A Man Young And Old: X. His Wildness
O bid me mount and sail up there
Amid the cloudy wrack,
For peg and Meg and Paris' love
That had so straight a back,
Are gone away, and some that stay
Have changed their silk for sack.
Were I but there and none to hear
I'd have a peacock cry,
For that is natural to a man
That lives in memory,
Being all alone I'd nurse a stone
And sing it lullaby.
poem by William Butler Yeats
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A Man Young And Old
I
First Love
THOUGH nurtured like the sailing moon
In beauty's murderous brood,
She walked awhile and blushed awhile
And on my pathway stood
Until I thought her body bore
A heart of flesh and blood.
But since I laid a hand thereon
And found a heart of stone
I have attempted many things
And not a thing is done,
For every hand is lunatic
That travels on the moon.
She smiled and that transfigured me
And left me but a lout,
Maundering here, and maundering there,
Emptier of thought
Than the heavenly circuit of its stars
When the moon sails out.
II
Human Dignity
Like the moon her kindness is,
If kindness I may call
What has no comprehension in't,
But is the same for all
As though my sorrow were a scene
Upon a painted wall.
So like a bit of stone I lie
Under a broken tree.
I could recover if I shrieked
My heart's agony
To passing bird, but I am dumb
From human dignity.
III
The Mermaid
A mermaid found a swimming lad,
Picked him for her own,
Pressed her body to his body,
Laughed; and plunging down
Forgot in cruel happiness
That even lovers drown.
IV
The Death of the Hare
I have pointed out the yelling pack,
The hare leap to the wood,
And when I pass a compliment
Rejoice as lover should
At the drooping of an eye,
At the mantling of the blood.
Then' suddenly my heart is wrung
By her distracted air
And I remember wildness lost
And after, swept from there,
Am set down standing in the wood
At the death of the hare.
V
The Empty Cup
A crazy man that found a cup,
When all but dead of thirst,
Hardly dared to wet his mouth
Imagining, moon-accursed,
That another mouthful
And his beating heart would burst.
October last I found it too
But found it dry as bone,
And for that reason am I crazed
And my sleep is gone.
VI
His Memories
We should be hidden from their eyes,
Being but holy shows
And bodies broken like a thorn
Whereon the bleak north blows,
To think of buried Hector
And that none living knows.
The women take so little stock
In what I do or say
They'd sooner leave their cosseting
To hear a jackass bray;
My arms are like the twisted thorn
And yet there beauty lay;
The first of all the tribe lay there
And did such pleasure take --
She who had brought great Hector down
And put all Troy to wreck --
That she cried into this ear,
'Strike me if I shriek.'
VII
The Friends of his Youth
Laughter not time destroyed my voice
And put that crack in it,
And when the moon's pot-bellied
I get a laughing fit,
For that old Madge comes down the lane,
A stone upon her breast,
And a cloak wrapped about the stone,
And she can get no rest
With singing hush and hush-a-bye;
She that has been wild
And barren as a breaking wave
Thinks that the stone's a child.
And Peter that had great affairs
And was a pushing man
Shrieks, 'I am King of the Peacocks,'
And perches on a stone;
And then I laugh till tears run down
And the heart thumps at my side,
Remembering that her shriek was love
And that he shrieks from pride.
VIII
Summer and Spring
We sat under an old thorn-tree
And talked away the night,
Told all that had been said or done
Since first we saw the light,
And when we talked of growing up
Knew that we'd halved a soul
And fell the one in t'other's arms
That we might make it whole;
Then peter had a murdering look,
For it seemed that he and she
Had spoken of their childish days
Under that very tree.
O what a bursting out there was,
And what a blossoming,
When we had all the summer-time
And she had all the spring!
IX
The Secrets of the Old
I have old women's sectets now
That had those of the young;
Madge tells me what I dared not think
When my blood was strong,
And what had drowned a lover once
Sounds like an old song.
Though Margery is stricken dumb
If thrown in Madge's way,
We three make up a solitude;
For none alive to-day
Can know the stories that we know
Or say the things we say:
How such a man pleased women most
Of all that are gone,
How such a pair loved many years
And such a pair but one,
Stories of the bed of straw
Or the bed of down.
X
His Wildness
O bid me mount and sail up there
Amid the cloudy wrack,
For peg and Meg and Paris' love
That had so straight a back,
Are gone away, and some that stay
Have changed their silk for sack.
Were I but there and none to hear
I'd have a peacock cry,
For that is natural to a man
That lives in memory,
Being all alone I'd nurse a stone
And sing it lullaby.
XI
From 'Oedipus at Colonus'
Endure what life God gives and ask no longer span;
Cease to remember the delights of youth, travel-wearied aged man;
Delight becomes death-longing if all longing else be vain.
Even from that delight memory treasures so,
Death, despair, division of families, all entanglements of mankind grow,
As that old wandering beggar and these God-hated children know.
In the long echoing street the laughing dancers throng,
The bride is catried to the bridegroom's chamber
through torchlight and tumultuous song;
I celebrate the silent kiss that ends short life or long.
Never to have lived is best, ancient writers say;
Never to have drawn the breath of life, never to have
looked into the eye of day;
The second best's a gay goodnight and quickly turn away.
poem by William Butler Yeats
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Upon My Lap My Sovereign Sits
Upon my lap my sovereign sits
And sucks upon my breast;
Meantime his love maintains my life
And gives my sense her rest.
Sing lullaby, my little boy,
Sing lullaby, mine only joy!
When thou hast taken thy repast,
Repose, my babe, on me;
So may thy mother and thy nurse
Thy cradle also be.
Sing lullaby, my little boy,
Sing lullaby, mine only joy!
I grieve that duty doth not work
All that my wishing would,
Because I would not be to thee
But in the best I should.
Sing lullaby, my little boy,
Sing lullaby, mine only joy!
Yet as I am, and as I may,
I must and will be thine,
Though all too little for thyself
Vouchsafing to be mine.
Sing lullaby, my little boy,
Sing lullaby, mine only joy!
poem by Martin Peerson
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Lullaby
Should just hug you goodbye
But I just cant walk away from paradise
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
And we can revisit us one more time
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
Hey boy, whats going on
Thanks, Im doing okay
Dont believe rumours- hey
Hows your family
Please say hello for me
Guess weve both grown up a bit
But I have to admit
It really still feels good
Here by your side
Sitting right next to you
Just like I used to do
You know we cant deny
No one else in our lives
Holds a candle to you and i
Should just hug you goodbye
But I just cant walk away from paradise
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
And we can revisit us one more time
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
I should just hug you goodbye
But I just cant walk away from paradise
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
And we can revisit us one more time
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
So here we are again
All by ourselves
So familiar you know
That it actually almost feels like deja vu
Of that night on the roof
We kissed under the sky amid city lights
A sudden flashback to so long ago
In the dark all alone
With our bodies this close
Guess some things never change
cause I still melt away
When you touch me
And say my name
Should just hug you goodbye (baby)
But I just cant walk away from paradise (so I guess)
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
(Ill come and love you to sleep)
And we can revisit us one more time
(revisit paradise for a while)
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight (by your side)
(lullaby)
I should just hug you goodbye (see I know I should but boy)
But I just cant walk away from paradise
(you just look so good)
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
(so Ill sing that song)
And we can revisit us one more time
(you like to hear me sing as we revisit us)
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
(it feels, feels good)
I should just hug you goodbye
(I cant walk away
But I just cant walk away from paradise
From paradise so Ill take you home and sing to you baby)
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
And we can revisit us one more time
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
(though I know that I should just)
I should just hug you goodbye
(oh I cant, ...cause you)
But I just cant walk away from paradise
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
(you and I both know)
And we can revisit us one more time
(nobody else in our lives holds a candle to you and I)
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
I should just hug you goodbye shhh!
(so hush pretty baby)
But I just cant walk away from paradise
(mmm,its just me and you yeah, as we relive the splendor of you and I)
So I guess Ill sing you that sweet lullaby
And we can revisit us one more time
Yes, Ill come home with you tonight
(Im gonna sing our sweet lullaby)
song performed by by Mariah Carey
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sail Away
By dickey betts
(c) 1979 emi blackwood music inc.
Sunset colors, all across the bay.
Finds me here alone at the end of one more day.
Skipping stones across the water.
Wonder why I ever thought youd stay.
Palm trees sway in the evening breeze.
Sing a lullabye of sweet love to me.
Sailboat, sail away into the amber sky.
And I wonder why I ever thought youd stay.
Sail on, sail away.
May all your dreams come true one day.
Sail on, sail away.
I wonder why I ever thought youd stay.
Sail on, sail away.
May all your dreams come true one day.
Sail on, sail away.
I wonder why I ever thought youd stay.
I wonder why I ever thought youd stay.
Sail on, sail away.
Sail on, sail away.
Sail on, sail away.
Sail on, sail away.
song performed by by Allman Brothers Band
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Russian Lullaby
When the seas are rolling in
When the stars are shining clear
When the ghosts are howling near
When we sing the russian lullaby
Lets you and me together leave for higher ground
When you are all alone just listen to the sound
Lullaby
We fall asleep when we hear...
Lullaby
We fly away when we hear...
Lullaby
We travel far when we hear...
Lullaby
When we hear the russian lullaby...
In the night, when the seas are rolling in
In the night, when the stars are shining clear
In the night, when the ghosts are howling near
In the night, when we sing the russian lullaby
When we are going through the night in search of light
Lets you and me enjoy the mach 5 speed of life
Lullaby
We fall asleep when we hear...
Lullaby
We fly away when we hear...
Lullaby
We travel far when we hear...
Lullaby
When we hear the russian lullaby...
In the night, when the seas are rolling in
In the night, when the stars are shining clear
In the night, when the ghosts are howling near
In the night, when we sing the russian lullaby
song performed by by E-type
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Childrens Lullaby
Little girl was down by the waterside
The sun so hot and the roses so red where she lie
As little boys sit and watch as she twirls all around
Sunny smiles not a raincloud could bring that girl down
But now....
Whats behind those big brown eyes
Do you dream at night
Without your lullaby
Little boy sits alone as he sings in the dark
Wondering if his own dreams had pulled them apart
He sings a song of tomorrow he never can see
Mostly sings of a lost little girls memory
And now...
As his dreams go flashing by
He begins to hear
A lonely lullaby
Well now
We used to sing
And we used to cry
Through everything
In our childrens lullaby
Little girl on the street with nobody around
Has her head in the air dirty feet on the ground
She shuts her eyes and she wonders is this a mistake
Now shes gone from the warmth of her little boy days
And still...
She believes that shell get by
On her own without
Her little boys lullaby
Little boy prays to God to answer his song
To hold her hand when everyone elses are gone
Time goes by and the wounds slowly turn into scars
So he makes his final wish on the midnight stars
And he screams...
Little girl wont you hear my cry
Wont you come back home
To your lovers lullaby
Little girl down by the waterside
Goodbye
song performed by by Vertical Horizon
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Lullaby
May the angels
sing you a lullaby
as you lay down to sleep
may you pray
your soul to keep
at the end of every day
When the river of life
seems way too deep
all seems to be lost
in a broken dream
and you can't seem
to make it across
look up to the sky
let this burning sun
be your light
to guide your way
Let the wind you hear blow
be your only voice
if that's all they hear
if it could be
your only choice
everything would be alright
hide behide your fears
Let the rain fall
and be your tears
if you must cry
let this land be your heart
that you hear beat
and when we're miles apart
let this love be for all
until we meet
and may angels
sing you this lullaby
(spiritwind-2004)
poem by Spiritwind Wood
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Brides
Brides.
Silk worms spewed me a suit fit for a king
Wore it at a wedding where I coveted
Another man’s bride
The worms came, ate my fine suit, they
Had found me unworthy; naked walked
through the park of autumnal leaves.
By daybreak I sat on a stone by the sea
And didn’t hear the cockerel crew, a mermaid
Beckoned for me to join her.
We swam to an island not marked by maps
In the bay I saw my old schooner called May,
De-rigged now and unable to sail
Cured of my vanity, worms spewed me
Another fine suit; by not looking back I walked
On water to a wedding in Paris.
poem by Jan Oskar Hansen
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Straight
You sleep better when youre
You eat better when youre
You sing better when youre
You need me more when youre straight
Is this the weekend?
Is that your girlfriend?
Shes green and innocent
You smoke her like shes incense
Shes smilin
Ill wait til summers over
Ill love you through october
Ill give you everything
Ill trade you anything for her
Stay straight for me
Stay straight for me
Stay straight for me
Stay straight for me
song performed by by Veruca Salt
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lullaby, Oh, Lullaby!
Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
Flowers are closed and lambs are sleeping;
Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
Stars are up, the moon is peeping;
Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
While the birds are silence keeping,
(Lullaby, oh, lullaby!)
Sleep, my baby, fall a-sleeping,
Lullaby, oh, lullaby!
poem by Christina Georgina Rossetti
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Lullaby
Lets go out tonight
Put on your shoes
Get away from here
Far from the local blues
Lets go out tonight
Lets make our escape
From the city lights
And all the familiar shapes
We can drive all night
We can stop in a field
Hear the starlight
Traveling for millions of years
Sing a lullaby to the night (repeat)
We can rock and roll
We can dance all night long
To the stars above
And we wont be strong
We can walk away
To the rising dawn
As people go to work
Wondering why our clothes are torn
Sing a lullaby to the night (repeat)
Well be driving through the mountains
In the cool and clearing air
With the sunlight on the ocean
And the diamonds in your hair
And as youre falling asleep
I will sing you a lullaby
Sing your lullaby (repeat)
We can find a place
For the sun and the rain
We can live a life
Like a hurricane
On a mountain top
Or right by the sea
As long as were together
It dont matter to me
Lets go out tonight
Lets escape
Sing your lullaby (repeat)
As the perfumes of the evening
Mingle sweetly with the night
Well lay ourselves down
In the light of the moon
And well hold each other tight
And as youre falling asleep
I will sing you a lullaby
song performed by by Wang Chung
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Golden Slubmers
Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby
Golden slumbers fill your eyes
Smiles awake you when you rise
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby
Once there was a way to get back homeward
Once there was a way to get back home
Sleep pretty darling do not cry
And I will sing a lullaby
song performed by by Beatles
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Lonesome Lullaby
I listened to the whine for way too long
Time for me to hear a different song
I waited overtime for things to turn around
Tired of waiting for it all to hit the ground
You said you knew all about it
What was right and what was wrong
You pulled the wool over the eyes of everyone
Maybe I was weak when I shouldve been strong
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
You took me by surprise and like a shot in the dark, shot in the dark
You showed yourself in your truest light, truest light
You saved yourself by saving nobody else
You must have cringed when you heard them tell
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
You took the wrong turn at the city of dreams, city of dreams
You ended up back where you came from it seems, came from it seems
Back there to where theres nothing else to do
Back there where you can sit and think of only you
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Cry, baby, cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Cry
Tell me bout your lonesome lullaby
Your lonesome lullaby
song performed by by Electric Light Orchestra
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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A Lover's Lullaby
SING lullaby, as women do,
Wherewith they bring their babes to rest;
And lullaby can I sing too,
As womanly as can the best.
With lullaby they still the child;
And if I be not much beguiled,
Full many a wanton babe have I,
Which must be still'd with lullaby.
First lullaby my youthful years,
It is now time to go to bed:
For crooked age and hoary hairs
Have won the haven within my head.
With lullaby, then, youth be still;
With lullaby content thy will;
Since courage quails and comes behind,
Go sleep, and so beguile thy mind!
Next lullaby my gazing eyes,
Which wonted were to glance apace;
For every glass may now suffice
To show the furrows in thy face.
With lullaby then wink awhile;
With lullaby your looks beguile;
Let no fair face, nor beauty bright,
Entice you eft with vain delight.
And lullaby my wanton will;
Let reason's rule now reign thy thought;
Since all too late I find by skill
How dear I have thy fancies bought;
With lullaby now take thine ease,
With lullaby thy doubts appease;
For trust to this, if thou be still,
My body shall obey thy will.
Thus lullaby my youth, mine eyes,
My will, my ware, and all that was:
I can no more delays devise;
But welcome pain, let pleasure pass.
With lullaby now take your leave;
With lullaby your dreams deceive;
And when you rise with waking eye,
Remember then this lullaby.
poem by George Gascoigne
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Only Heavens Know
Why ask Why
Show yourself some mercy
Don't be shy
You don't have to look away
It's allright
You don't have to know the answers
In your heart you know you'll do
The Very best you can
Sail away tonight, on the ocean of forgiveness
We cannot decide which way the wind will blow
Baby close your eyes, let go of tomorrow
Some things in life, only heaven knows.
Face the sky, like I never heard you
Live your life you don't have to be afraid
Here inside are those who trully love you
Theres nothing you can ever do
To make them turn away
Sail away tonight...
Us now baby
Oohh now and don't you cry
Say a little prayer to heaven
And I will sing a lullaby
Sail Away tonight...
song performed by by Peter Cetera
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Landscapes
Landscapes
The landscape I walk, used to be guarded by stone hedges; infinite
supply of stones this soil yields if not much else. Nature has taken
back what man did, the landscape is lush of weed, and bent trees.
I’m sliding into silence, but if I listen I can hear Spanish bluebells
peal in a mild breeze that also carries a whisper of a Nordic lullaby,
Last year a Canadian couple walked with me, their ancestors came
from around here. We stopped outside a ruin and they went silent,
cried. An ancient memory stirred they knew this place. Where their
tears had fertilized the ground, is, this year, full of wild flowers.
No, they are not returning, Canadians now and proud of that too.
I sit on a stone, not by the river of Babylon, and see how the brook,
free from icy shackles elatedly run, will not heed words of caution.
I have made boats of bark, and sail of green leaves, see them hasten
towards the North Sea. The brook is no more, indifference has seen
to that, but the landscape of my childhood is clear as a stream.
poem by Oskar Hansen
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Gascoigne's Lullaby
1 Sing lullaby, as women do,
2 Wherewith they bring their babes to rest;
3 And lullaby can I sing to,
4 As womanly as can the best.
5 With lullaby they still the child,
6 And if I be not much beguil'd,
7 Full many wanton babes have I,
8 Which must be still'd with lullaby.
9 First, lullaby my youthful years,
10 It is now time to go to bed;
11 For crooked age and hoary hairs
12 Have won the haven within my head.
13 With lullaby, then, youth be still,
14 With lullaby, content thy will,
15 Since courage quails and comes behind,
16 Go sleep, and so beguile thy mind.
17 Next, lullaby my gazing eyes,
18 Which wonted were to glance apace;
19 For every glass may now suffice
20 To show the furrows in my face.
21 With lullaby, then, wink awhile,
22 With lullaby, your looks beguile,
23 Let no fair face nor beauty bright
24 Entice you eft with vain delight.
25 And lullaby my wanton will,
26 Let reason's rule now reign thy thought,
27 Since all too late I find by skill
28 How dear I have thy fancies bought.
29 With lullaby, now take thine ease,
30 With lullaby, thy doubts appease,
31 For trust to this, if thou be still,
32 My body shall obey thy will.
33 Eke, lullaby my loving boy,
34 My little Robin, take thy rest;
35 Since age is cold and nothing coy,
36 Keep close thy coin, for so is best.
37 With lullaby, be thou content,
38 With lullaby, thy lusts relent,
39 Let others pay which have mo pence,
40 Thou art too poor for such expense.
41 Thus lullaby, my youth, mine eyes,
42 My will, my ware, and all that was!
43 I can no mo delays devise,
44 But welcome pain, let pleasure pass.
45 With lullaby, now take your leave,
46 With lullaby, your dreams deceive,
47 And when you rise with waking eye,
48 Remember Gascoigne's lullaby.
poem by George Gascoigne
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I Love Paris
Every time I look down on this timeless town,
Whether blue or gray be her skies,
Whether loud be her cheers, or whether soft be her tears,
More and more do I realize that...
I love paris in the spring time
I love paris in the fall
I love paris in the summer when it sizzles
I
Love paris in the winter when it drizzles
I love paris every moment
Every moment of the year
I love
Paris, why oh why do I love paris
Because my love is here
song performed by by Ella Fitzgerald
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Love Paris
Nat king cole
(cole porter)
(can-can)
Every time I look down on this timeless town
Whether blue or gray be her skies.
Whether loud be her cheers or soft be her tears,
More and more do I realize:
I love paris in the springtime.
I love paris in the fall.
I love paris in the winter when it drizzles,
I love paris in the summer when it sizzles.
I love paris every moment,
Every moment of the year.
I love paris, why, oh why do I love paris?
Because my love is near.
song performed by by Nat King Cole
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Angels Lullaby
I was never alive
til the day I was blessed with you
When I hold you late at night
I know what I was put here to do
I turn off the world and listen to you sigh
And I will sing my angels lullaby
Know Im forever near
The one you can always call
Right all you know to fear
Are the shadows on your wall
Im here close enough
To kiss the tears you cry
And I will sing my angels lullaby
So tell me how to stop the years from racing
Is there a secret someone knows?
Ill never catch all the memories Im chasing
Ill never be ready to let go
And when the world seems cold
And you feel that all of your strength is gone
There may be one tiny voice
Your reason to carry on
And when Im not close enough
To kiss the tears you cry
You will sing your angels lullaby
Let this be our angels lullaby
song performed by by Richard Marx
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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