Envy And Avarice
Envy and Avarice, one summer day,
Sauntering abroad
In quest of the abode
Of some poor wretch or fool who lived that way--
You--or myself, perhaps--I cannot say--
Along the road, scarce heeding where it tended,
Their way in sullen, sulky silence wended;
For, though twin sisters, these two charming creatures,
Rivals in hideousness of form and features,
Wasted no love between them as they went.
Pale Avarice,
With gloating eyes,
And back and shoulders almost double bent,
Was hugging close that fatal box
For which she's ever on the watch
Some glance to catch
Suspiciously directed to its locks;
And Envy, too, no doubt with silent winking
At her green, greedy orbs, no single minute
Withdrawn from it, was hard a-thinking
Of all the shining dollars in it.
The only words that Avarice could utter,
Her constant doom, in a low, frightened mutter,
'There's not enough, enough, yet in my store!'
While Envy, as she scanned the glittering sight,
Groaned as she gnashed her yellow teeth with spite,
'She's more than me, more, still forever more!'
Thus, each in her own fashion, as they wandered,
Upon the coffer's precious contents pondered,
When suddenly, to their surprise,
The God Desire stood before their eyes.
Desire, that courteous deity who grants
All wishes, prayers, and wants;
Said he to the two sisters: 'Beauteous ladies,
As I'm a gentleman, my task and trade is
To be the slave of your behest--
Choose therefore at your own sweet will and pleasure,
Honors or treasure!
Or in one word, whatever you'd like best.
But, let us understand each other--she
Who speaks the first, her prayer shall certainly
Receive--the other, the same boon _redoubled!_'
Imagine how our amiable pair,
At this proposal, all so frank and fair,
Were mutually troubled!
Misers and enviers, of our human race,
Say, what would you have done in such a case?
Each of the sisters murmured, sad and low
'What boots it, oh, Desire, to me to have
Crowns, treasures, all the goods that heart can crave,
Or power divine bestow,
Since still another must have always more?'
So each, lest she should speak before
The other, hesitating slow and long
Till the god lost all patience, held her tongue.
He was enraged, in such a way,
To be kept waiting there all day,
With two such beauties in the public road;
Scarce able to be civil even,
He wished them both--well, not in heaven.
Envy at last the silence broke,
And smiling, with malignant sneer,
Upon her sister dear,
Who stood in expectation by,
Ever implacable and cruel, spoke
'I would be blinded of _one_ eye!'
poem by Victor Hugo
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Related quotes
Villanelle: Blest Art the Poor
God keeps me better than many others!
And yet, I seem very dissatisfied;
I envy my poorer sisters, brothers!
Despite their troubles, nothing them bothers;
They seem to wear a smile on sad a face;
God keeps me better than many others!
Neither the sun or moon or rain or cold matters;
They laugh away their problems most, always.
I envy my poorer sisters, brothers!
Some shelterless do wear clothes in tatters;
Their children play amusing all in ways.
God keeps me better than many others!
They bathe happily in river-waters;
They play in mud and run in sand a race.
I envy my poorer sisters, brothers!
The forests give them wood, berries, feathers;
No grief or strife can halt their living pace.
God keeps me better than many others!
I envy my poorer sisters, brothers!
Copyright by Dr John Celes 1-28-2005
(my first villanelle)
poem by John Celes
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I DON'T ENVY WOMEN 2...by talile ali
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
THE STUFF THEY HAVE TO GO THRU
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
HOW COULD REALITY BE SO CRUEL
I GOT A FRIEND
CUTE AS HELL
I'LL LOVE HER TILL THE BITTER END
BEEN RAPED SO MUCH
LOOKED TO GOOD TO TOUCH
MESSED UP PRICE FOR A PRETTY FACE, MY FRIEND
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
THE SHIT THEY HAVE TO GO THRU HURTS SO MUCH
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
HOW COULD REALITY BE SO CRUEL AND TRUE
I HAVE ANOTHER FRIEND
ALL OVER THE PLACE
AS IF SHE LOST HER MIND
WITH HEAVY FLOWS
AND HORMONE WOES
IT'S A MIRACLE SHE'S NOT DYIN
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
THE STUFF THEY GO THRU BECAUSE WE JUST DON'T
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
THE BRAINLESS CRUELTY JUST SIMPLY WON'T
THESE GIRLS I KNOW
THEY ALL OWN MY HEART
TO KNOW SUCH GREAT DESPAIR IS BEYOND JUST FAIR
NEVER KNOWING
A MOMENTS PEACE
AND UNTROUBLED LOVE THAT THEY CAN NEVER SHARE
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
THE STUFF THEY ALL HAVE TO GO THRU
I DON'T ENVY WOMEN
NO I DON'T
HOW COULD THEIR LIFE BE SO CRUEL
poem by Talile Ali
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Sonnet: Envy
In human hearts, the fire of Envy burns,
All night and day, since birth until one’s death!
No matter what lessons the mind still learns,
The eyes of Envy stay green till last breath.
Why should Envy occupy the heart’s core?
Does God not give talents to all the men?
To everyone, He opens a new door!
Just sinless labor will earn him Heaven.
But not all men are made of same substance;
Yet, plenty can be done in any field;
One’s toil’s outweighed by environment and chance;
To suppress others, powers never wield!
The poison, Envy devours any heart,
And spells chaos and doom for any art.
poem by John Celes
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Envy and Admiration
Oh how I envy my sister
Every time she talks
Every time she walks
Every time she goes somewhere
I envy my sister every minute of the day
She talks like there’s no stopping her
She owns her walk all the time
She gets to have freedom to go wherever she wants
She gets to drive when she wants to
She is the lucky sister that I very much envy
But yet I still admire her with all of my heart
I admire her for her strength
I admire her for her willingness to speak out
I admire her for her ability to stand out in the crowd
She is the sister that I admire every minute of the day
How can I envy and admire her both?
She makes my insides fill with jealousy
But yet she fills my heart and brain with admiration
After confessing this, I still feel envy and admiration for my older sister…will it ever end? ? ?
poem by Casey Lyon
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Avarice, envy, pride, three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of all on Fire.
Dante Alighieri in The Divine Comedy
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Envy Nothing But One
I don’t envy the angels with wings who can fly
I’ve been soaring in the beautiful sky of your love
I don’t envy the beauty of the rainbow
You’ve made me the most beautiful woman in your love
I don’t envy the freedom of the dolphins swimming in the ocean
I’ve been swimming in the ocean of your loving eyes
I don’t envy Shakespeare for his love poems
I’ve become the greatest poet since I met you
I don’t envy Romeo’s faith to Juliet
You’ve never turned your heart from me, not even once
I don’t envy the softness of the dew the morning has
You’ve been kissing me gently with your tender lips
I don’t envy Monalisa’s wonderful smile Leonardo has
I’ve got one of mine on your face
I don’t envy the sweet sound a harp has
I’ve got a sweeter one when you whisper in my ears
I envy nothing but one
The way you love and make me feel this way
poem by Santi Dewi Sihombing
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Love Me Blind
Speak to me in braille
For love's language is for the blind
For love has blinded me so
Feed me with whispering nonsense
The butterflies won't let me eat
Breathe into my mouth
Replace the breath you took away
Look into my eyes deeply
And stop the madman love has made me
Heart to heart, find my lost soul in you
Days are shorter, life is sweeter
Words are prettier, the sky is nearer
My wings they soar
Your deep calls to my deep
The shallow waters envy our skin
The angels watch in envy
A love like this to man unknown
Who are you that do me so
I loved you then, I love you now, I'll love you more
Don't see my flaws and all I've been
Love me more for who you've made me
For who I am and who I'll be
Forgive my sins before I sin
Fix our love before it's broken
Time and I will war for you
Neither will die when it's our time
I will race you to forever
And forever will never let go
All is fair in love and war
I defeat time badly
And win you blindly
Forever will be you and me.
poem by Jenim Dibie
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Envy Exposed
Green with Envy does not describe
The color worn by this foul Sin
For green is the color of living things
An Envious Heart has no life therein
The color Blue for Envy will not do
Blue is the sky where freedom sings
In skies so many dreams take flight
An Envious Heart has no wings
Envy cannot dress in Yellow or Gold
The warm colors of the life giving Sun
An Envious Heart is so bitterly cold
With no joie de vivre for all of life’s fun
Envy dare not wear any shade of Red
A color so linked to precious bloodshed
Blood is sacred not to be wantonly shed
An Envious Heart would bleed others till dead
Purple is the color of Passionate fire
An Envious Heart knows only Hate’s ire
Pink is a color where innocent youth may abide
An Envious Heart is tired and shriveled inside
Nor can Envy ‘s color be Black as night
For the star filled night is laced with light
Envy won’t wear Purity’s symbolic White
An Envious Heart does not own such a right
Envy cannot even lay its claim to Grey
(Muddled mix of color though be as it may)
Grey is the color of softness seen
An Envious Heart is hard and mean
What Envy wears best is Invisibility
So denuded of Soul none would wish to see
No color born of Heaven will suit it well
An Envious Heart will be naked in Hell
poem by Mary Havran
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Avarice, envy, pride,Three fatal sparks, have set the hearts of allOn Fire.
quote by Dante Alighieri
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The sister if a life time
Your more then just a friend to me that is easy to see we have grown close just like family your are my sister and I am yours there is not a day that goes by when I don't think of you and how much fun we have together ever day I think of you and all the fun we have everyday I think of you and remember how glad I am to have a sister like you
I will do anything I have to do to stick up for you because we are sisters and that's what sisters do I can count on you for anything you can count on me for anything we are two sister who can't be separated we have grow so close closer the just best friends we have grown so close sisters till the end nothing can split us apart you know I will always have your back you can count on me for anything you might need I will be here for you and you understand I will do anything I can do to help you get through all your tough times I will do anything I have to do to stick up for you because we are sisters and that's what sisters do I'm glad you came One day leads on to the next as we grow close nothing can stop us from being so close I look up to you as my big sister I look up to you as my Shells I am your squeak toy and nothing can change that you and my best friend and nothing will change that I am glad you came stepped foot into my life I am glad you came nothing will ever be the same now that you came you have change the way I am forever Nothing can change the bond that we have nothing can change the times that we share and no one can ever take away all the love that we share today you are my sister and I look up to you you are my sister I do what you tell me too you are my sister I would be lost without you you are my sister and you treat me just like sisters do Everyday I look down at my teddy bear I think of you and all the fun we share every time I look at that teddy bear I think of all the love we share I thank you for stepping into my life and I thank you for being here for me when I need you most just like a sister should be I love you as much as family I will never let you go you have been by my side when I needed you most and when I could care less you are here for me when I struggle you are here for me on the double you are here for me just like a sister should be I will stick up for you just like a sister should I will be there to hug you when your sad I will be there to wipe your tears away I will be there to briten your day I will be there to make all your pain go away I will do everything a little sister should do I will be here to stick up for you I will be the one to make you smile I will be the one to show I care I will be the one who will always be there and nothing can ever change that nothing can take that away nothing anyone else can say can make me love you any less because sisters are sisters and sisters are the best I love you till the end of time I will love you in the grave I love you till end of time and I am your best friend you can come to to talk about anything I will be all ears and here to listen I love you and my love for you is unconditional thank you for being my big sister Sisters are the best they stick up for you and I am proud to say I have an amazing sister like you you just as weird as me and even though we fight just like family I am still going to love till the very end and you will always and forever be my friend nothing can change that not a single word nothing can change that you are my sister nothing can change all the fun we have nothing can change that fact I will always be here for you no matter what and nothing can take that away every single time I hear you say I love you my little squeak toy that never goes away I am here to stay as your little sister and you know that I miss you more and more everyday
No other sister would ever be like you you are my pride and joy my everything I am here for you even in the wind you are my sister and I love you so nothing can change that you don't even know you mean the world to me I would do anything for you you mean the world to me I will do anything you tell me to you mean the world that is all I can say I love you as my sister till the very last day I will love you as family and nothing can change that you are my sister i'm glad you came thanks to you my universe will never be the same you have shown me how to survive and you know I am always here for you and there is nothing you can do to make me hate you you are outrages and funny to all the crazy things we sister do Eating candy late at night watching the baby not letting her out of our site going to the beach and walking along the rocks proceeding in a very long talk then all the soda we could ever get I think it was 7 bottles but sometimes I think that we ate all the candy ever made I didn't want to go home I wish I could have stayed I know that we can't have candy anymore because I am no longer a guest I am family I have been welcomed as if I have lived with you all along I wish that I had your mom because then I could live with you and have as much fun as we wanted to eating candy watching movies what we love best is when Onix cuddle up right next to us as we are trying to sleep he is such a cuddle bug that I must confess your my sister and your the very best
poem by Adrienne Childs
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On Some White Corpuscles
your teeth are yellow and you say these are healthy teeth
you must envy
these yellow teeth
your eyes are happy, they are smiling till the last day,
and you are proud saying
look, these are happy eyes why not take a picture
of them and copy them
to be your eyes,
your skins are tight and you are too very proud of them
these skins hold my bones and there are no rattlings
in the house of your body
then i ask what is your problem then, why you too
take the walks in the morning?
you said your hemoglobin count is low and you sometimes
faint and your lover is worried always taking you limp
in his arms when you kiss in the dark,
i see, this kind of thing to a man of your lifetstyle,
i need not ask if you have been taking large doses
from his white corpuscles,
from the cartilage between his legs,
something too personal you say
there is no envy somehow
you close your mouth hiding your yellow teeth
with some sauce still
about to dry on the gums,
last night, you say, was the best night you ever had,
something new
fresh and you are frank enought to admit
something that you always eat
and swallow
will not last you a life time
love to you, is always, a temporary, fleeting thing,
a fact too tight like your skin
holding all your dangling bones
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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A Lover's Envy
I envy every flower that blows
Along the meadow where she goes,
And every bird that sings to her,
And every breeze that brings to her
The fragrance of the rose.
I envy every poet's rhyme
That moves her heart at eventime,
And every tree that wears for her
Its brightest bloom, and bears for her
The fruitage of its prime.
I envy every Southern night
That paves her path with moonbeams white,
And silvers all the leaves for her,
And in their shadow weaves for her
A dream of dear delight.
I envy none whose love requires
Of her a gift, a task that tires:
I only long to live to her,
I only ask to give to her
All that her heart desires.
poem by Henry Van Dyke
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No Love / Just Fate
Love what is love,
is it not the confusion we create threw the misconception of another four letter word -Lust
-
Lust what is lust,
but ones sensual desire to explore someone elses body with the soul intention of pleasure without commitment therefore avoiding the most important but five letter word -Trust
-
Trust what is trust,
is it not the secret to everlasting friendship threw the disposal of another four letter word-Envy
-
Envy what is envy,
but the one thing most capable of destroying the illusion of love for it is the main cause of my next four letter word-Pain
-
Pain what is pain,
is it not what we all have to endure to to maintain that which we are mislead to desire from birth -Love
-
Love what is love,
is it not the illusion we create in ones own mind to dissolve our deepest subconscious fear of dieing alone even though we have not the choice due to this four letter word-Fate
-
Fate what is fate,
is it not inevitable
poem by Mike Hayes
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Making Me Wait To Rekindle
I do not envy a second of your patience.
I could not sit to wait,
As if my own needs...
Can only be satisfied,
If a bit of tolerance was applied.
I do not envy a second of your patience.
As if a puppy held by an invisible leash.
Intoxicated with a craving for an appearance,
To share that familiarity again.
I do not envy a second of your patience.
But I do...
Wish I could have someone,
To pretend I am bitter with...
For making me wait,
To rekindle a romantic encounter.
Those times are missed.
poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Stalemate
Its not my mind (5x)
Yo j
And I get a little bit
Your veins flow with poison
Please acknowledge my present
This precious gift that I behold discarded like trash
To dominate, its in your nature, you selfish brat
I cant believe you had me strung out all over you like that
One minute youre sweet the next minute youre sour
I taste the envious predictions, change with each hour
Ive seen this before, you even decide to step into my little world
Strange things occurring
Happening over and
Over and over again
Now bitch you are cruelty
You bark your orders with such a degrading dialect
I cant believe you had me strung out all over you like that
(gonna funk it up)
One minute you think youre all this
The next minute you think youre all that
But your playin with the nova
Momma didnt show ya how to take it, you can by the man
When its over Ill be hunting you down
Waiting for the pay back, you frown
Begging me for your mercy
I aint down with the sympathy you see
And I always remember your tender love
Wipe me under the rug
Just so you can step on my spine
Im gonna get mine [2x]
? ? ? reminds me
Im gonna get mine
I wish I was wasted by the envy
Im gonna get mine
Beyond this love is such a ? ? ? envy
Im gonna get mine
Id like to rearrange your face
Im gonna get mine
Wasted by envy
Im gonna get mine
Wasted by envy
Youre so sweet [3x]
Im gonna get mine [3x]
So you try, whose reset, be your face [? ? ? ]
Im gonna get mine
Your life is whore a subject, you fake me [? ? ? ]
Im gonna get mine
Ill rearrange your face
Im gonna get mine
Ill rearrange your face
Im gonna get mine
Youre so sweet [3x]
Youre always right and Im always wrong
Not my mind
Thats why I love you so much
Not my mind
Youre so sweet
Not my mind
I love you
Not my mind
Youre so sweet
Not my mind
I love you
Not my mind...
song performed by by Limp Bizkit
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Brother Jim
My brother Jim's a millionaire,
while I have scarce a penny;
His face is creased with lines of care,
While my mug hasn't any.
With inwardness his eyes are dim,
While mine laugh out in glee,
And though I ought to envy him,
I think he envies me.
He has a chateau, I a shack,
And humble I should be
To see his stately Cadillac
Beside my jalopy.
With chain of gold his belly's girt,
His beard is barber trim;
Yet bristle-chinned with ragged shirt,
I do not envy Jim.
My brother is a man of weight;
For every civic plum
He grabs within one pie of state,
While I am just a bum.
Last Winter he was near to croak
With gastric ulcers grim. . . .
And no! although I'm stony broke
I will not envy Jim
He gets the work, I get the fun;
He has no tie for play;
Whereas with paddle, rod and gun
My life's a holiday.
As over crabbed script he pores
I can the sky's blue rim. . . .
Oh boy! While I have God's outdoors
I'll never envy Jim.
poem by Robert William Service
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I envy Seas, whereon He rides
498
I envy Seas, whereon He rides—
I envy Spokes of Wheels
Of Chariots, that Him convey—
I envy Crooked Hills
That gaze upon His journey—
How easy All can see
What is forbidden utterly
As Heaven—unto me!
I envy Nests of Sparrows—
That dot His distant Eaves—
The wealthy Fly, upon His Pane—
The happy—happy Leaves—
That just abroad His Window
Have Summer's leave to play—
The Ear Rings of Pizarro
Could not obtain for me—
I envy Light—that wakes Him—
And Bells—that boldly ring
To tell Him it is Noon, abroad—
Myself—be Noon to Him—
Yet interdict—my Blossom—
And abrogate—my Bee—
Lest Noon in Everlasting Night—
Drop Gabriel—and Me—
poem by Emily Dickinson
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Pride, avarice, and envy are in every home.
quote by Thornton Wilder
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Silence 1.
Most times when I'm hurt,
My silence speaks for me.
She speaks very loud;
Even louder than a megaphone.
I choose to be silent, -
When most things happen,
Not because I cannot speak;
Nor that my words have evaded me,
But because in my silence-
There's a challenging power.
Sometimes in my fears,
When my heart is filled with love,
And my eyes with tears;
I learn to love, just like a dove.
My mouth moves to speak,
But is suddenly cut short by silence,
Silence in love, silence in fear.
Silence in tears, silence in joy;
And when I'm in this mood,
My silence stands so tall-
Even taller than a giant;
She makes her way; -
Even more than spoken words.
Spoken words of loud emotions,
They meet my silence-
And they tremble in awe.
I could hear those words;
They say to themselves,
'How art silence so mighty? '.
poem by Echezonachukwu Nduka
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