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Nat Lipstadt Dec 2021
Mark Twain to Helen Keller


“Oh, dear me, how unspeakably funny and owlishly idiotic and grotesque was that “plagiarism” farce! As if there was much of anything in any human utterance, oral or written, except plagiarism! The kernel, the soul—let us go farther and say the substance, the bulk, the actual and valuable material of all human utterances in plagiarism.

For substantially all ideas are second hand, consciously or unconsciously drawn from a million outside sources and daily use by the garnerer with a pride and satisfaction born of the superstition that he originated them; whereas there is not a rag of originality about them any where except the little discoloration they get from his mental and moral calibre and his temperament, which is revealed in characteristics of phrasing.”

Mark Twain
Flashing lights,
Chocolate delights,
crack a can, sip through it,
blast some music,
sounds like a party?
A party for one...
sorry Shania Twain,
ain't no party for two tonight...
this gal goin solo...
Partying myself, depressed, bored, ugh
Rhys Oct 2020
Those that weep,
oh weep ‘neath the shadowy, masked spectre of dreamless sleep,
where time refuses to define the state of the lost divine.
These are feeble sheep whom tragedy is want to reap,
whom when faced with fire turn away from the truth of its healing heat,
it is the Shepard’s of the herd who hurdle false virtues with tenacious leaps.

But why oh why should the best of mankind’s minds all dwell on the tortured side of hell?
They either submit to their anguished musings
or are crowned with the fruits of their immaculate offerings,
there is no compromise.
But who has brought back from the abyss, the truth of it?
and who only offers the seedlings of their sufferings?

Was it Nietche shielding the beaten beast of burden?
Was it Mark Twain is his converse between young and old,
of which motor best foretold mans immortal soul?
Was it Nero playing his fickle fiddle whilst Rome was razed to rubble?
Was it Jim Morrison dying with his wine upon the vine
whilst Indian ghosts crowned his fragile eggshell mind?
Was it Bobby Dylan with his ever changing soul touching his bones via lucrative lexicon?
Was it Julias Ceaser as he crossed with hardened heart across the rubicon?
Was it Buddha sitting ‘neath the quiet of his tree whilst the void whispered to thee?
Was it Jack Kerouac upon that rolling road of soulful life,
embracing with equal measure all love and ceaseless strife?
Was it the nameless brave whom have been lost to the ages
of times endlessly cascading pages?
Will it be You in your pursuit
of what your inner vision holds true?
Will it be me in my turbulent sea of bleeding dreams?
None can say but death itself, for he holds the skeleton keys
I used some of Jim Morrisons poetry to articulate the truth of his condition, I hope this leans within fair use, I will revise if otherwise
Thomas Edison once said; "Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."

When I was younger, my teacher gave an assessment to everyone in the class
It was a simple assessment
But when we turned them in, he gave each and every paper a big red F
And then proceeded to sit down and watch us react as the papers were passed back
He asked us, ‘What do you think F stands for?’
The loudest response was ‘Failure’
And he shook his head hypnotically and told us
‘F does not mean failure like most think, but instead, it means ‘Find Another Way’

Those simple words changed my perspective on the tiny institution known as school
Classrooms have remained the same for decades
But the subjects change, they advance as we make new discoveries
The material we learn today is different from what adults had to learn years ago
I could use a metaphor or personification
Or describe to you the exact chemical formula of KNO3 and what it stands for
I could tell you how biology is important; meiosis and mitosis
I could tell you the first shot of the American Civil War
Or who Alexander the Great and Napoleon were
Sally sells seashells by the seashore
That was an alliteration

Do not let an exam grade or an insignificant letter define your outlook on life
Find another way to earn your A
An A does not stand for awesome or amazing, it instead stands for acceptable
Twain once said; "It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt."
I will not let an exam grade define my future
And you shouldn’t allow it to either
Decide on something that drives you
That motivates and ignites you with passion
Live for being content and happy; instead of successful yet depressed
Because what we take when we leave this world is not our possessions but it is our memories.
This is best as Spoken Word poetry. Enjoy!

Feedback + Comments appreciated!
Carlo C Gomez Mar 2020
We sure are living
in different times

All of the sudden
things have switched

Last night my neighbor's yard
was littered with one dollar bills

And just now
my wife and I
received a roll of toilet paper
as a gift for our anniversary
Arpan Rathod Jun 2017
Love is the healer
and the killer.
It just *****
when both is done
by the same person.
Lou Sasol Dec 2014
Man is the only animal that blushes,
or needs to.
sl clemens, following the equator
chapter 27
George Cheese Oct 2014
I am the sword that splits the world in twain.
I am the shield upon which pain breaks.
I am the storm that rages in your heart.
I am the rain that patters softly across your cheeks.
I am the cheerful madman waltzing down your street.
Written in the same style, almost, and as a sequel to the poem I wrote a few hours ago 'Madness'.
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