Not Waving but Drowning
Nobody heard him, the dead man,
But still he lay moaning:
I was much further out than you thought
And not waving but drowning.
Poor chap, he always loved larking
And now he's dead
It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,
They said.
Oh, no no no, it was too cold always
(Still the dead one lay moaning)
I was much too far out all my life
And not waving but drowning.
poem by Stevie Smith
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Related quotes
Nobody heard him, the dead man, But still he lay moaning. I was much further out than you thought, and not waving but drowning. I was much too far out all my life, And not waving but drowning.
quote by Stevie Smith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Not lying there, but dying
Nobody saw him, the dead man
but still he was there
lying in the sun in the park
as he did the day before.
Poor guy, homeless, always was alone
a weathered man, some would call him a hobo
weathering the sun, sometimes the rain,
the winter chill,
having nothing to eat
and suddenly he was dead
and thought by everyone to be lying in the sun
and the last part of his life
he was weathering the elements
caught a nasty cough,
was days without food
and wasn’t lying there but dying.
[References: This poem was inspired by a article in the local newspaper (The Springs Advertiser) with the title: Left to die. Not Waving But Drowning by Stevie Smith.]
poem by Gert Strydom
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When I Think Of Myself As Dead
WHEN I THINK OF MYSELF AS DEAD
When I think of myself as dead
I think of what it will mean for my loved ones
I pray they will not lose heart and hope because of it-
When my father died my brother lost hope-
When I think of myself dead
I wonder about God and God�s purpose
Is there really an afterlife?
What could it mean?
Will I meet again those who have gone before me?
When I think of myself dead
I think about a body in the ground
Worms eating it, cold paining it-
When I think of myself as dead
I think about never feeling anything again-
When I think about myself as dead
I think about the work I have left behind
And whether it will mean anything to anyone
And for how long-
When I think of myself as dead
I think of all the memories that will go with me
I think about nothing and more nothing and the end of the universe-
When I think of myself as dead
I think of life going on down below
Life with all its beauty and pain
And I pray and I pray again
My loved ones will be able to manage and make their own lives still happy
When I think of myself as dead
I pray to G-d
That somehow in some way
It will not be the end for me forever.
When I think of myself as dead
I think of myself as living again somehow
In a way I cannot now know-
poem by Shalom Freedman
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The Death of Poetry
Poetry is dead and God is alive.
I heard these words and began to cry.
Without poetry what would become of me,
Drowning in a sea of Christianity?
Poetry is dead and long let it lie
With its Thee and its Thy and its Thou and its Thine
May we never see another line
Of iambic pentameter with end-stopped rhymes.
Poetry is dead, and so it shall lay,
Mouldering at the pit of its shallow grave.
And no longer will they give a hoot
For the quatrain stanzas or the metered foot!
Poetry is dead at the bottom of the sea
With its anapests, dithyrambs, dactyls and spondees.
And also eight to sixteen lines
On your innermost feelings or the meaning of life.
Poetry is dead but how long will it stay
Before they resurrect it for another day?
Has it not been just a few years time
Since they said it was God who was dead—
-and poetry alive?
poem by Theresa Haffner
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Biolodgy
Poor lonely eyes,
Cold dead flesh,
Reminds me of my dear pet,
Steel, icy cold against my palm,
I can't do it,
I can't bear to tear it open,
I understand it's dead,
But look at it,
It has a heart,
And feelings (once)
It should be burried,
Not here,
Lay across the concrete lab bench,
Sick to my stomach,
Officially vegetarian.
poem by Dyllan Martin
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Pouring Water On A Drowning Man
You push me when Im falling
And then you put me down
I guess I missed my calling
I should have been a clown
How much more
How much more can I stand
Youre pouring water
On a drowning man
You put me on the right track
And then you put me down
You stab me in the back
Everytime I turn around
Criticize my lovin
When Im doing the very best I can
Youre pouring water
On a drowning man
Youre pouring water
On a drowning man
You treat me like
The fool that I am
You bet that I like everything you do
Put salt in my wounds
Its sad but its true
You warm me with your kisses
Then you leave me in the cold
How can I know your wishes
When Ive never been told
Wont you please forgive me
Just try and understand
Youre pouring water
On a drowning man
Youre pouring water
On a drowning man
You treat me like
The fool that I am
You bet that I like everything you do
Put salt in my wounds
Its sad but its true
You warm me with your kisses
Then you leave me in the cold
How can I know your wishes
When Ive never been told
Wont you please forgive me
Just try and understand
Youre pouring water
On a poor drowning man
I got tears in my eyes
Oh, Im a drowning man
I got tears in my eyes
Youre pouring water
On a drowing man
Youre pouring water
On a poor drowning man
song performed by by Elvis Costello
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Out Of This World
when we die
we go into the arms of those who remember us
we are home now
out of our heads
out of our minds
out of this world
out of this time
are you drowning or waving?
i just want you to save me
should we try to get along?
just try to get along
so we move
we change by the speed of the choices that we made
and the barrier of ourself made (??)
that's so retrograde
are you drowning or waving?
i just need you to save me
should we try to get along?
just try to get along
i am alive
i'm gonna wait 'til the trials of confusion create
there are times when i feel the way we're about to break
when there's too much to say
we are home now
out of our heads
out of our minds
out of this world
out of this time
out of this time
song performed by by Bush from Golden State
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All Dead, All Dead
Memories, my memories
How long can you stay
To haunt my days
She came without a farthing
A babe without a name
So much ado about nothing
Is what shed try to say
So much ado my lover
So many games we played
Through every fleeted summer
Through every precious day
All dead all dead
All the dreams we had
And I wonder why I still live on
All dead all dead
And alone Im spared
My sweeter half instead
All dead
And gone
All dead...
All dead all dead
At the rainbows end
And still I hear her own sweet song
All dead all dead
Take me back again
You know my little friends
All dead
And gone
All dead and gone
Her ways are always with me
I wander all the while
But please you must forgive me
I am old but still a child
All dead all dead
But I should not grieve
In time it comes to everyone
All dead all dead
But in hope I breathe
Of course I dont believe
Youre dead
And gone
All dead
And gone
song performed by by Queen
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Re-Awakening.
Pan's not dead: the earth but waiteth
The burst of new life through the old;
In this way the God still createth
The sparks that animate the mould,
Though the dead be so cold.
From Winter's womb the young year springeth
When winds and rain away are rolled,
As the sprite to the body wingeth
It may be from the starry fold,
Though the dead be so cold.
poem by Robert Crawford
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Dead Or Alive
There in the shadows, looks like a hand
Without its owner, to give it a command
Its got a purpose but I dont know what it is
Im in trouble
There in the streets, looks like a man
But something wrong that I dont understand
His eyes are open but he dont see a thing
His skin is peeling off, his bones are sticking out
Im getting scared
Oh my God (is it dead? )
Is it living? (is it dead? )
Is it dead or alive?
(is it dead? ), is it dead? (is it dead? )
Is it dead? (is it dead? )
Is it dead or alive?
Hiding in the cupboards, like little mice
Hiding in the frigerator, that isnt nice
Its not an animal, it dont have legs
No one else can see it
It moves so fast, corner of my eye
Look again its gone, its hiding
Wont somebody help me, doesnt anybody care?
It waits so patiently, for me to lose my guard
Im getting scared
Is it dead, is it
(is it dead)
Is it dead
(is it dead)
Is it dead or alive
(is it dead)
Is it dead
(is it dead)
Is it dead, is it
I remember there was a time
When dead and buried meant just that
Underneath the cold dark ground
Things stay put!
Oh them bones they make them bodies walk
Them bones, them bones
If they could only talk!
Is it dead (fade)
song performed by by Oingo Boingo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Stood With the Dead
I Stood with the Dead, so forsaken and still:
When dawn was grey I stood with the Dead.
And my slow heart said, 'You must kill, you must kill:
'Soldier, soldier, morning is red'.
On the shapes of the slain in their crumpled disgrace
I stared for a while through the thin cold rain...
'O lad that I loved, there is rain on your face,
'And your eyes are blurred and sick like the plain.'
I stood with the Dead ... They were dead; they were dead;
My heart and my head beat a march of dismay:
And gusts of the wind came dulled by the guns.
'Fall in!' I shouted; 'Fall in for your pay!'
poem by Siegfried Sassoon
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Endless Stream Of Tears
I cry awake at night and hug my pillow
And pray that I will die before I wake
No such luck
Another day of cryin
Dont know how much more my old heart can break
Flooded with these memories and emotions
The tears like rain keep on falling down
They say that Ill forget
But my face is just as wet
As it was the day you left this town
Chorus:
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in an endless stream of tears
Its relentless and Im defenseless
Drowning in an endless stream of tears
I cant believe that I can talk about it
I never thought Id live to see this day
But a broken heart wont kill you
You just want to die
But you have to go on livin anyway
I feel it through and through
And Ive never been so blue
And I cried a river over you
Repeat chorus
Oh, Im drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless stream of tears
song performed by by Dolly Parton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hope
I would not deny
That I could not
Dream or swim
But it was in my dream
Slipped in a deep of ditch
My hands were tied
Legs were not working
I was drowning and drowning
From deep to deeper I felt
Suffocated and strangulated,
As I would not be alive, I would
Be dead, this gave me a cry!
I had had a strong desire to be alive!
A gust of energy in the form of help
Entered in me as if it was dragging me
With a help of a rope of hope
To the shore of life, I jerked in joy
I found myself alive and awake
I gave a big thank and a tight hug
To the rope of hope.
poem by Abdul Wahab
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Dead Rock Star
(feat. The Stooges)
They think that I've got the bread
They want to read my head
The position show his cool
Like football star in school
Someone to sell me
Someone to tell me
I'm a dead rock star
in a dead rock car
I'm a dead rock star
I'm so afraid of failing
I hang onto the railing
This cold hard graduation
Kills all infatuation
I took the hazing
They said "amazing"
I'm a dead rock star
in a dead rock car
I'm a dead rock star
I gathered awful knowledge
You cannot get in college
Would you like Cain or Abel
I'll bring them to the table
They try to rope me
They try to grope me
I'm a dead rock star
in a dead rock car
I'm a dead rock star
What can I hope for ?
What can I hope for ?
Nothing to live for
Nothing to live for
I'm a dead rock star
in a dead rock car
I'm a dead rock star
song performed by by Iggy Pop
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Have A Nice Day
'Help, help, ' said a man. 'I'm drowning.'
'Hang on, ' said a man from the shore.
'Help, help, ' said the man. 'I'm not clowning.'
'Yes, I know, I heard you before.
Be patient dear man who is drowning,
You, see I've got a disease.
I'm waiting for a Doctor J. Browning.
So do be patient please.'
'How long, ' said the man who was drowning. 'Will it take for the Doc to arrive? '
'Not very long, ' said the man with the disease. 'Till then try staying alive.'
'Very well, ' said the man who was drowning. 'I'll try and stay afloat.
By reciting the poems of Browning
And other things he wrote.'
'Help, help, ' said the man with the disease, 'I suddenly feel quite ill.'
'Keep calm.' said the man who was drowning, ' Breathe deeply and lie quite still.'
'Oh dear, ' said the man with the awful disease. 'I think I'm going to die.'
'Farewell, ' said the man who was drowning.
Said the man with the disease, 'goodbye.'
So the man who was drowning, drownded
And the man with the disease past away.
But apart from that,
And a fire in my flat,
It's been a very nice day.
poem by Spike Milligan
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River Of Tears
Its three miles to the river
That would carry me away,
And two miles to the dusty street
That I saw you on today.
Its four miles to my lonely room
Where I will hide my face,
And about half a mile to the downtown bar
That I ran from in disgrace.
Lord, how long have I got to keep on running,
Seven hours, seven days or seven years?
All I know is, since youve been gone
I feel like Im drowning in a river,
Drowning in a river of tears.
Drowning in a river.
Feel like Im drowning,
Drowning in a river.
In three more days, Ill leave this town
And disappear without a trace.
A year from now, maybe settle down
Where no one knows my face.
I wish that I could hold you
One more time to ease the pain,
But my times run out and I got to go,
Got to run away again.
Still I catch myself thinking,
One day Ill find my way back here.
Youll save me from drowning,
Drowning in a river,
Drowning in a river of tears.
Drowning in a river.
Feels like Im drowning,
Drowning in the river.
Lord, how long must this go on?
Drowning in a river,
Drowning in a river of tears.
song performed by by Eric Clapton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Undertow
I know what I wanted
I know what I wanted
I hnow how I wanted this to be
You go down to the water
Drink down of the water
Walk up off the water, leave it be
This is not my time, brother
It is cold in heaven
And Im not sprouting wings.
Im drowning
Me
Im drowning
Me, yeah
Brother can you see those birds?
They dont look to heaven
They dont need religion, they can see
They go down to the water
Drink down on the water
Fly up off the water, leave it be
This is not my time, sister
It is cold in heaven
And no ones coming after me
Im drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me
Breathing ourselves
Im drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
You know I am tired
Cold and bony tired
Nothings gonna save me, I can see
I cant say Im fearful
I cant say Im not afraid
But I am not resisting, I can see
I dont need a heaven
I dont need religion
I am in the place where I should be
I am breathing water
I am breathing water
You know a bodys got to breathe
Im drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me
Breathing ourselves
Im drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
song performed by by REM
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Dead Love
Dead love, by treason slain, lies stark,
White as a dead stark-stricken dove:
None that pass by him pause to mark
Dead love.
His heart, that strained and yearned and strove
As toward the sundawn strives the lark,
Is cold as all the old joy thereof.
Dead men, re-risen from dust, may hark
When rings the trumpet blown above:
It will not raise from out the dark
Dead love.
poem by Algernon Charles Swinburne
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The City Dead-House
BY the City Dead-House, by the gate,
As idly sauntering, wending my way from the clangor,
I curious pause--for lo! an outcast form, a poor dead prostitute
brought;
Her corpse they deposit unclaim'd--it lies on the damp brick
pavement;
The divine woman, her body--I see the Body--I look on it alone,
That house once full of passion and beauty--all else I notice not;
Nor stillness so cold, nor running water from faucet, nor odors
morbific impress me;
But the house alone--that wondrous house--that delicate fair house--
that ruin!
That immortal house, more than all the rows of dwellings ever built!
Or white-domed Capitol itself, with majestic figure surmounted--or
all the old high-spired cathedrals; 10
That little house alone, more than them all--poor, desperate house!
Fair, fearful wreck! tenement of a Soul! itself a Soul!
Unclaim'd, avoided house! take one breath from my tremulous lips;
Take one tear, dropt aside as I go, for thought of you,
Dead house of love! house of madness and sin, crumbled! crush'd!
House of life--erewhile talking and laughing--but ah, poor house!
dead, even then;
Months, years, an echoing, garnish'd house--but dead, dead, dead.
poem by Walt Whitman
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Wolfpack
Howling the pack in formation appears
Diamonds and clubs, light misted fog, the dead
Waving us back in formation,
The pack in formation
Bowling they bat as a group
And the leader is seen - so early...
The pack on their backs, the fighters
Through misty the waving - the pack in formation
Far reaching waves
On sight, shone right
I lay as if in surround...
All enmeshing, hovering...
The milder I gaze
All the animals laying trail
Beyond the bough winds
Mild the reflecting electricity eyes...
Tears, the life that was ours
Grows sharper and stronger away and beyond
Short wheeling - fresh spring
Gripped with blanched bones - moaned
Magnesium, proverbs and sobs...
Howling the pack in formation appears
Diamonds and clubs, light misted fog, the dead
Waving us back in formation,
The pack in formation...
song performed by by Pink Floyd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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