The race is to the swift
Happy be or sad, like a long journey
Life is, and burden man aught to carry,
Heavy— let thine step be slow and steady,
That ye should stumble not in a hurry,
Old Buddhist wisdom, feeling its oats, said;
Be steady and firm like a mountain wall,
Deep like ocean, mild like moon to thine stead,
Echoed Jain thought; it matters none at all
How slow ye walk long as ye walk the way,
A Confucius creed more chaos did spread;
In too much of hurry, ye go astray,
Slow down to no movement, reach there un-sped,
Pondered Osho; the race, said Christ, not to the swift,
Shall thine goal gift; but world still races to the lift!
_____________________________________________ __________
This is a tongue-in-cheek kind of sonnet. Thoughts presented
are serious, but the underlying tone is light. All spiritual
wisdom advises men to move slow and steady to the goal, and
yet the world seems to be in a mad hurry; it's a rat race in
every field, as the Volta, just half of the last (14th) line suggests.
The end couplet reflects the rush to conclude, and in the
process, could not afford to be brief, ending up two syllable
longer!
We have all noticed, an orderly queue awaiting arrival of the
elevator in a tall building. But the moment the lift reaches the
spot, everyone starts pushing forward in a scramble. This is what
I call automobile culture, what we all do while driving on a busy
city road— pushing. This is what ‘race to the lift' means. Today
we admire the swift rabbit, not the slow and steady turtle of the
popular Panchatantra story.
_____________________________________________ _________________
- Sonnets | 02.12.11 |
poem by Aniruddha Pathak
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Related quotes
Rocksteady
(bryan adams/gretchen peters)
You need a man thatll treat you like the woman you are
Those little boys are just fooling around with your heart
Whatcha gonna do now that youre all alone?
You need a rock not a rollin stone
Yeah so when a boy
Just aint enough
You need a man made of stronger stuff
Get ready
Rock steady all night long
Rock steady till the light of dawn
Slow and easy tried and true
Rock steady
Just me and you
You need somebody who will help you with your heavy load
Well Ive been there baby
Lord give me a rock and roll
Well I can bend but I wont break
Cause you aint got what I can take
So when youre tired of those little girls
You want a woman thatll rock your world
Get ready
Rock steady all night long
Rock steady till the light of dawn
Slow and easy tried and true
Rock steady
Just me and you
Amateurs and dilettantes
They cant give you what you really want
When all the other have been untrue
Ill give you something you can hold on to
Rock steady all night long
Rock steady till the light of dawn
Slow and easy tried and true
Rock steady
Just me and you
song performed by by Bryan Adams
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Alankar (Decor) -33
Mindset(Short Rondel)
It's my mindset to keep going
Like the tortoise won the racing
Being slow and steady throughout
Though slow I go steady devout
Running firm towards my target
It's my mindset
I'm proud never to lose my game
Unlike the hare that slept with shame
But to win focussed at my goal
To give my best of poetic role..
It's my mindset
poem by Indira Renganathan
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Homage
today i pay homage
to the turtle and for those like it
are too slow
for almost anything
its inability to cope up with the
arrogant and speedy rabbit
the subject of
too much mockery
in that snail-paced history
today i pay homage
to persistence and flexibility
to patience and stoicism
to faith that grows steadily within the hearts of every man
that respect for every block of brick
that makes the long winding gate of protection
that composes the great wall
of the house
for every step
that does the ways of master builder
though small and slow
yet still sure
today i pay homage for all the other
slow processes
of solitude
those quiet manners of the
grass and the leaves
the tender climb of the tendrils on the trellis of the fence
the steady flourishing of the
petals on the sepals of the
morning flower
today i pay homage to
those tiny green turtles anchored
quietly
beside the gleaming stone of the ancient pond
of our civilization
those sleepy eyes under the moon
full of wisdom
showered by the rain and sunshine of the ages
not rushing for anything
they are all here
undisturbed and thriving still
not hurting anyone
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Slow is steady
A poor conductor is
A slow emitter.
A slow growing is
A long living.
Be our love a snail.
I don’t mind.
For the slow are steady.
A barren tree be it,
Not a withering herb.
24.09.99
poem by Rm. Shanmugam Chettiar
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
First Time
Your hands run over my breast
You slide into me as my body welcomes you as a guest
Your body moves as mine follows the steady pace
As your body bulids it becomes a race.
My mind fills with this lust, this power
It shall not let me cower
As the slow beat of music plays
I think of how how this memmory shall stay,
In my soul, in my heart.
My body waits for the feelings to start.
As reality hits I remember this is my first
But now the need for more fills my heart with it's thirst
You move faster, and the pain fills my veins, my blood
The pain quickly lessons as my thoughts turn to mud
Here and now is all that matters, all I seak
My body arches as we reach the peak.
Your movements start to slow
Making movements a steady flow
You retreat from my body yet remain in my grasp
As our breaths turn to steady gasps.
You smile as you lay next to me
And now the whole of you I see
I smile back as your lips press against my hair
I meet your lips with mine with passion with care.
I close my eyes to replay the moment over again
And now my true life will begin
My head lay on your chest
My eyes filled with you, this feeling is the best
I close my eyes again to sleep.
For tomorrowI will weep.
But now I sleep in your arms, in your mind
This night was so calm, so kind
As your arms pass over me one last time
So slow, so soft for you know this is my first time
You watch me as I sleep, and ask yourself if I left what would you do
So you kiss me once more and whisper 'I love you'
poem by Bethany Maxwell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
can speed be the key?
slow, steady, in no hurry
the tortoise wins...
haiku by Mamta Agarwal
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Steady As We Go
I walk half way around the world
Just to sit down by your side
And I would do most anything girl
To be the apple of your eye
But troubles they may come and go
But good times never grow old
Or if the road gets rocky girl
Just steady as we go
Anyplace you want to go
You know Ill be next to you
If its treasure baby youre looking for
Ill search the whole world through
You know troubles they may come and go
But good times never grow old
So if the road gets rocky girl
Just steady as we go
When the storm comes you shelter me
When I dont say a word
And you know exactly what I mean
In the darkest times shine on me
Set me free
And keep me steady as we go
So if your heart rings dry my love
I will fill your cup
And if your load gets heavy girl
I will lift you up
But troubles they may come and go
But good times be the gold
So if the road gets rocky girl
Just steady as we go
song performed by by Dave Matthews Band
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
You Might Die Trying
I'll walk halfway around the world
To change the world
Just to sit down by your side
Starts with one step
And I would do most anything, girl
How ever small
To be the apple of your eye
First step is hardest of all
Well troubles, they may come and go
Once you get your gauge
But good times, they're the gold
You'll be walking tall
And if the road gets rocky, girl
You said you never did
Just steady as we go
Cause you might die trying
Any place you wanna go
Cause you might die trying
Know I'll be next to you
Cause you
If it's treasure, baby, you're looking for
I'll search the whole world through
If you close your eyes
I know troubles, they may come and go
Cause the house is on fire
But good times, they're the gold
And think you couldn't move
So if the road gets rocky, girl
Until the fire dies
Just steady as we go
The things you never did
When the storm comes down you shelter me
Cause you might die trying
When I don't say a word and you know exactly what i mean
Cause you might die trying
In the darkest times, oh, you shine on me
You'd be as good as dead
You set me free and keep me steady as we go
Cause you might die trying
So if your heart wrings dry, my love
Cause you might die trying
I will fill your cup
And if your load gets heavy, girl
If you give
I will lift you up
you begin to live
Well troubles, they may come and go
if you give
But good times be the gold
begin to live
So if the road gets rocky, girl
you begin
Just steady as we go
you get the world
If you give you begin to live
Shine, shine, shine
you get the world
shine on me
If you give you begin to live
You might die trying
You might die trying
You might die trying
The things you never did
Cause you might die trying
You'd be as good as dead
The things you never did
song performed by by Dave Matthews Band
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Fable
Beyond the steady rock the steady sea,
In movement more immovable than station,
Gathers and washes and is gone. It comes,
A slow obscure metonymy of motion,
Crumbling the inner barriers of the brain.
But the crossed rock braces the hills and makes
A steady quiet of the steady music,
Massive with peace.
And listen, now:
The foam receding down the sand silvers
Between the grains, thin, pure as virgin words,
Lending a sheen to Nothing, whispering.
poem by Yvor Winters
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Slow and steady wins the race.
quote by Robert Lloyd
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Slow and steady wins the race.
Aesop in The Hare and the Tortoise
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Slow Down
So far from where I started out
So far from where I wanna be
Listening for answers in the wind
But cant find a rock to plant my feet
Looking for love in all the wrong places
Down on my knees and now Im praying for patience
I know theres gotta be a better way
In the back of my mind I hear my momma say
Slow down, baby youre going too fast
You got you hands in the air
With you feet on the gas
Youre bout to wreck your future
Running from your past
You need to slow down before
You go down baby
Thinking the faster that I go
The faster (that) I will reach my goal
The race is not given to the swift
But to the one who endureth
I thought that all my obstacles were behind me
Walking around like Im made out of diamond
I tripped and fell and it remindedme
Move over and let my angels guideme
Slow down, baby youre going too fast
You got you hands in the air
With you feet on the gas
Youre bout to wreck your future
Running from your past
You need to slow down before
You go down baby
Sometimes you gotta be still
Before you can get ahead
Be still
Ask the universe for help
Be real
You cant do it all by yourself
Ah, no no
Sometimes, sometimes you gotta be still
It take some time to reach you and they
Be still
Take some time to clear your space
Be real
Chaos isnt good for your health
Ah, no no, ahhh
Cuz Im breaking things and losing things
I lost my cell phone again the other day
Now, I dont wanna live this way, no
In the back of my mind I hear my mama say
Slow down, baby youre going too fast
You got you hands in the air
With you feet on the gas
Youre bout to wreck your future
Running from your past
You need to slow down before
You go down baby
(slow down baby)
Slow down (baby)
Youre going too fast
Slow down (baby)
Feet on the gas
Slow down (baby)
Run from your past
Slow down baby (4x)
song performed by by India Arie
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
The Waking
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me; so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
poem by Theodore Roethke
Submitted by Dan Costinaş
Vote! | Copy! | In Romanian
The Waking (1953)
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I feel my fate in what I cannot fear.
I learn by going where I have to go.
We think by feeling. What is there to know?
I hear my being dance from ear to ear.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Of those so close beside me, which are you?
God bless the Ground! I shall walk softly there,
And learn by going where I have to go.
Light takes the Tree; but who can tell us how?
The lowly worm climbs up a winding stair;
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
Great Nature has another thing to do
To you and me, so take the lively air,
And, lovely, learn by going where to go.
This shaking keeps me steady. I should know.
What falls away is always. And is near.
I wake to sleep, and take my waking slow.
I learn by going where I have to go.
poem by Theodore Roethke
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
The Snail and the Quail
The quick, quivering quail laughed at the slow moving snail
And said, “Don’t ever enter a race or you’ll be last on the trail.”
Well, that snail always saw himself as moving kind of slow,
Though he was sure he knew where a straight line would go.
He thought, “Quail is faster, running back and forth, then forth and back.
If he does that in a race, quick quivering quail might just run off track.”
So the slow moving snail smiled and challenged quick, quivering quail
To a race for the candy store on the other side of hill and dale.
Quick, quivering quail laughed so hard he could hardly talk.
He joked, “Slow snail, you have no chance if you run and I only walk.”
Slow moving snail responded, “Tomorrow you’ll have a chance to shine.
Race time is noon and where ants cross the road is the starting line.”
Quick, quivering quail, still laughing, said “I’ll give you a big head start.”
Slow moving snail answered, “No thanks. Just race fast. I’ll race smart.”
Off went quick, quivering quail with buddies to have fun and stay up late.
Slow moving snail worked on a plan to move faster and go straight.
The day passed quickly for snail and quail as each went his separate way.
Night was short and soon a bright new sun hailed the start of race day.
Quick, quivering quail was tired after staying out late with his best friend.
Slow moving snail slept well and had his plan for how the race would end.
Snails and quails crowded ‘round as queen ant started to whine,
“Loosen up your shell and feathers; then step to the starting line.
On your mark, get ready, get set, now off you two go.”
Quick quivering quail rushed down the track… sir snail started slow.
It wasn’t long before quick quail had quivered across two dales, and then
Thought he’d just catch 40 winks before trying that much track again.
He thought, “I could walk in my sleep and still win this race.
That slow moving snail, carrying his shell along. What a big disgrace! ”
So off he went into Dreamland, seeing candy stores over the next dale.
Or was it two more hills that were the end of this easy trail?
Meanwhile slow moving snail studied his map as he moved along.
He smiled at flowers and friends on the hill; then broke into song,
“I’ve worked hard for this race and thank each and every fan.
I’m confident that I’ll win, but if not, I can always try again.
With your cheers and my hard work, “slow” won’t mean “lose”.
Victory depends not on just our skills, but how much of them we use.”
As slow snail topped the hill, it rained, but not on a single snail fan.
They had umbrellas, since slow snail had checked with the weatherman.
His name now was “quick snail” as he slid down the hills of water and mud.
Rain woke quick quivering quail as a big dropp hit his head with a thud.
Quail ran faster as he thought he saw the finish line with each advance…
But shrieked, “Oh no, I can’t believe it. This line is made up of ants! ”
Snail’s slide downhill helped him move over the dale as never before.
Soon there it was within sight and smell…that winning candy store.
Then snail’s moves were much slower and he could hear a noise behind.
Sure, it was quick quail, so snail reached for all the strength he could find.
Before he knew it, slow moving snail was in front of the candy store.
So proud, he yelled, “I Love You All! ” as he listened to the crowd roar.
poem by Gregory Huyette
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Let thy step be slow and steady, that thou stumble not.
quote by Ieyasu Tokugawa
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!
Ember In My Soul
Fire once raged fervent in my soul
A universe of potential and wonder
Needed nothing to bolster or console
Till growing older stole my thunder
Today slow and steady wins the race
Because body, mind, soul remember
All gets done although at slower pace
Within a wizened soul I fan an ember
The wisdom I offer can be debated
Some will scoff, others will take heed
Myth of “Golden years” is overrated
As every flower dies and goes to seed
The road of life is both cruel and kind
Only God knows that man is predefined
ROTMS
poem by Ray Lucero
Submitted by Poetry Lover
Vote! | Copy!
Slow Moving Sea
If you ever feel youll lose your dreams
Or your hope seems too far gone
Ill bring the distance to your door
You couldnt ask for any more
You were around when I needed a friend
You were the means you were the end
Youll be the one Ill turn to now
Theres gonna be some hard times coming down
Without you the world would be so crowded
Without you the moon would be so clouded
Without you I can be anyone
Anyone at all but myself
If ever your candle wont blow out
Or your sorrow seems so interrupted
Well Ill be the first to bring the darkness down
Ill be the silence at your side
Without you the music couldnt move me
The words would ring true
But the tune would feel so empty
Without you I can be anyone
Anyone at all but myself
But myself
Wish I was a slow moving sea
Moving away from the land so cautiously
Id find me an island to surround
Just like you did as I was feeling down
As I was feeling down
Without you the world would be so crowded
Without you the moon would be so clouded
Without you I can be anyone
Anyone at all but myself
Oh but myself
Wish I was a slow moving sea
Wish I was a slow moving sea
Love is like a slow moving sea
Keeping in touch with eternity
Wish I was a slow, slow, slow, slow moving sea
Love is like a slow moving sea
song performed by by Indigo Girls
Submitted by Lucian Velea
Vote! | Copy!