An Explanation of America: A Love of Death
Imagine a child from Virginia or New Hampshire
Alone on the prairie eighty years ago
Or more, one afternoon—the shaggy pelt
Of grasses, for the first time in that child’s life,
Flowing for miles. Imagine the moving shadow
Of a cloud far off across that shadeless ocean,
The obliterating strangeness like a tide
That pulls or empties the bubble of the child’s
Imaginary heart. No hills, no trees.
The child’s heart lightens, tending like a bubble
Towards the currents of the grass and sky,
The pure potential of the clear blank spaces.
Or, imagine the child in a draw that holds a garden
Cupped from the limitless motion of the prairie,
Head resting against a pumpkin, in evening sun.
Ground-cherry bushes grow along the furrows,
The fruit red under its papery, moth-shaped sheath.
Grasshoppers tumble among the vines, as large
As dragons in the crumbs of pale dry earth.
The ground is warm to the child’s cheek, and the wind
Is a humming sound in the grass above the draw,
Rippling the shadows of the red-green blades.
The bubble of the child’s heart melts a little,
Because the quiet of that air and earth
Is like the shadow of a peaceful death—
Limitless and potential; a kind of space
Where one dissolves to become a part of something
Entire ... whether of sun and air, or goodness
And knowledge, it does not matter to the child.
Dissolved among the particles of the garden
Or into the motion of the grass and air,
Imagine the child happy to be a thing.
Imagine, then, that on that same wide prairie
Some people are threshing in the terrible heat
With horses and machines, cutting bands
And shoveling amid the clatter of the threshers,
The chaff in prickly clouds and the naked sun
Burning as if it could set the chaff on fire.
Imagine that the people are Swedes or Germans,
Some of them resting pressed against the strawstacks,
Trying to get the meager shade.
A man,
A tramp, comes laboring across the stubble
Like a mirage against that blank horizon,
Laboring in his torn shoes toward the tall
Mirage-like images of the tilted threshers
Clattering in the heat. Because the Swedes
Or Germans have no beer, or else because
They cannot speak his language properly,
Or for some reason one cannot imagine,
The man climbs up on a thresher and cuts bands
A minute or two, then waves to one of the people,
A young girl or a child, and jumps head-first
Into the sucking mouth of the machine,
Where he is wedged and beat and cut to pieces—
While the people shout and run in the clouds of chaff,
Like lost mirages on the pelt of prairie.
The obliterating strangeness and the spaces
Are as hard to imagine as the love of death ...
Which is the love of an entire strangeness,
The contagious blankness of a quiet plain.
Imagine that a man, who had seen a prairie,
Should write a poem about a Dark or Shadow
That seemed to be both his, and the prairie’s—as if
The shadow proved that he was not a man,
But something that lived in quiet, like the grass.
Imagine that the man who writes that poem,
Stunned by the loneliness of that wide pelt,
Should prove to himself that he was like a shadow
Or like an animal living in the dark.
In the dark proof he finds in his poem, the man
Might come to think of himself as the very prairie,
The sod itself, not lonely, and immune to death.
None of this happens precisely as I try
To imagine that it does, in the empty plains,
And yet it happens in the imagination
Of part of the country: not in any place
More than another, on the map, but rather
Like a place, where you and I have never been
And need to try to imagine—place like a prairie
Where immigrants, in the obliterating strangeness,
Thirst for the wide contagion of the shadow
Or prairie—where you and I, with our other ways,
More like the cities or the hills or trees,
Less like the clear blank spaces with their potential,
Are like strangers in a place we must imagine.
poem by Robert Pinsky

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Imagine the World
Imagine the world ……………………….
Imagine the world without wars…
Imagine the world without your laws
Imagine your life without fear
Imagine your eyes without a tear
Imagine all men were real men
Imagine…imagine…imagine…
Imagine life without hate
Imagine you knew your own fate
Imagine all children were happy
Imagine all nations were free
What would life be like?
Imagine no-one were blind
Imagine all the woes behind
Imagine…….imagine……..imagine….
Imagi ne earth were flat
Imagine man without a heart
Imagine the day without light
Imagine the dark without the night
Imagine……….imagine……imagine……
Imagine faces without a smile
Imagine birds without a nightingale
Imagine …imagine…imagine
What would life be like?
poem by Bouche Cousue

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine (Love Poem)
Imagine the world ….
….if you had never said “Hello”
Imagine the space….
….where you were meant to be
Imagine waking up….
….in a forever empty bed
Imagine the absent closeness….
….and perfect pleasures lost
Imagine a time….
….before your tender touch
Imagine the future….
….if fragile friendships end
Imagine the energy….
….we must spend to stop this
Imagine the heat….
….that our love will generate
Imagine the reward….
….of this lifetime together.
poem by Ian Beckett

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Imagine information in the palm of your hand.
Imagine the knowledge of a library at your command.
Imagine all books written just a touch away.
Imagine all media at your finger tip each day.
Imagine a device that causes a mental revolution.
Imagine how it calculates with instant execution.
Imagine a discovery rivaling all human means.
Imagine its place in the mapping of genes.
Imagine where this miracle will take mankind.
Imagine unimaginables there still are to find.
Imagine love ruling the world some day.
Imagine how mankind could then find its lost way.
poem by Gregory Huyette

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine Angels
imagine angels.
imagine a bolt of lightning
out of the blue so blue
striking a tree
a few feet away
imagine a thunderstorm
remaining overhead all night
imagine a summer dawn arising
as if for the first time on the earth
imagine cats and dogs whimpering
as the ground trembles
with the approaching earthquake
imagine the equation for space-time
there in the mind as you wake
imagine the death of children
imagine the birth of children
imagine the first love
of your lover
imagine a joy beyond detachment
imagine a detachment beyond joy
imagine angels
poem by Michael Shepherd

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Maybe you are already too old
Maybe you are not a child anymore
But let's imagine
Maybe you say this is a harsh world
Maybe you say I'm a naive person
But could you imagine?
Maybe it is ridiculous
Maybe it will never come true
But it's good to imagine
Maybe reality will never be like a dream
Maybe it just a temporary escape machine
But I want still able to imagine
Maybe about a fantasy land full of adventure
Maybe just a comfort and peaceful life
But take a breath and bravely imagine
poem by Maria Sudibyo

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Love is imagination
Love is imagination
We first imagine someone
That will be with us
Here and forever
We imagine someone
That always on our side
In sad and happy moment
We imagine someone
That gives us power
Through all difficult time
We imagine someone
That gives us dream
To fly to the wide sky
We imagine someone
That sleeps with us in the night
And still there when we open our eyes in the morning
We imagine someone
That gives us children of love
And spends his old days with us
We imagine someone
That makes us laugh
Until happiness hurts
We imagine someone
That makes us cry
Until tear becomes relief
We imagine someone
That really cares and loves us
When our imagination fits with our heart
Love continues…
poem by Maria Sudibyo

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine me
Imagine the Rivers
without the Sea
Imagine the Stars
without Galaxy
imagine the Cars
without it's Wheels
Imagine God Mars
without his Steels
Imagine Achilles
without his Heel
Imagine Aviles
and what he Feel
Imagine the Curses
without the Seal
Imagine my Dream
If it's Impossible
Imagine Yourself
If you're Impossible
Imagine me now
So much Unstable..
poem by Ellirie Aviles

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine Heaven
I imagine Heaven
as a wonderful, happy place.
Where joy and contentment,
brings a smile to every face.
I imagine no temptation.
A place where there's no sin.
I imagine eating Twinkies
all day long and staying thin.
I imagine Heaven
being without guns or wars.
A place with no such things
as locks upon our doors.
When I imagine Heaven
I imagine lots of fun.
I imagine every golf shot
will be a hole in one.
I imagine Heaven as a place
where dreams come true.
Heaven is, in my mind,
Eternity with you.
poem by Ron Tranmer

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine That
Imagine That
Close your eyes...
Now relax your mind...
Now I want you to picture yourself
Far, far away
(You know your thoughts inside, girl we're 'bout to take a ride)
I don't want you to have a care in the world right now
(Let it go, let it go, let it go, aw yeah)
It's just you... and me
In this moment
Quiet... listen...
Baby take your mind into a zone
Imagine that we're all alone
2-way's off and our friends are gone
Now picture you and me gettin' it on
Take my hand and come with me
Let's indulge in fantasies
Cast your cares and worries
And slowly fall into this ecstasy
I'm gonna rub your body so baby just relax
You've been pourin' out your lovin' and now it's time to pour it back
Imagine that
Imagine that, imagine that, imagine that, imagine (all night long)
Imagine that
Me strokin' your body, imagine that
Imagine that, imagine that, imagine that, imagine (ohh-ho)
Imagine that
Whipped cream and strawberries, know what I mean?
Imagine that, imagine that, imagine that, imagine (ohh-ohh)
Imagine that
Candles and oils surrounding the bed
Imagine that, imagine that, imagine that, imagine (ohh-ho)
Imagine that
And me kissin' your body from feet to head
Imagine that
We don't have to talk
Ohh lay your body here, and watch my fingers walk
Take a second... and imagine the opportunity
You and me sharin' sexual energy
Now girl just meditate on you bein' in this chair
Now close your eyes and act like we're not even here
Girl I'm gonna rub your body so baby just relax
You've been pourin' out your lovin' and now it's time to pour it back
Imagine...
Ima
song performed by by R. Kelly

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine That
(derek george/john tirro/bryan white)
(track 14 - time 3:31)
What is the world comin to
When lovers cant believe
They got a love comin true
Then they up and leave
They say they will when they wont
They say I do and then they dont
That aint the way its got to be
With you and me
Imagine that, a love that lasts forever
Imagine that, for all the world to see
That two people stay together
The way it ought to be
Oh imagine that
I dont intend to change the world
I couldnt if I tried
As long as Ive got you with me girl
Ill be satisfied
Lets do what we can, mean what we say
Well just take it day by day
cause I want to prove to everyone
That it can be done
Imagine that, a love that lasts forever
Imagine that, for all the world to see
That two people stay together
The way it ought to be
Oh imagine that
Do you believe in love enough to go the distance
Do you believe in love enough to make a stand
Do you believe enough to handle the resistance
I believe we can
Imagine that, a love that lasts forever
Imagine that, for all the world to see
That two people stay together
The way it ought to be
Oh imagine that
Oh imagine that
Imagine that
Oh imagine that
song performed by by Diamond Rio

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine A Man
Imagine a man
Not a child of any revolt
Imagine a man
But a plain man tied up in life
Imagine the sand
Imagine a man
Running out as he struts
Not a child of any revolt
Parading and fading, ignoring his wife
But a plain man tied up in life
Imagine a road
Imagine the sand
So long looking backwards
Running out as he struts
You cant see where it really began
Parading and fading, ignoring his wife
Imagine a load
Imagine a road
So large and so smooth
So long looking backwards
That against it a man is an ant
You cant see where it really began
Then you will see the end
Imagine a load
You will see the end
So large and so smooth
That against it a man is an ant
Imagine events
That occur everyday
Then you will see the end
Like a shooting or raping or a simple act of deceit
You will see the end
Imagine a fence
Imagine events
Around you as high as prevention
That occur everyday
Casting shadows, you cant see your feet
Like a shooting or raping or a simple act of deceit
Imagine a girl
Imagine a fence
You long for and have
Around you as high as prevention
And the body of chalky perfection and truth
Casting shadows, you cant see your feet
Imagine a past
Imagine a girl
Where you wish you had lived
With long, flowing hair
Full of heroes and villians and fools
And the body of chalky perfection and truth
And you will see the end
Imagine a past
You will see the end
Where you wish you had lived
And you will see the end
Full of heroes and villians and fools
You will see the end
Oh yeah
And you will see the end
You will see the end
Imagine a man
And you will see the end
Not a child of any revolt
You will see the end
But a man of today feeling new
Oh yeah
Imagine a soul
Imagine a man
So old it it is broken
Not a child of any revolt
And you will know your invention is you
But a man of today feeling new
And you will see the end
Imagine a soul
You will see the end
So old it it is broken
You will see the end
And you know your invention is you
You will see the end
Oh yeah
And you will see the end
You will see the end
You will see the end
You will see the end
Oh yeah
song performed by by Who

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
My Imagine
This came about because of the growing hatred level in my College
Imagine a world without anger or hate
Imagine bigotry, intolerance and racism become obsolete
Imagine a world without Heaven or Hell
Imagine a world without borders or possession
Imagine a world without hungry or murder
Imagine a world that isn't imaginary
Imagine an imaginary world materializing
Can you live without hate?
Can you live with love?
Can you live in peace?
Can you Metal Head, stand with hand with Juggalo?
Would you even let this world come to form?
Or would you let it remain an idea?
Imagine a world where we don't die waiting for care
Imagine a world where we don't kill each other for land
Imagine a world where we don't care about language
Imagine a world where we don't kill the children anymore
Can you live this way?
Would you want to?
Can you?
Would you?
Would you really?
I may be a dreamer, but I feel like the only one
poem by Electric Tripp

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
(spoken) oohh yeah...dark child...shola ama
imagine if i told you that i want you
and imagine if it all came true
tell me what would you do with me
would you tell me that you feel the same
imagine if i told you that i need you
would you say baby i need you too
no matter what you do i know
that you should be in love with me
sometimes i find myself locked in two
secret thoughts hoping they'd come true
sometimes at night i'd feel you lying next to me baby
but these are things that i could never tell you
i can't imagine what you would do
after all you are so far away from me...from me
sometimes it feels just like a fantasy
and i don't know what to do
coz it's always been like a dream to me
to find a love to true
but i know it's only make believe
when i'm picturing me and you
oh one day i know that you'll be
the one that makes my dreams come true
imagine if i told you that i want you
and imagine if it all came true
tell me what would you do with me
would you tell me that you feel the same
imagine if i told you that i need you
would you say baby i need you too
no matter what you do i know
that you should be in love with me
there's a feeling so deep inside
telling me we are meant to me
praying that some day you will come for me...for me
but til then i'm just daydreaming
thinking about the way things could be
but it don't matter
coz you're still so far from me...baby
sometimes it feels just like a fantasy
and i don't know what to do
coz it's always been like a dream to me
to find a love to true
but i know it's only make believe
when i'm picturing me and you
oh one day i know that you'll be
the one that makes my dreams come true
imagine if i told you that i want you
and imagine if it all came true
tell me what would you do with me
would you tell me that you feel the same
imagine if i told you that i need you
would you say baby i need you too
no matter what you do i know
that you should be in love with me
how can you..be so far from me
how can i...be loving you endlessly
how can we...be so far out of reach
just not the way the way i hoped it would be
imagine if i told you that i want you
and imagine if it all came true
tell me what would you do with me
would you tell me that you feel the same
imagine if i told you that i need you
would you say baby i need you too
no matter what you do i know
that you should be in love with me
(repeat 2x)
song performed by by Shola Ama

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
I Exist Only In The Mind
imagine a bubble
crystal
or made of glass
or soap
floating in the air
where i am inside
imagine a quick
prick of the needle
from a child's hand
puff!
i flip flop
i am gone.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
All you have to do is believe,
So imaging peace,
Imagine your own world where there’s no pain,
But where love, togetherness, and prospering all equal great success,
Imagine a place where happiness can spread,
Where the world is your favorite place,
It’s not hard if we try,
So it’s sure to bring peace,
Imagine your dreams even if they don’t come true,
And the people that are always there for you,
Still not noticed by anyone?
If all of the people didn’t care about processions, the world would be a better place,
Is it a dream or is it reality?
Imagine a world without war,
And without hate,
Without violence, but happiness everywhere,
Peace is there,
So there’s no reason for the hurt,
Peace is happiness,
So imagine peace.
poem by Mariah Simpson

Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you will join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope some day you will join us
And the world will live as one
song performed by by Our Lady Peace

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine / Sing The Wondrous Love Of Jesus
IMAGINE
(From Album LEGACY: HYMNS AND FAITH)
I can only imagine what it will be like
When I walk by your side
I can only imagine
What my eyes will see
When your face is looking at me
Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus?
When all of youll be still imagine hm...
I can only imagine
I can only imagine all creations bow down
The whole universes saying your name out loud
I can only imagine
All of broken lifes resurrecting in the healing light
Surrounded by your glory, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus?
When all of youll be still
Will I stand in Your presence?
Unto my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak it all?
I can only imagine
Oh, I can only imagine
Surrounded by forgiveness, what will my heart feel?
Will I dance for you Jesus?
When all of youll be still
Will I stand in Your presence?
Unto my knees will I fall?
Will I sing hallelujah?
Will I be able to speak it all?
I can only imagine
Oh, I can only imagine
I can only I can only huu..
I can only imagine
I can only Imagine
Just imagine
song performed by by Amy Grant

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
song performed by by Beatles

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...
You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
song performed by by Guns N' Roses

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Imagine
Two, three, four
Imagine there's no heaven,
It's easy if you try.
No hell below us,
Above us only sky.
Imagine all the people
Living for today, ah-ha-ah.
Imagine there's no countries,
It isn't hard to do.
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too.
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace,
You-oo-oo-
You may say i'm a dreamer,
But i'm not the only one.
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one.
Imagine no possessions, (try!)
I wonder if you can.
No need for greed or hunger,
A brotherhood of man.
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world,
You-oo-oo-
You may say i'm a dreamer,
But i'm not the only one.
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one.
-"thank you!
song performed by by Yoko Ono

Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!