The Lamps Are Out
Every now and then I open the book
by Agee and Evans about those tenants
in the summer of 1936 living not far
from the geographic center
of the North American cotton belt
**All over Alabama the lamps are out**
Two stores, four houses at a crossroads
called Madrid, seven miles to Cookstown,
which landlords and tenants call home
and where three hundred souls reside
Children in school there stay alive
by one form or another of cowardice
or brutality or deception taught
by sick women or sicker men
devoid of natural honesty and vigor
poem by Michael Pruchnicki
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Litau
Landlords and tenants,
Conceding with the muse of the selfish practices around;
But try to get rid of these bad practices in the society around you.
Ambiguous,
Necessarily,
Preventing;
And like the landlords and the tenants in your town!
For, i am Litau with the words of peace;
However, the continent of Africa needs help.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Rental Cars!
Rental cars!
To change the system;
Dental, rental, pal, petal, metal, beal, fatal! !
For this land is the land of tenants.
Raw, saw, caw, craw, maw, paw, aw, yaw;
And like the rental laws around you!
But, the landlords do need the tenants.
Rental cars!
Braw, draw, law, haw, jaw, flaw, taw;
But, with better roads to move along.
Rental cars!
Real, meal, wheal, lethal, coral, floral, oral;
But, we do need each other in business.
poem by Edward Kofi Louis
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Substantive and procedural law benefits and protects landlords over tenants, creditors over debtors, lenders over borrowers, and the poor are seldom among the favored parties.
quote by John Turner
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Keepin The Summer Alive
When its ice cream weather get the gang back together
Roll down your windows and ride
Theyll be sleepin in the sand dunes dancin in the streets
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer ah live)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(ah keep the summer)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer alive)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(try to keep the summer)
When its ice cream weather all the girls will look better
The boys try to give them a ride
To the one last party fore the school bell rings
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer)
Theyre just tryin to keep t alive)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(alive)
Lay down in the sun
And watch the clouds roll by
And bein with the one you love
In the summertime
When its last september back in school well remember
The cure for the wintertime blues
Grab your girl hit the road head on down to the beach
Youll be comin home with sand in your shoes
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer )
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(sum sum summer)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(alive)
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Were just tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Just tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Just tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Well just
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Keep the summer alive
Theyre just tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
Yeah tryin to keep the summer alive
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
(yeah yeah uh huh I know well keep the summer)
song performed by by Beach Boys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Five Hundred Miles Away From Home
(bobby bare, charlie williams, hedy west)
Tear drops fell on mamas note
When I read the things she wrote
She said, we miss you girl
We love you come on home
Well I didnt have to pack
I had it all right on my back
Now Im five hundred miles away from home
Chorus:
Away from home, away from home
Cold and tired and all alone
Yes, Im five hundred miles away from home
Its hard to tell the state Im in
Where Im going, where Ive been
But theres a dream Ive been following so long
If mama knew the things Ive done
Shed forgive them everyone
But Im still five hundred miles away from home
Repeat chorus
Cant remember when I ate its just thumb and walk and wait
And Im still five hundred miles away from home
If my luck had been just right Id be with them all tonight
But Im still five hundred miles away from home
Repeat chorus
Lord, Im still five hundred miles away from home
song performed by by Reba Mcentire
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Everybody knows that the great reversed triangle of land, with its base in the north and its apex in the south, which is called India, embraces fourteen hundred thousand square miles, upon which is spread unequally a population of one hundred and eighty millions of souls.
quote by Jules Verne
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Latitude and Longitude
Years ago I learned about longitude in high school
It was, they taught, an important geographic tool
But now with my grown-up sophisticated attitude
I find longitude no more prodigious than latitude
With longitude and latitude I can travel across the nation
You know where you’re at when used in combination
But with total honesty I must confess
I’m lost one mile away from my home address
poem by Stanley Cooper
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Parramatta Girls
I wouldn’t say he was a bad man
But he got so violent
After my mother she fell ill
After her accident
She couldn’t really do much
She looked old beyond her years
And he took to drinking most the time
And scream he was her nurse
His anger was so scary
He’d shout and bang and crash
We’d try then to avoid him
In case we all got bashed
He never touched me sexually
But sometimes seemed to leer
Whenever I got close to him
Close enough to smell the beer
At 14 I had had enough
After his mates were round
Their eyes were just undressing me
And followed me around
So I left my home next morning
Took some cash – well to be sure
That I could buy some food to eat
Where would I sleep? I’d find a floor
There were other kids just like me
I found out pretty quick
Abused at home and desperate
We’d not run away for kicks
We’d hang around together
And find empty houses where
No one else would bother us
And no one seemed to care
Whether we lived or died you know
Whether we were sick or well
And life took on an emptiness
Till the day that became hell
A knock upon the door so loud
The police came breaking in
Accusing us of many things
And committing mortal sin
The magistrate just took one look
At me standing in the dock
And ordered me into State care
Said I needed a big shock
To discipline my tendencies
For independence and being free
I stood there – not yet 5 feet tall
And cried uncontrollably
They took me to Parramatta
To the Training School out there
Stripped me naked, harshly scrubbed me
And hacked off all my hair
They stung my skin with tinctures
To prevent the lice they said
Then a grubby male doctor
Made me lie upon a bed
Open your legs he shouted
I’m checking for disease
He bruised my legs, he bruised inside
The pain paralysed my knees
While he did this he's smiling
And the warders held me down
For then I did start screaming
And in my tears I almost drowned
There was blood upon the bed sheet
There was so much blood to see
It felt like that damn doctor
Had drained all the blood from me
The warders were mostly women
But the more senior were men
They all seemed so self satisfied
As I lay there so brok-en
Not a single word was uttered
When the showers they showed to me
That I must use each morning
Supervised continually
Those showers were quite open
They did not have no doors
So you had to stand there naked
While the wardens paced the floor
And timed you to the second
That you were let to bathe
Your tender teenage body
Under their steady gaze
It was hell in Parramatta
It was worse than hell I’d say
And all of this was done to me
On that first distressing day
I cried out for my mother
I even called for dad
In my whole life that’s gone on since
I have never felt so bad
But when inside the Training School
It seemed stranger than before
Everything seemed normal
Save the bars on every door
The other girls were round my age
They’d lived lives quite the same
But the warders and the Training School
Had made them all ashamed
Ashamed of what? I asked of them
When we’d whisper or we’d cry
Ashamed of simply living
Ashamed of being alive
We could not speak out loud at all
We’d be punished quick for that
And beaten by the wardens
With their fists or leather straps
The shame was mixed with anger
That our treatment was so wrong
But one day we rebelled you know
And we did things like sing songs
We climbed upon the roof as well
And threw tiles at those down there
We knew we would be punished
But – by God – we didn’t care
We’d had enough of what they did
Had enough of punishment
For none of us had done no wrong
When to Parramatta we were sent
Of course we lost this battle
Of course they were angry
And we were sent into the cell blocks
For weeks of solitary
Or branded as beyond all hope
Incorrigible was what they’d say
The ringleaders were sent by train
Five hundred miles away to Hay
Five hundred miles to break our spirits
Five hundred miles to break our souls
Five hundred miles rubbed sore by shackles
Five hundred miles away from home
There was no darker hell than this
Isolated in the bush
And a trip to Hay was what they’d say
When they would threaten us
I could tell you of the beatings
I could tell you of abuse
I could tell you of the punishments
But what would be the use?
For there seems to be an ignorance
Cast upon this land
And if we don’t hear these stories
Then we will not understand
This place we call Australia
And its position in the world
So listen to this story
Of a Parramatta girl.
For all this is quite recent
It’s not just history
It happened in the 70s
And it all happened to me.
poem by David Keig
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Johnny Came Marching Home
A book written by Dalton Trumbo
was assigned as class reading
one summer session-
much of it read aloud
by the teacher.
A sweltering classroom
windows open
to summer sun
and sharp
crack of bat-
high school athletes
in full vigor,
running bases
and catching
pop flies!
Perhaps it was the teacher's
voice that involved us
as we identified with
the young soldier's
plight.
Whatever it was worked!
*I can't hear. My left arm!
I wonder what they've done with it!
He had no arms and no legs.
He was blind. It wasn't a dream.
Jesus, Joe there must be some other way! *
All the time the teacher read
we could hear the players
outside chattering away
as they ran and scored runs!
Dust motes in afternoon sunlight
seemed alive.
Then the bell rang
and we sat stunned
Our summer was almost over!
poem by Michael Pruchnicki
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Viceroy Sonata
I am the king called Viceroy
And in my ship I sail the Red Sea
All the way to North America because I want to see the other world
That the people call the American dream
But I know that is not easy to migrate to North America
Because if you want to stay you will need to apply for a green card
And you will be a gringo for the rest of your life
But I don't have any plans to live in North America
But my plans is just to visit North America and that is all
Because I am a jew and I belong in Telaviv that is my birth place
poem by Aldo Kraas
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Red Army Blues
When I left my home and my family
My mother said to me
Son, its not how many germans you kill that counts
Its how many people you set free
So I packed my bags
Brushed my cap
Walked out into the world
Seventeen years old
Never kissed a girl
Took the train to voronezh
That was as far as it would go
Changed my sacks for a uniform
Bit my lip against the snow
I prayed for mother russia
In the summer of 43
And as we drove the germans back
I really believed
That God was listening to me
We howled into berlin
Tore the smoking buildings down
Raised the red flag high
Burnt the reichstag brown
I saw my first american
And he looked a lot like me
He had the same kinda farmers face
Said hed come from some place called hazzard, tennessee
Then the war was over
My discharge papers came
Me and twenty hundred others
Went to stettiner for the train
Kiev! said the commissar
From there your own way home
But I never got to kiev
We never came by home
Train went north to the taiga
We were stripped and marched in file
Up the great siberian road
For miles and miles and miles and miles
Dressed in stripes and tatters
In a gulag left to die
All because comrade stalin was scared that
Wed become too westernized!
Used to love my country
Used to be so young
Used to believe that life was
The best song ever sung
I would have died for my country
In 1945
But now only one thing remains
But now only one thing remains
But now only one thing remains
But now only one thing remains
The brute will to survive!
song performed by by Waterboys
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Home
(alan jackson)
In a small town down in georgia over forty years ago
Her maiden name was musik til she met that jackson boy
They married young like folks did then, not a penny to their name
But they believe the one you vow to love
Should always stay that same
And on the land his daddy gave him, a foundation under way
For a love to last forever or until their dying day
They built a bond thats strong enough to stand the test of time
And a place for us to turn to when our lives were in a bind
And they made their house from a toolshed
Grandaddy rolled down on two logs
And they builts walls all around it
And they made that house a home
They taught us bout good living
They taught is right and wrong
Lord therell never be another place
In this world Ill call home
My momma raised five children, four girls then there was me
She found her strength with faith in gof and love of family
She never had a social life, home was all she knew
Except the time she took a job, to play a bill or two
My daddy skinned his knuckles on the cars that he repaired
He never earned much money but he gane us all he had
He never made the front page but he did the best he couold
And folks drove their cars from miles around
To let him look underneath the hood
And they made their house from a toolshed
Grandaddy rolled down on two logs
And they builts walls all around it
And they made that house a home
They taught us bout good living
They taught is right and wrong
Lord therell never be another place
In this world Ill call home
No therell never be another place in this world
That Ill call home
song performed by by Alan Jackson
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sweet Home Alabama
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes
Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In Birmingham they love the gov' nor
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come Alabama
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home Alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the guv'nor's true
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
song performed by by Jewel
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sweeet Home Alabama
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the Southland
I miss Alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes
Well I heard mister Young sing about her
Well, I heard ole Neil put her down
Well, I hope Neil Young will remember
A Southern man don't need him around anyhow
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
In Birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now Watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Here I come Alabama
Now Muscle Shoals has got the Swampers
And they've been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when I'm feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home Alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet Home Alabama
Lord, I'm coming home to you
Sweet home Alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governor's true
Sweet Home Alabama
Lordy Lord, I'm coming home to you
Yea, yea Montgomery's got the answer
song performed by by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sweet Home Alabama
(ed king - ronnie vanzant - gary rossington)
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes
Well I heard mister young sing about her
Well, I heard ole neil put her down
Well, I hope neil young will remember
A southern man dont need him around anyhow
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
In birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
Here I come alabama
Now muscle shoals has got the swampers
And theyve been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when Im feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
Sweet home alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governors true
Sweet home alabama
Lordy
Lord, Im coming home to you
Yea, yea montgomerys got the answer
song performed by by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Sweet Home Alabama
(ed king - ronnie vanzant - gary rossington)
Big wheels keep on turning
Carry me home to see my kin
Singing songs about the southland
I miss alabamy once again
And I think its a sin, yes
Well I heard mister young sing about her
Well, I heard ole neil put her down
Well, I hope neil young will remember
A southern man dont need him around anyhow
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
In birmingham they love the governor
Now we all did what we could do
Now watergate does not bother me
Does your conscience bother you?
Tell the truth
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
Here I come alabama
Now muscle shoals has got the swampers
And theyve been known to pick a song or two
Lord they get me off so much
They pick me up when Im feeling blue
Now how about you?
Sweet home alabama
Where the skies are so blue
Sweet home alabama
Lord, Im coming home to you
Sweet home alabama
Oh sweet home baby
Where the skies are so blue
And the governors true
Sweet home alabama
Lordy
Lord, Im coming home to you
Yea, yea montgomerys got the answer
song performed by by Lynyrd Skynyrd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Tenants
I rented my house
To some tenants, chosen in series,
Who still live in my memories.
On rent in some other houses
Too, they could have lived
And stayed in those owners’ memories.
No chance for me to re-rent to them,
No chance for them to reenter mine,
With blocked communications
And choked emotions,
Each departs from the world,
Intimacy living in fantasy.
10.06.2000, Palakkad
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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In 1941 I finished at Allison Intermediate School (grades 7-9), and started at North High School, commuting by bicycle about 5 miles from home to school.
quote by Vernon L. Smith
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Into The Feudal System
we'd like to change this world
we'd agree there should be no masters
no tenants, all independent beings
living life pursuant to need not greed
i traveled to far lands and ate ideas
looked for patterns and took them home
i visited your house and you were alone
surrounded by servants at your command
we admit we were too inconsistent then
for how did ever survive without all them?
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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One Summer Afternoon
A book written by Dalton Trumbo
was assigned as class reading
one summer session
much of it read aloud
by the teacher
sweltering classroom
windows open
summer sun
sharp crack
of bat
high school athletes
in full vigor
running bases
and catching
fly balls
Perhaps it was the teacher's reading
that drew us into the story and involved
us in the narrator's plight - whatever
it was worked
*I can't hear. My left arm. I wonder what
they've done with it!
No legs you see. No more running walking
crawling if you have no legs. He had
no arms and no legs.
He was blind. It wasn't a dream.
He thought Jesus Joe there must
be some other way.*
All the time the teacher read
we could hear the players
outside chattering away
shouts as a run scored
dust motes in the afternoon
sunlight seemed alive
Then the bell rang
and we sat stunned
Our summer was almost over
poem by Michael Pruchnicki
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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