It Ain't What You Do, It's What It Does To You
I have not bummed across America
with only a dollar to spare, one pair
of busted Levi's and a bowie knife.
I have lived with thieves in Manchester.
I have not padded through the Taj Mahal,
barefoot, listening to the space between
each footfall picking up and putting down
its print against the marble floor. But I
skimmed flat stones across Black Moss on a day
so still I could hear each set of ripples
as they crossed. I felt each stone's inertia
spend itself against the water; then sink.
I have not toyed with a parachute cord
while perched on the lip of a light-aircraft;
but I held the wobbly head of a boy
at the day centre, and stroked his fat hands.
And I guess that the tightness in the throat
and the tiny cascading sensation
somewhere inside us are both part of that
sense of something else. That feeling, I mean.
poem by Simon Armitage
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Related quotes
I Never Had Time To Explain Myself
there were stones thrown
on the water and so there were ripples
like the pain
the pain goes on and on
like circles spreading beyond a certain point
of my tolerance
my tongue forms some words like hammers
to hit the nails right on their faces
to break the monotony of destruction
without rivets no dovetails but
the story has become like a code of the samurai
to you, and you swing your head like arms
in disbelief how can all these be true he is not like this
and you become like a bone in my throat and i like
to remove every obstruction one by one
but i do not have the pleasure of keeping you
my hands inside my pocket are mine alone
the pebble inside it is warm and smooth
my treasure and like my conscience i keep it
inside my heart. I keep seeing ripples and then
i do not mind how many stones how far they spread.
i owe no one and no one owes me
i am an island and i wish there are no boats docked on my shore
any time, somewhere, any more.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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To Gather Moss And More Of Moss
to gather moss
be a stone
to gather more moss
be a very still stone
be a stone still till the end
of time
you stand still and think
you want to be the moss
rather than a stone
to be all moss
you must betray the stillness
of stone
you must even forget
the importance of
what a moss can be
then you think some more
to be completely this moss
you need to be friendly
to the water and to the river
then you decide to be the water
instead of the moss
to be more than the water
you wish instead to become the river
and so you flow and learn the rush
and become the running river
until what you want really
is just to flow
to rush and run and then
you become nothing
but the motion itself
until you are lost
and then
you become what you are now
lost but real
always flowing, rushing, running
where nobody owns you
not even the river
or the stones or the moss
you have become
this running, this flowing, this being
so real so free
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Reflection 0.2
when you arrive here
there is no stone not a single stone
there is no moss not a single hair of a green moss
then there was the pain of waiting
time is always delaying its coming
trains stopped and cars are having flat tires
but you are faithful you keep on waiting you entertain promises
like dear memories or dreams or wishes that come true somehow
and you waited for so long
now this place is filled with stones and moss grow in each body of the stone
the waters spread their territories and land is emaciated
and the house is covered with water and the roof is gone
and there is nobody here anymore and it is only i who remember you and
i tell them about you and they do not believe me
and i feel like i am a ship that just sunk.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The moss that loves the stone
It is the moss that loves the stone
Most. No matter what or when, the
Moss somehow manages to stay
Even without a why, they say.
But the moss keeps on sticking
To the body of the stone that
Keeps its nonminding stiffness.
It is cold, it is hard, it is unfeeling
At all. It is the moss that keeps its
Love. It sticks with it, rain or shine.
It rolls with it. It stays with it even
In the desert, even it if means its
Own death. It is the moss that sticks
To the stone. It is its true lover.
In the river, the water has ordered
The moss to leave. It ordered the stone
To crush it. The moss cannot be
Removed. It covered the stone.
It is loving it whole.The stone has
Become the moss, and the stone
Is gone.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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The Blackbird in You...
the red bird had the same
experience as yours
you were told
soared to the
seventh sky and
dove
fearlessly on the water which
according to their final story
felt like an
iron wall smashing its tiny body
into mashed
meat
like a melon crashing
into the cemented
street of the city
you are a blackbird and
you always know
what to do
not listening to stories but still
learning a lot from
those who lived
to the full
you perched upon a twig facing the sea
felt the breeze
fell asleep....
the pain is not gone
it is still there, but who cares?
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Signs
All night I dreamed of my home,
of the roads that are so long
and straight they die in the middle—
among the spines of elderly weeds
on either side, among the dead cats,
the ants who are all eyes, the suitcase
thrown open, sprouting failures.
2.
And this evening in the garden
I find the winter
inside a snail shell, rigid and
cool, a little stubborn temple,
its one visitor gone.
3.
If there were messages or signs,
I might hear now a voice tell me
to walk forever, to ask
the mold for pardon, and one
by one I would hear out my sins,
hear they are not important—that I am
part of this rain
drumming its long fingers, and
of the roadside stone refusing
to blink, and of the coyote
nailed to the fence with its
long grin.
And when there are no messages
the dead lie still—
their hands crossed so strangely
like knives and forks after supper.
4.
I stay up late listening.
My feet tap the floor,
they begin a tiny dance
which will outlive me.
They turn away from this poem.
It is almost Spring.
poem by Larry Levis
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Landscape 28 Meniscus
The molecules of water are held together
By weak electrical forces
That extend in all directions.
At the water surface, the upward forces,
Having nowhere watery to go,
Lie along the surface
To form a thin skin, called a meniscus.
This is the skin that holds water drops,
Supports water striders,
Even skips stones.
I came once to an Adirondack Lake
On a still moonlit night.
The lake seemed full of fireflies,
Flashes of light in the water
As far as the eye could see.
I finally discovered the source of the light,
The sudden movements of water striders
Riding the meniscus
Bent the water surface
Into a curved mirror
That reflected glimmers of moonlight.
The Japanese make a flower arrangement
In a vessel with a perfectly level rim.
The vessel is filled with water
To a level above the rim
The water is held from overflowing
By a curved meniscus
That bends light like a lens.
In the center of the water
Floats a single perfect flower
That sends tiny ripples across the water surface
And crinkles the meniscus
When the vessel is vibrated.
poem by Stewart McKenzie
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Head Around You
Deep inside your soul there's a hole you don't wanna see
Every single day what you say makes no sense to me
Even though I try I can't get my head around you
Somewhere in the night there's a light in front of me
Heaven up above with the show, abandons me
Even though I try I fall in the river of you
You've managed to bring me down too
All you're faking (Get Up, Get Up, Get Up, Get Up)
Shows you're aching (Get Up, Get Up, Get Up)
Every single day what you say makes no sense to me
Lettin' you inside, isn't right, don't mess with me
I never really know what's really going on inside you
I can't get my head around you
All you're feeling (Get Up, Get Up, Get Up, Get Up)
Shows you're breathing (Get Up, Get Up, Get Up)
Deep inside your soul there's a hole you don't wanna see
Covering it up like a cut with the likes of me
You know I've really tried, I can't do anymore about you
The cut's getting deeper (Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh)
The hill's getting steeper (Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahh)
I guess I'll never know what's really going on inside you
I can't get my head around you
I can't get my head around you
I can't get my head around you
I can't get my head around you
song performed by by Offspring
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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They Say
They say the future's looking bright
I guess i just can't see it
Everything's gonna be alright
I just can't believe it
They say the beat continues on
I guess i just can't hear it
It's been this way far too long
I try to grin and bear it
Hold your head up high
Stand your ground
You think you've won the prize
Take a look around
They say it's in God's hands
I guess i just don't trus him
Part of some master plan
I don't understand it
They say that heaven awaits
I guess i'm just impatient
How will i get through the gates
I guess i'll have to pray
Is there anyone listening
Won't somebody save us
Is there anyone out there
Someone we can trust
Don't walk away
Stay here with us
We're so afrad
Don't know who we can trust
Hold your head up high
Staand your ground
Take a look around, open your eyes
song performed by by 98 Mute
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hunger Moon
Under a full hunger moon
her children in a ring
she stands at the hub
a basket of stones at the right
a February-cold jug of water
fresh from the stream
on the other.
Each one came barefoot
touching the earth
bare arms reaching up
to an unrelenting sky.
'Choose a stone' she said
'Place it under your left foot.
Stone does not yield. There will
be times when you must be
like stone.'
And over the reaching arms
walking within her family circle
she gently rained water down.
'Water does not resist. There
will be times when you must be
like water. Close your eyes
feel like stone like water.'
poem by Beryl Baigent
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Since I Have Felt The Sense Of Death
Since I have felt the sense of death,
Since I have borne its dread, its fear—
Oh, how my life has grown more dear
Since I have felt the sense of death!
Sorrows are good, and cares are small,
Since I have known the loss of all.
Since I have felt the sense of death,
And death forever at my side—
Oh, how the world has opened wide
Since I have felt the sense of death!
My hours are jewels that I spend,
For I have seen the hours end.
Since I have felt the sense of death,
Since I have looked on that black night—
My inmost brain is fierce with light
Since I have felt the sense of death.
O dark, that made my eyes to see!
O death, that gave my life to me!
poem by Helen Hoyt
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Thanks A Lot
Its all in your mind she said
The darkness and the light
The clock it bleeds for you
But you never got the time in right
I woke you up
And I slit the throat of your confidence
And we laughed in the night
And I felt all right
All hands on deck boys
Cause this ship was made to sink
Your swabber salutes you now
But I know what hes thinking
I woke you up
And I slit the throat of your confidence
And we laughed in the night
And I felt all right
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
The clothes she wears mis-fit
And shes nervous when she speaks
Her zombie mom and dad
Live in a separate house of freaks
I woke you up
And I slit the throat of your confidence
And we laughed in the night
And I felt all right
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Im the one for you
Cause I know all the dirty things youd like to do
Im the fear in your eyes
Im the fire in your flies
Im the sound thats buzzing around your head
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
song performed by by Third Eye Blind
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Do Miss America
So, tell me how you feel without your medicine
Hold your head feeling paranoid
Sweet sixteen for a schizoid
So, tell me how you feel now you're the only one
Held your head in the setting sun
Sweet black smoke with the poison
Hey, come on everybody, do Miss America
Hey, you know when she goes down it's hysterical
So tell me how you feel without your medicine
Hold your head feeling paranoid
Runnin down the street from a mergatroid
So tell me how you feel
Now you're the only one
Held your head in the setting sun
Sweet black smoke from a crooked gun
Hey, come on everybody, do Miss America
Hey, you know when she goes down its hysterical
Hey, come on everybody, do Miss America
Hey, you know when she goes down its hysterical
Hey, come on everybody, do Miss America
Hey, you know when she goes down its hysterical
Do Miss America
song performed by by Ryan Adams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Black And White
Stick to your guns
Diamonds are a girl's best friend
Nobody knows the trouble this poor boy's seen
People will believe anything
Man on the run
Always gets it in the end
Nobody cares 'cause nobody shares his dream
People don't believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's just a part of the game
Blood on the moon
Patterns running across the floor
A musical inside a movie inside a dream
Guess you can believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
It's all a part of the game
Mama, Papa, boys, and girls
Holding hands around the world
Wrong is wrong and right is right
Nothing changes overnight
I'll believe it when I see it in black and white
Tell me the truth
Nobody leaves here alive
In the black core of doubt
trying to get out in the light
Sometimes you can't see anything
Everyone is changed
Everyone is still the same
They can't get out of the game
song performed by by Todd Rundgren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Black Man In America
Black Man In America for to long our chains held us so tight
beaten down as far as the dust chained to the night
Black Man In America can't you see
we free now at least physically
but freedom isn't free if we still enslaved mentally
Black Man In America stand up and let your voices be heard your families are calling you because they don't deserve to be deserted or mistreated
let us be stronger than they because the greatest retalation is providing a successful way
for your black babies and mine to have a brighter day
they are calling out to you heed their cry and respond favorably to them saying here am I
Black Man In America we must continue to wage this fight and let our hands be strong and our fingers do the fightin'
Black Man In America a success you must become because without success our freedom wasn't really won
Black Man In America stand up and be heard its imperative for you to provide the light for a brighter day that your children so richly deserve
Black Man In America
poem by Julius Thomas
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She Is Mother Nature Keeper of Our Lives!
She stands upon the shores of time
Contemplating the rhythm of time
She bends slowly like a graceful swan
To dip her hands into the cool essence of life
She watches the ripples as they flicker through the water
Cascading into seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, years
Generating the life of a child she watches
As it grows from baby to toddler to young child
Then onto turbulent years of teenager and young adult
The ripples cascading through the years
As the child becomes a man/woman
She gasps at how the flow of life shifts into the ripples of time
She watches as the ripples decide what fate beholds them next
She smiles at souls as it changes their hues of colours to blend with life
She is the essence that all there is
She is a beauty within
She is Mother Nature the keeper of our Lives
poem by Kaila George
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Looking for Water
Still the leaves are spinning 'round
Take my hand as we go down, and down, and down
Looking for water
Well, our light's gone in a New York minute
Don't know about you, but my heart's not in it
(Looking, looking, looking)
I'm looking for water
I'm looking for water
(Looking, looking, looking)
I can't breathe the air, can't raise a fact
'Cause all we've got left is a beat in the night, and I'm
(Looking for water)
Looking for water
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
Take my hand as we go down, and down
Leave it all behind, nothing could be found
(I'm, looking for water)
I'm looking for water
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
(I, looking for water)
Looking everywhere
(Looking for water)
Looking here and there
(I'm looking for water)
I'm looking for water
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
I can't live in this cage, I can't eat this candy
The edge of the earth to the spin in my head
The look in your eyes and never means never
The dawn's early light, baby, dark is forever
(Looking, looking)
(Looking, looking)
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
I
(Looking for water)
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
I
(Looking for water)
(Looking for water)
(Looking, looking)
I
(Looking for water)
(Looking for watter)
Looking, looking)
I
(Looking for water)
(Looking for watter)
Looking, looking)
I
(Looking for water)
(Looking for watter)
song performed by by David Bowie, music by David Bowie, lyrics by David Bowie from Reality
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Grey Matter
They say youre stupid
That youre too young to vote
They say youll swallow anything
That they shove down your throat
They say you cant think
That you havent got a brain
That youre just there to listen
That youre just being trained
Chorus
Theres something inside your head
Theres something inside your head
Theres something inside your head
Theres something inside your head
They say you lost the ability to even think
That your tiny little brain
Slipped down the kitchen sink
They say that youll buy anything
That they turn your way
That youll listen to everything
That they decide to play
Chorus
Grey matter grey matter ooh . . .
Grey matter grey matter ooh . . .
Grey matter grey matter ooh . . .
Grey matter grey matter ooh . . .
Bridge
I think you like it--like it
To be told what to do--isnt that true
I think youre better--better--better off
Stone cold dead--without your head
They say youre stupid
That youre too young to vote
They say youll swallow anything
That they shove down your throat
If they say lie down, youll do it
If they say--buy it now--youll do it
If they say--turn around--youll do it
If they say--hit the ground--youll do it
If they say--bite the big weenie--youll do it
If they say--wasnt that good--youll do it
If they say--bend over baby--youll do it
If they say--take it and like it--youll do it
Chorus
song performed by by Oingo Boingo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Black & White
Stick to your guns
Diamonds are a girls best friend
Nobody knows the trouble this poor boys seen
People will believe anything
Man on the run
Always gets it in the end
Nobody cares cause nobody shares his dream
People dont believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
Its just a part of the game
Blood on the moon
Patterns running across the floor
A musical inside a movie inside a dream
Guess you can believe anything
Everything is changed
Everything is still the same
Its all a part of the game
Mama, papa, boys, and girls
Holding hands around the world
Wrong is wrong and right is right
Nothing changes overnight
Ill believe it when I see it in black and white
Tell me the truth
Nobody leaves here alive
In the black core of doubt
Trying to get out in the light
Sometimes you cant see anything
Everyone is changed
Everyone is still the same
They cant get out of the game
song performed by by Todd Rundgren
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Day She Was Born
I remember so vividly the day you were born
That day seemed like it would never end
I prayed you would come to the world safe
and I prayed my mother would come with you
I prayed and I prayed
The first time I held you in my arms
I felt the power of a sister bond
your face glowed with a divine light
the prints on your palms were delicately printed
there were soft stroked of curly black hair decorating your tiny head
When you opened your dark brown eyes
I then realized who I was holding in my arms
My sister, own sister
my little sister
On that day I vowed
to protect you with all my life
to provide you with life
and to be with you all throughout my life..
poem by Sinigdha Biswas
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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