7 Days of Poetry: I Am - John Clare

I Am

I am: yet what I am none cares or knows,
My friends forsake me like a memory lost;
I am the self-consumer of my woes,
They rise and vanish in oblivious host,
Like shades in love and death's oblivion lost;
And yet I am! and live with shadows tost

Into the nothingness of scorn and noise,
Into the living sea of waking dreams,
Where there is neither sense of life nor joys,
But the vast shipwreck of my life's esteems;
And e'en the dearest--that I loved the best--
Are strange--nay, rather stranger than the rest.

I long for scenes where man has never trod;
A place where woman never smil'd or wept;
There to abide with my creator, God,
And sleep as I in childhood sweetly slept:
Untroubling and untroubled where I lie;
The grass below--above the vaulted sky. 

John Clare

7 Days of Poetry: How do I love thee? - Elizabeth Barrett Browning

How do I love thee?

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, -- I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! -- and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death. 

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

7 Days of Poetry: I know why the caged bird sings - Maya Angelou

I know why the caged bird sings
The free bird leaps
on the back of the wind
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

7 Days of Poetry: All You Who Sleep Tonight - Vikram Seth

All you who sleep tonight

All you who sleep tonight
Far from the ones you love,
No hand to left or right
And emptiness above -

Know that you aren't alone
The whole world shares your tears,
Some for two nights or one,
And some for all their years. 

Vikram Seth

7 Days of Poetry: She walks in beauty - George Gordon Byron

She walks in beauty

She walks in beauty like the night
of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that's best of dark and bright
meets in her aspect and her eyes:
Thus mellow'd to that tender light
which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
had half impair'd the nameless grace
which waves in every raven tress,
or softly lightens o'er her face -
where thoughts serenely sweet express
how pure, how dear their dwelling - place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
so soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
the smiles that win, the tints that glow,
but tells in days of goodness spent,
a mind at peace with all below,
a heart whose love is innocent. 

George Gordon Byron

7 Days of poetry: Synergy of love - Mark R Slaughter

We can't ignore the fact that Valentine's Day is coming up. It's everywhere you look. And although I'm not so big on the whole idea, I thought it would be a good idea to take this time to share some meaningful poetry. For the next seven days or so I'll share some poems that have struck a chord with me. Not all will be love poems but I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Synergy of love

'Were you honed from poetry? '
I asked your saddened smile.
For it seems to tell a longing tale -
One of words in oratory 
That speaks in languid metaphors
From lips of mind in deep despair
And solitude from inner wars
That over time has rendered life so frail.

Path of Dreams - Eugene Woodbury

Image sourced from http://www.eugenewoodbury.com/

This is the first time (I think) that I'm writing about a book I've read. But something about this particular one caught my eye. It is a romantic story about a Japanese American young woman and an American man she glimpses at a train station. The story tells of how their lives become intertwined and how their love binds them together.

Even though it is centered around Mormonism, I personally feel that the concepts expressed could apply to all of Christianity. And for those who are not overly zealous believers, the storyline and the blending of the different cultures and the presentation of characters make it worth a read. 

My longing for you                                                                                 is too strong to bind                                                                             So do not blame me                                                                              when I go to you at night                                                                               on the path of dreams                                                                                            -Ono no Komachi

Path of Dreams

I run to you

ceaselessly

on the path of dreams

Yet no night of dreams

could ever compare

to one waking glimpse

of you

Ono no Komachi

c. 833–857

via Path of Dreams by Eugene Woodbury

The Invitation

By Oriah Mountain Dreamer

It doesn't interest me what you do for a living.

I want to know what you ache for,

And if you dare to dream of meeting 

Your heart's longing.

It doesn't interest me how old you are.

I want to know if you will risk looking like a fool

For love, for your dream, 

For the adventure of being alive.

It doesn't interest me what planets are squaring your moon.

I want to know if you have touched the center of your own sorrow,

If you have been opened by life's betrayals,

Or have become shriveled and closed from fear of further pain.

I want to know if you can sit with pain, 

Mine or your own,

Without moving 

To hide it or fade it or fix it.

I want to know if you can be with joy, 

Mine or your own,

If you can dance with wildness and let the ecstasy fill you to the tips of your fingers and toes 

Without cautioning us to be careful, be realistic, to remember the limitations of being human.

It doesn’t interest me if the story you are telling me is true.

I want to know if you can disappoint another to be true to yourself,

If you can bear the accusation of betrayal and not betray your own soul. 

I want to know if you can be faithless and therefore be trustworthy.

I want to know if you can see beauty 

Even when it is not pretty every day,

And if you can source your own life 

From its presence.

I want to know if you can live with failure, 

Yours and mine,

And still stand on the edge of a lake and shout to the silver of the full moon, 

"Yes!"

It doesn't interest me to know where you live or how much money you have.

I want to know if you can get up after the night of grief and despair,

Weary and bruised to the bone, 

And do what needs to be done for the children.

It doesn't interest me who you are, how you came to be here.

I want to know if you will stand 

In the center of the fire with me 

And not shrink back.

It doesn't interest me where or what or with whom you have studied.

I want to know what sustains you 

From the inside 

When all else falls away.

I want to know if you can be alone 

With yourself,

And if you truly like the company you keep 

In the empty moments.

To Rome To Roam

By Binta

To roam to rome? 

To rome to roam? 

The mind to mind? 

Y mind what doesn't, 

My mind shouldn't. 

Why bind wat shouldn't? 

In a bind? I wouldn't! 

Poet, I be not, rhyme I think naught. 

Of rhymes n lines I see bores and whines, 

For wines and dime they do have my mind! 

To rome, we roam, 

Tis but thy home, 

Fine italian women, 

Togas n linen... 

Whoops old days 

Ceasers n old ways!!! 

Its popes n bishops, 

Bibles n bookshops! 

In my mind now, let's roam 

N oh its no rome! 

There's demons in ditches, n boil filled witches! 

Dark n deep, these dreadlocks do keep, 

Unseen things n fiends, 

Wriggling squirming, these vermin never sleep. 

How do I begin, to tell 

Of nightmares in hell? 

To roam in rome, 

Of smiles n sunny homes, 

Alas, my tale has come to a halt, 

For I cannot 

Spare another thought, 

For rome dear rome...... 

Is not my home...

Words of a Dreamer

Image from http://www.imaginature.nl/

From where I stand I see not the moon tonight,perhaps it has chosen to shy away in the presence of your beauty.... If we could, and if you would allow it, I'd ask you to dance with me tonight.

And when the moon finally shines brightly in the night sky,all our secrets will be revealed. I'll take your hand, and there will be no rain or snow. There will be only you and me.

 

MIND AND SOUL by Semeret Haile Hiruy

I think I know you but you know me
Showing you me is what i hate
Ye shalt not dare to show the heart
It is for fools to be so sweet
If i don't believe it will i regret
for not listening when i was hurt
Yet happy souls say go on show it
When you are you it will work out
What is certain it is so odd
If hot is good so can be cold
Love is good for love brings love
Love also brings the need to have

Isn't to have is to possess
The strongest need we must not confess
Need for the soul can not be earned
Should need be asked or should it be begged

It might hurt you to speak your mind
To fill your soul you risk your pride
It is pain full need isn't good
If one can't speak why should one need
Pride is for fools there is only fate
It wont matter when soul finds mate
To hell with pride soul must be fed
A soul in need needs a friend indeed

For me

image from http://www.iwrotethisforyou.me/

Seeing as I'm an endless romantic and an eternal dreamer and lover of all things even remotely poetic, I find myself currently obsessed with I Wrote This For You.

  [I NEED YOU TO UNDERSTAND SOMETHING. I WROTE THIS FOR YOU. I WROTE THIS FOR YOU AND ONLY YOU. EVERYONE ELSE WHO READS IT, DOESN’T GET IT. THEY MAY THINK THEY GET IT, BUT THEY DON’T. THIS IS THE SIGN YOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR. YOU WERE MEANT TO READ THESE WORDS.]

Not to sound too weird but when I read all those entries I feel like he writes just for me. I can relate to that artful soul who finds solace in words. I'm sure I'm not the only girl one who feels this way and I'm sure some of you would be able to relate.

Be sure to check out The Shooting Cloud

Daggers and dragons

北方有佳人，絕世而獨立。一顧傾人城，再顧傾人國。寧不知傾城與傾國。佳人難再得。

In the north there is a beauty; surpassing the world, she stands alone. A glance from her will overthrow a city; another glance will overthrow a nation. One would rather not know whether it will be a city or nation overthrown. As it would be hard to see a beauty like this again.

Li Yannian (李延年

I'm not often a martial arts fan but I recently stumbled across Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon...And yes, I know I'm about 10 yeras late but I found myself enthralled. What can I say, I'm as ucker for a good story. And that's how I landed on House of Flying Daggers. I'm such a sucker for romance and a good story. Where has chivalry gone?! Where is the honor and passion that led people to die for what they believe in?

Sigh. How can I be nostalgic for a past I never lived?

Today

Dedicated to a dear darling fellow Darkling.

If I die today

Will you forgive me

Or remember that it was I

Who broke your heart to pieces

And forged you a brand new soul?

If I die today

Will you mourn for me

Or remember that it was I

Who fixed your twisted smile

With words torn from my lips?

If I die today

Will you pack up our memories

Or remember that it was I

Who carefully cured you

Of those lies of pain?

If I die today

Will you still think of me

When you remember that it was I

Who held you unwillingly

In the prison of my arms?

If I die today

Will you rejoice for me

And remember that it was I

Who let your heart bleed

While I looked on with pride?

If I die today

Will your soul weep for me

And remember that it was I

Who lit that fierce fire

That burns in the depths of your eyes?

I BEG YOU Laban Erapu

   I beg you,

If you feel something like love for me,

Not to let me know it now

When I feel nothing so certain for you-

Wait until you've conquered my pride

By pretending not to care for me.

   I beg you

If you think your eyes will give you away,

Not to give me that longing look

When you know it'll force the moment-

Wait until our heartbeats have settled

Then put your head on my shoulder.

   I beg you

Not to let us surrender to passion

Until our liking has grown to love:

Let's stop and look back,

Let's draw apart and sigh,

Let's say goodbye for the day

And walk our different ways

Without pausing to wait

For an echo to our last word.

   I beg you,

If you find yourself interlocked

In my embrace,

To kiss me and keep me silent 

Before I start making promises

That time may choose to bypass-

Wait until our hands are free,

Then listen to me;

Wait until our love is primed,

Then give me your hand

   

BORN FREE

In Namibia those born after Independence are often called the "born frees". This picture just inspires me to celebrate my individual independence and take every day as it comes![I was born free after all] It brings back memories of the poem Dream of This by Marianne Williamson

"You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people do not feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us.It is not just in some of us, it is in all of us."