Anyone like Poetry?

Frenchy

Hey, anyone out there like poetry? Have you a poem that you wrote that you would like to share? Or just a favorite poem (by anyone) that you would like to post and talk about?

Simon

I don't know if you'd class it as a poem but 'Last Thoughts on Woody Guthrie' by Bob Dylan is pretty fantastic.
I have a few real poetry books - I'll have to dig them out and lookup my favourites.

Seven

Hey Frenchy & Simon, Here is one of my favorites from Christina Rossetti.

Remember

REMEMBER me when I am gone away,
Gone far away into the silent land;
When you can no more hold me by the hand,
Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay.
Remember me when no more day by day
You tell me of our future that you plann'd;
Only remember me; you understand
It will be late to counsel then or pray.
Yet if you should forget me for a while
And afterwards remember, do not grieve;
For if the darkness and corruption leave
A vestige of the thoughts that once I had,
Better by far you should forget and smile
Than that you should remember and be sad.

I've always been intrigued by Christina. She wrote some of her best stuff when she was in love--obsessed by thoughts of death. Hmmmm.

7of9

Frenchy

That was lovely, Seven. It's interesting how death and love play against each other in prose and poetry. Edgar Allan Poe said that there were only two things worth writing about, Love and Death. They are the two most powerful forces in our literature and I find myself continually drawn to them. They are the two extremes, I believe.
Here's something I wrote, tell me what you think.

To Live Again

It was end of day and not quite night
I sat brooding, alone, my thoughts and me
In quiet anticipation, the blooms of night
Bided their time for their release

There I mused over things distant and past
Of a life nearly spent and yet hollow still
An arduous journey down an nameless path
To where ill winds blow cold and shrill

Ah, but if only I could return to my youth
And once again take that path of life
The changes I would make, things I would do
With only a gentle voice to be my guide

Sweet surprise and pray not to know
Things that must come, things that must be
But besides me a sage wise and old
To steer me from errors once made you see

And then and there in my quiet revelry
With the sweet scent of jasmine on the night's breath
There came to me this serene epiphany
And my thoughts turned to life instead of death

With great exuberance and total surprise
Besides myself for having been unable to see
I had been granted that wish for which I cried
As I thought of my children, my children and me!

With naiveté and sweet innocence at hand
They embark the great and wondrous journey
With them all is fresh and new and grand
This marvelous life just found, sweet and free

I live again and leap and play and skip about
As I see them find things I have long forgot
And in their presence gone are the fears and doubt
I have found the eternal life I once sought

Seven

I think that it's really beautiful Frenchy, that you are able to express your thoughts in this manner. This shows a sensitive/emotional side that many are unable or unwilling to share with others.
You wrote:
"As I see them find things I have long forgot...", you live again and find the assurance of immortality you've been looking for all your life.

When I began reading your poem I had the impression that you felt you had lived your life accomplishing little of what you had in mind. Rest assured the opposite is true.

Good job, Frenchy!

:) 7of9

Frenchy

Thank you, Seven, for those very kind words.

claudia

Frenchy, that poem is absolutely beautiful, made me a bit teary eyed. And seven, that also is one of my favorite poems. Pink Floyd lyrics are quite profound to me. Any floyd fans?

Seven

Claudia,

I love Floyd!! I like "The Wall" and "Division Bell" in particular. I am also into Jewel and Sarah McLachlan's lyrics.

Did you ever notice how many JW's like Pink Floyd?

7of9

"There must be some mistake. I didn't mean to let them take away my soul. Am I too old? Is it too late?" "The Show Must Go On-The Wall."

Frenchy

Thank you, Claudia. I'm afraid that I don't know Pink Floyd. I'm sure I'm from a different generation than you ladies. I grew up on country music (George Jones, Patsy Cline, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, etc) How about citing us some of your favorite lyrics? I would love to see them.

claudia

Here are the lyrics to one of my fav Floyd songs,

Shine on you crazy diamond.
Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun
Shine on you crazy diamond
Now there's a look in your eyes, like black holes in the sky
Shine on you crazy diamond
You were caught on the cross fire of childhood and stardom
blown on the steel breeze
Come on you target for faraway laughter, come on you stranger
you legend, you martyr, and shine!

You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon
Shine on you crazy diamond
Threatened by shadows at night, and exposed in the light
Shine on you crazy diamond
Well you wore out your welcome with random precision
rode on the steel breeze
Come on you raver, you seer of visions, come on you painter
you piper, you prisoner, and shine!

Anyone like Poetry?

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