GREAT POEMS ELLIS!!!!

"We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for..........." - John Keating


terri

very nice indeed...

I love that quote - and the rest of it :
To quote from Whitman, "O me! O life!... of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless--of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life? Answer. That you are here - that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse." That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?

My other favorite quote from Walt Whitman in DPS -

I went into the woods because I wanted to live deliberately. I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life ... to put to rout all that was not life; and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived.

beautiful, squeak...

Terrigrrrl and Squeaker, those were great quotes. Makes on really think about life.
Virginia

From Montauk Point
~Walt Whitman

I stand as on some mighty eagle's beak,
Eastward the sea, absorbing, viewing, (nothing but sea and sky.)
The tossing waves, the foam, the ships in the distance,
The wild unrest, the snowly, curling caps--
that inbound urge and urge of waves,
Seeking the shores forever.

From Letter on the Road by Pablo Neruda



Your love also helps me:
it is a closed flower
that constantly fills me with its aroma
and that opens suddenly
within me like a great star.

My love, it is night.

The black water, the sleeping
world surround me.
Soon dawn will come,
and meanwhile I write you
to tell you: " I love you."
To tell you " I love you," care for,
clean, lift up,
defend
our love, my darling.
I leave it with you as if I left
a handful of earth with seeds.
From our love lives will be born.
In our love they will drink water.
Perhaps a day will come
when a man and a woman, like
us,
will touch this love and it will still have the strength
to burn the hands that touch it.
Who were we? What does it matter?
They will touch this fire and the fire,
my sweet, will say your simple name
and mine, the name
that only you knew, because you alone
upon earth know
who I am, and because nobody knew me like one,
like just one hand of yours,
because nobody
knew how or when
my heart was burning:
only your great dark eyes knew,
your wide mouth,
your skin,
your insides,
and your soul that I awoke
so that it would go on
singing until the end of life.

yowzer...hot stuff!

Terrigrrl, That was beautiful! I really like that poem.
Virginia

oh I am so glad... that I'm not the only one who finds stuff like this be amazing.......

It seems to me that some stuff is just too good to keep to yourself - you have to show it to other people

This one is very special to me. I've always been an Alternachick, even before I knew there was a name for it

and so when it came time to make things legal, I told my hubby I just wanted to elope to Las Vegas. We decided to have very simple vows and each pick a piece of writing to share. I read this to my husband at our wedding, witnessed only by the minister and the photographer - so it was 4 people altogether, including us

It was 7PM at night on a Tuesday. We were the last ones before they closed up. They do about 20 ceremonies a day there, every day. I considered it a major feat in that most business-like of circumstances, that we were able to bring a tear to the eye of the photographer and believe me, they have seen it all in Las Vegas

This is a section of a very much longer piece, I can post the whole thing here later, sounds like you might enjoy it!

love, terrigrrrl

Well I am certainly no Poe, or Shakespeare, or any other famous poet of our time, but I wrote this and wanted to share it with you.

Online Friends

We have all met because of our journey
Our common dreams and goals
To become fit and healthy
And to get rid of these nasty "rolls"

I never quite expected
To feel the way I do
The warmth and understanding
I receive from all of you.

At times when I'm feeling down and low
And not sure where to turn
I think of my "online friends"
For it is you who I yearn

Although your faces I have not seen
Or even heard you speak
My heart goes out to all of you
Each and every week

So hears to you my "online friends"
Thank you for your caring
Your openness and kindness
And for all you have been sharing.


Virginia

oxoxoxo

OKAY!!! Time to lighten things up a bit!!! I originally wrote this as a Blues song, and DH (who is a poet) came along, tweaked it, and it was published in "Resourceful Woman" (a resource book for women)!! We earned $50 for this one!!!! (and the right to put "Poet" on our tax returns!!!)


C-SECTION BLUES

My belly was big.
It went way out to there.
So they put it under a machine and then they shaved off all the hair.
Honey, let me tell you about those c-section blues.

Didn't dilate too wide.
So they tried to induce.
Blood pressure went sky high and I thought "what the ****'s the use."
Honey, I've got those high blood pressure c-section blues.

So they gave me a bikini cut
But they cut it too high.
I can't wear a bikini now and I think I'm gonna die.
Honey, I've got those changing body image, high blood pressure
c-section blues.

Now i've got a big scar.
It runs from here to there.
I can't sit up without assistance, so I ain't goin' nowhere.
Honey, I've got those can't sit up, changing body image, high blood
pressure c-section blues.

Then they sewed up the bikini cut.
And they stapled it shut.
As soon as I can move without pain, I plan to kick some butt.
Honey, I've got those mean enough to kick butt, can't sit up, changing
body image, high blood pressure c-section blues.

Yes, you heard me right.
I've got those natural childbirth classes amounted to nothing, mean enough to kick butt, can't sit up, changing body image, high blood pressure, caesarean section blues.

c.1994

Virginia!!! Thanks! That is great.

By the way, you should see DH perform (no other word for it) "C-section Blues" at poetry readings!!!

Virginia - Your poem is so nice...., you are our resident Alternapoet

den - you too! that is way cool girlfriend...... where do you go for poetry readings? do you two read and/ or play music there?

I love the Blues too.... music, poetry with a tune - who are your favorite musicians? One of these days I'll get to Clarksdale, Miss.

love, tg