on strings, strings of their lovers souls. But where art thou? My dear, without thou here, there is no love for me. Upon luxurious clouds, I see serene feet dance on loves free air, and scarlet red roses strewn in their lover's hair, and naked souls who with tender flesh kiss their lover's heart bare! But where art thou… if not here than nowhere! I see Mycenaean hyacinth flowers embroidered on jade green leaves crowned upon the brows of lover's hearts; laurels of love, a sight still not as beautiful as thee. Thee—Where art thou? I see children laughing on Persian green hills and infants sleeping on the delicate petals of giant yellow daffodils. I see pink hues flourish in the azure pastures of heaven, I see vivid dreams of those whom died, I have seen nothing without your grace, I am nothing here without you. This is not heaven, for thou art heaven to me! I see snowflakes toss to and fro in the whistling winds of musical beauty; snowflakes that resemble the eyes of Siberian Huskies—strange light blue snow with dark pupils, like marbles, put much more delicate. I see the maids of heaven with honey dipped blonde hair, drink the snow and twirl in fiery light. I see lovers hidden in a veiled mist indulge in love, where love does truly exist, but not I? I do not exist without you my dear. There is no love in the land of love for me here. Though I cannot weep, for this place is too beautiful for tears to seep. Still I wander in the land of love looking for you my dear. Tired, I close my eyes and see you there, with my soul on thy body and with my love thou wear the paradise of heaven, the land of love, the dreams of that I saw I swear.
Who needs gold?
When love is fortold.
Now I know what love is...
I close my eyes
Perch my lips
And my sweet love gives me a kiss…..
'Never leave me for a minute again! ' said his sweet love.
poem by Kevin Michael Murphy
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Love Lost Broken Hearts
Love Lost Broken Hearts
Within the time love is lost
Thrown asunder into the
Wind
Left
Many broken hearts to live
In loneliness
Broken down piece by piece
Weaken just to mourn a love
That was once beautiful
But Now
Just tossed into the wind
Like the petals from the rose
Destined to ride upon the
Wind
Now used and broken
Just
Tears fills the wind
Sobbing echo's into the night
From the broken hearts
Tossed away like broken
Glass
Ancient and old as the lost
Love is trapped
Within time
Within the mind
Love that is lost from time
Back than
Weaken from the fight trying
To hold their lover heart
But
Cannot be regained
Cannot be mended
Spoiled without even a
'Sigh'
From her lover's heart
Just echo's of hurt and tears
From
The painful ruins of love tied
So strong
Being tossed to the wind as
Unwanted paper
Lonely eyes
Lonely hearts
Lonely tears
Just rides and echo's in the
Wind
Crying out for their love
That cannot be found
So desperately in need
To find their place in
The heart of the wind
That holds all their tears
Their fears
Their Pain
That bleeds into the heart
Of the wind
From The Love That Is Lost
And The Broken hearts..
poem by Carolyn Sears
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The Faithless Shepherdess
WHILE that the sun with his beams hot
Scorched the fruits in vale and mountain,
Philon the shepherd, late forgot,
Sitting beside a crystal fountain
In shadow of a green oak tree,
Upon his pipe this song play'd he:
Adieu, Love, adieu, Love, untrue Love!
Untrue Love, untrue Love, adieu, Love!
Your mind is light, soon lost for new love.
So long as I was in your sight
I was your heart, your soul, your treasure;
And evermore you sobb'd and sigh'd
Burning in flames beyond all measure:
--Three days endured your love to me,
And it was lost in other three!
Adieu, Love, adieu, Love, untrue Love!
Untrue Love, untrue Love, adieu, Love!
Your mind is light, soon lost for new love.
Another shepherd you did see,
To whom your heart was soon enchained;
Full soon your love was leapt from me,
Full soon my place he had obtained.
Soon came a third your love to win,
And we were out and he was in.
Adieu, Love, adieu, Love, untrue Love!
Untrue Love, untrue Love, adieu, Love!
Your mind is light, soon lost for new love.
Sure you have made me passing glad
That you your mind so soon removed,
Before that I the leisure had
To choose you for my best beloved:
For all my love was pass'd and done
Two days before it was begun.
Adieu, Love, adieu, Love, untrue Love!
Untrue Love, untrue Love, adieu, Love!
Your mind is light, soon lost for new love.
CRABB'D Age and Youth
Cannot live together:
Youth is full of pleasance,
Age is full of care;
Youth like summer morn,
Age like winter weather;
Youth like summer brave,
Age like winter bare.
Youth is full of sport,
Age's breath is short;
Youth is nimble, Age is lame;
Youth is hot and bold,
Age is weak and cold;
Youth is wild, and Age is tame.
Age, I do abhor thee;
Youth, I do adore thee;
O, my Love, my Love is young!
Age, I do defy thee:
O, sweet shepherd, hie thee!
For methinks thou stay'st too long.
poem by William Byrd
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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A Muslim Lady
I am a Muslim lady to think about a course,
But love is all that i see in this man;
And now that i have found my true lover,
What can i do?
Think about it and put me straight,
For i am a woman and never been loved before;
But now that i have found my true lover,
What can i do?
My true lover is a Jewish so,
Think about it and put me right;
Oh religion! Oh religion! ! Why this division?
Put me straight to make a positive decision,
For this is the sweetest time of my life;
And this man is my true lover oh religion!
Live and let us live too on this love,
For true love has no barrier!
And i hope that, nobody can stop me now.
I am burning up in the desire of this love,
And i cannot sleep at all at night;
So come and help me if you can,
For this man is all that my heart knows.
Now that i've found my true lover,
What can i do? Because i am a Muslim woman;
But i will go to my lover for wisdom,
Oh! I will go for him whom my heart desires.
He is the one to share my honour of love with,
And of the other Muslims and Jewish all around us;
But i am ready to live and stay with this man forever,
Becuase his love had really touched my heart.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
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Song from Aella
O SING unto my roundelay,
O drop the briny tear with me;
Dance no more at holyday,
Like a running river be:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
Black his cryne as the winter night,
White his rode as the summer snow,
Red his face as the morning light,
Cole he lies in the grave below:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
Sweet his tongue as the throstle's note,
Quick in dance as thought can be,
Deft his tabor, cudgel stout;
O he lies by the willow-tree!
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
Hark! the raven flaps his wing
In the brier'd dell below;
Hark! the death-owl loud doth sing
To the nightmares, as they go:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
See! the white moon shines on high;
Whiter is my true-love's shroud:
Whiter than the morning sky,
Whiter than the evening cloud:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
Here upon my true-love's grave
Shall the barren flowers be laid;
Not one holy saint to save
All the coldness of a maid:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
With my hands I'll dent the briers
Round his holy corse to gre:
Ouph and fairy, light your fires,
Here my body still shall be:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
Come, with acorn-cup and thorn,
Drain my heartès blood away;
Life and all its good I scorn,
Dance by night, or feast by day:
My love is dead,
Gone to his death-bed
All under the willow-tree.
poem by Thomas Chatterton
Submitted by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Limitless Abyss
Like the fall night air, thou presence sends shivers
Down my spine to where I know not
To the abyss where all love delivers?
The abyss where all love is sought
Where lover's lost and all love is found
In its bottomless depths its vast expanse
Only to be found by thy love profound
As subtle as sweet as a lover's glance
Thine love, never ending, is a limitless abyss
A strange fate, struck by chills from the hand of chance
Like our love's first romantic kiss
Under the abysmal heavens where our souls did dance
To the music of all epochs; music of our own age
In the fall night air in its abyss our love's lovely stage…
poem by Kevin Michael Murphy
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Forsaken Love
Love once lost is ever lost,
to one who loves with all his heart,
when true love bears the final cost,
and love once found is torn apart.
Love is lost and never found,
to one who never knows it’s worth,
sorrowed tears a hollow sound,
in love there is no last re-birth,
Love is cold and without hope,
when all is lost and lovers part,
hearts when split can never cope,
without love, life must depart.
poem by Arik Fletcher
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Love is lost
a bottle on my own,
king of my throne,
broken hearts
and broken bones.
love is lost,
lost is my love.
liquor you leave me bitter,
lover you left me tougher.
tears of despair
your not there.
love is lost
lost am i
poem by Not Long Left
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Eclogue the Third Abra
SCENE, a forest TIME, the Evening
In Georgia's land, where Tefflis' towers are seen,
In distant view along the level green,
While evening dews enrich the glittering glade,
And the tall forests cast a longer shade,
Amidst the maids of Zagen's peaceful grove,
Emyra sung the pleasing cares of love.
Of Abra first began the tender strain,
Who led her youth with flocks upon the plain.
At morn she came those willing flocks to lead,
Where lilies rear them in the watery mead;
From early dawn the livelong hours she told,
Till late at silent ev'n she penned the fold.
Deep in the grove beneath the secret shade,
A various wreath of odorous flowers she made.
Gay-motleyed pinks and sweet jonquils she chose,
The violet-blue that on the moss-bank grows;
All-sweet to sense, the flaunting rose was there;
The finished chaplet well-adorned her hair.
Great Abbas chanced that fated morn to stray,
By love conducted from the chase away;
Among the vocal vales he heard her song,
And sought the vales and echoing groves among.
At length he found and wooed the rural maid:
She knew the monarch, and with fear obeyed.
Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved.
The royal lover bore her from the plain,
Yet still her crook and bleating flock remain:
Oft as she went, she backward turned her view,
And bade that crook and bleating flock adieu.
Fair happy maid! to other scenes remove,
To richer scenes of golden power and love!
Go leave the simple pipe and shepherd's strain,
With love delight thee, and with Abbas reign.
Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved.
Yet midst the blaze of courts she fixed her love
On the cool fountain or the shady grove;
Still with the shepherd's innocence her mind
To the sweet vale and flowery mead inclined,
And oft as spring renewed the plains with flowers,
Breathed his soft gales and led the fragrant hours,
With sure return she sought the sylvan scene,
The breezy mountains and the forests green.
Her maids around her moved, a duteous band!
Each bore a crook all-rural in her hand.
Some simple lay of flocks and herds they sung;
With joy the mountain and the forest rung.
Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved.
And oft the royal lover left the care
And thorns of state, attendant on the fair:
Oft to the shades and low-roofed cots retired,
Or sought the vale where first his heart was fired;
A russet mantle, like a swain, he wore,
And thought of crowns and busy courts no more.
Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved.
Blest was the life that royal Abbas led:
Sweet was his love and innocent his bed.
What if in wealth the noble maid excel;
The simple shepherd girl can love as well.
Let those who rule on Persia's jewelled throne,
Be famed for love and gentlest love alone:
Or wreathe, like Abbas, full of fair renown,
The lover's myrtle with the warrior's crown.
Oh happy days! the maids around her say,
Oh haste, profuse of blessings, haste away!
Be every youth like royal Abbas moved,
And every Georgian maid like Abra loved.
poem by William Taylor Collins
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Classifications Of An Attitude
There you can feel my heart,
There you can see my lover;
Do not weep, for my love is for you only.
There you can taste my love,
There you can see my muse;
Do not weep, because i love you.
Deep is your love towards my heart,
So do not weep my sweet one;
For your dream is now like the cleanliness of your compound.
With a sweep,
With a sleep,
With the things that lovers do at times;
And like the classifications of an attitude from a need.
Come to me my love and,
Let us get into my Jeep;
For you need a better clean up from ym house,
And like the words of love in the land of romance.
I am a lover and my gratitude is shown without words,
And like the freshwater ound to watch at times;
I love you and someday somewhere we will marry,
With love over the hills and over the planes.
The order of the day is for you to dry up your tears,
And like the moment of the truth and the moment of love;
For my love is what you need!
So dry up your tears.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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It's The Lover
(rich donahue/patrick dollaghan)
He broke your heart and said goodbye
After promising forever
You wonder why you even tried
He was such a good pretender
The love you gave was all in vain
And nothing anyone can say
Could ever make you love that way again
It's the lover not the love
Who broke your heart last night
It's the lover not the dream
That didn't work out right
If you listen to your heart
You'll know it's true
It's the lover not the love
Who deserted you
Don't stop reachin' for the stars
Let tomorrow live inside you
And just remember who you are
Keep the faith and love will find you
A heart in love can lose it's true
Don't give up in time to find
The one who's right will come to you
It's the lover not the love
Who broke your heart last night
It's the lover not the dream
That didn't work out right
If you listen to your heart
You'll know it's true
It's the lover not the love
Who deserted you
It does no good to second guess
Whether love is wrong or right
If it was really meant to be
He'd be with you tonight
It's the lover not the love
Who broke your heart last night
It's the lover not the dream
That didn't turn out right
If you listen to your heart
You'll know it's true
It's the lover not the love
Who deserted you
song performed by by Tiffany
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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After The Love Has Gone
David foster, jay graydon & bill champlin
For awhile to love was all we could do
We were young and we knew
And our eyes were alive
Deep inside we knew our love was true
For awhile we paid no mind to the past
We knew love would last
Evry night somethin right
Would invite us to begin the dance
Somethin happened along the way
What used to be happy was sad
Somethin happened along the way
And yesterday was all we had
And oh after the love has gone
How could you lead me on
And not let me stay around
Oh oh oh afterthe love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
For awhile to love each other with all
We would ever need
Love was strong for so long
Never knew that what was
Wrong oh baby wasnt right
We tried to find what we had
Till sadness was all we shared
We were scared this affair would lead our love into
Somethin happened along the way
Yesterday was all we had
Somethin happened along the way
What used to be happy is sad
Somethin happened along the way
Oh yesterday was all we had
And oh after the love has gone
How could you lead me on
And not let me stay around
Oh oh oh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Oh oh oh oh oh oh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Oh woh woh
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Woh woh woh after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love thats lost be found
Woh woh woh
song performed by by Earth Wind And Fire
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lost in Love.....
Lost in love
with the innocense of your eyes when i first saw you,
Lost in love
with your humble voice that made me crave for it even more,
Lost in love
when being friends we came to know the incompleteness in our lives,
Lost in love
with the nervousness i felt when i first expressed my love and emotions,
Lost in love
with the smell of your hairs that mesmerized me,
Lost in love
with the gulabi lips that took me to a dream world,
Lost in love
with the kissable hands that i always want to hold till eternal love,
Lost in love
with the sensuous touch of yours which made me feel heavenly,
Lost in love
with your heartbeat that made me feel very close to your heart,
Lost in love
with the ticklish tummy of yours that lightened my senses,
Lost in love
with the hug of yours which made me feel complete,
Lost in love
with the kiss of yours that lessened the gap between our souls,
Lost in love
with the pain you took to keep our relation,
Lost in love
when we were departed and alone,
Lost in love
with the undying feeling of yours that kept me awake all night,
Lost in love
when we have found our WAY BACK INTO LOVE.
poem by Villager Gulabo
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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After The Love Has Gone
For awhile to love was all we could do
we were young and we knew
and our eyes were alive
Deep inside we knew our love was true
For awhile we paid no mind to the past
we knew love would last
Ev'ry night somethin' right
would invite us to begin the dance
Somethin' happened along the way
what used to be happy was sad
Somethin' happened along the way
and yesterday was all we had
And oh after the love has gone
how could you lead me on
and not let me stay around
Oh oh oh afterthe love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
For awhile to love each other with all
we would ever need
Love was strong for so long
never knew that what was
wrong oh baby wasn't right
We tried to find what we had
till sadness was all we shared
We were scared this affair would lead our love into
Somethin' happened along the way
yesterday was all we had
Somethin' happened along the way
what used to be happy is sad
Somethin' happened along the way
oh yesterday was all we had
And oh after the love has gone
how could you lead me on
and not let me stay around
Oh oh oh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Oh oh oh oh oh oh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Oh woh woh
Oh woh woh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Woh woh woh after the love has gone
what used to be right is wrong
Can love that's lost be found
Woh woh woh
song performed by by Earth Wind & Fire
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Fatima And Raduan
FROM THE SPANISH.
Diamante falso y fingido,
Engastado en pedernal, &c.
'False diamond set in flint! the caverns of the mine
Are warmer than the breast that holds that faithless heart of thine;
Thou art fickle as the sea, thou art wandering as the wind,
And the restless ever-mounting flame is not more hard to bind.
If the tears I shed were tongues, yet all too few would be
To tell of all the treachery that thou hast shown to me.
Oh! I could chide thee sharply--but every maiden knows
That she who chides her lover, forgives him ere he goes.
'Thou hast called me oft the flower of all Grenada's maids,
Thou hast said that by the side of me the first and fairest fades;
And they thought thy heart was mine, and it seemed to every one
That what thou didst to win my love, from love of me was done.
Alas! if they but knew thee, as mine it is to know,
They well might see another mark to which thine arrows go;
But thou giv'st me little heed--for I speak to one who knows
That she who chides her lover, forgives him ere he goes.
'It wearies me, mine enemy, that I must weep and bear
What fills thy heart with triumph, and fills my own with care.
Thou art leagued with those that hate me, and ah! thou know'st I feel
That cruel words as surely kill as sharpest blades of steel.
'Twas the doubt that thou wert false that wrung my heart with pain;
But, now I know thy perfidy, I shall be well again.
I would proclaim thee as thou art--but every maiden knows
That she who chides her lover, forgives him ere he goes.'
Thus Fatima complained to the valiant Raduan,
Where underneath the myrtles Alhambra's fountains ran:
The Moor was inly moved, and blameless as he was,
He took her white hand in his own, and pleaded thus his cause.
'Oh, lady, dry those star-like eyes--their dimness does me wrong;
If my heart be made of flint, at least 'twill keep thy image long;
Thou hast uttered cruel words--but I grieve the less for those,
Since she who chides her lover, forgives him ere he goes.'
poem by William Cullen Bryant
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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