William Butler Yeats

Meeting

Hidden by old age awhile
In masker's cloak and hood,
Each hating what the other loved,
Face to face we stood:
'That I have met with such,' said he,
'Bodes me little good.'

'Let others boast their fill,' said I,
'But never dare to boast
That such as I had such a man
For lover in the past;
Say that of living men I hate
Such a man the most.'

'A loony'd boast of such a love,'
He in his rage declared:
But such as he for such as me --
Could we both discard
This beggarly habiliment --
Had found a sweeter word.

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William Butler Yeats

A Woman Young And Old

I
FATHER AND CHILD
SHE hears me strike the board and say
That she is under ban
Of all good men and women,
Being mentioned with a man
That has the worst of all bad names;
And thereupon replies
That his hair is beautiful,
Cold as the March wind his eyes.

II
BEFORE THE WORLD WAS MADE

IF I make the lashes dark
And the eyes more bright
And the lips more scarlet,
Or ask if all be right
From mirror after mirror,
No vanity's displayed:
I'm looking for the face I had
Before the world was made.
What if I look upon a man
As though on my beloved,
And my blood be cold the while
And my heart unmoved?
Why should he think me cruel
Or that he is betrayed?
I'd have him love the thing that was
Before the world was made.

III
A FIRST CONFESSION

I ADMIT the briar
Entangled in my hair
Did not injure me;
My blenching and trembling,
Nothing but dissembling,
Nothing but coquetry.
I long for truth, and yet
I cannot stay from that
My better self disowns,
For a man's attention
Brings such satisfaction
To the craving in my bones.
Brightness that I pull back
From the Zodiac,
Why those questioning eyes
That are fixed upon me?
What can they do but shun me
If empty night replies?

IV
HER TRIUMPH

I DID the dragon's will until you came
Because I had fancied love a casual
Improvisation, or a settled game
That followed if I let the kerchief fall:
Those deeds were best that gave the minute wings
And heavenly music if they gave it wit;
And then you stood among the dragon-rings.
I mocked, being crazy, but you mastered it
And broke the chain and set my ankles free,
Saint George or else a pagan Perseus;
And now we stare astonished at the sea,
And a miraculous strange bird shrieks at us.

V

CONSOLATION

O BUT there is wisdom
In what the sages said;
But stretch that body for a while
And lay down that head
Till I have told the sages
Where man is comforted.
How could passion run so deep
Had I never thought
That the crime of being born
Blackens all our lot?
But where the crime's committed
The crime can be forgot.

VI
CHOSEN

THE lot of love is chosen. I learnt that much
Struggling for an image on the track
Of the whirling Zodiac.
Scarce did he my body touch,
Scarce sank he from the west
Or found a subtetranean rest
On the maternal midnight of my breast
Before I had marked him on his northern way,
And seemed to stand although in bed I lay.
I struggled with the horror of daybreak,
I chose it for my lot! If questioned on
My utmost pleasure with a man
By some new-married bride, I take
That stillness for a theme
Where his heart my heart did seem
And both adrift on the miraculous stream
Where -- wrote a learned astrologer --
The Zodiac is changed into a sphere.

VII
PARTING
i{He.} Dear, I must be gone
While night Shuts the eyes
Of the household spies;
That song announces dawn.
i{She.} No, night's bird and love's
Bids all true lovers rest,
While his loud song reproves
The murderous stealth of day.
i{He.} Daylight already flies
From mountain crest to crest
i{She.} That light is from the moom.
i{He.} That bird...
i{She.} Let him sing on,
I offer to love's play
My dark declivities.

VIII
HER VISION IN THE WOOD

DRY timber under that rich foliage,
At wine-dark midnight in the sacred wood,
Too old for a man's love I stood in rage
Imagining men. Imagining that I could
A greater with a lesser pang assuage
Or but to find if withered vein ran blood,
I tore my body that its wine might cover
Whatever could rccall the lip of lover.
And after that I held my fingers up,
Stared at the wine-dark nail, or dark that ran
Down every withered finger from the top;
But the dark changed to red, and torches shone,
And deafening music shook the leaves; a troop
Shouldered a litter with a wounded man,
Or smote upon the string and to the sound
Sang of the beast that gave the fatal wound.
All stately women moving to a song
With loosened hair or foreheads grief-distraught,
It seemed a Quattrocento painter's throng,
A thoughtless image of Mantegna's thought --
Why should they think that are for ever young?
Till suddenly in grief's contagion caught,
I stared upon his blood-bedabbled breast
And sang my malediction with the rest.
That thing all blood and mire, that beast-torn wreck,
Half turned and fixed a glazing eye on mine,
And, though love's bitter-sweet had all come back,
Those bodies from a picture or a coin
Nor saw my body fall nor heard it shriek,
Nor knew, drunken with singing as with wine,
That they had brought no fabulous symbol there
But my heart's victim and its torturer.

IX
A LAST CONFESSION

WHAT lively lad most pleasured me
Of all that with me lay?
I answer that I gave my soul
And loved in misery,
But had great pleasure with a lad
That I loved bodily.
Flinging from his arms I laughed
To think his passion such
He fancied that I gave a soul
Did but our bodies touch,
And laughed upon his breast to think
Beast gave beast as much.
I gave what other women gave
'That stepped out of their clothes.
But when this soul, its body off,
Naked to naked goes,
He it has found shall find therein
What none other knows,
And give his own and take his own
And rule in his own right;
And though it loved in misery
Close and cling so tight,
There's not a bird of day that dare
Extinguish that delight.

X
MEETING

HIDDEN by old age awhile
In masker's cloak and hood,
Each hating what the other loved,
Face to face we stood:
'That I have met with such,' said he,
'Bodes me little good.'
'Let others boast their fill,' said I,
'But never dare to boast
That such as I had such a man
For lover in the past;
Say that of living men I hate
Such a man the most.'
'A loony'd boast of such a love,'
He in his rage declared:
But such as he for such as me --
Could we both discard
This beggarly habiliment --
Had found a sweeter word.

XI
FROM THE 'ANTIGONE'

OVERCOME -- O bitter sweetness,
Inhabitant of the soft cheek of a girl --
The rich man and his affairs,
The fat flocks and the fields' fatness,
Mariners, rough harvesters;
Overcome Gods upon Parnassus;
Overcome the Empyrean; hurl
Heaven and Earth out of their places,
That in the Same calamity
Brother and brother, friend and friend,
Family and family,
City and city may contend,
By that great glory driven wild.
Pray I will and sing I must,
And yet I weep -- Oedipus' child
Descends into the loveless dust.

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Hating you,

Hating you,
Hating you is what I never saw,
Hating was more like villain,
Hate was like disgrace,
Hate is like a Ruin that is Immutable,
Hate is like love not unturned,
Hating is you making love disappear,
Hating you is like you are there for me,
Hating you is like Racism created by wise people,
Hating you is like talking lies,
Hate is like face not turned in disguise,
Hate is like hating my own soul,
It is bad to hate each other,
Since hate is not love,
Stop the hate,
Since it is sweeter than bitter.

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It was the boast of Augustus that he found Rome of brick and left it of marble. But how much nobler will be the sovereign's boast when he shall have it to say that he found law... a sealed book and left it a living letter found it the patrimony of the rich and left it the inheritance of the poor found it the two-edged sword of craft and oppression and left it the staff of honesty and the shield of innocence.

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Merit is tonic

I beheld her to behold me; she did.
I loved her to love me; she did.
I wanted her to want me; she did.
Beyond that she didn’t step in; I lost
Beyond that I couldn’t get in; she left.
I pine and pine in such love and I wane.
I boast and boast of such love and I waste.
I pride myself on my worth, and I last.
13.03.2007

poem by Rm. Shanmugam ChettiarReport problemRelated quotes
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Pride is tonic

I beheld her to behold me; she did.
I loved her to love me; she did.
I wanted her to want me; she did.
Beyond that she didn’t step in; I lost
Beyond that I couldn’t get in; she left.
I pine and pine in such love and I wane.
I boast and boast of such love, and I waste.
I pride and pride myself on my worth, and last.
13.03.2007

poem by Rm. Shanmugam ChettiarReport problemRelated quotes
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My Heart Worships You (Psalm)

O Lord, this world has nothing
To offer for my happiness
I found in You my everything
My life's so wonderfully blessed.

From birth, Lord, You have known me
You wove me in my mother's womb
You care for me so faithfully-
Love from the cradle to my tomb.

All my days are in Your Book,
You know the words that leave my lips,
My heart has yearned for years to look
For You the God that I worship.

Now You have found me I will be
All Yours my God for eternity,
Your love like Fire consumes completely,
Justice, Righteousness there for me.

Why should I fear the words of man?
No weapon formed against me stands,
Your Word refutes each one of them,
And through it all You hold my hand.

You are my God, I worship You!
My heart will glorify in praise-
All works You've done and what You are:
The God of Kindness, Love and Peace.

I soar on wings like an eagle's
Oh my spirit soars in Your wings!
Of mourning there's very little
For my heart in joy and love, it sings!

Your will is all that I desire,
To follow You where You lead me
And loving You I'll never tire,
Each breath I take to worship Thee.

'Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom,
or the strong man boast of his strength,

or the rich man boast of his riches.
but let him who boasts, boast abou this:

that he understand and knows Me,
That I am the Lord, Who exercises Kindness, Justice,
and Righteousness on earth....for in these I delight.'

JEREMIAH 9: 23-24

------------------
Copyright Cynthia Buhain-Baello
April 12,2009
Philippines

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Appreciate Being Humble

It's so much better to boast,
Than to bump.
Even better to get over a hump,
That's allowed to rumble in one's stomach.
Or leave as a scratchy lump,
In one's sore throat.

It's better to get over oneself...
To appreciate being humble.

It's so much better to boast,
Than to bump.
A pride that's hidden gets bumble bee stung.
When sniffing in a hive for milk and not honey.
Hoping to stumble upon a life,
To live free of common sense.

poem by Lawrence S. PertillarReport problemRelated quotes
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Stella And Flavia.

Stella and Flavia, ev'ry Hour,
Unnumber'd Hearts surprize:
In Stella's Soul lies all her Pow'r,
And Flavia's, in her Eyes.

More boundless Flavia's Conquests are,
And Stella's more confin'd:
All can discern a Face that's fair,
But few a lovely Mind.

Stella, like Britain's Monarch, reigns
O'er cultivated Lands;
Like Eastern Tyrants, Flavia deigns
To rule o'er barren Sands.

Then boast, fair Flavia, boast your Face,
Your Beauty's only Store:
Your Charms will ev'ry Day decrease,
Each Day gives Stella more.

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Pride And Ego

I hide this in my heart,
for a long time and,
people noticed it,
friends talked about it,
though they do not know,
what that is hidden anew,
I nurture it day by day,
strengthen it say by say,
people noticed it,
friends talked about it,
When they know about it,
I do not understand what is it,
I boast about me and
let my friends to flatter about me,
For the flattering that I get,
I boast about me and
let myself to flatter about them,
My friends know about it,
I know about them,
To survive in this world,
we have to scratch one another,
but the truth hidden in my safe,
can not be shunned always,
from the watchful eyes of my friends,
a word, an action or a scream,
may bring out all the goods,
and evils that is kept in my heart.
as the old meat decays and
emits the repelling odor or
the sweet fermented smell,
from the dried flowers.

poem by Veeraiyah SubbulakshmiReport problemRelated quotes
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Don Marquis

I have often noticed that ancestors never boast of the descendants who boast of ancestors. I would rather start a family than finish one. Blood will tell, but often it tells too much.

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Youth And Lordship

MY young lord's the lover
Of earth and sky above,
Of youth's sway and youth's play,
Of songs and flowers and love.
Yet for love's desire
Green youth lacks the daring;
Though one dream of fire,
All his hours ensnaring,
Burns the boy past bearing—
The dream that girls inspire.
My young lord's the lover
Of every burning thought
That Love's will, that Love's skill
Within his breast has wrought.
Lovely girl, look on him
Soft as music's measure;
Yield him, when you've won him,
Joys and toys at pleasure;
But to win your treasure,
Softly look upon him.
My young lord's the lover
Of every tender grace
That woman, to woo man,
Can wear in form or face.
Take him to your bosom
Now, girl, or never;
Let not your new blossom
Of sweet kisses sever;
Only guard for ever
Your boast within your bosom.
My young lord's the lover
Of every secret thing,
Love-hidden, love-bidden
This day to banqueting.
Lovely girl, with vaunting
Never tempt to-morrow:
From all shapes enchanting
Any joy can borrow,
Still the spectre Sorrow
Rises up for haunting.
And now my lord's the lover
Of ah! so many a sweet,—
Of roses, of spouses,
As many as love may greet.

poem by Dante Gabriel RossettiReport problemRelated quotes
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Vull a Man

No, I’m a man, I’m vull a man,
You beat my manhood, if you can.
You’ll be a man if you can teake
All steates that household life do meake.
The love-toss’d child, a-croodlen loud,
The bwoy a-screamen wild in play,
The tall grown youth a-steppen proud,
The father staid, the house’s stay.
No ; I can boast if others can,
I’m vull a man.

A young-cheak’d mother’s tears mid vall,
When woone a-lost, not half man-tall,
Vrom little hand, a-called vrom play,
Do leave noo tool, but drop a tay,
An’ die avore he’s father-free
To sheape his life by his own plan;
An’ vull an angel he shall be,
But here on e’th not vull a man,
No; I could boast if others can,
I’m vull a man.

I woonce, a child, wer father-fed,
An’ I’ve a-vound my childern bread;
My earm, a sister’s trusty crook,
Is now a faithvul wife’s own hook;
An’ I’ve agone where vo’k did zend,
An’ gone upon my own free mind,
An’ of’en at my own wits’ end.
A-led o’ God while I were blind.
No; I could boast if others can,
I’m vull a man.

An’ still, ov all my tweil ha’ won,
My loven maid an’ merry son,
Though each in turn’s a jay an’ ceare,
‘Ve a-had, an’ still shall have, their sheare
An’ then, if God should bless their lives,
Why I mid zend vrom son to son
My life, right on drough men an’ wives,
As long, good now, as time do run.
No, I could boast if others can,
I’m vull a man.

poem by William BarnesReport problemRelated quotes
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The Face

You take a final look around
And then you put your house-key down
Upon the table by the note
You take your handbag and your coat
You don't want too much to carry
To slow you down on the way

You picture his face
In the morning
As he was going to work
Without saying a word
You saw the face
Of a stranger
It wasn't always like this before
His face like a stranger
You didn't know what to say
So you are going away
From the face of a stranger
And not the lover you knew before

Why should you want to call your friends
Why should you want to start again
You tried explaining through the years
But it would always end in tears
And one thing you know for certain
You've said goodbye to that place

But still
You picture his face
In the morning
As he was going to work
Without saying a word
You saw the face
Of a stranger
It wasn't always like this before
His face like a stranger
You didn't know what to say
So you are going away
From the face of a stranger
And not the lover you knew before

Somewhere a telephone
Is ringing in an empty room
Miles away
You are looking at a new town
But you are thinking of the past
The rain is falling down
Why do you keep that photograph

Of his face like a stranger
As he was going to work
Without saying a word
You saw the face
Of a stranger
And not the lover you knew before

His face
In the morning
As he was going to work
Without saying a word
You saw the face
Of a stranger
It wasn't always like this before
His face like a stranger
You didn't know what to say
So you are going away
From the face of a stranger
And not the lover you knew before

His face
In the morning
As he was going to work
Without saying a word
You saw the face
Of a stranger
It wasn't always like this before

song performed by by Anni Frid Lyngstad from ShineReport problemRelated quotes
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In The Name Of God

in the name of god you kill in the name of your god
in the name of god you conquered in the name of your god
all religion should be wiped out
so that people may just live
what divides us is an illusion
made up by men in their confusion
in the name of god you kill in the name of your god
in the name of god you conquered in the name of your god
in the name of god you hate in the name of your god
in the name of god you boast in the name of your god
spoke of love no one would listen
seems everyones trying to prove something
starting over may be the best thing
so stop the bombs and lets begin
cause this war no one can win and it seems Ill never learn
oh this war no one can win well it seems Ill never learn
in the name of god you kill in the name of your god
in the name of god in the name of your god you conquered
in the name of god in the name of your god
all religion should be wiped out
save the people stand and live
what divides us is an illusion
made up by men in their confusion
in the name of god you kill in the name of your god
in the name of god you conquered in the name of your god
in the name of god you boast in the name of your god
in the name of god you hate in the name of your god
in the name of your god, why do you kill?, why do you hate?, in the name of god, in the name of god

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King Without A Crown

Welcome to the great republic
Guess I should show you round
Where once I was a king
And now I am a clown
The love that we once shared
Made a king of me
But now youre gone... but now youre gone
All I face is poverty
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
Hell hath no fury
Like a woman scorned
But heaven dont boast - no heaven dont boast
The jewel - the pretty jewel I just pawned
Every cloud has a silver lining
Every dog has its day
Oh but I guess the sun stopped shining
On the day you went away
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Yes Im a king - king! king without a crown
Bathed in former glory
Deposed from my throne
How do I get to tell my story?
When all gets your answerphone...
But you aint home
With the love you gave
I felt like royalty
But now youre face to face - face to face
With one ex-member of the aristocracy
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
...king without a heart
...king without a hope
...king without a woman baby
Oh Im a king without a crown
Theres no need to feel down
Yeah just take a look around
Youll see a man whos just a man
Nothing more
A king without a crown

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He lives to build, not boast, a generous race; No tenth transmitter of a foolish face.

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I Wonder

A gust of southern wind came and took my girl away from me
Now my tears could fill an ocean, my tears could fill a sea
I wonder if she thinks about me, I wonder
Many women come and go, they say my heart's uncarin' (Uncarin')
Maybe they don't hold me like she does (No they don't!)
No, it's unbearable
I wonder if she knows that I've turned down their hug and kissin'
Cuz it's her that I'm missin'
I wonder if she really knows, I wonder
CHORUS:
I wonder if she knows how much I love her
I wonder if she knows how much I need her face around
I wonder if she cares about me, I wonder
Well, go on and get it one time
Well, well, well, well
Maybe she'll come on Monday, then again maybe not
Maybe she'll let me get her excited, get her sweaty, get her hot
I wonder if I'll finally do what I've been dreamin' so long
I wonder if she knows that she is makin' love so strong (So strong)
I wonder what ground's below her, I wonder what sky's above
I wonder if she knows how much I extra absolutely, so complete and sweetly love her
I wonder if she knows how much I love her, I wonder
All the other girls I know are dumb, dumber than a post
But my girl knows everything (everything), I'm the king so I need 2 boast
Still I wonder if she'll really ever know (I wonder if she knows)
CHORUS {x2

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The BS-ness of a Theory

Prone to lie.
Prone to seek alibis...
To coverup and deny.
Prone to articulate,
A relevance that deceives.
Prone to believe the BS-ness of a theory,
Planned and delivered...
Will be conceived and passed,
For the masses to perceive.
As reality!
To support and cloak,
Their disguises hidden.
To choke and maim all minds.
While those who suffer from these intentions,
Are left alone in their despair...
And driven to isolation.
While others stand on their backs...
To brag and boast,
Of such affairs!
In these desperate times.
Attacking those of lack with laughter.
With a thoughtlessness they dare to share...
To profit from these misdeeds long after!
How sinister,
Are they...
Who stir their own defeat!

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Len Webster's 'Winter Sun

I dreamed of the snowmaiden,
white and soft,
of endless warmth

her face was veiled
her mind cleared
of prejudice and hate

worry became my boast,
that the love we shared
would fade like snow

the hot Indian sun
beat copper snakes
to hide in shades

and my inner fears
they melted,
as did i

(From the author's collection 'Behind the Painted Veil',
Outposts Publications, Walton-on-Thames,1972, p.11)

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Hilaire Belloc

Time Cures All

It was my shame, and now it is my boast,
That I have loved you rather more than most.

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