On A Similar Character (From The Greek)
You give your cheks a rosy stain,
With washes dye your hair;
But paint and washes both are vain
To give a youthful air.
Those wrinkles mock your daily toil,
No labor will efface 'em,
You wear a mask of smoothest oil,
Yet still with ease we trace 'em.
An art so fruitless then forsake,
Which though you much excel in,
You never can contrive to make
Old Hecuba young Helen.
poem by William Cowper
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Artificial Verse - Parody William Cowper and Lucianus- Artificial Beauty
You give your verse a prosy st[r]ain,
with stress complete the air,
but vain attempts too often strain
and stress is in the air.
Those discords mock your daily toil,
no editors efface them,
and as blank lines from blank uncoil
its difficult to face them.
An art so fruitless then forsake –
which though you’d fain excel in –
you never may contrive to make
both form and sense flow well in.
8 December 1991
poem by Jonathan Robin
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The Purifier
Water for shower washes away bodily dirt
Drinking water washes away dirt of body’s internal organs
And cleanses blood
Tears washes away dirt of mind
Thus teardrops carry away sins of all kind
And make people good
And give them the power to control mood.
From the lowermost paradise
Breeze will be blown sometimes
In the uppermost hell
So the sinners living there will be able to cry
And become good people
That’s why they will be forgiven someday or other
But the sinners of other hells
Will not be able to shed tears
Because of extreme hot weather
So they will be punished forever and ever.
poem by Asif Andalib
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Lightning Strike
The lighting brings back memories.
The thunder shows my anger.
As the rain washes it away.
the birds fly by, I see my dreams.
As they go home. they're stolen from me.
As the rain washes it away.
The pedal filled with rain drops, I know I'm hurt.
As the rain drops roll off, they're like my tears.
As the rain washes it away.
The clouds are like my soul.
They hide the sun, like I hide my feelings.
As the rain washes it away.
As I sit on my porch,
Watching the rain wash things away.
I see that the storms a lot like me.
poem by Fugly Fool
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Ive Been High
Have you seen?
Have not, will travel.
Have I missed the big reveal?
Do my eyes
Do my eyes seem empty?
Ive forgotten how this feels.
Ive been high
Ive climbed so high
But life sometimes
It washes over me.
Have you been?
Have done, will travel.
I fell down on me knees.
Was I wrong?
I dont know, dont answer.
I just needed to believe.
Ive been high
Ive climbed so high
But life sometimes
It washes over me.
So
I dive into a pool so cool and deep that if I sink i
Sink
And when I swim I fly so high
What I want
What I really want is
Just to live my life on high.
And I know
I know you want the same
I can see it in your eyes.
Ive been high
Ive climbed so high
But life sometimes
It washes over me.
Washes over me
Close my eyes so I can see
Make my make-believe believe
In me.
song performed by by REM
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Our Daily Bread
"Give me my daily bread.
It seems so odd,
When all is done and said,
This plea to God.
To pray for cake might be
The thing to do;
But bread, it seems to me,
Is just our due.
"Give me my daily toil,"
I ought to say -
(If from life's cursed coil
I'd time to pray.)
Give me my daily sweat,
My body sore,
So that bread I may get
To toil for more.
"Give me my daily breath,"
Through half a sob,
Until untimely death
Shall end my job.
A crust for my award,
I cry in dread:
"Grant unto me. Oh Lord,
My daily bread!"
poem by Robert William Service
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Dont ever give up hope
Dont ever give up hope
dont ever give up hope
reaching the dark abyss
catch the throwen rope
chase the infernal pain
and crawl along the slope
don’t ever give up hope
waterfalls washes away stain
so just go ahead and dare
to stand straight under the rain
and I’ll be there to care
don’t ever give up hope
sorrow surfaces the deep
long days after days
you don’t have to keep
there are other ways
don’t ever give up hope
sure he is gone your lover
please don’t mind
although gone and over
keep the thoughts kind
don’t ever give up hope
it’s so beautiful to be free
after crouching in the shade
remember and look to see
the broken into two halfs blade
Don’t ever give up hope
Blinds must be opened wide
Let the sunbeams through
Give happiness a ride
Forever to be a part of you
(Switzerland)
poem by Morhardt Carmen Mencita Monoi Angel
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Wrinkles and Grey Hair (Children)
Mommy's getting wrinkles.
Daddy has grey hair.
It wasn't very long ago
when those things weren't there.
Wish I could smooth the wrinkles out
and darken Daddy's hair
to stop the changes going on.
It makes me feel so scared.
Grampa, does it mean they'll die?
They have wrinkles and grey hair!
I never used to worry
before those things were there.
Grampa said to look at him.
There were lots of wrinkles there,
and on his head, a snowstorm
was the color of his hair.
'Wrinkles only come to point
where smiles were, here and there.
It's your mommy's turn to get some
for the happy times you've shared.'
His white, and Daddy's grey hair
well, it was there to show
who had lived the longest time
so everyone could know!
Grampa said it's part of life.
We love, we learn, we live.
We earn grey hair and wrinkles,
they're prizes only God can give.
Something Beautiful Remains
(t. britten/ g. lyle)
Producer: terry britten
Album: wildest dreams (96)
Tears will leave no stain
Time will ease the pain
For every light that fades
Something beautiful remains
Were living in a world of stars and dust
Between heaven and all that surrounds us
Were travellers here, spirits passing through
And the love we give, is all that will endure
Hey now, what we had is gone
But I still remember you
Just like a rose after the rain
Something beautiful remains
Tears will leave no stain
Time will ease the pain
For every light that fades
Something beautiful remains
Now the darkness falls, the suns going down
One by one, the stars are coming out
Tide comes in, washes footprints from the sand
As one day ends, a new day must begin
Hey now, though we are apart
Youre here forever in my dreams
Hey now, love is lost and gained
(what you gonna do about it, what you gonna say)
Something beautiful remains
Tears will leave no stain
Time will ease the pain
For every light that fades
Something beautiful remains
And you wonder sometimes how we carry on
When youve lost the love you knew
But its alright, its alright
To your own heart be true
song performed by by Tina Turner
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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And Death Washes Only Bones
And death washes only bones;
The mouth of death speaks oft of every tounge
Never his patience once lost is found in all your nature;
Death washes a bone and the astrologer hands two back,
So the moon when lined up, shines down on Venus asleep.
Time smiles on the heart beating and long of face therein,
death puts it back on the middle shelf prearanged.
And death washes only bones;
Deep valleys are filled with man's rich oil,
And covered over memories by death too often dredged.
Lined up end to end exposed again to harvest the tears of wait;
And death washes only bones and man who drinks so bold,
There being no truth and lies sown shut death eyes all bottoms.
d.t.
poem by Is It Poetry
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Because The World Has Not Given A Chance
when the doctor says
that he is a ticking bomb
i understand it,
soon he shall explode
without him
willingly detonating it
it is this neglect
of a thinking experience
the lackluster of the mirrors
of the soul
i do not blame him
dying is an option
when hope is no more
when this bomb explodes
it will be absurd to ask him
if he combs his hair
or washes his face
what to wear does not matter
or what perfume to dampen the skin
it is this annihilation
this dream of finally becoming nothing
because the world does not know how to give
what chances are there left
for the most ordinary man on the street
the underprivileged and the oppressed.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Rhythm Of The Day
The moon is bright, so high, so cool
The sun, fumbles, gazes in the grass
The lake sparkles, smiles, in the grey
Smiling at each day
The verse, comes from the east
The west dangles, dances within
a bawl inside
Rivers cropping, like spokes
And is agrand pa Mulanje mountain
And, to the south, Viphya
with birds, smiling
Order of the day is shaking
Vigorous heads retakes brittle words
Words of wisdom from all walks of life
Smiling at the ridged land
Before is a reclaim of the garden
So, beautiful and the lake washes,
washes, washes, washes
While the doleful king points out,
points out, points out so high
So high, is the song, and birds
Slander and go
In the rhythm of the day
poem by Paul Mwenelupembe
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Life Is Not As Simple As You Think It Is
life is not as simple as you thing it is
there is no proven formula for it
so you may live
happily everafter
there are no asphalted and cemented roads
for you to take and be confident about your
certain destination
there are always potholes to give you bruises
and muddy ones to stain the white shirts
that you wear
you feel you need to stop and take some washes
you sometimes think that you want to cry
and shout and box the world with your
clenched fists
you look for your love ones along the roads
of your emptiness and you find that
they are no longer there
looking also for their own paths to fulfill their destinies
and oftentimes you want to simplify life with
death
only to find that with it life indeed has become more
compicated
you are having the hardest time to write the note
to say goodbye
some businesses are yet unfinished
some loves have not yet been said
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Swimming In Light
soul prepares spirit
for time of bonding
swimming in light
harmonic luminous light
washes over carbon senses
washes soul purity bright
poem by Terence George Craddock
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The left hand washes the right and the right washes the left.
The labor of keeping house is labor in its most naked state, for labor is toil that never finishes, toil that has to be begun again the moment it is completed, toil that is destroyed and consumed by the life process.
quote by Mary McCarthy
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Never Meant To Break Your Heart
tears run down my face just like the last
no different form yesterday
sick from the mirror
do these prayers feel sincere
the dirt never washes clear
you were good, so good
i grew to love your lies
until i put you in the past
love was lust until he revealed
the man behind the mask
will the scars go away
in this world i have no place
forgive me jesus this time i cry
i rip my heart to give to you
alone it never did me any good
hold me close, wash my mind
destroy the me that lives inside
song performed by by Underoath
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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One washes the body in vain if one does not wash the soul.
An Apology For My Son To His Master, For Not Bringing An Exercise On The Coronation Day.
Why are we Scholars plagu'd to write,
On Days devoted to Delight?
In Honour of the King, I'd play
Upon his Coronation Day:
But as for Loyalty in Rhyme,
Defer that to another Time.
Now to excuse this to my Master--
(This Want of Rhyme's a sad Disaster)
Sir, we confess you take great Pains,
And break your own, to mend our Brains.
You strive to make us learn'd, and wise;
But to what End? -- We shall not rise:
In vain should at Preferment aim,
Whilst Strangers make their happier Claim.
Why should we labour to excel,
Doom'd in Obscurity to dwell?
Then, since our Welfare gives you Pain,
(And yet your Toil may prove in vain)
I wish, for your, and for our Ease,
That all were Coronation Days.
poem by Mary Barber
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The Memories of the Greater Good
Get out of the way.
Just let me take the bullet for you.
One mistake
That is all it takes.
Then it all over.
Waking up sober.
The reality.
Get ready.
Hold on to my cape.
Let me give you my escape.
Go before it's to late.
Don't look back.
Their is not time to second guess.
Just react.
The rain washes all these thoughts away.
I was just looking into another photograph in a my album.
The memories have each their own little sound.
As a bird chips in a melody.
So do these great harmony.
They're you were.
Sitting by the pool all alone.
So I just went right up and started talking to you.
Breaking the ice with a smile.
I had no since of style.
The shyness I fought through.
The fog moved.
So focused on getting to the bottom of what was wrong.
What was this pretty attractive young girl moping around for.
Then I met him.
And It all became so clear.
The face of many beings.
Each a different narcissist.
A falling out, the had already been spread.
It started to grow.
It started to sprout.
Peeking it ugly head out of the ground.
The rain washes all these thoughts away.
I was just looking into another photograph in a my album.
The memories have each their own little sound.
As a bird chips in a melody.
So do these great harmony.
It was too late things were put into motion.
With love as my devotion.
I made a sacrifice, the first of many.
I took a dive and let him beat the hell out of me.
For I was smart enough to know what would happen next.
His evil intentions shown.
No longer was he in control.
The spell had been broken.
He hated me, he tried to destroy me many times.
Personally, mentally, objectively.
I took his girl right before his eyes.
It didn't last long but it didn't matter because it was to protect her.
It was to make her stronger..
She would no longer believe any of his lies.
The rain washes all these thoughts away.
I was just looking into another photograph in a my album.
The memories have each their own little sound.
As a bird chips in a melody.
So do these great harmony.
He could no longer hide behind his ego.
He was exposed.
That was the first of many stabs and jabs I took at him.
Mortal enemies.
By his character.
The code he live by.
They say judge not, unless you want to be judged.
But the things he did I couldn't just look the other way.
I should have left someone else be the hero of the day.
Then maybe she would be with me.
But for the greater good was my destiny.
The rain washes all these thoughts away.
I was just looking into another photograph in a my album.
The memories have each their own little sound.
As a bird chips in a melody.
So do these great harmony.
I already knew it before I intervened.
Even now I don't think I would have changed a thing.
For there was happiness in which I brought.
Their was never another a broken smile from her.
Not like that one.
Always laughing, always looking to be entertained.
Seeking the next best thing.
Loneliness would never settle well.
And this was her down fall.
Not by him but other men.
Quick to jump on the band wagon.
She was damaged, by a blonde hair, blue eyed demon.
So pretty on the outside.
Some say he looked liked johnny depp.
I don't see the resemblance.
But just maybe.
The rain washes all these thoughts away.
I was just looking into another photograph in a my album.
The memories have each their own little sound.
As a bird chips in a melody.
So do these great harmony.
poem by Ace Of Black Hearts
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The Right Mask
One night a poem came up to a poet
From now on, it said, you must wear a mask.
What kind of mask? asked the poet.
A rose mask, said the poem.
I've used it already, said the poet,
I've exhausted it.
Then wear the mask that's made out of
a nightingale's song, use that mask.
Oh, it's an old mask, said the poet,
it's all used up.
Nonsense, said the poem, it's the perfect mask,
still, try on the god mask,
now that mask illuminates heaven.
It's a tight mask, said the poet,
and the stars crawl about in it like ants.
Then try on the troubador's mask, or the singer's mask,
try on all the popular masks.
I have, said the poet, but they fit so easily.
The poem was getting impatient,
it stamped its feet like a child,
it screamed. Then try on your own face,
try the one mask that terrifies,
the mask only you could possibly use,
the mask only you could wear out.
The poet tore at his face til it bled,
this mask? he yelled, this mask?
Yes, said the poem, yes.
But the poet was tired of masks,
he had lived too long with them,
he snatched at the poem and stuck it in his face.
Its screams were muffled, it wept, it tried to be lyrical,
it wriggled into his eyes and mouth.
Next day his friends were afraid of him,
he looked so distorted.
Now it's the right mask, said the poem, the right mask.
It clung to him lovingly and never let go again.
poem by Brian Patten
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