BIG POETRY TENT
A 'gong' is any practice that is repeated daily for many days. This poetry 'gong' is going to last for seven days. For the inaugural poetry gong, we have been asked to write a poem-a-day for seven days on the idea “new to you.” I got this Reader's Digest Book of quotes from the library today, so it's certainly new to me. I'll attempt to add to this every day for seven days, each time using a quote from the book.
QUOTABLE QUOTES
1. There's one thing that's worse than being alone
And that is wishing you were!*
She's talking to me at the top of her voice!
I can't get away from her!
The day has been long in the house all alone;
The party was tempting back then,
The house seemed to echo with silence for hours,
Now I wish I were back there again!
Oh the bliss of the clock ticking there on the shelf,
And the cat with its thrumbling purr!
There's one thing that's worse than being alone
And that is wishing you were!
*Bob Steele
*
2. Being virtuous is no feat
Once temptation ceases!*
It's easy controlling libido
Once the urge decreases.
Those of us who're 'getting on'
Tend to be quite prim,
Simply because we get no thrill
Just from looking at 'him'!
We look askance at giddy girls
Who're clearly on the make,
Saying 'Tut tut' and clicking teeth;
'Dear, dear! For goodness sake!'
Cast back your minds, you past-it folk,
And then you may remember
When it was temptation time
And May was not December!
* Danish Proverb
*
2. Being virtuous is no feat
Once temptation ceases!*
It's easy controlling libido
Once the urge decreases.
Those of us who're 'getting on'
Tend to be quite prim,
Simply because we get no thrill
Just from looking at 'him'!
We look askance at giddy girls
Who're clearly on the make,
Saying 'Tut tut' and clicking teeth;
'Dear, dear! For goodness sake!'
Cast back your minds, you past-it folk,
And then you may remember
When it was temptation time
And May was not December!
* Danish Proverb
*
3. A good reputation is better than fame.*
Although it may be you don't win at the game,
So long as you're known for doing what's right
Who cares if you don't always win in a fight.
The famous and rich that we view on TV,
So well-known for shouting 'Hey world! Look at me!'
Aren't always the people recalled for their morals!
Too often we learn of their family quarrels,
Their drug-taking, boozing and having affairs!
We know that they earn their fair share of our stares,
But the person who wins in the end is the one
Who always makes sure that the right thing is done.
The famous may end-up just covered with shame.
A good reputation is better than fame.
*Louis Dudek
4.The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom*
The rattle and bang of the to and fro.
From despotic nations we just hear silence
Or dissidents speaking very low.
Sometimes we complain when the noise gets to us,
With hands over ears we shut-out the row,
It’s almost too much….. the jazz-band of questions;
The who and the why and which and how!
Our parliaments buzz with the shouts and insults!
Some talk sense and some do not.
But we’d miss it all if they all fell silent,
We’re among the ones who ‘like it hot!’
Be grateful that we can say just anything,
Be free with resounding boos and cheers.
The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom
And it is music to our ears.
*Graffiti
5. Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.*
Though the tree be gaunt and blossomless
And black as the blackest coal,
Still the little creature chirrups
It’s brave impossible song,
And tells us that we might still achieve
The things for which we long.
Night may, indeed, be descending,
Clouds may obscure the moon,
But that little thing with feathers
Will still intervene with a tune.
Though the end is coming nearer
And we feel we cannot cope,
The last little song we’ll ever hear
Is that brave little song of hope.
* Emily Dickinson
6. Manners are the happy way of doing things.*
Saying ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’ comes with ease;
We’re really echoing the words of yesterday
When people said the whole phrase…. ‘If you please’.
And what they meant was ‘Only if it pleases you’,
‘Do this thing for me if you feel you can’.
It showed a fellow-feeling that was sensitive;
And turned an oaf into a gentleman.
Some manners are archaic, there’s no doubt of that;
But ‘Please’ and ‘thankyou’ now are well-ingrained,
But somewhere underneath it all there’s lurking still
A benefit, and we should all be trained
To use the little niceties to oil the wheels;
Without a ‘Thankyou’ we would merely take.
So keep those old-time manners for their gentleness,
Not for a silly nod to ‘old time’s sake’.
*Ralph Waldo Emerson
7. Strangers are friends that you have yet to meet.*
See! Here’s a stranger walking down the street!
Does he look grim, or wear peculiar clothes?
Is he a dangerous man do you suppose?
Maybe I’ll sidle past him, never give a glance.
If he’s unpleasant, well, I won’t give him a chance…..
My own protection means a lot to me!
Speaking to felons might mean notoriety!
Oh dear! He’s coming closer, with an evil sort of smile!
He thinks I look innocent, completely free of guile!
He’s going to speak to me! I mustn’t make a fuss!
*
He speaks… ‘Excuse me… where do I catch the bus?’
We linger on the pavement. He’s a stranger around here;
I tell him about the area, making everything seem clear.
He speaks about his family; he’s got a new-born son.
And then he says ‘Nice to meet you! Sorry! I must run!’
*
‘What a nice young chap!’ I think as I toddle on my way.
Well! That's all you're going to get from me!
I'll go and have a cup of tea!
*
3. A good reputation is better than fame.*
Although it may be you don't win at the game,
So long as you're known for doing what's right
Who cares if you don't always win in a fight.
The famous and rich that we view on TV,
So well-known for shouting 'Hey world! Look at me!'
Aren't always the people recalled for their morals!
Too often we learn of their family quarrels,
Their drug-taking, boozing and having affairs!
We know that they earn their fair share of our stares,
But the person who wins in the end is the one
Who always makes sure that the right thing is done.
The famous may end-up just covered with shame.
A good reputation is better than fame.
*Louis Dudek
4.The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom*
The rattle and bang of the to and fro.
From despotic nations we just hear silence
Or dissidents speaking very low.
Sometimes we complain when the noise gets to us,
With hands over ears we shut-out the row,
It’s almost too much….. the jazz-band of questions;
The who and the why and which and how!
Our parliaments buzz with the shouts and insults!
Some talk sense and some do not.
But we’d miss it all if they all fell silent,
We’re among the ones who ‘like it hot!’
Be grateful that we can say just anything,
Be free with resounding boos and cheers.
The clash of ideas is the sound of freedom
And it is music to our ears.
*Graffiti
5. Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul.*
Though the tree be gaunt and blossomless
And black as the blackest coal,
Still the little creature chirrups
It’s brave impossible song,
And tells us that we might still achieve
The things for which we long.
Night may, indeed, be descending,
Clouds may obscure the moon,
But that little thing with feathers
Will still intervene with a tune.
Though the end is coming nearer
And we feel we cannot cope,
The last little song we’ll ever hear
Is that brave little song of hope.
* Emily Dickinson
6. Manners are the happy way of doing things.*
Saying ‘please’ and ‘thankyou’ comes with ease;
We’re really echoing the words of yesterday
When people said the whole phrase…. ‘If you please’.
And what they meant was ‘Only if it pleases you’,
‘Do this thing for me if you feel you can’.
It showed a fellow-feeling that was sensitive;
And turned an oaf into a gentleman.
Some manners are archaic, there’s no doubt of that;
But ‘Please’ and ‘thankyou’ now are well-ingrained,
But somewhere underneath it all there’s lurking still
A benefit, and we should all be trained
To use the little niceties to oil the wheels;
Without a ‘Thankyou’ we would merely take.
So keep those old-time manners for their gentleness,
Not for a silly nod to ‘old time’s sake’.
*Ralph Waldo Emerson
7. Strangers are friends that you have yet to meet.*
See! Here’s a stranger walking down the street!
Does he look grim, or wear peculiar clothes?
Is he a dangerous man do you suppose?
Maybe I’ll sidle past him, never give a glance.
If he’s unpleasant, well, I won’t give him a chance…..
My own protection means a lot to me!
Speaking to felons might mean notoriety!
Oh dear! He’s coming closer, with an evil sort of smile!
He thinks I look innocent, completely free of guile!
He’s going to speak to me! I mustn’t make a fuss!
*
He speaks… ‘Excuse me… where do I catch the bus?’
We linger on the pavement. He’s a stranger around here;
I tell him about the area, making everything seem clear.
He speaks about his family; he’s got a new-born son.
And then he says ‘Nice to meet you! Sorry! I must run!’
*
‘What a nice young chap!’ I think as I toddle on my way.
‘Just think of it! I made a lovely brand new friend today!
* Roberta Lieberman.Well! That's all you're going to get from me!
I'll go and have a cup of tea!
*
4 comments:
very ambitious! and a great idea to use quotes to inspire poems each day. :)
I can't take in all 7 in one go, so I'll concentrate on the first 2 and come back to the others later in the week.
The first quote came true for me yesterday - at gathering our insurance company had organised for senior citizen drivers (what a horrible expression). A French lady who seemed nice at first latched on to us, sat with us all through lunch, and drowned us in verbal diarrhoea.
The second poem - you've got that one wrong: at 72, I still get a frisson from the sight of a neat little male bum in tight trousers, and have to resist reaching out to touch it!
But joking apart, you have achieved a group of delicious rhyming poems which bounce along t pace. Félicitations
super cute stuff...
you never fail to entertain,
love your kindness and wisdom.
I'd forgotten to come back and read the other five, so your re-link was timely for me, otherwise I'd have missed a treat. Every one of these is a gem.
ViV
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