Poems?

Go to the forum: Olivia and her pet snake Lucy.

That little girl has an awesome poem

I really like "Activist's Pledge" by Janet Riddle.

"Until the last flesh is consumed
and no more animals are born to doom
Our struggle is beside the weak
respect for life is what we seek

Until the last is forced to entertain
and no more animals are driven insane
For all those beaten to a cower
we lend our strength and our power

Until the last suffers in a cruel test
and scientific fraud is finally confessed
To those voiceless we give them word
until their agonizing cries are heard

Until the last dead skin is worn
and for our usage no animal is born
Relentless battles we must fight
until all others see compassion's light

Until the last abuse has ceased
and existence is granted to every beast
We won't abandon or give in
because this war we intend to win"

Desiderata by Max Ehrmann


   Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

   If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

   Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

   Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

   Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

   Strive to be happy.


   --- Max Ehrmann, 1927

I love Desiderata (the title means 'things desired' in Latin).  My mum used to read it to me as a child.

This won't really help you but, my absolute all time favourite piece of poetry is a fragment of a c. 6-5th C BCE Spartan poem that translates as:
'I hate a woman,
Think about the angles.'

i love it.

Hard to pick a favourite poem but my favourite poet would be Sylvia Plath. She's awesome.

I have a couple

Do not stand at my grave and weep,
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glint on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.

When you wake in the morning hush,
I am the swift, uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circling flight.
I am the soft starlight at night.

Do not stand at my grave and weep.
I am not there, I do not sleep.
Do not stand at my grave and cry.
I am not there, I did not die!


and

"With tears we watched you suffer,
We watched you fade away.
Our hearts were slowly breaking as you faught so hard to stay.
You did not want to leave us,
but you did not go alone.
As part of us went with you,
The day god called you home"


Used at my dad's funeral

Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.

I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea;
But we loved with a love that was more than love-
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsman came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me-
Yes!- that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we-
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee.

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,
In the sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

i have some i written my self

first one :
here is nobility without conceit
friendship without envy
beauty without vanity
power without disrespect
courage without waver
honesty without resentment
love without disregard
here is poetry in motion
someting so pure
where a strong bond may exist
if there's a will, there is a way
- The Horse

This poem is one i had wr itten for my pop, i read this at his funeral in feb 2011

Ba,
you always wanted a grandson, but ended up with a grandaughter.
"girls are no good on farms". that soon changed.
When i was younger i followed u around the farm, helping with the sheep, cattle and fencing.
We drove around on the lil red tractor for hours. picking corn, pumkins and squash.
Running through the veggie patch , yelling with excitment as i found a large orange pumkin.
You were always there to help pick  the heavy ones up .
i remeber you letting us ride the sheep after you  finished sheared them.
You even taught me how to shear a sheep, Your grin was unforgetable, You were so proud.
when i was 3 you gave me a cow that i named "Moo-moo".  a little angus heifer that i love dearly. the deal was when she had a calf and it grows up i would have to sell it. the first calf she had that i remeber was a little angus cross bull calf  named red-star.  I loved and adored him.  But the problem was i didnt want to sell him. So he was the first of many that would live here until the day they passed away.
You always told me that i was your best friend, the feeling was indescribable.
You made me smile and laugh.
We always had something to talk about.
You were always there if i needed a hand.
Words cannot describe how much u ment to me, thank you ba for always beening there,  thank you for teaching me all i know,  thank you for all the fun times and memories we shared.  i will never for get those last words u said to me. i will never forget the memories and all you have taught me.
You will forever be in my heart.