Three poems by heart
I
I can't find the title
of a memory about you
with a hand torn from darkness
I step on fragments of faces
soft friendly profiles
frozen into a hard contour
circling above my head
empty as a forehead of air
a man's silhouette of black paper
II
living--despite
living- -against
I reproach myself for the sin of forgetfulness
you left an embrace like a superfluous sweater
a look like a question
our hands won't transmit the shape of your hands
we squander them touching ordinary things
calm as a mirror
not mildewed with breath
the eyes will send back the question
every day I renew my sight
every day my touch grows
tickled by the proximity of so many things
life bubbles over like blood
Shadows gently melt
let us not allow the dead to be killed--
perhaps a cloud will transmit remembrance--
a worn profile of Roman coins
III
the women on our street
were plain and good
they patiently carried from the markets
bouquets of nourishing vegetables
the children on our street
scourge of cats
the pigeons--
softly gray
a Poet's statue was in the park
children would roll their hoops
and colorful shouts
birds sat on the Poet's hand
read his silence
on summer evenings wives
waited patiently for lips
smelling of familiar tobacco
women could not answer
their children: will he return
when the city was setting
they put the fire out with hands
pressing their eyes
the children on our street
had a difficult death
pigeons fell lightly
like shot down air
now the lips of the Poet
form an empty horizon
birds children and wives cannot live
in the city's funereal shells
in cold eiderdowns of ashes
the city stands over water
smooth as the memory of a mirror
it reflects in the water from the bottom
and flies to a high star
where a distant fire is burning
like a page of the Iliad
poem by Zbigniew Herbert
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Related quotes
City Of Worcester
Worcester, the city of noise,
Walking along these city streets,
Seeing people busy,
pacing,
Cracked city walks,
Aged city houses,
Beautiful city air, '
Never seems to be a minute to spare,
As cars stream along,
Cops and fire trucks pass down my street.
Loud children playing in the streets.
As I walk down the street of mine,
I hear parents yelling at their children.
Dogs barking as you walk by,
Houses that are old and crusty,
Men and women fighting.
This right here is the city I was born in.
The City Of Worcester!
poem by Cassandra Prew
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Empty Hands
He rode in town on a white horse
With nothing in his hands
He came to gather his people
And take them to their promised land
When he came he knew there would be bloodshed
But still no violence made his plans
He came to fight in a battle
With no guns or money
But with his empty hands
With his empty hands
With his empty hands
With his empty hands
They said hey boy what you lookin'at
As they eyed his dreaded mane
He said my father has sent me
I've come back to reclaim
The children whose hearts
Were so whole and pure
Now it's you who'll die in pain
So they lynched the man
Who fooled the word
And all the children gathered
In his empty hands
In his empty hands
The children ..... empty hands
In his empty hands
With his empty hands
Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
song performed by by Lenny Kravitz from Let Love Rule
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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City Pigeons
Around my boots where I am sitting crumbs of bread they happily eat
The cheeky and colourful City pigeons so at home on the city street
Their cousins the rock pigeons of the Northlands in Town would feel so out of place
They once were the very same species though now quite a different race.
Introduced by humans to cities all around the World in busy towns they feel at home
Beyond the borders of suburbia the city pigeons seldom do roam
They build their flimsy nests of sticks on building ledges their young they hatch out in the Spring
Like their ancestors on trees they do not roost or nest Nature is such a wonderful thing.
Some people they like and feed the city pigeons whilst others do not like them at all
Though Nature cares for all of her children from the very great to the small
And wild-born things can be so adaptable in noisy environments they they've learned to dwell
The city pigeons of this one example in cities they do very well.
By the street seat around my boots they eat bread crumbs like house sparrows they are almost tame
They were born and raised in the city to be good at surviving their one claim to fame
Liked by some and disliked by others but that they are good at surviving none can deny
They are born and raised in the noisy city and in the city they do die.
poem by Francis Duggan
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Mirror mirror…
A mirror reflects all but lies.
Reflects the things
Everyone denies.
Reflects the way
You shaped yourself.
Reflects the things
Complex, simple, hidden and obvious.
Reflects the things
We have done in our lives.
Reflects the things
We don’t want to see.
But it has never reflected
Me.
In darkness and alone
I sit at the edge
Of icy cold black water.
Mirror mirror…
I sit their staring at no reflection
Thinking of the things I am,
Daughter, student, sister, lover.
But it does not define to me who I am.
I see all the things
I don’t want to see.
Perhaps than there is no “me”?
I do not exist in my reflections.
I can not find me in those titles.
Mirror mirror…
Perhaps then it is fact
Am I nothing more but that?
So should I satisfy with the things I see?
Is life’s lesson then that you should “just be”?
Is there nothing more then the endless time passing?
Mirror mirror…
Perhaps it is why it is never said
That a mirror holds an answer.
poem by Zarina Binda
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There Are No Children Here
The untrained eye
Walks down the street
And sees children
But they're not children
There are no children here
Adults look back
With hungry eyes
And someone thinks
''They're just children
With a mother and a father
Never any fear''
And they kid themselves
As there are no mothers
No fathers
Because there are no children here
Terror doesn't care
As they cry over there
It lets someone stare
Through the sight of a gun
Seeing everyone
And just for fun
Shoot them
People rush around crying
''But they were just children!
They were just children! ''
A man with a gun
Turns and runs
But as he does they hear
''They aren't children''
And
''They weren't children''
And
''You need to know:
There are no children here''
No one makes a sound
Listening to the truth he's found
And they know:
It's our fault
We didn't save them
We could have saved them
If we cared
There would be children here
poem by Violet Llewellyn
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May God Help The Poor Children
He help the homeless children the children of the street
He give them clothes and shelter he give them food to eat
He try to shield them from police the police no mercy show
And the glue sniffing children of the streets at their hands suffer so.
I watched a documentary on Guatemala the saddest I've seen for years
The crimes against the children moved hardened heart to tears
The police of Guatemala beat the street kids to death
How can men do such evil things and not live to regret? .
The street kids of Guatemala they know Bruce Harris well
He try to keep them from the streets from life of crime and hell
He try to shield them from police from cruel inhuman men
His is an uphill battle a battle hard to win.
He help the homeless children the children of the street
He give them clothes and shelter he give them food to eat
And may God help the poor children such suffering they go through
And God bless all those who help them and God bless Bruce Harris too.
poem by Francis Duggan
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It’s called the inner city
On death row I ask what happen to me
This is not the way it was suppose be
So I drag my mind trying to recall
The life I had beyond these prison walls
I see
Thin walls no privacy
Big yard, living in close proximity
It’s called the inner city
It’s called the inner city
A city no one build for me
It’s called the inner city
Yes it has shaped my destiny
On death row I ask what happen to me
This is not the way it was suppose be
So I drag my mind trying to recall
The life I had beyond these prison walls
I see
Adults sit around
Getting shot and maim
Children run around
Oblivious
Playing their games
In the filth that flows untamed
It’s called the inner city
It’s called the inner city
A city no one build for me
It’s called the inner city
Yes, it has shaped my destiny
On death row I ask what happen to me
This is not the way it was suppose be
So I drag my mind trying to recall
The life I had beyond these prison walls
I see
How hard I try not to run with the pack
But against me the cards were stack
They need protection they need someone
But you can’t protect them with empty hand
In the inner city
It’s called the inner city
Poverty, amidst luxury
A city no one build for me
It’s called the inner city
Yes, it has shaped my destiny
Political connections, fearless and strong
Dispensing justice with an even hand
Truth be told, I am a ladies’ man
So naturally they call me the “Don”
In the inner city
It’s called the inner city
It’s called the inner city
A city, no one build for me
It’s called the inner city
Yes, it has shaped my destiny
Now on death row
Soon, I’ll go
I am guilty?
No one will know
The script is written and sing like a song
They used, refused and then they kill the “Don”
In the inner city
Hah, ha, ha, a, a, a
Hah, ha, ha, a, a, a
poem by Ikhalfani Solan
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Nalan 2.07 Family Scattered
Go to Vimarasan City
“Oh my dear, listen
Take the two children
To your father’s place.
You can live in peace.”
“For them, it’ll be difficult
To cross the hot dessert.
So, you go with them
And take care of them.”
Like this, the tired Nalan
In the interest of the children
Tried to convince Dhamayanthi,
Who heard it reluctantly.
Difficult to get a lover
She said, “It’s easy to beget
Children, as many as we want,
But it’s difficult to get
A lover of your might.”
Tears flowed in her eyes,
When she said like this.
She was very much upset,
And didn’t like to depart.
Person with no children
“Dhamayanthi! Listen,
A person with no children,
Will never go to heaven,
So, take care of our children.”
Is there one?
“Wealth, one may have,
Or, fame, he may have.
If he has no children
His life is empty then.”
What is the use?
“A person may learn,
All the scriptures even,
Yet, without children,
His life is a waste then.”
Let us go
“She said, “You’ve lost,
Everything to the last,
Let us go to our father
And comfortably live there.”
It is a shameful act
He said, “It’s like begging
Rich people, for our living.
Having lost our wealth
It’ll be an act of filth.”
Not a man, but madman
“A king begging another king
Is it not an unworthy thing?
He’s not a man, but madman
If he does it like a cheap person. “
Send children
She told, “If it’s so,
Let the children go,
And stay with my father,
For their good future.”
Why separate us?
Children tried to impress,
“Why do you send us
To another distant place.
Please don’t separate us.”
She was sad
When the children cried,
She was very much sad.
She hugged them closely
As a mother cried loudly.
Life was taken
A Brahmin led the children,
To the palace of Vimarasan,
While their parents cried,
In their duty, having failed.
Heart broken
With a broken heart,
Behind them Nalan went,
For some distance,
Till their disappearance.
He did not talk to her,
And silently stood there.
Was his fate, the main one,
Or his act caused his ruin?
Thinking and thinking,
He kept on worrying,
His mind became blank,
And he became sick.
poem by Rajaram Ramachandran
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Music Never Stopped
There's mosquitoes on the river Fish are rising up like birds
It's been hot for seven weeks now,
Too hot to even speak now, Did you hear what I just heard?
Say it might have been a fiddle or it could have been the wind
But there seems to be a beat now I can feel it my feet now
Listen here it comes again!
There's a band out on the highway, They're high steppin' into town
It's a rainbow full of sound, It's fireworks, calliopes and clowns
Everybody dancin' C'mon children, C'mon children, Come on clap your hands.
Sun went down in honey and the moon came up in wine,
You know stars were spinnin' dizzy, Lord
The band kept us too busy we forgot about the time.
They're a band beyond description, Like Jehovah's favorite choir
People joining hand in hand While the music played the band, Lord
They're setting us on fire.
Crazy rooster crowin' midnight, Balls of lightin' roll along
Old men sing about their dreams, Women laugh and children scream
And the band keeps playin' on.
Keep on dancin' thru the daylight, Greet the mornin' air with song
No ones's noticed, but the band's all pack and gone. Was it ever there at all?
But they keep on dancin' C'mon children, C'mon children, Come on clap your hands
Well the cool breeze came on Tuesday, And the corn's a bumper crop
And the fields are full of dancin' Full of singin' and romancin'
The music never stopped
song performed by by Grateful Dead
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Chalkhills & Children
Im floating over strange land,
Its a soulless, sequined, showbiz moon.
Im floating over strange land,
And then stranger still, theres no balloon.
But Im getting higher,
Wafted up by fames fickle fire til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
(even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.)
Im skating over thin ice,
Upon blunted blades of metal soft.
Im skating over thin ice,
While some nonesuch net holds me aloft.
But Im getting higher,
Lifted up on lucks circus wire til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.
Even I never spied that the scenes were posed.
Even I never knew this is what Id be.
Even eyes never mean that youre sure to see.
Still Im getting higher,
Rolling up on three empty tyres, til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
Im soaring over hushed crowds,
The reluctant cannonball it seems.
Im soaring over hushed crowds,
Im propelled up here by long dead dreams.
Still Im getting higher,
Icarus regrets and retires puzzled.
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Oddly complete.
(even I never know where I go when my eyes are all closed.)
Here I go again.
song performed by by Xtc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Chalkhills & Children
Im floating over strange land,
Its a soulless, sequined, showbiz moon.
Im floating over strange land,
And then stranger still, theres no balloon.
But Im getting higher,
Wafted up by fames fickle fire til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
(even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.)
Im skating over thin ice,
Upon blunted blades of metal soft.
Im skating over thin ice,
While some nonesuch net holds me aloft.
But Im getting higher,
Lifted up on lucks circus wire til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
Even I never know where I go when my eyes are closed.
Even I never spied that the scenes were posed.
Even I never knew this is what Id be.
Even eyes never mean that youre sure to see.
Still Im getting higher,
Rolling up on three empty tyres, til the...
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Bringing me back to earth,
Eternally and ever ermine street.
Im soaring over hushed crowds,
The reluctant cannonball it seems.
Im soaring over hushed crowds,
Im propelled up here by long dead dreams.
Still Im getting higher,
Icarus regrets and retires puzzled.
Chalkhills and children,
Anchor my feet.
Chalkhills and children,
Oddly complete.
(even I never know where I go when my eyes are all closed.)
Here I go again.
song performed by by Xtc
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Ruins
Its so quiet in the ruins walking though the old town
Stones crumbling under my feet I see smoke for miles around
Oh its enough to make you weep, all that remains of the main street
Up in the park on sunday, dogs chasing and the children played
Old man with his head down, cant see nothing more around...no
But he remembers how it used to be, back in the old days,
So nice to see you coming back in this town again
Its nice to see a friendly face come peeping through having tea
In the afternoon, so nice to see you coming back in this town again...
Ah but its all changed winter turned on a man
Came down on day when no-one was looking and it
Stole away the land, people running scared, losing hands
Dodging shadows of falling sand, buildings standing like empty shells
And nobody...helping no-one else
Young child with his hands high, aint able to see no reason why...no
But he remembers how it used to be, back in the old days,
So nice to see you coming back in this town again
Its nice to see a friendly face come peeping through
Youd better know what youre going through now
You came back here to find your home is a black horizon
That you dont recognize, evil destruction has taken everything
Youd better walk on the side while youre still walking
Just keep on walking on down the street keep your distance
From the people you meet. oh lord and youd better watch your eyes
cause if smoke gets in them, baby you wont rise again.
Wheres it leading to freedom at what cost
People needing more and more and its all getting lost
I want back, I want back
Back to the time when the earth was green
And there was no high walls and the sea was clean
Dont stop that sun to shine, its not yours or mine...no.
song performed by by Cat Stevens
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Street Memories
I would look down that desolate street
Where you and I would meet.
In my eyes I see you walking towards me
And my heart would skip a beat.
I’d see the smile upon your face
And feel the tenderness of your embrace.
I’d hear your laughter echoing in my ears
Which would take away the tears.
This street of memories stays in my mind
For my love for you leaves me blind.
The store fronts that we would go into
To get out of the rain.
And look at the children with their
Noses against the window panes.
This street which is walked by every one
Will never tell the things we’ve done.
When we opened up a fire hydrant
So that the children could play
Then we laughed and ran away.
The day that we looked to see
If any cops were around
And tried to fry eggs on the ground.
And when we tied a frank on our dogs tail
He would go in circles and start to wail.
Then we would give him his favorite treat
A cold ice cream to beat the heat.
These are the things I recall
As I look down this street.
This street where you and I would meet!
poem by Louis Rams
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We're All God's Children
Album: Peace In The Valley
Here comes a Baptist, here comes a Jew
There goes a Mormon and a Muslim too
I see a Buddist and a Hindu
I see a Catholic and I see you
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
You like the day, and I like the night
He's into country and he's isn't quit
There's folks on the left and the far right
But that doesn't mean that we have to fight
We're all god's children
All god's children
Yeah, We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
White folks, yellow folks, black and tan
On the same planet in the same plan
A feminist woman and a he man
We're all playin' the magic hand
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
Oh, We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
We're all god's children
All god's children
Yeah, We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
We're all god's children
All god's children
We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
Yeah, We're all god's children
Why can't we be
One big happy family
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
We're all black and white
We're all precious in his sight
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
We're all god's children
Why can't we all be
One big happy family...
song performed by by Alan Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Top Of The City
One more step to the top of the city
Where just a couple of pigeons are living
Up on the angels shoulders
I dont know if Im closer to heaven but
It looks like hell down there
These streets have never been paved with gold
Welcome to the loneliest city in the world
Its no good for you baby
Its no good for you now
Keep looking up for the ladder
I dont know if youll love me for it
But I dont think we should suffer this
Theres just one thing we can do about it
Take me up to the top of the city
Take me up to the top of the city
Take me up to the top of the city
And put me up on the angels shoulders
See how that building there is nearly built
Theres a big fire over on the north of the city
I see you walking down the street with her
I see your lights going on and off
Shes no good for you baby
Shes no good for you now
Look Im here with the ladder
I dont know if you love me or not
But I dont think we should ever suffer
Theres just one thing we can do about this
Take me up to the top of the city
Take me up to the top of the city
Up to the highest point of the city
One more step to the top of the city
Put me up on the angels shoulders
And I dont mind if its dangerous
I dont mind if its raining
Take me up to the top of the city
And put me up on the angels shoulders
Take me up to the top of the city
Mmm yes, one more step to the top of the city
And put me up on the angels shoulders
song performed by by Kate Bush
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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High In The City
I got the time, I got my feet
Lets go hit the street
High in the city
High in the city
I got my mace and you got your knife
You gotta protect your own life
High in the city
High in the city
I wanna get high in the city
I wanna stay alive here in the city
I wanna stay high in the city
High in the city
High in the city
Lets not walk down sutton place
You know everybody there got an akitas
High in the city
High in the city
Dont wanna talk politics today
I feel too good let me have my way
High in the city
High in the city
Watch out for that guy on your right
Seen him on the news last saturday night
He was high in the city
High in the city
Hey, look theyre setting fire to that jeep
Theres not much you can keep
High in the city
High in the city
I wanna get high in the city
I wanna stay alive in the city
I wanna stay high in the city
High in the city
High in the city
So many people feeling low
And theres only one way to go to
Get high in the city
High in the city
Lets grap a pie, lets hit the park
Ill kiss and hug you till it gets dark
Here in the city
Getting high in the city
(high in the city)
(high in the city and youre looking so pretty)
(feelin pretty witty, gettin high off of the city)
(hi-ai-ai-ai, high in the city)
(high in the city)
(high in the city and youre looking so pretty)
(feelin pretty witty, gettin high off of the city)
(hi-ai-ai-ai, high in the city)
(high in the city)
(high in the city and youre looking so pretty)
(feelin pretty witty, gettin high off of the city)
(hi-ai-ai-ai, high in the city)
song performed by by Lou Reed
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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White-Collar Spaniard
We have no heart for civil strife,
Our burdens we prefer to bear;
We long to live a peaceful life
And claim of happiness our share.
If only to be clothed and fed
And see our children laugh and play -
That means a lot when all is said,
In this grim treadmill of today.
The price of manhood is too high
When leap the sacrificial flames;
For Justice we refuse to die:
Honour and Pride are empty names.
We will not play the martyr's part,
We will not perish for a Cause;
Leave that to fools - with humble heart
We live according to the Laws.
For see! Comes up the city street,
Communion-clad a shining band
Of timy children, angel-sweet,
Singing and holding hand in hand . . .
So let Might triumph over Right;
From sufferance content we take:
We fight because we do not fight,
And it is for our children's sake.
poem by Robert William Service
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Generation To Generation
In a house which becomes a home,
one hands down and another takes up
the heritage of mind and heart,
laughter and tears, musings and deeds.
Love, like a carefully loaded ship,
crosses the gulf between the generations.
Therefore, we do not neglect the ceremonies
of our passage: when we wed, when we die,
and when we are blessed with a child;
When we depart and when we return;
When we plant and when we harvest.
Let us bring up our children. It is not
the place of some official to hand to them
their heritage.
If others impart to our children our knowledge
and ideals, they will lose all of us that is
wordless and full of wonder.
Let us build memories in our children,
lest they drag out joyless lives,
lest they allow treasures to be lost because
they have not been given the keys.
We live, not by things, but by the meanings
of things. It is needful to transmit the passwords
from generation to generation.
poem by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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The Courtroom Is Empty
the courtroom is empty,
the gavel untouched.
no hands on the book,
no jury of twelve.
(and the hands of the clock
have stopped!)
small children killed, tossed in the trash,
women abused, old people hungry, alone.
young girls sold into slavery
young boys sold into war
homeless ghosts walk the halls,
without hope in man or God.
and there's no sound, no feeling,
not even a breath of air
(and the hands of the clock
have stopped!)
an American tragedy,
or just human tragedy.
justice bought and sold,
afforded by just the few.
the wheels of Wall Street turn,
politicians barter with lives.
drinking the blood of the babies
that will never be born!
the takers keep taking,
and the honest man falls
to die nameless in the ditch,
covered by ashes and dust.
and there's no sound, no feeling,
not even a breath of air.
(the hands of the clock
have stopped!)
the courtroom is empty
poem by Eric Cockrell
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We Are The Children Of The World
(p. castro/m.a. kelly)
Waiting on the wings
On the wings of time
Wonder whats to come
And what we will find
Dancing on a dream
In the magic of our mind
Reaching for the sun
As long as it shines
Living day to day
While were on our way
Well find were already there
We are the children
We are the children
We are the children of the world
Underneath the blue
In a solitary light
Guiding by a star
A star in the night
The enemy we see
Is the enemy inside
Knowing we can win
Without knowing why
Wed be lost in hope
While we search for more
We find were already there
We are the children
We are the children
We are the children of the world
We are the children
We are the children
We are the children of the world
How many times do we look to the sky
Knowing weve nothing to lose
We are the children who wanted to fly
Now we can fly to the moon
We are the children
We are the children
We are the children of the world
We are the children
We are the children
We are the children of the world
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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