I Knew a Woman
I knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues only gods should speak,
Or English poets who grew up on Greek
(I'd have them sing in a chorus, cheek to cheek).
How well her wishes went! She stroked my chin,
She taught me Turn, and Counter-turn, and Stand;
She taught me Touch, that undulant white skin;
I nibbled meekly from her proferred hand;
She was the sickle; I, poor I, the rake,
Coming behind her for her pretty sake
(But what prodigious mowing we did make).
Love likes a gander, and adores a goose:
Her full lips pursed, the errant notes to sieze;
She played it quick, she played it light and loose;
My eyes, they dazzled at her flowing knees;
Her several parts could keep a pure repose,
Or one hip quiver with a mobile nose
(She moved in circles, and those circles moved).
Let seed be grass, and grass turn into hay:
I'm martyr to a motion not my own;
What's freedom for? To know eternity.
I swear she cast a shadow white as stone.
But who would count eternity in days?
These old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(I measure time by how a body sways).
poem by Theodore Roethke
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I Shall Not Be Moved
You will take my breath away,
Gild my heart with your love-
I shall not be moved.
My eyes will gloat at your sashay,
My lips will droll at your pulchritude-
I shall not be moved.
You will come with religions of faiths,
A heap of mountains you have moved-
Still I shall not be moved.
You will give me strongest of philtres,
Your touch will erect my one weakness-
But I shall not be moved.
You will light my darkest paths,
Move me here to there-
Yet I shall not be moved.
You will sing our song,
Your love for me will exceed eternity,
Even then, I shall not be moved.
You will live for me,
Die for me- For the last time-
I shall not be moved.
poem by Isunge Mwangase
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Sestina
I have come, alas, to the great circle of shadow,
to the short day and to the whitening hills,
when the colour is all lost from the grass,
though my desire will not lose its green,
so rooted is it in this hardest stone,
that speaks and feels as though it were a woman.
And likewise this heaven-born woman
stays frozen, like the snow in shadow,
and is unmoved, or moved like a stone,
by the sweet season that warms all the hills,
and makes them alter from pure white to green,
so as to clothe them with the flowers and grass.
When her head wears a crown of grass
she draws the mind from any other woman,
because she blends her gold hair with the green
so well that Amor lingers in their shadow,
he who fastens me in these low hills,
more certainly than lime fastens stone.
Her beauty has more virtue than rare stone.
The wound she gives cannot be healed with grass,
since I have travelled, through the plains and hills,
to find my release from such a woman,
yet from her light had never a shadow
thrown on me, by hill, wall, or leaves’ green.
I have seen her walk all dressed in green,
so formed she would have sparked love in a stone,
that love I bear for her very shadow,
so that I wished her, in those fields of grass,
as much in love as ever yet was woman,
closed around by all the highest hills.
The rivers will flow upwards to the hills
before this wood, that is so soft and green,
takes fire, as might ever lovely woman,
for me, who would choose to sleep on stone,
all my life, and go eating grass,
only to gaze at where her clothes cast shadow.
Whenever the hills cast blackest shadow,
with her sweet green, the lovely woman
hides it, as a man hides stone in grass.
poem by Dante Alighieri
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The Boss
(nickolas ashford/valerie simpson)
Fancy me
Thought I had my degree
In life and how love
Ought to be a run
I had a one step plan to prove it
Guide in my pocket for fools
Folly and fun
Love had to show me one thing
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
Id defy
Anyone who claimed that i
Didnt control whatever moved in my soul
I could tempt
Touch delight
Just because you fell for me
Why should I feel uptight
Love had to show me one thing:
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
Love taught me
Taught me
Taught me
Taught me
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(taught me who was who was the boss)
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Boss
(Nickolas Ashford/Valerie Simpson)
Fancy me
Thought I had my degree
In life and how love
Ought to be a run
I had a one step plan to prove it
Guide in my pocket for fools
Folly and fun
Love had to show me one thing
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
I'd defy
Anyone who claimed that I
Didn't control whatever moved in my soul
I could tempt
Touch delight
Just because you fell for me
Why should I feel uptight
Love had to show me one thing:
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
Love taught me
Taught me
Taught me
Taught me
I was so right
So right
Thought I could turn emotion
On and off
I was so sure
So sure (I was so sure)
But love taught me
Who was who was who was the boss
(Taught me who was who was the boss)
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Can't You Remember?
How often have you heard me cry?
How often have you not asked why
the tears are flowing down my face?
Maybe it's guilt you can't erase.
The lack of caring has gotten to me.
And all of those tears have got to be
drying me up inside.
We started out with so much to do.
There was never a time when tears would flow
because you always seemed to know
how to keep our love alive,
how to make our love just thrive,
making me feel like a bride.
We raised our kids and moved along
helping each other when things went wrong.
And eventually we got through it all.
When the kids moved out I recall
that what we had moved out too.
Now it was just me and you,
trying to hide our pride.
I know we can't turn back the clock.
You know I still love you. You're my rock.
And so my tears are flowing again
'cause I can still remember when
all that we had was just we two
sharing a love that was brand new
when no feelings would we hide.
But somewhere in the back of my mind
I have the feeling we still might find
what it was we had back then
and maybe we can bring it back again.
If we can't and it's all gone
I know that I will have to move on
and turn a brand new tide.
If you enjoyed this poem visit my site at
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poem by Edwina Reizer
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A woman will have a taker
One woman is fair; I was moved.
The other one is wise; I was moved.
The third one is modest; I was moved.
The fourth one is rich; I was moved.
The fifth one is smart; I was moved.
Any woman will have a taker.
10.06.2008
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
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This Morning
Nothing left to feel
Nothing more to do
Nothing left to give
Nothing more in you
Nothing else to have or hold
Nothing left, but time to go
Time to go
Years go by
Didn't really say that much at all
And moments just fly
Didn't ever really touch at all
Weeks always run down
Didn't really get that close at all
And days, days fall out
Didn't ever really know at all
And then we're here in a room too clean and too bright
She stares at you for an hour
You stare into the light
For one last hour in the room
So mean and so white
I stare at her in this room as she stares into the night
Nothing left to feel
Nothing more to do
Nothing left to ask
Nothing more of you
Nothing else to share or show
Nothing left but time to go
In his eyes as we turn no eternity of life
In his eyes as we turn no infinity of why
In his eyes as we turn no beautiful goodbye
In his eyes as we turn...nothing but tears
In his eyes as we turn...nothing but tears
(spoken:) I couldn't understand too much of what was being said
In a matter of minutes
Peacefully so slow
I had to think to breathe
My heart burst
We moved in silence really slowly away from the world
As we drove a strange silence
That moment
Nothing will ever be the same
Nothing will ever be the same
Nothing will ever be the same
Days fall out
Weeks always run down
Moments just fly
Weeks go by
And then we're here
And then we're here in a room too clean and too bright
I stare at you for an hour
You stare into the light
For one last hour in the room so mean and so white
You stare at me in this room as I stare into the night
Nothing left to feel
Nothing more to do
Nothing more to take
Nothing more from you
Nothing else to need or know
There's nothing left at all...but time to go
song performed by by Cure
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Chivalry
I saw you across the room
and my heart stopped.
You noticed
and I looked away.
I saw you across the room
this time you didn't see
me looking at you.
I moved my eyes
across the all of you
moved my lips
feeling my breath stop.
'Beautiful' I thought
'just a beautiful man'
Not supposed to notice
all the pretty men,
not if you're a bit older:
but pretty I still am
and I want to know
if younger men know;
If I can still attract
a look
still get noticed;
even admired.
Or am I now invisible
to any young man
under 25?
A critical point
in every woman's life
where the line between
younger and older lies.
I move
to catch your line of sight
just to see if your eye
would linger long enough
to make me understand
you wanted a second look.
You glanced
but then glanced away.
I decided for another try
and stood behind
so that if you moved
you encounter me
and I'd dropp my notepad.
Why pass 35
do I
still need to be admired
by younger men?
You moved and my pad dropped.
And with little or no eye-contact,
you picked it up
with a smile
and gave it back.
I bobbed my head
moved on
felled by
indifferent
chivalry
and passage
into
the Older Woman Category.
poem by Lonnie Hicks
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I Remember
I remember, longingly, when
Your lips, which I adored, would touch
Mine, and your lovely fingers clutched
My heart, and I in turn clutched yours;
And our bodies moved together
Urgently, langourously
If only I could have stopped time
If only I could turn back time
poem by MacGregor Tagliaferro
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If I had [De-aş avea]
If I had a pretty flower
Fresh and sweet and full of power
Like all those that bloom in May,
Charming daughters of the day,
Growing on a grassy field
Where the grass is moved by wind,
And where people hear above
Gentle whispers full of love;
If I had a little flower
Nice and younger than the hour,
Dressed like lilies at their best
And white like the snowy breast,
Sometimes with a shade of pink,
Sometimes purple like a drink,
Like a song one hears above
Soft like whispers full of love;
If I had a dove as white
As a girl's face shining bright,
A meek girl, a lovely thing,
Like a sunny day of spring,
I would sing her all day long
The traditional folk song
And the notes will rise above
Soft like whispers full of love.
poem by Mihai Eminescu, translated by Octavian Cocoş
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The night we danced
The night we danced
~
It was in that little room
We dance concentric circles
Your laughter tickled my ear
Filled my heart with joy
Holding your hand in mine
The touch of your fingers
Our heads buried in shoulders
Your scent and warmth
I remember as though
We are still dancing
The way we slowly moved
Both trying not to fall
The look of your smile
That shine in your eye
You were so beautiful
The night we danced
Slow concentric circles
Without music we moved
In that little room
poem by Matthew Holloway
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The Summer Recess of 62.
It was the second day
of the summer recess
and Judith and you
walked through the field
behind her house
and sat down on the grass
the sky above blue
like an upside-down ocean
with the white clouds
like small fluffy islands
and she said
Mother doesn't trust you
why not?
you asked
she doesn't trust any male
she says they're all after
the one thing
you looked at her
sitting there beside you
her hair brown and curly
and her eyes blue
and bright
and you said
not all males
are the same
she looked up
at the sky
and said
I know but that's
how she sees things
my mother likes you
you said
she says you're good for me
keep me focused
she smiled
and lay back
on the grass
and you lay
beside her
and turned
to look at her there
taking in her profile
and she turned
to face you
and she said
does your mother
trust us to be together?
sure she does
you said
an airplane
went over the sky
a sparrow hawk
hovered above
its eyes watching
and waiting
you put your hand
on her hip
and she placed
her hand on yours
you felt her hipbone
beneath her green skirt
moved your palm
gently over and over
she moved your hand
off of her hip
and said
just in case
mother's looking at us
from the upstairs window
would she?
you asked
of course
she said
she held your hand
and took it
and laid it
on her breast
her heart
somewhere beating
your hand sensing
the softness beneath
the white blouse
and she said
just as well
she never saw us
last Christmas
and you smiled
and remembered
and the sparrow hawk
flew off through the sky
and the sound
of a distant train
and your heart thumping
like the downpour of rain.
poem by Terry Collett
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Her lamp glowed, their heads bowed
One, two she counted.
Three four, she moved
Lamp in hand glowed
No suitor, black faces
Terrified as rats for cat
Stared back, pleadingly
Inside eyes, she moved on
Her lamp teased,
Their hearts pounded
The pretty lass,
stood for a kill
Five to six lamp
On face after face
She sighed, her choice,
Her type
None could make,
Her lamp glowed,
Out their heads bowed.
poem by Charles Jagongo Ogola
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You Will Be Moved
Performed by mavis staples
Composed by prince
U will be moved when the baby lets out his very first cry
U will be moved when u think of how hard hell have 2 try
Hell grow up on an empty stomach, but hell try his best 2 listen
2 the teacher readin from a schoolbook with half the pages missin
Chorus:
Surely when the rain comes, u will be moved
La da da da da
See the video
U will be moved, and u will be when the baby makes all the grades
U will be moved, and u will be when they still dont hire him anyway
Moved by a system without one single guarantee
That an education is the answer and love will set us free
Chorus
Oh, u will be moved when the rain comes, oh yes, u will be moved
When the streets overflow with angry souls, thats when u see the truth
When the pain that uve inflicted comes back on your door 2 roost (back on your door 2 roost)
Thats when ull see the future (future), but u wont see u
Chorus
U will be moved when the whip comes down on the back of one of your own
U will be moved when u look 4 compassion but u find ure all alone
Moved, and u will be when u are, thats when ull know
That the bread u share is better than the blood that your deeds have caused 2 flow
(that the bread is better than the blood)
Chorus
Hey, u will be moved when the rain comes, oh yes, u will be moved
When the streets all flow with angry souls, thats when ull see the truth
When the pain that uve inflicted comes back on your door 2 roost (back on your door 2 roost)
Thats when ull see the future (future), but u wont see u
I said surely when the rain comes, u will be moved
La da da da da (la da da da da)
See the video
Hey, surely, surely, surely (when the rain comes)
Surely yall
Ow, la da da da da
song performed by by Prince
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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As They Dance
The heat rushed through her body
as she moved her body along side his
The movements were fast and breath taking
as they moved with the tempo of the music
His body bends back
as hers bends forward
His body bends forward
as hers bends back
Their bodies intertwined
as a vine on a wall
Their bodies move side to side
up and down
The music keeping the beat
as the danced
The stage lights dimmed to green
as they moved together
His hands run down her body
as she sways side to side
Her mouth open her eyes closed
his eyes on her body
He keeps his hands on her hips
as she ran her hands up his body to his face
Their lips met and their hearts raced
as the music stopped
poem by Bethany Maxwell
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The Prayers
The rocking hands swayed me back,
The centuries full four and ten behind;
Placed me on the cold wet sandy bank,
At the time of dawn, half light, half night.
Behind I saw stretched sandy plains,
In front calm sea with small ridges
Moving when gentle air moved.
Far away I beheld a ship coming
Ashore from the remote distant land,
Anchored instantly after the voyage long.
I beheld then the men four riding on
The steeds, galloping along splashing waters;
Fully armoured,
Equipped with sharp shining swords;
And captured they the descending voyager,
From the shoulders who cast at me,
A resigned patient look.
Ah! I can recall the heavy rough brows,
Long nose, thick lips, complexion black,
Perforated ear with a silvery ringlet,
Long dress and loose sleeves.
Turned then he to the centre,
Bended knees, sat to offer the prayers,
Under the lurking long curved blades.
Then the same rocking hands brought me back,
To sign a bond, to make a new turn,
And rectify direction of the derailed gait,
Eyes I found watering full flowing,
Drenching cheeks and the whiskers all.
poem by Muhammad Shanazar
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The Goose-Girl
I WANDERED lonely by the sea,
As is my daily use,
I saw her drive across the lea
The gander and the goose.
The gander and the gray, gray goose,
She drove them all together;
Her cheeks were rose, her gold hair loose,
All in the wild gray weather.
'O dainty maid who drive the geese
Across the common wide,
Turn, turn your pretty back on these
And come and be my bride.
I am a poet from the town,
And, 'mid the ladies there,
There is not one would wear a crown
With half your charming air!'
She laughed, she shook her pretty head.
'I want no poet's hand;
Go read your fairy-books,' she said,
'For this is fairy-land.
My Prince comes riding o'er the leas;
He fitly comes to woo,
For I'm a Princess, and my geese
Were poets, once, like you!'
poem by Edith Nesbit
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A New Look At Sacrifice
We're moved by the Mercy of God, as we live life on this sod,
To be for God a Living Sacrifice, as Disciples of Jesus Christ;
We’re urged by Paul, into action, to be a light in a world of sin,
In light of God’s incredible Mercy, to live our life pure and holy.
We must commit to a change; transformed to praise His Name,
With God’s loving Mercy in view, we’re moved to live life anew,
Radical change to demonstrate, the power of Grace in our faith,
With change required in our heart, for real changes to truly start.
In light of God’s amazing Grace, we’re moved to an active faith,
Chosen by God’s sovereign Hand, in ways we can’t understand,
To stand against the world’s views, to offer instead Good News,
That can change our world at hand, as for God, we take a stand.
With a transformed heart and mind, a past is all we leave behind,
While we move for God ahead, a voice for Christ and Spirit lead.
Not here to spiritually pause, while ahead there’s a greater cause,
With The Good News to herald, as for God we change our world.
Becoming for God a strong voice, with other brethren we rejoice,
For Christ has made us fully clean, even from those sins unseen,
Mindful of what we used to be, now used by the God of Eternity,
As our own will and self is denied, Grace is spread, far and wide.
(Copyright ©08/2009)
Mr. B's Ballroom
A victim of collision on the open sea
Nobody ever said that life was free
Sank, swam, go down with the ship
But use your freedom of choice
I'll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Your freedom of choice
In ancient rome there was a poem
About a dog who found two bones
He picked at one
He licked the other
He went in circles
He dropped dead
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice!
Then if you got it you don't want it
Seems to be the rule of thumb
Don't be tricked by what you see
You got two ways to go
I'll say it again in the land of the free
Use your freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom of choice!
In ancient rome
There was a poem
About a dog
Who found two bones
He picked at one
He licked the other
He went in circles
He dropped dead
Freedom of choice
Is what you got
Freedom from choice
Is what you want
(repeat)
song performed by by Devo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Another Heaven
He lived his life in isolation, a man without a name
Saddled with a reputation, from cheyonne he came
He moved down south when the money ran out
Turned to a life of crime
Things werent all that different then
Theyd kill you for a dime
Never showed no mercy, had a heart of stone
His hands were dirty, stained to the bone, he said
Chorus:
Turn back? its too late!
All I can do is pray theres another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Sinners like me need another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Ive run out of time. . .
He lived at least a dozen lifetimes, luck was on his side
The only friend he ever had,
Was his trusty forty-five
His final words to my gran-daddy were
Son you must be brave
All thats left of what he was
Is in this texas grave
He could smell the danger
He knew the end was near
Thru the smoke and whiskey, one thing was clear
Chorus:
Turn back? its too late!
All I can do is pray theres another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Sinners like me need another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
All I can do is pray theres another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Ive run out of time. . .
Look me in the eyes, I wanna see it comin!
Never showed no mercy, had a heart of stone
His hands were dirty. stained to the bone
Chorus:
Turn back? its too late!
All I can do is pray theres another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Sinners like me need another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
All I can do is pray theres another heaven
Turn back? its too late!
Sinners like me need another heaven, yeah, yeah!
Turn back? its too late!
Ive run out of time. . .
Look me in the eyes, I wanna see it comin!
song performed by by Richard Marx
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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