An Elective Course

LINES FOUND AMONG THE PAPERS OF A HARVARD UNDERGRADUATE

The bloom that lies on Fanny's cheek
Is all my Latin, all my Greek;
The only sciences I know
Are frowns that gloom and smiles that glow;
Siberia and Italy
Lie in her sweet geography;
No scolarship have I but such
As teaches me to love her much.

Why should I strive to read the skies,
Who know the midnight of her eyes?
Why should I go so very far
To learn what heavenly bodies are!
Not Berenice's starry hair
With Fanny's tresses can compare;
Not Venus on a cloudless night,
Enslaving Science with her light,
Ever reveals so much as when
She stares and droops her lids again.

If Nature's secrets are forbidden
To mortals, she may keep them hidden.
Æons and æons we progressed
And did not let that break our rest;
Little we cared if Mars o'erhead
Were or were not inhabited;
Without the aid of Saturn's rings
Fair girls were wived in those fair springs;
Warm lips met ours, and conquered us
Or ere thou wert, Copernicus!

Graybeards, who wish to bridge the chasm
'Twixt man to-day and protoplasm,
Who theorize and probe and gape,
And finally evolve an ape--
Yours is a harmless sort of cult,
If you are pleased with the result.
Some folks admit, with cynic grace,
That you have rather proved your case.
Those dogmatists are so severe!
Enough for me that Fanny's here,
Enough that, having survived
Pre-Eveic forms, she has arrived--
An illustration the completest
Of the survival of the sweetest.

Linnæus aveunt! I only care
To know what flower she wants to wear.
I leave it to the addle-pated
To guess how pinks originated,
As if it mattered! The chief thing
Is that we have them in the Spring,
And Fanny likes them. When they come,
I straightaway send and purchase some.
The Origin of Plants--go to!
Their proper end I have in view.

O loveliest book that ever man
Looked into since the world began
Is Woman! As I turn those pages,
As fresh as in the primal ages,
As day by day I scan, perplext,
The ever subtly changing text,
I feel that I am slowly growing
To think no other work worth knowing.
And in my copy--there is none
So perfect as the one I own--
I find no thing set down as such
As teaches me to love it much.

poem by Thomas Bailey AldrichReport problemRelated quotes
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Hey Miss Fanny

Roy orbison/james morrow
Here comes fanny walking down the street
Walks so groovy and she talks so sweet
Hey miss fanny you sure look fine
Tell me please, wont you be mine?
Hey now miss fanny
Hey now please be mine
Well come on baby lets go downtown
Rock, jump and mess around
Well hang out and raise some fun
Well stay out till after one
Hey now miss fanny
Hey now please be mine
Well sugar us sweet and so are you
Im plumb crazy bout what you do
My heart string it does go zing zing
Everytime you start that thing
Hey now miss fanny
Hey now please be mine
Well listen to me baby please
Youve become my hearts ...
Youve got me just wild for you
Please dont drive me crazy too
Hey now miss fanny
Hey now please be mine
Hey miss fanny, please wont you be mine
Please be mine

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The Weight (feat. The Staple Singers)

(The Band)
I pulled in to Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
''Hey mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?''
He just grinned and shook my hand, ''No'' was all he said
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And you put the load right on me
I picked up my bag, I went looking for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walking side by side
I said ''Hey Carmen, come on, let's go downtown''
She said ''I gotta go but my friend can stick around''
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And you put the load right on me
Go down Miss Moses, there's nothing you can say
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on the judgement day
''Well, Luke my friend, what about young Anna-Lee?''
He said ''Do me a favour son, won't you stay and keep Anna-Lee
company?''
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And you put the load right on me
Crazy Chester followed me and he caught me in the fog
He said ''I will fix your rat if you'll take Jack my dog''
I said ''Wait a minute Chester, you know I'm a peaceful man''
He said ''That's okay boy, won't you feed him when you can?''
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And you put the load right on me
Catch a cannonball now to take me down the line
My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
Take a load off, Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off, Fanny
And you put the load right on me

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The Weight

I pulled into Nazareth, was feelin' 'bout half past dead
I just need some place where I can lay my head
"Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?"
He just grinned and shook my hand, and "No" was all he said
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me
Picked up my bag, went lookin' for a place to hide
When I saw Carmen and the Devil walkin' side by side
I said, "Hey, Carmen, come on, let's go downtown"
She said, "I gotta go, but m'friend can stick around"
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me
Go down, Miss Moses, there's nothin' you can say
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waitin' on the Judgement Day
"Well Luke, my friend, what about young Anna Lee?"
He said, "Do me a favour, son, won't you stay an' keep Anna Lee company?"
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me
Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog
He said, "I will fix your rack, if you'll take Jack, my dog"
I said, "Wait a minute, Chester, I'm a peaceful man"
He said, "That's OK, just feed him when you can"
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me
Catch a cannon ball now, to take me down the line
My bag is sinking low and I do believe it's time
To get back to Miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone
Take a load off Fanny
Take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny
And (and) (and) you can put the load right on me

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West Of Fanny O'Dea's

You’ll not find the name in geography books,
It isn’t marked on the map,
Nor mentioned in atlas or history,
Yet you’ve heard of the place mayhap.
The fairies lurk in the boreens there,
And the scent of the black-thorn haunts the air
Where Atlantic batters the coast of Clare
“West of Fanny O”Dea’s”

Now the old folk tell, in their cheerful chat
By the kitchen fire’s bright glow,
Of hurling matches, or dance or fair,
Of happenings of long ago.
How the heftiest fighters came from there,
Women and men who could do and dare,
From the very heart of the heart of Clare,
West of Fanny O’Dea’s.

From “West o’ Fanny’s” the folk went forth,
To the uttermost parts of the earth;
And the forest fell ‘neath their sturdy stroke,
The cabin rang with mirth.
They builded homes, and the faith was there
Living circles of love and prayer,
Far from the rocky coast of Clare,
West of Fanny O’Dea’s.

As the old folk chat at the kitchen fire
Of doings of long ago,
The young ones smile, with a tender scorn,
At a well-worn phrase they know:
“Now many strange countries and climes there be,
And many queer names o’er land and sea,
But
where
in the name of geography
Is ’West of Fanny O’Dea’s?”

poem by Alice Guerin CristReport problemRelated quotes
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Fanny

First i rise, then i fall
Seems like you don't want the love
Of this man at all
And it's sure been a lonely time
Right up to the time i met you
So if you take a love like mine
Be tender with my love;
You know how easy it is to hurt me
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'cause it's all that i've got
And my love won't desert me
So you say to yourself, boy,
You're out of your brain;
Do you think i'm gonna stand here
All night in the rain?
And it's the start of a love affair
The moment when i first met you
And if you want i'll take you there;
Be tender with my love;
You know how easy it is to break me
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'cause it's all that i've got
And my love won't forsake me.
With my love,
Our love will seal it together.
Oh, with our love,
You made a promise
You'll always love me forever.
Be tender with my love;
You know how easy it is to break me
Fanny, be tender with my love,
'cause it's all that i've got
And my love won't forsake me.

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John Keats

Ode to Fanny

Physician Nature! Let my spirit blood!
O ease my heart of verse and let me rest;
Throw me upon thy Tripod, till the flood
Of stifling numbers ebbs from my full breast.
A theme! a theme! great nature! give a theme;
Let me begin my dream.
I come -- I see thee, as thou standest there,
Beckon me not into the wintry air.

Ah! dearest love, sweet home of all my fears,
And hopes, and joys, and panting miseries, --
To-night, if I may guess, thy beauty wears
A smile of such delight,
As brilliant and as bright,
As when with ravished, aching, vassal eyes,
Lost in soft amaze,
I gaze, I gaze!

Who now, with greedy looks, eats up my feast?
What stare outfaces now my silver moon!
Ah! keep that hand unravished at the least;
Let, let, the amorous burn --
But pr'ythee, do not turn
The current of your heart from me so soon.
O! save, in charity,
The quickest pulse for me.

Save it for me, sweet love! though music breathe
Voluptuous visions into the warm air;
Though swimming through the dance's dangerous wreath,
Be like an April day,
Smiling and cold and gay,
A temperate lilly, temperate as fair;
Then, Heaven! there will be
A warmer June for me.

Why, this, you'll say, my Fanny! is not true:
Put your soft hand upon your snowy side,
Where the heart beats: confess -- 'tis nothing new --
Must not a woman be
A feather on the sea,
Sway'd to and fro by every wind and tide?
Of as uncertain speed
As blow-ball from the mead?

I know it -- and to know it is despair
To one who loves you as I love, sweet Fanny!
Whose heart goes fluttering for you every where,
Nor, when away you roam,
Dare keep its wretched home,
Love, love alone, his pains severe and many:
Then, loveliest! keep me free,
From torturing jealousy.

Ah! if you prize my subdued soul above
The poor, the fading, brief, pride of an hour;
Let none profane my Holy See of love,
Or with a rude hand break
The sacramental cake:
Let none else touch the just new-budded flower;
If not -- may my eyes close,
Love! on their lost repose.

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Frances Keeps Her Promise

'MY Fanny, I have news to tell,
Your diligence quite pleases me;
You've work'd so neatly, read so well,
With cousin Jane you may take tea.

'But pray remember this, my love,
Although to stay you should incline,
And none but you should think to move,
I wish you to return at nine. '

With many thanks the attentive child
Assured mamma she would obey:
Whom tenderly she kiss'd, and smiled,
And with the maid then went away.

Arrived, the little girl was shown
To where she met the merry band;
And when her coming was made known,
All greet her with a welcome bland.

They dance, they play, and sweetly sing,
In every sport each one partakes;
And now the servants sweetmeats bring,
With wine and jellies, fruit and cakes.

Then comes papa, who says, 'My dears,
The magic lantern if you'd see,
And that which on the wall appears,
Leave off your play, and follow me.'

While Frances too enjoy'd the sight,
Where moving figures all combine
To raise her wonder and delight,
She hears, alas! the clock strike nine.

'Miss Fanny's maid for her is come.' –
'Oh dear, how soon!' the children cry;
They press, but Fanny will go home,
And bids her little friends good bye.

'See, dear mamma, I have not stay'd;'
'Good girl, indeed,' mamma replies,
'I knew you'd do as you had said,
And now you'll find you've won a prize.

'So come, my love, and see the man
Whom I desired at nine to call.'
Down stairs young Frances quickly ran,
And found him waiting in the hall.

'Here, Miss, are pretty birds to buy,
A parrot or macaw so gay;
A speckled dove with scarlet eye:
A linnet or a chattering jay.

'Would you a Java sparrow love?'
'No, no, I thank you,' said the child;
'I'll have a beauteous cooing dove,
So harmless, innocent, and mild. '

'Your choice, my Fanny, I commend,
Few birds can with the dove compare:
But lest it pine without a friend,
I give you leave to choose a pair.

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Romance

In Paris on a morn of May
I sent a radio transalantic
To catch a steamer on the way,
But oh the postal fuss was frantic;
They sent me here, they sent me there,
They were so courteous yet so canny;
Then as I wilted in despair
A Frenchman flipped me on the fanny.

'Twas only juts a gentle pat,
Yet oh what sympathy behind it!
I don't let anyone do that,
But somehow then I didn't mind it.
He seemed my worry to divine,
With kindly smile, that foreign mannie,
And as we stood in waiting line
With tender touch he tapped my fanny.

It brought a ripple of romance
Into that postal bureau dreary;
He gave me such a smiling glance
That somehow I felt gay and cheery.
For information on my case
The postal folk searched nook and cranny;
He gently tapped, with smiling face,
His reassurance on my fanny.

So I'll go back to Tennessee,
And they will ask: "How have you spent your
Brief holiday in gay Paree?"
But I'll not speak of my adventure.
Oh say I'm spectacled and grey,
Oh say I'm sixty and a grannie -
But say that morn of May
A Frenchman flipped me on the fanny!

poem by Robert William ServiceReport problemRelated quotes
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Teacher Man

The Teacher Man teaches kids from all over the world
The Teacher Man teaches no matter boy or girl
The Teacher Man teaches Christans, Musilms, and Jews
The Teacher Man teaches those who say 'God I don't believe in you'
The Teacher Man teaches over demands for more recess
The Teacher Man teaches to only demand the best
The Teacher Man teaches Science, Reading, and Math
The Teacher Man teaches how to live out of class

The Teacher Man teaches all how to share
The Teacher Man teaches that we all should care
The Teacher Man teaches how to keep an open mind
The Teacher Man teaches with a kick in the behind
The Teacher Man teaches there are lessons in life
The Teacher Man teaches how to overcome strife
The Teacher Man teaches there's nothing wrong with a hug
The Teacher Man teaches the world changes with Love

The Teacher Man teaches the rich and the poor
The Teacher Man teaches those who are ready for more
The Teacher Man teaches how to look someone in the eye
The Teacher Man teaches how to accept someone in their cry
The Teacher Man teaches in more than one tounge
The Teacher Man teaches how to make working hard fun
The Teacher Man teaches all the colors of the land
But, most important of all, he teaches we should take a stand

Take a Stand, Take a Stand, for what you believe
Take a Stand, Take a Stand, and you will be free
Take a Stand, Take a Stand, for the least of the least
Take such Stand man, and you will find peace

He's the Teacher Man

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Listen, Learn, Read On

In ages past when spells were cast
In a time of men in steel
When a man was taught no special thing
It was all done by feel
So listen, so learn, so read on
You gotta turn the page, read the book of taliesyn
Hear the song of lovely joan
Her sound so sweet and clear
In the courtroom of the king
Among children and the peers
So listen, so learn, so read on
You gotta turn the page, read the book of taliesyn
now hear ye the words of taliesyn,
On the foaming beach of the ocean,
In the day of trouble,
I shall be of more service to thee
Than three hundred salmon...
The hare he bounds across the page
Past castles white and fair
Past dreaming chessmen on their boards
With a fools mate as a snare
So listen, so learn, so read on
You gotta turn the page, read the book of taliesyn
three times I have been born
I know this from meditation...
The bird he flies the distance
From pages two to six
Past minstrels in their boxes
To the waters of the styx
So listen, so learn, so read on
You gotta turn the page, read the book of taliesyn
Dont take the pictures lightly
Listen to their sound
For from their coloured feeling
Experience is found
So listen, so learn, so read on
You gotta turn the page, read the book of taliesyn
all the sciences of the world are collected in my breast,
For I know what has been, what is now,
And what hereafter will occur...

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Finery

IN an elegant frock, trimm'd with beautiful lace,
And hair nicely curl'd, hanging over her face,
Young Fanny went out to the house of a friend,
With a large little party the evening to spend.

'Ah! how they will all be delighted, I guess,
And stare with surprise at my handsome new dress!'
Thus said the vain girl, and her little heart beat,
Impatient the happy young party to meet.

But, alas! they were all too intent on their play
To observe the fine clothes of this lady so gay,
And thus all her trouble quite lost its design;–
For they saw she was proud, but forgot she was fine.

'Twas Lucy, though only in simple white clad,
(Nor trimmings, nor laces, nor jewels, she had,)
Whose cheerful good-nature delighted them more
Than Fanny and all the fine garments she wore.

'Tis better to have a sweet smile on one's face,
Than to wear a fine frock with an elegant lace,
For the good-natured girl is loved best in the main,
If her dress is but decent, though ever so plain.

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The Weight

I pulled into Nazareth, was feeling 'bout half past DEAD
I just need some place where I can lay my head
Hey, mister, can you tell me, where a man might find a bed
He just grinned and shook my hand, "No" was all he said.
Take a load off Fanny, take a load for free
Take a load off Fanny, and you put the load right on me
I picked up my bags, I went looking for a place to hide
Then I saw old Carmen and the devil walking side by side
I said, "Hey Carmen, c'mon, let's go downtown"
She said, "I gotta go, but my friend can stick around"
Chorus
Go down, Miss moses, ain't nothin you can say
It's just old Luke, and Luke's waiting on judgement day
Well, Luke, my friend, what about young Annalee
He said, "Do me a favor, so, won't you stay and keep Annalee comapany"
Chorus
Crazy Chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog
said, "I will fix your rag, if you'll take Jack, my dog"
I said, "Wait a minute Chester-you know, I'm a peaceful man"
He said, "That's ok, boy, won't you feed him when you can"
Chorus
Get you cannonball, now to take me down the line
My bag is sinking low, and I do believe it's time
To get back to miss Fanny, you know she's the only one
Who sent me here, with her regards for everyone
Chorus

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Goo-goo to form-Cauchy3

Goo-goo to form…
Dutch nickels steal my sweet.
Dutch girls will kiss a wheel.
Drop a cog with dropping cars.
Utmost powers check in masses.

Goo-goo to forms are all to stir.
Fanny plays the Irish whist.
Cauchy3 will stop by iron crosses.
Iron bounds are Jimmy spots.

Going on-s are inmost laws.
Powers happy killed our man.
Hankers teased happy made.
Happy powers all will take.

Happy works are faro banks.
Fast in laws are fast to paint.
Happy powers fanny mob.
Rude and fast are goodie not.
---Cheung Shun Sang=Cauchy3---

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On Pressing Some Flowers

So, they are dead! Love! when they passed
From thee to me, our fingers met;
O withered darlings of the May!
I feel those fairy fingers yet.

And for the bliss ye brought me then,
Your faded forms are precious things;
No flowers so fair, no buds so sweet
Shall bloom through all my future springs.

And so, pale ones! with hands as soft
As if I closed a baby's eyes,
I'll lay you in some favorite book
Made sacred by a poet's sighs.

Your lips shall press the sweetest song,
The sweetest, saddest song I know,
As ye had perished, in your pride,
Of some lone bard's melodious woe.

Oh, Love! hath love no holier shrine!
Oh, heart! could love but lend the power,
I'd lay thy crimson pages bare,
And every leaf should fold its flower.

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Finery

In an elegant frock, trimm'd with beautiful lace,
And hair nicely curl'd, hanging over her face,
Young Fanny went out to the house of a friend,
With a large little party the evening to spend.

"Ah! how they will all be delighted, I guess,
And stare with surprise at my handsome new dress!"
Thus said the vain girl, and her little heart beat,
Impatient the happy young party to meet.

But, alas! they were all too intent on their play
To observe the fine clothes of this lady so gay,
And thus all her trouble quite lost its design;­
For they saw she was proud, but forgot she was fine.

'Twas Lucy, though only in simple white clad,
(Nor trimmings, nor laces, nor jewels, she had,)
Whose cheerful good-nature delighted them more
Than Fanny and all the fine garments she wore.

'Tis better to have a sweet smile on one's face,
Than to wear a fine frock with an elegant lace,
For the good-natured girl is loved best in the main,
If her dress is but decent, though ever so plain.

poem by Jane TaylorReport problemRelated quotes
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Dont Start Me Talkin

Sonny boy williamson
Goin down to rosies
Stop at fanny mays
Gonna tell fanny what I heard her boyfriend say
Now dont you start me talkin
Ill tell evrything I know
Im gonna break up this signifyin
cause somebody gotta go
Jack gave his wife two dollar
Go down to the market
Get out on the street, ol george stopped her
He knocked her down
And blacked her eye
She get back home and tell her husband a lie
Now dont you start me talkin
Ill tell evrything I know
Im gonna break up this signifyin
cause somebody gotta go
She borrowed some money
To go to the beauty shop
Im goin to a place where I can get my hair sot
Now dont you start me talkin
Ill tell evrything I know
Im gonna break up this signifyin
cause somebody gotta go

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Traveling is the ruin of all happiness! There's no looking at a building after seeing Italy.

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William Makepeace Thackeray

The Cane-Bottom'd Chair

In tattered old slippers that toast at the bars,
And a ragged old jacket perfumed with cigars,
Away from the world, and its toils and its cares,
I've a snug little kingdom up four pair of stairs.

To mount to this realm is a toil, to be sure,
But the fire there is bright and the air rather pure;
And the view I behold on a sunshiny day
Is grand through the chimney-pots over the way.

This snug little chamber is cramm'd in all nooks
With worthless old knicknacks and silly old books,
And foolish old odds and foolish old ends,
Crack'd bargains from brokers, cheap keepsakes from friends.

Old armor, prints, pictures, pipes, china (all crack'd),
Old rickety tables, and chairs broken-backed;
A two-penny treasury, wondrous to see;
What matter? 'tis pleasant to you, friend, and me.

No better divan need the Sultan require,
Than the creaking old sofa that basks by the fire;
And 'tis wonderful, surely, what music you get
From the rickety, ramshackle, wheezy spinet.

That praying-rug came from a Turcoman's camp;
By Tiber once twinkled that brazen old lamp;
A Mameluke fierce yonder dagger has drawn:
'Tis a murderous knife to toast muffins upon.

Long, long through the hours, and the night, and the chimes,
Here we talk of old books, and old friends, and old times;
As we sit in a fog made of rich Latakie,
This chamber is pleasant to you, friend, and me.

But of all the cheap treasures that garnish my nest,
There is one that I love and I cherish the best:
For the finest of couches that's padded with hair
I never would change thee, my cane-bottom'd chair.

'Tis a bandy-legg'd, high shoulder'd, worm-eaten seat,
With a creaking old back, and twisted old feet;
But since the fair morning when Fanny sat there,
I bless thee and love thee, old cane-bottom'd chair.

If chairs have but feeling, in holding such charms,
A thrill must have pass'd through your wither'd old arms!
I look'd, and I long'd, and I wish'd in despair;
I wished myself turn'd to a cane-bottom'd chair.

It was but a moment she sat in this place,
She'd a scarf on her neck, and a smile on her face;
A smile on her face, and a rose in her hair,
And she sat there and bloom'd in my cane-bottom'd chair.

And so I have valued my chair ever since,
Like the shrine of a saint, or the throne of a prince;
Saint Fanny, my patroness sweet I declare,
The queen of my heart and my cane-bottom'd chair.

When the candles burn low, and the company's gone,
In the silence of night as I sit here alone --
I sit here alone, but we yet are a pair --
My Fanny I see in my cane-bottom'd chair.

She comes from the past and revisits my room;
She looks as she then did, all beauty and bloom;
So smiling and tender, so fresh and so fair,
And yonder she sits in my cane-bottom'd chair.

poem by William Makepeace ThackerayReport problemRelated quotes
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The Weight

I pulled into nazareth, was feelin about half past dead;
I just need some place where I can lay my head.
Hey, mister, can you tell me where a man might find a bed?
He just grinned and shook my hand, and no!, was all he said.
(chorus:)
Take a load off fanny, take a load for free;
Take a load off fanny, and (and) (and) you can put the load right on me.
I picked up my bag, I went lookin for a place to hide;
When I saw carmen and the devil walkin side by side.
I said, hey, carmen, come on, lets go downtown.
She said, I gotta go, but mfriend can stick around.
(chorus)
Go down, miss moses, theres nothin you can say
Its just ol luke, and lukes waitin on the judgement day.
Well, luke, my friend, what about young anna lee?
He said, do me a favor, son, woncha stay an keep anna lee company?
(chorus)
Crazy chester followed me, and he caught me in the fog.
He said, I will fix your rack, if youll take jack, my dog.
I said, wait a minute, chester, you know Im a peaceful man.
He said, thats okay, boy, wont you feed him when you can.
(chorus)
Catch a cannon ball now, ttake me down the line
My bag is sinkin low and I do believe its time.
To get back to miss fanny, you know shes the only one.
Who sent me here with her regards for everyone.
(chorus)

song performed by by Bob DylanReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hermaphroditus

I.
LIFT UP thy lips, turn round, look back for love,
Blind love that comes by night and casts out rest;
Of all things tired thy lips look weariest,
Save the long smile that they are wearied of.
Ah sweet, albeit no love be sweet enough,
Choose of two loves and cleave unto the best;
Two loves at either blossom of thy breast
Strive until one be under and one above.
Their breath is fire upon the amorous air,
Fire in thine eyes and where thy lips suspire:
And whosoever hath seen thee, being so fair,
Two things turn all his life and blood to fire;
A strong desire begot on great despair,
A great despair cast out by strong desire.

II.
Where between sleep and life some brief space is,
With love like gold bound round about the head,
Sex to sweet sex with lips and limbs is wed,
Turning the fruitful feud of hers and his
To the waste wedlock of a sterile kiss;
Yet from them something like as fire is shed
That shall not be assuaged till death be dead,
Though neither life nor sleep can find out this.
Love made himself of flesh that perisheth
A pleasure-house for all the loves his kin;
But on the one side sat a man like death,
And on the other a woman sat like sin.
So with veiled eyes and sobs between his breath
Love turned himself and would not enter in.

III.
Love, is it love or sleep or shadow or light
That lies between thine eyelids and thine eyes?
Like a flower laid upon a flower it lies,
Or like the night’s dew laid upon the night.
Love stands upon thy left hand and thy right,
Yet by no sunset and by no moonrise
Shall make thee man and ease a woman’s sighs,
Or make thee woman for a man’s delight.
To what strange end hath some strange god made fair
The double blossom of two fruitless flowers?
Hid love in all the folds of all thy hair,
Fed thee on summers, watered thee with showers,
Given all the gold that all the seasons wear
To thee that art a thing of barren hours?

IV.
Yea, love, I see; it is not love but fear.
Nay, sweet, it is not fear but love, I know;
Or wherefore should thy body’s blossom blow
So sweetly, or thine eyelids leave so clear
Thy gracious eyes that never made a tear—
Though for their love our tears like blood should flow,
Though love and life and death should come and go,
So dreadful, so desirable, so dear?
Yea, sweet, I know; I saw in what swift wise
Beneath the woman’s and the water’s kiss
Thy moist limbs melted into Salmacis,
And the large light turned tender in thine eyes,
And all thy boy’s breath softened into sighs;
But Love being blind, how should he know of this?

Au Musée du Louvre, Mars 1863.

poem by Algernon Charles SwinburneReport problemRelated quotes
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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