http://www.indy.com/posts/6549 en-us beezn She Walks In Beauty like the night a poem by 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 that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray 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! Thu, 03 Apr 2008 00:08:32 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19472 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19472 worthyourattention I won't type it all out here but this is a link to Mary Oliver's "The Journey" http://www.cjbecker.com/TheJourney.htm I get chills when I read the last lines, determined to do the only thing you could do- determined to save the only life you could save. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 07:12:41 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19337 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19337 Drinky_McGee Thank you for the information. I shall now test it out. Resume by Dorothy Parker Razors pain you; Rivers are damp; Acids stain you; And drugs cause cramp. Guns aren't lawful; Nooses give; Gas smells awful; You might as well live. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 06:54:10 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19333 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19333 JL Kato Because of copyright issues, I'm not going to type in Etheridge Knight's "Belly Song," but here is an authorized link: http://www.ekfestival.org/pdf/ekf_bellysong.pdf Knight, who lived in Indianapolis, won the National BooK Award in 1987 for his collection "The Essential Etheride Knight" (University of Pittsburgh Press). He died in 1991. http://aalbc.com/authors/etheridg.htm Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:30:12 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19329 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19329 laura99in I just made some cards for friends to welcome spring and put this poem inside: "The sun was warm but the wind was chill. You know how it is with an April day. When the sun is out and the wind is still, You're one month on in the middle of May. But if you so much as dare to speak, a cloud come over the sunlit arch, And wind comes off a frozen peak, And you're two months back in the middle of March." Robert Frost But this one reminds me of my youth. (Because of the movie The Outsiders - 1983) Nature's first green is gold, Her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, So dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:21:56 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19161 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19161 caralyn Hands down favorite poem = Pablo Neruda's "Me Gusta Cuando Callas" Me gustas cuando callas porque estás como ausente, y me oyes desde lejos, y mi voz no te toca. Parece que los ojos se te hubieran volado y parece que un beso te cerrara la boca. . Como todas las cosas están llenas de mi alma emerges de las cosas, llena del alma mía. Mariposa de sueño, te pareces a mi alma, y te pareces a la palabra melancolía. . Me gustas cuando callas y estás como distante. Y estás como quejándote, mariposa en arrullo. Y me oyes desde lejos, y mi voz no te alcanza: Déjame que me calle con el silencio tuyo. . Déjame que te hable también con tu silencio. claro como una lámpara, simple como un anillo. Eres como la noche, callada y constelada. Tu silencio es de estrella, tan lejano y sencillo. . Me gustas cuando callas porque estás como ausente. Distante y dolorosa como si hubieras muerto. Una palabra entonces, una sonrisa bastan. Y estoy alegre, alegre de que no sea cierto. Frankly - the english translation sucks, so I refuse to post it here. Close seconds included Bukowski's "It's Ours" and "Writing" Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:20:24 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19159 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19159 Matt.Gonzales 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. -Theodore Roethke Drinky: To convert line breaks without putting a vertical space between each line, just hit the space bar twice at the end of each line. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:02:55 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19152 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19152 TulsaBelle One bright day in the middle of the night, Two dead boys got up to fight. Back to back they faced each other, Drew their swords and shot each other. A deaf policeman heard the noise, Came and shot the two dead boys. And, if you do not believe this lie is true, Ask the blind man, he saw it too! I had to memorize this in the 2nd grade and still haven't forgotten it. There is no author known for the poem. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 09:37:03 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19143 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19143 StellarSwarm Mine are both from movies...and both fragments of a larger work. I guess that shows the depth of my poetry knowledge...heh. Anyway, here they are...typed from memory, so sorry if they're a little off. How happy is the blameless vestal's lot The world forgetting by the world forgot Eternal sunshine of the spotless mind Each prayer accepted, each wish resigned -- By Alexander Pope, as heard in 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' The sun whose rays are all ablaze With ever living glory Does not deny his majesty He scorns to tell a story He don't exclaim I blush for shame So kindly be indulgent But fierce and bold, in a fiery gold His glory's all effulgent I mean to rule the earth, as he the sky We really know our worth, the sun and I Observe his flame, that placid dame The moon's celestial highness Without a trace upon her face Of diffidence or shyness She borrows light, that through the night Mankind may all acclaim her And truth to tell, she lights up well So I for one don't blame her Ah, pray make no mistake, we are not shy We really know our worth, the moon and I -- By W.S. Gilbert, as heard in 'Brick' Tue, 01 Apr 2008 08:15:50 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19131 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19131 Drinky_McGee I probably should have taken into account the rather insane formatting here that I'm too dumb to figure out. It's hell on poems. Oh well, do your best. Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:28:45 -0400 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19126 http://www.indy.com/posts/6549#comment_19126