Poetry Chain

[Warmoog]

I'm assuming the nomads who frequent this tranquil corner read poetry. If do you, please post 1 or 2 of your favourite poems here. If you don't read poetry, you can post something you consider poetry... like intellectual song lyrics. It'll be great to read the different contributions and find out what your tastes are.

 

I'll start...

 

Thoughts In The Rain by Adebayo Olabisi

It rained cats and dogs into the pots

Forcing all to sit and stare in the huts;

But their minds nursed different thoughts:

The slave's - that the day's job was naught

And the Lord's - that the morrow is for double plot..

The old cold war and rough tough tug of thought.

 

Grief by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I tell you hopeless grief is passionless,

That only men incredulous of despair,

Half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air

Beat upward to God's throne in loud access

Of shrieking and reproach. Full desertness

In souls, as countries, lieth silent-bare

Under the blanching, vertical eye-glare

Of the absolute heavens. Deep-hearted man, express

Grief for thy dead in silence like to death -

Most like a monumental statue set

In everlasting watch and moveless woe

Till itself crumble to the dust beneath.

Touch it; the marble eyelids are not wet;

If it could weep, it could arise and go.

[J.Lee]

I'll go second then.....lol

 

One of my favorite poems is by Ms.Nikki Giovanni called "choices". I just love how she worded it.

 

if i can't do

what i want to do

then my job is to not

do what i don't want

to do

 

it's not the same thing

but it's the best i can

do

 

if i can't have

what i want . . . then

my job is to want

what i've got

and be satisfied

that at least there

is something more to want

 

since i can't go

where i need

to go . . . then i must . . . go

where the signs point

through always understanding

parallel movement

isn't lateral

 

when i can't express

what i really feel

i practice feeling

what i can express

and none of it is equal

i know

but that's why mankind

alone among the animals

learns to cry

[AYOUB]

Mahmoud Darwish from Palestine

 

 

Earth Poem

 

A dull evening in a rundown village

Eyes half asleep

I recall thirty years

And five wars

I swear the future keeps

My ear of corn

And the singer croons

About a fire and some strangers

And the evening is just another evening

And the singer croons

 

And they asked him:

Why do you sing?

And he answered:

I sing because I sing...

 

And they searched his chest

But could only find his heart

And they searched his heart

But could only find his people

And they searched his voice

But could only find his grief

And they searched his grief

But could only find his prison

And they searched his prison

But could only see themselves in chains

 

 

-----------------------

 

 

By Axmad Ismaacil Diiriye "Qaasim"

 

Qadhaadh iyo Macaan

 

Dacartuba marbay malab dhashaa ood muudsataa dhabaqe

Waxan ahay macaan iyo qadhaadh meel ku wada yaalle

Midigtayda iyo bidixdu waa laba mataanoode

 

Midi waa martida soora iyo maata daadihise

Midina waa mindiyo xiirayiyo mur iyo deebaaqe

Masalooyin talantaalliyaan maandhow leeyahaye

 

Nin majiira keliyuun qabsada hay malayninae

Marbaan ahay muddeex camal san oon maagista aqoone

Marna macangag laayaanahoo miiggan baan ahaye

 

Marbaan ahay muftiga saahidnimo mawlacaw gala'e

Marna Mukhawi waashoo xumaha miista baan ahaye

Marbaan ahay nin xaaraan maqdaxa aan marin jidiinkise

 

Marna tuug mu'diya baan ahoon maal Rasuul bixinne

Marbaan ahay maqaam awliyaad maqaddinkoodiiye

Marna mudanka shaydaanka iyo maal jinbaan ahaye

 

Marbaan ahay murtiyo baanisaba madaxda reeraaye

Oo ay weliba muuniyo dulqaad igu ******taane

Marna reer magaal Loofaroon muuqan baan ahaye

 

Waxan ahay nin midabbeeya oo maalinbays rogae

Muuqaygu gelinkiiba waa muunad goonniyahe

Miisaanna ima saari karo nin i maleeyaaye

 

Muslinka iyo gaalada dirkaba waan micna aqaane

Malaa'iigta naartiyo jannadu waygu murantaaye

Ninkii maalmo badan soo jiree madaxu boosaystay

 

Ee inan rag maamuli yiqiin waa i maan garanne

Ninkasta halkii kuula mudan ee ay muhato laabtaadu

Ee aanad madadaaladeed ugala maarmaynin

Iska soo mar waa kuu bannaan marinkad doontaaye

[Faheema.]

Here's one of my favourite poems from Tupac...

 

And Tomorrow

 

Today is filled with anger, fueled with hidden hate.

Scared of being outkast, afraid of common fate.

Today is build on tragedies which no one want's to face.

Nightmares to humanity and morally disgraced.

Tonight is filled with Rage, violence in the air.

Children bred with ruthlessness cause no one at home cares.

Tonight I lay my head down but the pressure never stops,

knowing that my sanity content when I'm droped.

But tomorrow I see change, a chance to build a new,

build on spirit intent of heart and ideas based on truth.

Tomorrow I wake with second wind and strong because of pride.

I know I fought with all my heart to keep the dream alive.

 

By 2Pac Shakur.

[Conspiracy]

Artist: Talib Kweli

Album: Quality

Song: The Proud

 

Niggaz with knowledge is more dangerous than than niggaz with guns

They make the guns easy to get and try to keep niggaz dumb

Target the gangs and graffiti with the Prop 21

I already know the deal but what the f**k do I tell my son?

I want him livin right, livin good, respect the rules

He's five years old and he still thinkin cops is cool

How do I break the news that when he gets some size

He'll be percieved as a threat or see the fear in they eyes

It's in they job description to terminate the threat

**

I know I'll give my son pride and make him swallow it all (damn!)

**

Let you protect yourself, or better yet respect yourself

Straight into the hospital is where you gotta check yourself

They be gettin tips from snitches and rival crews

Doin them favors so they workin for the drug dealers too

Just business enforcers with hate in they holsters

Shoot you in the back, won't face you like a soldier

Kurt Loder asked me what I say to a dead cop's wife

Cops kill my people everyday, that's life.

---------------

Sista Cawo, Tupac is the last person to be quoted by any Muslim .. specially after..

he compared his lyrics with Words of Allah!

 

Artist: Makaveli (2Pac)

Album: The Don Killuminati: The 7 Day Theory

Song: Intro/Bomb First (My Second Reply)

 

Allow me to introduce first {*gunshot fires*} Makaveli the Don

Hysterical, spiritual lyrics like the holy Qu'Ran

Stay up people!

[NGONGE]

The Charge of the Light Brigade

Alfred, Lord Tennyson

 

 

Half a league, half a league,

Half a league onward,

All in the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!

"Charge for the guns!" he said:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

2.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!"

Was there a man dismay'd?

Not tho' the soldier knew

Someone had blunder'd:

Their's not to make reply,

Their's not to reason why,

Their's but to do and die:

Into the valley of Death

Rode the six hundred.

3.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon in front of them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

Boldly they rode and well,

Into the jaws of Death,

Into the mouth of Hell

Rode the six hundred.

4.

Flash'd all their sabres bare,

Flash'd as they turn'd in air,

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wonder'd:

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right thro' the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reel'd from the sabre stroke

Shatter'd and sunder'd.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

5.

Cannon to right of them,

Cannon to left of them,

Cannon behind them

Volley'd and thunder'd;

Storm'd at with shot and shell,

While horse and hero fell,

They that had fought so well

Came thro' the jaws of Death

Back from the mouth of Hell,

All that was left of them,

Left of six hundred.

6.

When can their glory fade?

O the wild charge they made!

All the world wondered.

Honor the charge they made,

Honor the Light Brigade,

Noble six hundred.

[NGONGE]

I feel I have to post this one too. It fits nicely with the state of the world today. Everyone claims that GOD is on their side!

 

 

Oh my name it is nothin'

My age it means less

The country I come from

Is called the Midwest

I's taught and brought up there

The laws to abide

And that land that I live in

Has God on its side.

 

Oh the history books tell it

They tell it so well

The cavalries charged

The Indians fell

The cavalries charged

The Indians died

Oh the country was young

With God on its side.

 

Oh the Spanish-American

War had its day

And the Civil War too

Was soon laid away

And the names of the heroes

I's made to memorize

With guns in their hands

And God on their side.

 

Oh the First World War, boys

It closed out its fate

The reason for fighting

I never got straight

But I learned to accept it

Accept it with pride

For you don't count the dead

When God's on your side.

 

When the Second World War

Came to an end

We forgave the Germans

And we were friends

Though they murdered six million

In the ovens they fried

The Germans now too

Have God on their side.

 

I've learned to hate Russians

All through my whole life

If another war starts

It's them we must fight

To hate them and fear them

To run and to hide

And accept it all bravely

With God on my side.

 

But now we got weapons

Of the chemical dust

If fire them we're forced to

Then fire them we must

One push of the button

And a shot the world wide

And you never ask questions

When God's on your side.

 

In a many dark hour

I've been thinkin' about this

That Jesus Christ

Was betrayed by a kiss

But I can't think for you

You'll have to decide

Whether Judas Iscariot

Had God on his side.

 

So now as I'm leavin'

I'm weary as Hell

The confusion I'm feelin'

Ain't no tongue can tell

The words fill my head

And fall to the floor

If God's on our side

He'll stop the next war.

 

 

This is a song by Bob Dylan.

[Miriam1]

SONG OF THE SOUL

 

In the depth of my soul there is a wordless song

A song that lives in the seed of my heart.

It refuses to melt with ink on parchment;

It engulfs my affection in a transparent cloak

And flows but not upon my lips.

 

How can I sigh it?

I fear it may mingle with earthly ether;

To whom shall I sing it?

It dwells in the house of my soul,

In fear of harsh ears.

 

When I look into my inner eyes I see the shadow of its shadow;

When I touch my fingertips I feel its vibrations.

 

The deeds of my hands heed its presence as a lake must reflect the glittering stars;

My tears reveal it, as bright drops of dew reveal the secret of a withering rose.

 

It is a song composed by contemplation,

And published by silence,

And shunned by clamour,

And folded by truth,

And repeated by dreams,

And understood by love,

And hidden by awakening,

And sung by the soul.

 

It is the song of love;

What Cain or Esau could sing it?

 

It is more fragrant than jasmine;

What voice could enslave it?

 

It is heartbound, as a virgin's secret;

What string could quiver it?

 

Who dares unite the roar of the sea

And the singing of the nightingale?

Who dares compare the shrieking tempest

To the sigh of an infant?

Who dares speak aloud the words

Intended for the heart to speak?

What human dares sing in voice

The song of God?

[sheherazade]

Time does not bring relief

Edna St. Vincent Millay

 

Time does not bring relief; you all have lied

Who told me time would ease me of my pain!

I miss him in the weeping of the rain;

I want him at the shrinking of the tide;

The old snows melt from every mountain-side,

And last year's leaves are smoke in every lane;

But last year's bitter loving must remain

Heaped on my heart, and my old thoughts abide!

There are a hundred places where I fear

To go,--so with his memory they brim!

And entering with relief some quiet place

Where never fell his foot or shone his face

I say, "There is no memory of him here!"

And so stand stricken, so remembering him!

[NIN_NOOL]

THE ROAD NOT TAKEN

By Robert Frost

 

 

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

 

 

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,

 

 

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 

 

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.