What Poetry Moved You?

[MarkXXX]

I see there's an army of romantics here. Girls you might wanna try this site: http://www.funnypoets.com/love.htm

[Lipstick]

This one goes out to my daughter ..... when I grow up I want to be just like her.

 

She Walks In Beauty - Lord Byron

 

She walks in beauty like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies,

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes;

Thus mellowed to the tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

 

One ray the more, one shade the less

Had half impaired 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 tell of days in goodness spent

A mind at peace with all below,

A heart whose love is innocent.

[javameister]

Who has not heard of the great 20th century American poet and Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Frost? His poems kept me company during a journey of self discovery in the chilly environs of Sagada many years ago. One of my favorites:

 

Wind And Window Flower (R. Frost)

 

Lovers, forget your love,

And list to the love of these.

She a window flower,

And he a winter breeze.

 

When the frosty window veil

Was melted down at noon,

And the caged yellow bird

Hung over her in tune,

 

He marked her through the pane

He could not help but mark,

And only passed her by,

To come again at dark.

 

He was a winter wind,

Concerned with ice and snow,

Dead weeds and unmated birds,

And little of love could know.

 

But he sighed upon the sill,

He gave the sash a shake,

As witness all within

Who lay that night awake.

 

Perchance he half prevailed

To win her for the flight

From the firelit looking glass

And warm stove-window light.

 

But the flower leaned aside,

And thought of naught to say,

And morning found the breeze

A hundred miles away.

[coconiks]

well, i just came from a feverish weekend, but it's nice to know that you guys are really interested in this thread...thank you... i still can't think straight from all the paracetamols i've been taking ( trust me , when you're feverish, they do kick... he he he) so i'm posting something from...

 

Elizabeth Akers Allen - At Last

 

At last, when all the summer shine

That warmed life's early hours is past,

Your loving fingers seek for mine

And hold them close—at last—at last!

Not oft the robin comes to build

Its nest upon the leafless bough

By autumn robbed, by winter chilled,—

But you, dear heart, you love me now.

 

Though there are shadows on my brow

And furrows on my cheek, in truth,—

The marks where Time's remorseless plough

Broke up the blooming sward of Youth,—

Though fled is every girlish grace

Might win or hold a lover's vow,

Despite my sad and faded face,

And darkened heart, you love me now!

 

I count no more my wasted tears;

They left no echo of their fall;

I mourn no more my lonesome years;

This blessed hour atones for all.

I fear not all that Time or Fate

May bring to burden heart or brow,—

Strong in the love that came so late,

Our souls shall keep it always now!

[coconiks]

heres something from...Christina Georgina Rossetti

 

Echo

 

Come to me in the silence of the night;

Come in the speaking silence of a dream;

Come with soft rounded cheeks and eyes as bright

As sunlight on a stream;

Come back in tears,

O memory of hope, love of finished years.

 

O dream how sweet, too sweet, too bitter-sweet,

Whose wakening should have been in Paradise,

Where souls brim-full of love abide and meet;

Where thirsting longing eyes

Watch the slow door

That opening, letting in, lets out no more.

 

Yet come to me in dreams, that I may live

My very life again though cold in death;

Come back to me in dreams, that I may give

Pulse for pulse, breath for breath:

Speak low, lean low,

As long ago, my love, how long ago.

 

 

and again another attempt at poetry by yours truly...

 

untitled

leave me now empty and thirsty

of everything you have ever shown me.

do not try any other way so, do not look back

just let go. be consoled by the fact you made choices,

never think of how i will make mine. never care,

do not think of how i'm faring. for i will manage and i will

be.

 

you have loved me once, that i am thankful for.

but you hurt me too, perhaps too much. lies upon lies,

truth no longer comprehensible. understanding has it's limits,

so does patience, love and most things in life.

mayhaps, you will realize, probably too late.

and i will just smile and remember you, while i hold my beloved's hand. and hide the tears in my heart.

 

by me

[moon_over_bourbon_street]

Here's a delighfully witty one for those who love cummings...

 

"may i feel said he"

by e. e. cummings

 

may i feel said he

(i'll squeal said she

just once said he)

it's fun said she

 

(may i touch said he

how much said she

a lot said he)

why not said she

 

(let's go said he

not too far said she

what's too far said he

where you are said she)

 

may i stay said he

(which way said she

like this said he

if you kiss said she

 

may i move said he

is it love said she)

if you're willing said he

(but you're killing said she

 

but it's life said he

but your wife said she

now said he)

ow said she

 

(tiptop said he

don't stop said she

oh no said he)

go slow said she

 

(cccome?said he

ummm said she)

you're divine!said he

(you are Mine said she)

Edited June 19, 2003 by moon_over_bourbon_street

[kuting]

Tonight I Can Write by Pablo Neruda tops the list!

 

Here's another one..

 

I Still Love You

by Alexander Pushkin

 

I loved you, and I probably still do,

And for awhile the feeling may remain;

But let my love no longer trouble you,

I do not wish to cause you any pain.

I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,

The jealousy, the shyness -- though in vain --

Made up a love so tender and so true

As may God grant you to be loved again.

 

I also love She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron, plus works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning.. and of course the great Pablo Neruda..

[LostCommand]

Thanks Kuting I have been looking for Pablo Neruda. It was posted somewhere here in MTC some time ago, but I lost it. I tend to go for more traditional poetry (Charge of the Light Brigade, etc), but Neruda and the the writings of Gabriel Garcia Marquez are soooo good!

 

Let me hunt up a few on the old poems, and post them here...anyone with Kahlil Gibran?

 

Rgds, LC

[LostCommand]

(Oldies...)

 

Excerpt from ULYSSES, by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.

 

...old age has his honour and his toil;

Death closes all, but something ere the end,

some work of noble note, may yet be done,

Not unbecoming men that strove with gods.

 

...tis not too late to seek a newer world

push off, and sitting well in order, smite

the sounding furrows, for my purpose holds:

 

To sail beyond the sunset, and the baths

of all the western stars, until I die!

It may be that the Gulfs will wash us down.

It may be that we will touch the Happy Isles,

and see the great Achilles, whom we knew.

 

Though much is taken, much abides and

though,

we are not now the strength which in old

days

moved earth and heaven, that which we are

we are;-

One equal temper of heroic hearts,

Made weak by time and fate but strong in

will.

To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield!

 

I quote this in memory of my grandfather, whose birthday it was yesterday. He passed away a few years back. He died suddenly, literally with his boots on, while he was hard at work conducting an inspection of one of his farms. I was with him when he was taken. He was 87 and had never retired, never yielded.

 

I remain behind to carry his sight down the ages.

 

rgds, LC

[coconiks]

Love's Secret

William Blake

 

Never seek to tell thy love,

Love that never told can be;

For the gentle wind doth move

Silently, invisibly.

 

I told my love, I told my love,

I told her all my heart,

Trembling, cold, in ghastly fears,

Ah! she did depart!

 

Soon after she was gone from me

A traveller came by,

Silently, invisibly,

He took her with a sigh.

 

 

something kinda true... i think...

[kadafy]

dahan-dahang

nawalay

ang tuyong dahon

sa tukatok

ng sangang

ninanahanan

habang sumasayaw

sa saliw

ng hiwaga

ng musika

ng himig ng hangin

tungo sa mga tuyong dahon

na nakaratay

sa paanan

ng punong pinanggalingan

na tulad niya'y

di nag-asam

ng ganoong

wakas

 

 

-sa wakas

anonymous

[Sabine]

puro in-love ata mga tao dito neruda is a personal favorite but since i'm not in-love, here's something totally unromantic. i came across this at some website but i cant seem to find it anymore. geez, i wish i could write like this girl ...

 

DEMENTIA'S TERMS

Keep it still.

Your breathing must be even.

Your lips not quivering.

 

No noise shall

escape from your being.

 

Grab a handful of my hair.

Your finger should never tremble.

 

Expose my throat,

my breasts

And I give you

freedom to taste --

 

For only a second

 

Bite my lips

And break the skin

that you crave for

 

You may cover my mouth

if I scream

if you become a little gentle

if your touch softens,

 

If I see warmth in your eyes,

if I hear a single sweet nothing.

 

I will cease.

 

Tell me you agree on this.

 

Good.

[mergovian_ascendant]

Does anyone have a copy of "The Love Story of Alfred Prufrock?" Or something that really, really sounds like it? Please PM me if anyone can get a hold of it. Thanks.

 

Anyway, ladies/Gents, am not really mushy at the moment, as I have no gf. But this poem by Kahlil Gibran is also partially applicable to friends. Keep your friends close, but not too close. I especially like that line "let there be spaces in your togetherness, and let the winds of the heavens dance in between..."

 

(Now, if that friend is of the opposite sex and goes to bed with you a few incandescent times, was it anyone's loss? Or was it a treasure to be kept?)

 

MARRIAGE

Kahlil Gibran

 

Then Almitra spoke again and said, "And what of Marriage, master?"

And he answered saying:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when white wings of death scatter your days.

Aye, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of the heavens dance between you.

Love one another but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together, yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

 

rgds, LC

[iRis1977]

a fan of Pablo Neruda myself. here's one of his poems I like.

 

I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

 

I do not love you except because I love you;

I go from loving to not loving you,

From waiting to not waiting for you

My heart moves from cold to fire.

 

I love you only because it's you the one I love;

I hate you deeply, and hating you

Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you

Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

 

Maybe January light will consume

My heart with its cruel

Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

 

In this part of the story I am the one who

Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,

Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

[Elai]

My Mom used to recite this to me.

 

Life’s Journey

 

Life is like a journey,

taken on a train.

With a pair of passengers,

at each window pane.

 

I may sit beside you

all the journey through.

Or I may sit elsewhere

never knowing you.

 

But if fate should have it

that I sit by your side,

let’s be pleasant travelers,

it’s so short a ride.[/b]