Today's poet

[stevefoster]

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

The free bird leaps
on the back of the win
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and is tune is heard
on the distant hill for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.


Maya Angelou

Like that MG. Nobody should be caged. Freedom is taken for granted by the free.

[freckle]

lovely choice MG, she is one inspiring lady that mrs angelou....i have put this one up a million times but it still gets me every time i watch it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0

[freckle]

a zen poem on loss...

by Nandai:

Since time began
the dead alone know peace.
Life is but melting snow.

[Mountain Goatess]

lovely choice MG, she is one inspiring lady that mrs angelou....i have put this one up a million times but it still gets me every time i watch it...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0

Fabulous! Love it! So inspirational! x

[Mountain Goatess]

a zen poem on loss...

by Nandai:

Since time began
the dead alone know peace.
Life is but melting snow.

Like that too Freckle....simple yet so very effective! x

[Hes]

There has been some lovely poems posted recently and Steve's was very funny. This is really beautiful and right up my street! Thanks Freckle.x

a zen poem on loss...

by Nandai:

Since time began
the dead alone know peace.
Life is but melting snow.

[freckle]

I said to this wanting creature inside me
Kabir


I said to the wanting-creature inside me:
What is this river you want to cross?
There are no travelers on the river-road, and no road.
Do you see anyone moving about on that bank, or nesting?

There is no river at all, and no boat, and no boatman.
There is no tow rope either, and no one to pull it.
There is no ground, no sky, no time, no bank, no ford!

And there is no body, and no mind!
Do you believe there is some place that will make the
soul less thirsty?
In that great absence you will find nothing.

Be strong then, and enter into your own body;
there you have a solid place for your feet.
Think about it carefully!
Don't go off somewhere else!

Kabir says this: just throw away all thoughts of
imaginary things,
and stand firm in that which you are.

[freckle]

Also by Kabir....

The moon shines in my body, but my blind eyes cannot see it:
The moon is within me, and so is the sun.
The unstruck drum of Eternity is sounded within me; but my deaf ears cannot hear it.

So long as man clamours for the I and the Mine, his works are as naught:
When all love of the I and the Mine is dead, then the work of the Lord is done.
For work has no other aim than the getting of knowledge:
When that comes, then work is put away.

The flower blooms for the fruit: when the fruit comes, the flower withers.
The musk is in the deer, but it seeks it not within itself: it wanders in quest of grass.

[freckle]

last one from me...sorry to be greedy!

Sonnet XVII

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of the carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this:

where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

by Pablo Neruda

[Stef F]

Ah, a lovely Neruda to soothe my aching soul. Thanks for sharing Freckle.

last one from me...sorry to be greedy!

Sonnet XVII

I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
or the arrow of the carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.

I love you as the plant that never blooms
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.

I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
than this:

where I does not exist, nor you,
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.

by Pablo Neruda