Flu
If I could but linger all day in bed
drinking tea and medicinal whiskey
no more than is good take sudafed
and capture great sneezes in clean, white linen handkies
gorge my cold like a robin her brood
on broth stewn with bits of chicken
or curd with honey drizzle, that preferred
on shivery, brief trips to the kitchen
scratch in the tablet of the frosted pane
as my fingertip goes numb
some couplet of Ovids' or Verlaines'
that straightway dissolves and down the window runs
then climb to the parapet of my pillow again
browse travelogues and dream
of the beaches of Carossal or plage de Saline
I should be the happiest of men.
But I can't so I rise like Lazarus
reluctant to be summoned from the dead
thick with the afflictions of my flux
and irked to have to go to work instead;
spread bed sheets out all wet with sweat
command myself to the shower
(how warm it seems for how cold it was)
and reach for the door with a lour.
But neither is the flu a malingerer
for dressed and waiting at the door
as I leave, with its flies eyes and its mentholator
it coughs-and we descend the stairs together.
poem by Robert Dickerson
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
It's Cold
Winter is coming I feel cold
My hands are frozen as are my toes
My head is wrapped up in a scarf
Brightly coloured so people laugh
I see no pigeons - just robins and tits
Pecking away at the ground, pecking for bits
I've just walked in and switch the heating on
So hopefully the cold chill will be quickly gone
As I boil the kettle to make some tea
I see a robin perched outside on the balcony
He turns round when I slowly open the door
Cocks his head and watches me slowly withdraw
With a quick flutter he flies under my chair
And starts pecking at bits of food that are there
It's cold outside and I wish he would stay
In the warm where I can watch him play
Suddenly without warning to my surprise
He flies off leaving a deposit of enormous size
So if I see that little bird again you see
He can stay outside and be cold in a tree.
poem by JeanJacques Evendon
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The House Of Dust: Part 03: 01: As evening falls
As evening falls,
And the yellow lights leap one by one
Along high walls;
And along black streets that glisten as if with rain,
The muted city seems
Like one in a restless sleep, who lies and dreams
Of vague desires, and memories, and half-forgotten pain . . .
Along dark veins, like lights the quick dreams run,
Flash, are extinguished, flash again,
To mingle and glow at last in the enormous brain
And die away . . .
As evening falls,
A dream dissolves these insubstantial walls,—
A myriad secretly gliding lights lie bare . . .
The lovers rise, the harlot combs her hair,
The dead man's face grows blue in the dizzy lamplight,
The watchman climbs the stair . . .
The bank defaulter leers at a chaos of figures,
And runs among them, and is beaten down;
The sick man coughs and hears the chisels ringing;
The tired clown
Sees the enormous crowd, a million faces,
Motionless in their places,
Ready to laugh, and seize, and crush and tear . . .
The dancer smooths her hair,
Laces her golden slippers, and runs through the door
To dance once more,
Hearing swift music like an enchantment rise,
Feeling the praise of a thousand eyes.
As darkness falls
The walls grow luminous and warm, the walls
Tremble and glow with the lives within them moving,
Moving like music, secret and rich and warm.
How shall we live tonight? Where shall we turn?
To what new light or darkness yearn?
A thousand winding stairs lead down before us;
And one by one in myriads we descend
By lamplit flowered walls, long balustrades,
Through half-lit halls which reach no end.
poem by Conrad Potter Aiken
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Prelude
As evening falls,
And the yellow lights leap one by one
Along high walls
And along black streets that glisten as if with rain,
The muted city seems
Like one in a restless sleep who lies and dreams
Of vague desires, vague memories, and half-forgotten pain
Along dark veins like lights the quick dreams run,
Flash, are extinguished, flash again,
To mingle and glow at last in the enormous brain
And die away
As evening falls,
A dream dissolves these insubstantial walls,
A myriad secretly gliding lights lie bare.
The lover rises, the harlot combs her hair,
The dead man's face grows blue in the dizzy lamplight,
The watchman climbs the stair
The bank-defaulter leers at a chaos of figures
And runs among them and is beaten down ;
The sick man coughs, and hears the chisels ringing;
The tired clown
Sees the enormous crowd—a million faces
Motionless in their places,
Ready to laugh, and seize, and crush, and tear ....
The dancer smooths her hair,
Laces her golden slippers and runs through the door
To dance once more,
Hearing swift music like an enchantment rise,
Feeling the praise of a thousand eyes.
As darkness falls,
The walls grow luminous and warm, the walls
Tremble and glow with the lives within them moving,
Moving like music, secret and rich and warm.
How shall we live tonight, where shall we turn?
To what new light or darkness yearn ?
A thousand winding stairs lead down before us;
And one by one in myriads we descend
By lamp-lit flowered walls, long balustrades,
Through half-lit halls which reach no end.
poem by Conrad Potter Aiken
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Winter In The Fall
Five inches of cold, white, snow
Confront my door
Where is my shovel
Need I slog up the hill
Shall I clear my way down
From the shed
Past the unfinished greenhouse
Past the snow filled trench
The pickax and spade are buried
Somewhere beneath that soft, cold blanket
My warm fire is burning orange and blue
Looking out at a distant window light
The pure, clean of this first thick snow
Seems benign
Exactly right this morning
The unplowed road and driveway
Wait until the sun
November 15,1997
poem by Marjorie DeBol DeFazio
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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There Is A New Door In My House
There is a new 'door' in the little boy's house,
Where there was not one before,
A new 'cat shaped' hole' in the kitchen,
a new 'cat sized' hole in the door.
'But what about locks and bolts? ' the little boy asked,
Tugging at his my mum's loose apron strings.
'To keep out ghosts and scary monsters',
'and all those horrible night time things.'
'We don't need locks' the boy's mum said,
'Its only cats that can get through'.
'But what about 'cat' sized monsters,
or ghosts of that size too? '
'Go to bed now', the boy's mum said,
'What are you worrying for? '
'It's ghosts and scary monsters mum
that would fit nicely through that door? '
He went up the stairs to his room,
And tried to get to sleep,
But was thinking of ghosts and scary monsters,
Not happy jumping sheep.
'Tap, Tap', he woke, that noise (he thought) ,
It came up from the ground floor! ,
A tap, tap, tap, at the cat flap,
A noise from the cat shaped door.
A shiver ran stright down the little boy's spine,
Is it monster or a ghost?
Shaking, he crept straight down the stairs thinking 'what would scare me most? '
He crawled right up to the cat flap,
To see what was at the door,
Was it the ghosts or scary monsters,
The boy was thinking of before?
He peered into the gloom of the flap,
He strained his eyes to see,
'What might it have been that made that Tap, ,
Waiting out there for me? '.
'Tap, Tap... Tap, Tap...
Again, the noise from the flap,
Tap, Tap from the cat sized door,
Two green and bulbous eyes were there,
That were not there before.
The boy sat still, afraid to move,
Chilled straight down to his core,
The eyes began to peer at him,
Straight through the cat shaped door.
Tap.. Tap.., Tap, Tap..
That sound again, just like the tap before.
What if this thing, can fit straight through,
The cat sized and unlocked door?
Slowly, the cat flap began to open,
Sweat rolled off the boy's cold brow,
Those round green eyes were now inside,
When a sound was heard....
'Meoooow'
poem by Alexander Johnson
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From My Window
A robin perched upon a branch
outside my living room window
His lighthearted disposition
roused within me a reverie.
With eyes closed firmly I conjured
a heretofore different scene:
A naked limb laden with snow
and a cold loneliness prevailed
gazing through a closed, frosted pane…
My eyes opened, the thrush was gone
no trace vestige of abstract snow
though out of sight his song was heard
Cheerio, Cheeriup, tut tut! !
from outside my open window.
poem by Albert Ahearn
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Knock On Any Door
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Baby knock on any door
Knock on any door
Is there any place you want to go
Baby who you lookin for
Yeah, yeah, baby now you know
Its a cold world like they told you so
Knock on any door
Save your tears for some occasion
Keep your heartache to yourself
Knock on any door
Its a simple operation
Just trade your memory for your health
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Its insane girl, you cant run away
Its the same world it was yesterday
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
Now, now, now how do you survive
With a pain so real, in a world so jive
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Peek through any shade
Knock on any door
Look through any window
Walk on
song performed by by Jackson Browne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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After Death
IF we must part, this parting is the best:
How would you bear to lay
Your head on some warm pillow far away--
Your head, so used to lying on my breast?
But now your pillow is cold;
Your hands have flowers, and not my hands, to hold;
Upon our bed the worn bride-linen lies.
I have put the death-money upon your eyes,
So that you should not wake up in the night.
I have bound your face with white;
I have washed you, yes, with water and not with tears,--
Those arms wherein I have slept so many years,
Those feet that hastened when they came to me,
And all your body that belonged to me.
I have smoothed your dear dull hair,
And there is nothing left to say for you
And nothing left to fear or pray for you;
And I have got the rest of life to bear:
Thank God it is you, not I, who are lying there.
If I had died
And you had stood beside
This still white bed
Where the white, scented, horrible flowers are spread,--
I know the thing it is,
And I thank God that He has spared you this.
If one must bear it, thank God it was I
Who had to live and bear to see you die,
Who have to live, and bear to see you dead.
You will have nothing of it all to bear:
You will not even know that in your bed
You lie alone. You will not miss my head
Beside you on the pillow: you will rest
So soft in the grave you will not miss my breast.
But I--but I--Your pillow and your place--
And only the darkness laid against my face,
And only my anguish pressed against my side--
Thank God, thank God, that it was you who died!
poem by Edith Nesbit
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Waiting For The Man
Im waiting for my man
Twenty-six dollars in my hand
Up to lexington 1-2-5
So sick and dirty more dead than alive
Im waiting for my man
Hey white boy, what you doin uptown
Hey white boy, you chasin our women around
Oh pardon me sir, it springs to my mind
Im just looking for a good friendly behinde
Im waiting for my man
Here he comes, hes all dressed in black
Real shoes and a big straw hat
Hes never early, hes always late
First thing you learn is that you always gotta wait
Im waiting for my man
Dirty brownstone, up three flights of stairs
Nobodys tried to pinn you but nobody cares
Hes got the works gives you sweet taste
Then you gotta split because hes got no time to waste
Im waiting for my man
Baby dont you holler, honey dont you ball and shout
Im feeling good, I know Im gonna work it on out
Im feeling good, Im feel oh so fine
Until tomorrow but thats just another time
Im waiting for my man.
To welcomeing home
song performed by by David Bowie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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All In A Days Work
Written by dennis deyoung, glen burtnik
Lead vocals by glen burtnik
She wakes up from a dream, checks the mirror for reality
She says come on girl, its all in a days work
Gets herself dressed just in time, disappears on the 8:05
Oh the whistle blows and its all in a days work
til she calls it a day
Oh she smiles as he glances up from the swimsuit issue
Oh she sighs as he walks away into the downtown day
Day after day night after night
Loneliness creeps in her window
She locks the door, turns off the light
Rehearsing a kiss on her pillow, she cries
Its all in a days work
Turning pages while the memories pass
Familiar faces from her senior class
How the years go by when its all in a days work
Dearest ruby, hope you reach your star
Dont ever change, stay as sweet as you are
And when a teardrop falls she calls it a days work
She calls it a day
Oh she waits by the telephone for the call he promised
Oh its late
She puts her heart away for another day
Day after day night after night
Loneliness creeps in her window
She locks the door, turns off the light
Rehearsing a kiss on her pillow, she cries
All in a days work
song performed by by Styx
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Passing The Time
By ginger baker and mike taylor
It is a cold winter,
Away is the songbird.
And gone is her traveller,
She waits at home.
The sun is on holiday,
No leaves on the trees.
The animals sleep
While cold north wind blows.
The snowflakes are falling,
The roof a white blanket.
Theres ice on the window pane,
She waits alone.
She sits by the fireside,
The room is so warm.
Her children are sleeping,
She waits in their home.
Passing the time.
Passing the time.
Everything fine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, everything fine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, everything fine.
Passing the time, wine and time rhyme.
Passing the time.
It is a long winter,
Away is the summer.
She waits for her traveller
So far from home.
She sits by the fireside,
The room is so warm.
Theres ice on the window,
Shes lonely alone.
song performed by by Eric Clapton
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Passing The Time
By ginger baker and mike taylor
It is a cold winter,
Away is the songbird.
And gone is her traveller,
She waits at home.
The sun is on holiday,
No leaves on the trees.
The animals sleep
While cold north wind blows.
The snowflakes are falling,
The roof a white blanket.
Theres ice on the window pane,
She waits alone.
She sits by the fireside,
The room is so warm.
Her children are sleeping,
She waits in their home.
Passing the time.
Passing the time.
Everything fine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, everything fine.
Passing the time, drinking red wine.
Passing the time, everything fine.
Passing the time, wine and time rhyme.
Passing the time.
It is a long winter,
Away is the summer.
She waits for her traveller
So far from home.
She sits by the fireside,
The room is so warm.
Theres ice on the window,
Shes lonely alone.
song performed by by Cream
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hope Is An Open Window
(christopher ward/tim tickner/diana ross)
Are we not more than hunger and music
Are we not more than harlequins and horns
Are we not more than color and drums
Are we not more than anger and dance
Give me courage so I can spread it over my face and mouth
Give me courage, give me courage
Give me courage, give me courage
I walk these city streets see the people there
Look into the eyes of quiet despair
And the faces tell a story that words never can
And it falls to everyone of us to try and understand
Out of kindness
One act of grace makes the world we walk a better place
Hope is an open window
Love an open door
To reach out for each other
Is what we came here for
Through an open window
We can see the way
If we hold on to each other, every day
We build walls of suspicion with bars of fears
Tell ourselves well be safe in here
I know more brings us together
Than keeps up apart
First we got to tear down these walls within our hearts
We might be strangers, we can be friends
You and I we both need to let somebody in
Hope is an open window
Love an open door
To reach out for each other
Is what we came here for
Through an open window
We can see the way
If we hold on to each other, every day
Give me courage so I can spread over my face and mouth
We are secret rivers with shaking hips and crests
Come awake in our thunder so that our eyes can see behind trees
Give me courage so I can spread over my face and mouth
Give me courage, give me courage
Give me courage, give me courage
Hope is an open window
Loves an open door
To reach out for each other
Is what we came here for
Through an open window
We can see the way
If we hold on to each other, every day
Hope is an open window
Love an open door
Gotta be there for each other
Is what we sent here for
Through an open window
We can find a way
To love one another
Hope is an open window
Love an open door
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Desolate
From the sad eaves the drip-drop of the rain!
The water washing at the latchel door;
A slow step plashing by upon the moor;
A single bleat far from the famished fold;
The clicking of an embered hearth and cold;
The rainy Robin tic-tac at the pane.
'So as it is with thee
Is it with me,
So as it is and it used not to be,
With thee used not to be,
Nor me.'
So singeth Robin on the willow tree,
The rainy robin tic-tac at the pane.
Here in this breast all day
The fire is dim and low,
Within I care not to stay,
Without I care not to go.
A sadness ever sings
Of unforgotten things,
And the bird of love is patting at the pane;
But the wintry water deepens at the door,
And a step is plashing by upon the moor
Into the dark upon the darkening moor,
And alas, alas, the drip-drop of the rain!
poem by Sydney Thompson Dobell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Dead Mans Party
Im all dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin with a dead man over my shoulder
Waiting for an invitation to arrive
Goin to a party where no ones still alive
Chorus
I was struck by lighting
Walkin down the street
I was hit by something last night in my sleep
Its a dead mans party
Who could ask for more
Everybodys comin, leave your body at the door
Leave your body and soul at the door . . .
(dont run away its only me)
All dressed up with nowhere to go
Walkin with a dead man
Waitin for an invitation to arrive
With a dead man . . . dead man . . .
Got my best suit and my tie
Shiny silver dollar on either eye
I hear the chauffeur comin to the door
Says theres room for maybe just one more . . .
Chorus
Dont run away its only me
Dont be afraid of what you cant see
Dont run away its only me . . .
song performed by by Oingo Boingo
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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I Dreamt Of Robin
I opened the casement this morn at starlight,
And, the moment I got out of bed,
The daisies were quaking about in their white
And the cowslip was nodding its head.
The grass was all shivers, the stars were all bright,
And Robin that should come at e'en--
I thought that I saw him, a ghost by moonlight,
Like a stalking horse stand on the green.
I went bed agen and did nothing but dream
Of Robin and moonlight and flowers.
He stood like a shadow transfixed by a stream,
And I couldn't forget him for hours.
I'd just dropt asleep when I dreamed Robin spoke,
And the casement it gave such a shake,
As if every pane in the window was broke;
Such a patter the gravel did make.
So I up in the morning before the cock crew
And to strike me a light I sat down.
I saw from the door all his track in the dew
And, I guess, called 'Come in and sit down.'
And one, sure enough, tramples up to the door,
And who but young Robin his sen?
And ere the old folks were half willing to stir
We met, kissed, and parted agen.
poem by John Clare
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Ringing Heart
Ringing heart
I am a gust of wind
From the north warm and cold
With a tender touch
I blow
Just keep open your wonderful window
Under the mystical dark cover I hide
And wait for your whisper call
To enter like a king to
steal
your ringing heart
Just keep your wonderful door open and wide
Like your dream man at a deep dark night
I break into your thrilling room
As a rain of desire or dream of ray
When I see at your door step
You spread
Colourful love petals
Over the hot and red carpet.
poem by Abdul Wahab
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Fear
Shadows in the dark
Keep me up awake
So i sleep with the light on
Lock the door behind you
Bolt the windows tight
Silence can be deadly
Especially at night
You scare me half to death
Bolting down the stairs
I'm so scared
But no one even cares
Noises stir at night
I jump right out of bed
Running down the stairs
Everyone is dead
I wake up from this nightmare
Drenched in cold sweat
Fearing you and everything
Is my one and only regret
poem by Tiana Webb
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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When The Sun Comes Out
When the sun comes out
And that rain stops beatin on my window pane
When the sun comes out
Therell be bluebirds round my door, singin like they did before
That ol storm broke out
And my man/gal walked off and left me in the rain
Though hes/shes gone I doubt
If hell/shell stay away for good,Id stop livin if he/she should
Love is funny, its not always peaches, cream and honey
Just when everything looked bright and sunny
Suddenly the cyclone came, Ill never be the same
Til that sun comes out
And the rain stops beatin on my window pane
If my heart holds out
Let it rain and let it pour, it may not be long before
Theres a knockin at my door
Then youll know the one I love walked in
When the sun comes out
song performed by by Ella Fitzgerald
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Cold As Ice
I dont think you understand
Oh the rhythm of my heart
Theres a strong line to mind and soul
I feel it tearing apart
Ive been searching for new words
Gonna make you understand in a different way
When I told you Id hang on forever
I threw my choice away
And its cold as ice
I cant let go
Its cold as ice
Baby but I need your love
And I wish I could have been the first one
Oh to walk out the door
The more I find myself to blame
The less there is to come back for
You wish you could have been the last one
To tell me how you really feel
Cause when you closed the door oh deep inside
My heart it still seemed so sincere
And its cold as ice
I cant let go oh
Its cold as ice
Baby but I need your love
Its cold as ice
I cant let go
Its cold as ice
Baby but I need your love
If theres a message to this madness
Well it still seems quite unclear
If I really need to save myself
Why cant I just walk out of here
Theres a message in your eyes
And you make it perfectly plain
Either I leave your heart behind
Or crack beneath this freezing
Freezing freezing freezing rain
Cold as ice
(cold as ice)
I cant let go
(but I cant let go)
Cold as ice
Baby but i
But I need your love
All right
I said Im cold
Cold Im cold
(cold as ice)
Cold Im cold
(baby)
Cold Im cold
(cold as ice darling)
Cold as ice
(cold as ice)
Oh no but I cant let go
(I said Im freezing, freezing)
Oh no no I cant let go
(freezing, freezing, freezing, freezing)
No no Im cold as ice
(whoa whoa baby yeah)
Im cold as ice
But I cant let go
No
song performed by by Indigo Girls
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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