Bess
Ours are the streets where Bess first met her
cancer. She went to work every day past the
secure houses. At her job in the library
she arranged better and better flowers, and when
students asked for books her hand went out
to help. In the last year of her life
she had to keep her friends from knowing
how happy they were. She listened while they
complained about food or work or the weather.
And the great national events danced
their grotesque, fake importance. Always
Pain moved where she moved. She walked
ahead; it came. She hid; it found her.
No one ever served another so truly;
no enemy ever meant so strong a hate.
It was almost as if there was no room
left for her on earth. But she remembered
where joy used to live. She straightened its flowers;
she did not weep when she passed its houses;
and when finally she pulled into a tiny corner
and slipped from pain, her hand opened
again, and the streets opened, and she wished all well.
poem by William Stafford
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Homelessness In Winter
back about 30 years ago,
living on the streets in Charlotte...
finally found a job... was lucky enough
to have a place to take a shower...
sleeping in the backseat of a broke
down Ford Maverick... cold winter...
got up and walked 4 miles to work
every morning,4 miles 'home' in the
evening...
went on for a couple months before
i got a place to live...
so yes i know what homelessness
feels like...and i cant help thinking
about all the empty foreclosed houses....
empty houses, homeless people....
back then, even if you couldnt find a
real job, they had a place where you
could go and line up to do day work...
worked all day for about 25 dollars...
if you couldnt do that, you could always
sell blood.... i dont know what they do
now....i just know it's a hard life...and if
you've got family, got kids...
something to think about the next time
you see a homeless person walking the
streets!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Pulled Up
Mommy, daddy, come and look at me now
Im a big man in a great big town
Years ago who would believe its true
Goes to show what a little faith can do
I was complaining, I was down in the dumps
I feel so strong now cause you pulled me up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up
I slipped, and I got pulled
Pulled up, I tripped, and then you pulled,
You pulled me up
I slipped, and I got pulled,
Pulled up, I slipped, and then you pulled,
You pulled me up pull me up pull me up...
Pulled me up up up up up up up up
I drift away to another land
Sleeping dreaming such a simple thing
I think of things that I might be
I see my name go down in history
I was complaining, I was down in the dumps
I feel so string now cause you pulled me up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up
I slipped, and I got pulled,
Pulled up, I tripped, and then you pulled,
You pulled me up
I tripped, and I got pulled
Pulled up, I slipped, and then you pulled
You pulled me up! pulled me up up, pulled me up...
Pulled me up up up up up up up up
I got up
cause you pulled me up
I stood up
cause you pulled me up
I got up
And that was because you pulled me up
I got up
In a little while you pulled me up
Pull me up up up up, up up up up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up!
I cast a shadow on the living-room wall
Dark and savage with a profile so sharp
Keep that wonderful food on the table
Theres really no hurry Ill eat in a while
I was complaining, I was down in the dumps
I feel so strong now cause you pulled me up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up!
I slipped, and I got pulled
Pulled up, I tripped, and then you pulled,
You pulled me up
I slipped, and I got pulled
Pulled up, I slipped,
And then you pulled, you pulled me up!
Pull me up...pull me up...watch out!
Pull me up up up up up up up up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up!
Pull me up up up up up up up up!
song performed by by Talking Heads
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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No Difference
i stared out the window
at the bare frozen limbs
of my favorite old tree...
i closed my eyes...
saw leaves bud forth
and turn green...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i stared at the young girl
reading at a corner table
i closed my eyes...
and saw an old grandmother
washing dishes with her grandbabies
playing in the floor at her feet...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw the young man
carrying his son on his shoulders
i closed my eyes...
and saw an old man standing
by his son's casket
draped by a flag...
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw an old man
standing on the corner begging
i closed my eyes...
i saw a young boy
playing ball in the street
laughing and dodging cars
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a crack head shivering
by an electric heater in a bare apartment
i closed my eyes...
and saw a young a/g student
helping some kid with his math
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a desperate girl
walking the streets
looking for a john
i closed my eyes...
and saw a young girl's room
stuffed animals on the bed
pictures of her and her daddy on the wall
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i saw a young man
wild-eyed with fear
in a prison cell
i closed my eyes...
i saw a young boy gone hunting
with his grandpa on thanksgiving morn
with his dog by his side
i opened my eyes...
knowing there was no difference.
i pulled back the veil of time...
knowing, there is no difference!
poem by Eric Cockrell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Scotland
As I walked the streets of Scotland
I was the tourist from a different land
Where the skirts are worn by the man
And their ways of life I try to understand.
Where golf was invented and so was Peter pan
Also was whiskey and the Scottish clan
Where Jekyll and Hyde had first began
And where Robert the Bruce once did stand.
As I strolled the streets of Dalkeith
I smiled at the Scots that I did meet
Their ways of life I found strange but unique
Where the mind is strong and the souls not weak.
At the churches I heard the pastors preach
Then in the pubs at night more souls they'd teach
Religion and salvation is out of no ones reach
So they passed another verse and a pint to me.
As I roamed the streets of Edinburgh
Seeing the castle upon its perch
The Poets and authors which I did search
While listening to the music and the word.
Where the Bard Robert Burns once did work
Also the killing fields of Hare and Burke
Where the Greyfrairs Bobby once did lurk
And also the the home of the Presbyterian Kirk.
As I walked the streets of Dalkeith
I Remembered the lassies that I did meet
Then upon the streets of Edinburgh
Where my knowledge of poetry was given birth
I had walked the streets alone in Scotland
Where history and beauty I held its hand
Now I am back home in the United States
I realize Scotland, she was my destiny and my fate.
poem by Randy McClave
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Days of Darkness
Rats
In their thousands
creeping over the desolate land
scouring for food - for life
The stench was sickening
The sky black, thickening
so no light passed through
Ants
In their millions
crawling through the empty houses
looking for crumbs - anything
dead bodies all over
or writhing in pain
as the skies darken again
Humans
In their hundreds
Staggering through the empty streets
In their hunt for companionship - and food
cursing their predators
Dead or dying from pain
As the whole earth dies.
1979
poem by Penni Currie
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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At Peace
You've moved on to find another,
My love for you, you did smother,
I gave you all I had to offer,
But all you did was make me suffer,
I'm sorry that I wasn't your dream man,
I would of done anything for you, just give me a hand,
Once what was two lovers, now just friends,
My heart it still takes time to mend,
My love is all that I sent,
True love.. I thought that was what it meant.
I'm sorry for wasting all your time,
I just wish that you were once again mine,
But that was all in the past,
We sure did have a blast,
But now it is gone,
My heart is again scorn.
The pain too much to ignore,
My head, my soul, are sore,
I wish it away,
I just need you to say,
That it wasn't just a test,
That your not just a mess.
I wish you to be happy,
And I don't mean to be sappy,
But I hope you move on with life,
I hope that other boys don't cause you too much strife,
Because i have let you go,
I no longer need you so :)
The flowers you sent,
The words that you supposedly meant,
They no longer are here,
Your future I can tell is quite near,
poem by Jordan Moore
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Life Passes Us By All Too Soon
I wasn't sure what was around the corner
In fact my head was up there on high
Never had I seen it all coming
But one day I suddenly opened my eyes
Life Passes Us By All Too Soon-
Hand in hand we both walked along
Your smile meant everything to me
How I recall all those years we spent
And now I'm left to only believe
Life Passes Us By All Too Soon-
I never gave it much a thought I admit
Like a child I never gave it much care
One day that all finally changed
When I turned for you and you wasn't there
Life Passes Us By All Too Soon-
So now I think back to those days gone
As I walk alone and think of you
Forget you never this is what I feel
But life has shown me something new
Life Passes Us By All Too Soon-
poem by Suelynn Walters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Payment
A tortuous path of neurons arced a call: ‘Awake! ’
I did; in rising, peering, stretching, bearing,
Pained anticipation saw it all:
Foretold, another filthy day.
I drew the drape: diluvian lay the ground
Beneath a lazy leaden cloud – apissing out
The puddles; irksome on the roof –
The drumming drops of bitter glee
Were hounding out a hapless me –
Reinforcing doubt that I am sound.
I left the house
to go to work
to earn a crust
without a perk
then on to bust
another straining vessel.
Trudging on thro’ mud and clay, I pondered:
‘Why a drought of happy times?
Auspicious climes were
Old and fusty books
Atop a dusty shelf
Inside a morgue-of-a-room,
Somewhere in a long-forgotten library
Down a lane without a way.’
I thought again: ‘And still I pay.’
Copyright © Mark R Slaughter 2010
O how I
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
work work work work work work work work
poem by Mark R Slaughter
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Flowers - Giving It All Away B-side
Renegades and shifting shades
And the lights in your face
And you friends talk lying
But some of them got flowers in their room
When its on and youre falling on every floor
That youre hoping to score
And youre every night ? ? ?
But some of them got flowers in their room
But some of them got flowers in their room
But some of them got flowers in their room
Hear the word that the man on the stairs
Knows your every affair and is holding your hand
And he says some of them got flowers in their room
And he screams in a face
But the smile on the face is cool and its cold
And it reads vacated
And some of them got flowers in their room
And some of them got flowers in their room
And some of them got flowers in their room
And I take someone home and I cant be alone
And theres faces to please and I walk on the knees
Oh you see, I got no flowers in my room
And I laugh with my mouth and I laugh with you
But the joke was a joke that I never really knew
Some of them got flowers in their room
Some of them got flowers in their room
Some of them got flowers in their room
song performed by by Ocean Colour Scene
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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For mum.
Last night when I just couldn't sleep,
My Duaghter's voice I did hear so loud and clear
I opened my eyes and had a glance around,
But she did not appear she didn't show herself to me.
She said: Please mum You've got to listen.
You've got to try and understand;
God Hasn't taken me from you,
He only took my hand.
When I cried out in pain that fatful night,
It was in that instant that I did die.
He reached down and took my hand,
And brought me to his side.
He pulled me up and saved my ragged soul,
From the misery and pain.
My body was hurt so badly inside
He knew that if I tried to live on in this world
I Would never be the same.
My search is well and truly over now,
I've found happiness at the close of day.
My body's gone forever, my spirit will never die!
So you need to go and live on now,
please understand,
God didn't take me from you,
He only took my hand.
poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Pink Rose
Somewhere
Upon my doorstep
A pink rose
Lay dying,
Although I never meant to hurt anyone,
All I could do was to pluck it from its branch
Not to give it to you –
Or to anyone,
Moreover,
Though-
It now lies haphazardly, and awkwardly
Alone in the grass in a graveyard
Withering –
All of its life has been usurped,
And-
All that is left alive is one thorn
Upon its stem,
Sticking into my side.
I cry out in pain,
But death never makes me weep, only laugh-
I know your father died some year’s ago-
Pink roses were laid upon his gravesite-
Everyone mourned, except for myself;
I placed my hand over may mouth and giggled.
I pick flowers, most often roses,
Wherever I walk,
Knowing they cannot live, when broken form their branches.
I laughed at your father’s funeral last year,
And picked a hundred pink roses form his rose garden,
I believe,
I am so sorry,
I was just being me,
I never meant to hurt anyone.
Claudia Krizay
poem by Claudia Krizay
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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No dearth
You will find no such person on this beautiful earth
Even though there are many and has no dearth
The work done by them remains unsung
They are very much part of our living and remain among
Their life is simple and ideal
To many it may look unreal
Yet it is exemplary and praiseworthy
Let us pray for them for long life from almighty
Have you ever considered looking at their contribution?
No one takes pain even to look at proper distribution
The work for which it was intended looses its charm
It does great disservice and more harm
They suffered their whole life but never complained
They had full integrity, short of means still maintained
It was backed by strong will and full commitment
The public was behind it and had strong movement
Even though they may not be among us today
They have shown us the path and clean way
If we can pursue with little honesty
The happiness may descend and help to remove the poverty
Someone said” God resides in poor”
We should welcome him at the door
If no food or anything but give some kind reception
This will find favor with good conception
We have seen changes through ages
Yet we were fortunate enough to manage
Many people have come forward and gone
But it is always remembered the good work done
poem by Hasmukh Amathalal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Congress Woman Gabrielle Gifford
1/15/11
Congress woman Gifford shot in the head
By all rights she should have been dead.
But apparently god has plans for her to do
So he laid his hand on her and pulled her through.
With her husband by her side, and in her
sub conscience she heard him cry.
She heard the prayers of a nation when
They heard of this devastation.
She moved a finger, then a hand
Gave a peace sign, and a thumbs up too
It seems she knew exactly what to do.
Now wouldn’t you say this is the work of god
Who is giving her a brand new start?
A lone gunmen with a gun
Shot her And most everyone.
Then a retired military man
Jumped up and grabbed his hand.
Another man grabbed him too.
At that moment he was subdued.
A little girl who was born on that
Fretful day(9/11) took a bullet and passed away.
Christina Taylor green was her name
She died so young, which is a crying shame.
So many lives have been affected that day
And through out the world, people still pray.
They pray for all the survivors and for
The ones who passed away
And there’s not much more that anyone can say.
They say that guns don’t kill
That it is man.
Then it’s time that we take a stand.
Guns can be bought in every city or town
Any where you go, it can be found.
Stop the gun dealers on the streets
And put more cops on the beat.
Teen age gangs are on the rise
We’ve got to do something
We’ve got to try.
poem by Louis Rams
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Whatever Will Be Will Be
Got a letter just the other day
So much was left unsaid
When you went away
How my heart grew so cold
From the misery of dreams ago
An open envelope
The last time that we spoke
You said that you would always be my man
And now this letters here
What will you say my dear
To bring me to emotions once again
The truth of it you say
Theres never been day
That youre not sorry you apologize
But life teaches new things
Beyond the pain it brings
You to a place where you are truly wise
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
I know weve made mistakes
Cause love is give and take
I mean to say it wasnt all your fault
I too had some regrets
Such pain Ive felted yet
Its better to have love than not at all
The memories we had of all the good and bad
Has helped me be the woman that I am
So dont apologize
Ive come to realize
Just what is meant by all in love is fair
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
Sometimes its just not meant to be
But the love that we share goes on and on
Spiritually therell be no more crying
No and therell be no more lying no no no no no
And the truth that we gained will offset the pain
And now we finally see
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
Que sera sera
What will be will be
Im happy for you and me
That we can finally see what was meant
Hmm hmm hey ooh yeah oh
Ooh
song performed by by En Vogue
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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You Will Be Moved
Performed by mavis staples
Composed by prince
U will be moved when the baby lets out his very first cry
U will be moved when u think of how hard hell have 2 try
Hell grow up on an empty stomach, but hell try his best 2 listen
2 the teacher readin from a schoolbook with half the pages missin
Chorus:
Surely when the rain comes, u will be moved
La da da da da
See the video
U will be moved, and u will be when the baby makes all the grades
U will be moved, and u will be when they still dont hire him anyway
Moved by a system without one single guarantee
That an education is the answer and love will set us free
Chorus
Oh, u will be moved when the rain comes, oh yes, u will be moved
When the streets overflow with angry souls, thats when u see the truth
When the pain that uve inflicted comes back on your door 2 roost (back on your door 2 roost)
Thats when ull see the future (future), but u wont see u
Chorus
U will be moved when the whip comes down on the back of one of your own
U will be moved when u look 4 compassion but u find ure all alone
Moved, and u will be when u are, thats when ull know
That the bread u share is better than the blood that your deeds have caused 2 flow
(that the bread is better than the blood)
Chorus
Hey, u will be moved when the rain comes, oh yes, u will be moved
When the streets all flow with angry souls, thats when ull see the truth
When the pain that uve inflicted comes back on your door 2 roost (back on your door 2 roost)
Thats when ull see the future (future), but u wont see u
I said surely when the rain comes, u will be moved
La da da da da (la da da da da)
See the video
Hey, surely, surely, surely (when the rain comes)
Surely yall
Ow, la da da da da
song performed by by Prince
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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One morning
one morning it will come that i may have a
wagon of carpentry tools and let my friends
build houses for our neighbor, who just live
in shanty shelter
one morning i may have lots of books and
pens, for i may have a library in our barrio,
so that those little kids can learn and can
have research as other do
one morning those sky be filled with
confetti, reaching everybody hand, for
a dream of graduate be in the air; as
other are send to school, with confident
of financially free
one morning i may see, that every food
in the table be tasted and beautiful dresses
be wear by every child, living no pain in
the stomach that is hungry, closing their eye
with a dream and a hope that next day be
awaked in the bed they are safe
one morning i can ride in an airplane,
sharing my great ideas, to every heart and
soul that listen to the plea of our people, in a
country that everybody call and nobody dare
to fall
that is my story; please help us to pray.....help
us, and never give up, it is still the eye of the
iceberg..........
poem by Antonio Liao
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Swallowed In The Sea
You cut me down a tree and brought it back to me
and thats what made me see where I was going wrong
You put me on a shelf and kept me for yourself
I can only blame myself, you can only blame me
and I could write a song a hundred miles long
Well thats where I belong and you belong with me
and I could write it down or spread it all around
Get lost and then get found or swallowed in the sea
You put me on a line and hung me out to dry
Darling thats when I decided to go to see you
You cut me down to size and opened up my eyes
Made me realize what I could not see
and I could write a book, the one they'll say that shook the world
and then it took, it took it back from me
and I could write it down and spread it all around
Get lost and then get found and you'll come back to me
Not swallowed in the sea
Oohhhhh Ahhhhhh
and I could write a song a hundred miles long
Well thats where I belong and you belong with me
The streets youre walking on, a thousand houses long
Well thats where I belong and you belong with me
Oh what good is it to live with nothing left to give
Forget but not forgive, not loving all you see
Oh the streets youre walking on a thousand houses long
Well thats where I belong and you belong with me
Not swallowed in the sea
You belong with me, not swallowed in the sea
Yeah you belong with me
Not swallowed in the sea.
song performed by by Coldplay
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Empty Old Houses
Empty Old Houses
Empty old houses can talk…
But one must know how to listen…
to hear them
Empty old houses have stories…
But one must be eager to listen…
to hear them
Empty old houses can suffer..
But one must have empathy …
To feel it
Empty old houses can feel pain
But one must be able to bear it …
To feel it
Empty old houses have memories
But one must believe … that they have…
To share them
Empty old houses contain people’s lives
But one must believe…that they do…
To share them
Empty old houses can seem dead and deserted
But one must know that they’re not..
To know them
Empty old houses can teem with life’s pleasures
But one must walk through
to sense the aura of life
Empty old houses abound in life’s treasures
But one cannot help but…
To admire them
poem by David Whalen
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Modern Love XXXV (Manhattan's white flowers)
I always saw these
beautiful white flowers
blossoming in March,
as I walked the streets
of east Manhattan in my
garden. I strolled
from 77th to 92nd street
and Madison to 3rd avenue
This year, for some
reason it will be
in April,
This year, for some
reason it will be
in April, say the
tiny chickadees.
So, during this winter
let us meet during a storm
and after sitting
and observing
let us go down
to the wall street market
and see if we may sell
the snow we carry
on our hats and coats.
I always saw these
beautiful white flowers
blossoming in March.
This year it will be
in April, the tiny
chickadees remind us.
Ah, Federico, one must still
have strong legs to walk
by the butcher shop of the world.
poem by Liberatore Suffoletta
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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In Another Land
In another land where the breeze and the
Trees and flowers were blue
I stood and held your hand.
And the grass grew high and the feathers floated by
I stood and held your hand.
And nobody else's hand will ever do
Nobody else will do
Then I awoke
Was this some kind of joke
Much to my surprise
I opened my eyes.
We walked across the sand and the sea and
The sky and the castles were blue.
I stood and held your hand.
And the spray flew high and the feathers floated by
I stood and held your hand.
And nobody else's hand will ever do
Nobody else will do
Then I awoke
Was this some kind of joke
Much to my surprise
When I opened my eyes.
We heard the trumpets blow and the sky
Turned red when I accidently said
That I didn't know how I came to be here
Not fast asleep in bed.
I stood and held your hand.
And nobody else's hand will ever do
Nobody else's hand
Then I awoke
Was this some kind of joke
I opened my eyes.
Much to my surprise.
song performed by by Rolling Stones from Their Satanic Majesties Request
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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