I think this is one of the great sonnets:
http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem...s/detail/44641 Longfellow was not as great as his contemporaries thought him, but anyone who can write like that is a genuine poet. |
Going again next year besides doing the Marfa music festival.
http://texascowboypoetry.com/performing/2017/ We have a lot of cultured folks that visit the wild west. When hard times come they sit a spell, Like kin folk come to stay A-packin' troubles, pets an' kids That always get ‘n your way. It's drought an' flood, an' flood an' drought, There ain't much in-between. You work like hell to make ’em good, But still they’re sorta lean. The ranch went under late last year, The drought got mighty tough. The boss held-out a long, long time, But finally said, "enough!" So here I am dispatchin’ cops An’ watchin’ felons sleep, In Junction, at the county jail, A job I’ll prob’ly keep. The wife, she works at Leisure Lodge, Where older people stay, A-makin’ beds an’ moppin’ floors To earn some ‘extra’ pay. Though “extra pay‘s” the term I used, It goes to payin’ rent, An’ after all the bills are paid, We wonder where it went. We hocked my saddle, guns an' chaps, An' then our weddin' rings; Then when we couldn't pay the loan, They sold the 'dad-blamed' things. We felt real bad a day or two But then we let it go, Cause it got Christmas for the kids When money got real slow. When hard times come they sit a spell, Don't matter who you are; They'll cost ya things you've set aside, An' clean your cookie jar. You'll loose some sleep an' worry some, Won't pay to moan an' groan; But hang on to your happiness, They'll finally leave ya 'lone. Edit: forgot to include the author: Jim Fish BBQ, Bikes, and Beer in my one horse town among friends during this Memorial Day Weekend. Semper Fi and Semper Gumbi. |
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If If you can keep your head when all about you Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, But make allowance for their doubting too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, Or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise: If you can dream—and not make dreams your master; If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim; If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools: If you can make a heap of all your winnings And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!” If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If all men count with you, but none too much; If you can fill the unforgiving minute With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it, And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son! |
I must add to my list of favorite poets William Blake. Tyger Tyger Burning Bright is probably his best known work:
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And then there is, of course, William Shakespeare. I could not appreciate him until I saw one of his plays performed in a theatre when I was in college. That brought his work to life for me and, ever sense, I can read his plays quite happily. My favorite is The Tempest, because it's light-hearted fun. Afterthought: This is a marvelous thread. Only on LQ . . . . Thanks, OP! |
When Degas met Mallarmé, Degas told him he had these great ideas for poems but never wrote any good poems from them. Mallarmé told him that poems are made with words, not ideas.
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A reference in a Nero Wolfe mystery that I am (re)reading reminded me of the works of Robert W. Service. His poems were not great literature, but they were rollicking good fun; many were set against the background of the Yukon gold rush. Here's one: Quote:
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In a world where people fight and distrust each other, rich or poor, irrespective of colour creed or religion...
we're all the same. Quote:
Play Bonny! :hattip: |
Ah yes, no "wee timorous beastie" was ol' Bobby Boy. :)
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Wow there's some great stuff here. Thanks to frankbell for reminding me of the Cremation, and to those who've mentioned Kipling's if already.
Here are two of my favourites: Good Timber by Douglas Malloch And on a lighter note, somewhere below all that good timber... Quote:
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Johnny Hart - I've loved his humor since BC...
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Hello! My name is Pall. I am a writer, that's why I really love poetry. This means that I can provide academic help to students.
opportunity. By the way is A pretty a day by E. E. Cummings A pretty a day (and every fades) is here and away (but born are maids to flower an hour in all,all) o yes to flower until so blithe a doer a wooer some limber and lithe some very fine mower a tall;tall some jerry so very (and nellie and fan) some handsomest harry (and sally and nan they tremble and cower so pale:pale) for betty was born to never say nay but lucy could learn and lily could pray and fewer were shyer than doll. doll |
Through a 1960s drugged vision
“To be nobody but
yourself in a world which is doing its best day and night to make you like everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight and never stop fighting.” ― E.E. Cummings I would change the poem to read never ever ever. Apparently more than Huxley, Bradbury or Orwell he might have been shall we say nicely have been discontent. This next one is for my civics professor Mr. Rosa. Everybody back then knew the side they were on for the Vietnam war. I think most of them knew why. I fear today they don't even know why. The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing. Edmund Burke Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/q...urk377528.html |
This one's pretty dark, but there's something I like about it - especially since Emerald Rose sung an excellent version of it.
Rudyard Kipling - A Pict Song |
e. e. cummings is also one of my favorites. When you take away the freaky (lack of) capitalization and formatting and syntax, he was a lyric poet. This is probably his best known:
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Real Good For Free
Joni Mitchell wrote and sung the song real good for free. I love the message of this song. It is on the surface about a clarinet player plays great on the street for phone change. She describes him as real good for free. This video is on Youtube. To me this song means have some conviction, don't do things for just money, try to develop to know and predict the truth, and have a conscience and be yourself.
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