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"mulberry" poems
In the cold grey light of the sixth of June, in the year of forty-four, The Empire Larch sailed out from Poole to join with thousands more. The largest fleet the world had seen, we sailed in close array, And we set our course for Normandy at the dawning of the day. There was not one man in all our crew but knew what lay in store, For we had waited for that day through five long years of war. We knew that many would not return, yet all our hearts were true, For we were bound for Normandy, where we had a job to do. Now the Empire Larch was a deep-sea tug with a crew of thirty-three, And I was just the galley-boy on my first trip to sea. I little thought when I left home of the dreadful sights I'd see, But I came to manhood on the day that I first saw Normandy. At the Beach of Gold off Arromanches, 'neath the rockets' deadly glare, We towed our blockships into place and we built a harbour there. 'Mid shot and shell we built it well, as history does agree, While brave men died in the swirling tide on the shores of Normandy. Like the Rodney and the Nelson, there were ships of great renown, But rescue tugs all did their share as many a ship went down. We ran our pontoons to the shore within the Mulberry's lee, And we made safe berth for the tanks and guns that would set all Europe free. For every hero's name that's known, a thousand died as well. On stakes and wire their bodies hung, rocked in the ocean swell; And many a mother wept that day for the sons they loved so well, Men who cracked a joke and cadged a smoke as they stormed the gates of hell. As the years pass by, I can still recall the men I saw that day Who died upon that blood-soaked sand where now sweet children play; And those of you who were unborn, who've lived in liberty, Remember those who made it so on the shores of Normandy. ________________________________________
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Jun 6, 2014
Jun 6, 2014 at 3:07 PM UTC
Shores of Normandy by Jim Radford
In the cold grey light of the sixth of June, in the year of forty-four, The Empire Larch sailed out from Poole to join with thousands more. The largest fleet the world had seen, we sailed in close array, And we set our course for Normandy at the dawning of the day. There was not one man in all our crew but knew what lay in store, For we had waited for that day through five long years of war. We knew that many would not return, yet all our hearts were true, For we were bound for Normandy, where we had a job to do. Now the Empire Larch was a deep-sea tug with a crew of thirty-three, And I was just the galley-boy on my first trip to sea. I little thought when I left home of the dreadful sights I'd see, But I came to manhood on the day that I first saw Normandy. At the Beach of Gold off Arromanches, 'neath the rockets' deadly glare, We towed our blockships into place and we built a harbour there. 'Mid shot and shell we built it well, as history does agree, While brave men died in the swirling tide on the shores of Normandy. Like the Rodney and the Nelson, there were ships of great renown, But rescue tugs all did their share as many a ship went down. We ran our pontoons to the shore within the Mulberry's lee, And we made safe berth for the tanks and guns that would set all Europe free. For every hero's name that's known, a thousand died as well. On stakes and wire their bodies hung, rocked in the ocean swell; And many a mother wept that day for the sons they loved so well, Men who cracked a joke and cadged a smoke as they stormed the gates of hell. As the years pass by, I can still recall the men I saw that day Who died upon that blood-soaked sand where now sweet children play; And those of you who were unborn, who've lived in liberty, Remember those who made it so on the shores of Normandy. ________________________________________
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29
The distant hollow of the high mountain pass swallows the setting sun as it steals away southbound behind the coastal mountain's tangerine sunset hued silhouettes Mulberry plashed shadows pointing northward across the evergreens outstretched dimming, beneath the waning fade of each fleeting eventide Sundown ebbing asunder the wafting daylight, each gloaming of the day, helplessly a moment sooner past, transfixed further south beyond yesterday's passing azure The lazy days of summer escape unbounded, nomadic as the sea I've seen sail away before; evanescent as the beauty of the bloom summer days beheld and the memory of the fragrance they exhale The nebulous weight of the gravity is consciously denied by the truths a human heart beholds A moment’s epiphany afflicts like a rogue wave in a calm sea; the only thing my heart ever wanted remains out of reach Everything my heart needs consciously surrendering to the poignant passing moment's beauty, the falling sun at distance sets more suddenly now Lost in the undeniable certainty life's imminent season's change Eyes drawn stubbornly from presence to a sky so far away, knowing there'll be no restitution for the welling sense of loss... A bitter sweet song mummers in the silence of the absorbing spell, summer's sun stained pages of watermarked soul scribbles, time tattooed reparation for the indelible ache of a harsh grey winter loneliness Perhaps too familiar, this whelming Déjà vu that tears my soul;     that tugs at these roots but cannot sever their sacred grasp But for now, eyes fixed to the sun's inevitable tightening tether hence — to wear weary each fraying thread's  impending break Each sunset leans a deeper angle southward as it slips down through the firwood shadows; illuminating other faraway latitudes far beyond the distant horizon skies The preordained continuum unfolding what will be ... someone you used to know ... September 11, 2017 ... 7:30 PM
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Sep 14, 2017
Sep 14, 2017 at 11:41 AM UTC
Each Sunset Leans Farther Southward
The distant hollow of the high mountain pass swallows the setting sun as it steals away southbound behind the coastal mountain's tangerine sunset hued silhouettes Mulberry plashed shadows pointing northward across the evergreens outstretched dimming, beneath the waning fade of each fleeting eventide Sundown ebbing asunder the wafting daylight, each gloaming of the day, helplessly a moment sooner past, transfixed further south beyond yesterday's passing azure The lazy days of summer escape unbounded, nomadic as the sea I've seen sail away before; evanescent as the beauty of the bloom summer days beheld and the memory of the fragrance they exhale The nebulous weight of the gravity is consciously denied by the truths a human heart beholds A moment’s epiphany afflicts like a rogue wave in a calm sea; the only thing my heart ever wanted remains out of reach Everything my heart needs consciously surrendering to the poignant passing moment's beauty, the falling sun at distance sets more suddenly now Lost in the undeniable certainty life's imminent season's change Eyes drawn stubbornly from presence to a sky so far away, knowing there'll be no restitution for the welling sense of loss... A bitter sweet song mummers in the silence of the absorbing spell, summer's sun stained pages of watermarked soul scribbles, time tattooed reparation for the indelible ache of a harsh grey winter loneliness Perhaps too familiar, this whelming Déjà vu that tears my soul;     that tugs at these roots but cannot sever their sacred grasp But for now, eyes fixed to the sun's inevitable tightening tether hence — to wear weary each fraying thread's  impending break Each sunset leans a deeper angle southward as it slips down through the firwood shadows; illuminating other faraway latitudes far beyond the distant horizon skies The preordained continuum unfolding what will be ... someone you used to know ... September 11, 2017 ... 7:30 PM
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40
(I) Pale mulberry was the sky, No bird dared to fly! Thus all seemed wrong, But then, you came along Suddenly like summer rain And quelled away my pain. (II) Velvet blue was the sky, No bird dared not to fly! Thus all seemed right, And as pure as a cloud in white, When suddenly like the rainbow, You quelled away thy heavenly glow. (III) Dark grey is the sky, No bird seems to ever fly! Athwart my wild blue yonder Where I, indignantly do ponder Night and day wondering why, We can't give it just one more try. (IV) Pitch black is always the sky, But, faster than any bird I'll fly! Swifter than a scudding cloud Whilst calling upon you so loud, All the way to a strange plain, Just to ever feast about you again. (V) Magenta magic will always be the sky, When once again we'll merilly fly! Then, flowers once again shall bloom, To see you and me as bride and groom By a placid Mulberry Moon on the rise, To kindle our enchanted paradise. ©Kikodinho Alexandros Jumeira, Dubai 1st December 2016
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Dec 1, 2016
Dec 1, 2016 at 7:53 AM UTC
NOSTALIGIC WHISPERS
This yellow saree she wore Just once in her life had wrapped A coy twenty-year-old bride Tentatively setting her dainty foot Into the hesitant bridal home . Somewhere in the backwoods Several industrious silkworms Had spun miles of salivary yarn In the foliage of the mulberry tree To make this golden yellow saree . The rustle of her silk drowned The wails of the boiling cocoons The worms died that beauty would live In their plaintive cries lay bridal hopes . My mother, the bride of yesteryears, Is now as non-existent as the worms That had ceased to exist spinning The smooth silk for her bridal finery . Her bridal fragrance lives on among The delicate folds of these gossamer silks That the worms had died weaving. Death is so fragrant , so memorable.
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Nov 4, 2010
Nov 4, 2010 at 6:03 AM UTC
My mother’s silk
island summer heat big backyards shared by three families with rambunctious kids sundresses, sandals, swim trunks a big mango tree and a merry-go-round with red chipped paint geckos and mud baths "boy's got cooties!"    mid-west plains' dry, summer heat Mr. Sun is our lamp well past 9:00pm Dow St., a giant hill covered in uniform houses, filled with the uniformed sacrificial spinning wheels, acre-wide hide and seek nintendo and donkey kong, fireflies in jars front yard mulberry trees pippy longstocking "lets' go into this 'cave' of vines" poison-ivy    southern peninsula, humid, summer heat above ground pools and trampolines a red brick house; the first home the first CD collection, Filipino food THE PARK, the sandbox lid drowning in the bayou sleeping in guest rooms, sleepovers a sign of status pelicans, ducks, fishing, sleeping in the boat; camping on the beach
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Jul 2, 2012
Jul 2, 2012 at 4:18 PM UTC
Summer Homes
The black bull bellowed before the sea. The sea, till that day orderly, Hove up against Bendylaw. The queen in the mulberry arbor stared Stiff as a queen on a playing card. The king fingered his beard. A blue sea, four ***** bull-feet, A bull-snouted sea that wouldn't stay put, Bucked at the garden gate. Along box-lined walks in the florid sun Toward the rowdy bellow and back again The lords and ladies ran. The great bronze gate began to crack, The sea broke in at every crack, Pellmell, blueblack. The bull surged up, the bull surged down, Not to be stayed by a daisy chain Nor by any learned man. O the king's tidy acre is under the sea, And the royal rose in the bull's belly, And the bull on the king's highway.
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The Bull Of Bendylaw
In the slant of the sun on the country-side, Cattle and sheep trail home along the lane; And a rugged old man in a thatch door Leans on a staff and thinks of his son, the herdboy. There are whirring pheasants, full wheat-ears, Silk-worms asleep, pared mulberry-leaves. And the farmers, returning with hoes on their shoulders, Hail one another familiarly. ...No wonder I long for the simple life And am sighing the old song, Oh, to go Back Again.
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A Farmhouse on the Wei River
Raking leaves--walnut, maple, mulberry, ailanthus-- I saw how it was. My dog Molly--sweet, skittish, a rescue-- knew the Aussie was the favorite. She hid his favorite toy in a pile of leaves, but not well enough--I saved it. When we were finished, all the leaves at the curb, the toy was gone, second time the wicked charm. When you lose something--you lose the place you were when you first saw it, who you were with, what you were doing. Fragile things can fall and shatter and when you see them broken your heart can break a little too--and there's nothing you can do. I am thinking about broken things, lost things, hidden things. The leaves have fallen, grown again, fallen again. My Aussie is gone and the pure clear blue of September sky, the lofted toy, and Molly too, have all passed. Today I sit outside, careful with the mug on the chair arm, even knowing that everything--and I as well--will fall in time.
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Aug 30, 2025
Aug 30, 2025 at 12:38 PM UTC
Molly
We are the genuine men We are the fulfilled men Standing together Headpiece filled with ideas. Huzzah! Our powerful voices, when We cheer together Are loud and meaningful As wind in wet grass Or dancing feet over wooden floors In our damp attics Shape with form, shade with colour, Dynamic force, motion without gesture; Those who have crossed With indirect eyes, to death’s other Kingdom Forget  us—if at all—not as found Peaceful souls, but only As the genuine men The fulfilled men. Eyes I dare meet in nightmares In death’s dream kingdom These do  appear: There, the eyes are Sunlight on a whole column There, is a tree standing And voices are In the wind’s singing More close and more bashful Than a newly formed star. Let me be closer In death’s dream kingdom Let me not wear Such obvious disguises Silk shirt, snakeskin, crossed staves In a field Behaving as the wind behaves Closer— That first meeting In the twilight kingdom This is the living land This is fruitful land Here the cloudy images Are raised, here they receive The supplication of a living man’s hand Under the twinkle of a newly formed star. It is like this In death’s other kingdom Waking together At the minute when we are Shaking with excitement Lips that would kiss Form praise to no stone. The eyes are here There are eyes here In this valley of living stars In this flowing valley This whole jaw of our lost kingdoms In this first of meeting places We ***** alone And invite speech Gathered on this beach of the free river Vision, unless The eyes disappear As the periodic star Monofoliate daisy Of death’s twilight kingdom The hope only Of whole men. *Here we go round the mulberry bush Mulberry bush mulberry bush Here we go round the mulberry bush At five o’clock in the morning.* Between the thought And the implementation Between the movement And the deed Rises the Light                                 For Thine is the Kingdom Between the inception And the construction Between the feeling And the reaction Rises the Light                                 Life is very short Between the need And the want Between the potential And the substance Between the ingredients And the ascent Rises the Light                                 For Thine is the Kingdom For Thine is Life is For Thine is the This is the way the world begins This is the way the world begins This is the way the world begins Not with a whimper but a bang.
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Nov 11, 2012
Nov 11, 2012 at 2:34 PM UTC
The Genuine Men
We are the genuine men We are the fulfilled men Standing together Headpiece filled with ideas. Huzzah! Our powerful voices, when We cheer together Are loud and meaningful As wind in wet grass Or dancing feet over wooden floors In our damp attics Shape with form, shade with colour, Dynamic force, motion without gesture; Those who have crossed With indirect eyes, to death’s other Kingdom Forget  us—if at all—not as found Peaceful souls, but only As the genuine men The fulfilled men. Eyes I dare meet in nightmares In death’s dream kingdom These do  appear: There, the eyes are Sunlight on a whole column There, is a tree standing And voices are In the wind’s singing More close and more bashful Than a newly formed star. Let me be closer In death’s dream kingdom Let me not wear Such obvious disguises Silk shirt, snakeskin, crossed staves In a field Behaving as the wind behaves Closer— That first meeting In the twilight kingdom This is the living land This is fruitful land Here the cloudy images Are raised, here they receive The supplication of a living man’s hand Under the twinkle of a newly formed star. It is like this In death’s other kingdom Waking together At the minute when we are Shaking with excitement Lips that would kiss Form praise to no stone. The eyes are here There are eyes here In this valley of living stars In this flowing valley This whole jaw of our lost kingdoms In this first of meeting places We ***** alone And invite speech Gathered on this beach of the free river Vision, unless The eyes disappear As the periodic star Monofoliate daisy Of death’s twilight kingdom The hope only Of whole men. *Here we go round the mulberry bush Mulberry bush mulberry bush Here we go round the mulberry bush At five o’clock in the morning.* Between the thought And the implementation Between the movement And the deed Rises the Light                                 For Thine is the Kingdom Between the inception And the construction Between the feeling And the reaction Rises the Light                                 Life is very short Between the need And the want Between the potential And the substance Between the ingredients And the ascent Rises the Light                                 For Thine is the Kingdom For Thine is Life is For Thine is the This is the way the world begins This is the way the world begins This is the way the world begins Not with a whimper but a bang.
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98
I dwell apart by the River Qi, Where the Eastern wilds stretch far without hills. The sun darkens beyond the mulberry trees; The river glistens through the villages. Shepherd boys depart, gazing back to their hamlets; Hunting dogs return following their men. When a man's at peace, what business does he have? I shut fast my rustic door throughout the day.
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Fields and Gardens by the River Qi
On the top of the Crumpetty Tree The Quangle Wangle sat, But his face you could not see, On account of his ****** Hat. For his Hat was a hundred and two feet wide, With ribbons and bibbons on every side And bells, and buttons, and loops, and lace, So that nobody every could see the face Of the Quangle Wangle Quee. The Quangle Wangle said To himself on the Crumpetty Tree, -- "Jam; and jelly; and bread; "Are the best of food for me! "But the longer I live on this Crumpetty Tree "The plainer than ever it seems to me "That very few people come this way "And that life on the whole is far from gay!" Said the Quangle Wangle Quee. But there came to the Crumpetty Tree, Mr. and Mrs. Canary; And they said, -- "Did every you see "Any spot so charmingly airy? "May we build a nest on your lovely Hat? "Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that! "O please let us come and build a nest "Of whatever material suits you best, "Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!" And besides, to the Crumpetty Tree Came the Stork, the Duck, and the Owl; The Snail, and the Bumble-Bee, The Frog, and the Fimble Fowl; (The Fimble Fowl, with a corkscrew leg;) And all of them said, -- "We humbly beg, "We may build out homes on your lovely Hat, -- "Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that! "Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!" And the Golden Grouse came there, And the Pobble who has no toes, -- And the small Olympian bear, -- And the **** with a luminous nose. And the Blue Baboon, who played the Flute, -- And the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute, -- And the Attery Squash, and the Bisky Bat, -- All came and built on the lovely Hat Of the Quangle Wangle Quee. And the Quangle Wangle said To himself on the Crumpetty Tree, -- "When all these creatures move "What a wonderful noise there'll be!" And at night by the light of the Mulberry moon They danced to the Flute of the Blue Baboon, On the broad green leaves of the Crumpetty Tree, And all were as happy as happy could be, With the Quangle Wangle Quee.
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3k
The Quangle Wangle's Hat
On the top of the Crumpetty Tree The Quangle Wangle sat, But his face you could not see, On account of his ****** Hat. For his Hat was a hundred and two feet wide, With ribbons and bibbons on every side And bells, and buttons, and loops, and lace, So that nobody every could see the face Of the Quangle Wangle Quee. The Quangle Wangle said To himself on the Crumpetty Tree, -- "Jam; and jelly; and bread; "Are the best of food for me! "But the longer I live on this Crumpetty Tree "The plainer than ever it seems to me "That very few people come this way "And that life on the whole is far from gay!" Said the Quangle Wangle Quee. But there came to the Crumpetty Tree, Mr. and Mrs. Canary; And they said, -- "Did every you see "Any spot so charmingly airy? "May we build a nest on your lovely Hat? "Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that! "O please let us come and build a nest "Of whatever material suits you best, "Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!" And besides, to the Crumpetty Tree Came the Stork, the Duck, and the Owl; The Snail, and the Bumble-Bee, The Frog, and the Fimble Fowl; (The Fimble Fowl, with a corkscrew leg;) And all of them said, -- "We humbly beg, "We may build out homes on your lovely Hat, -- "Mr. Quangle Wangle, grant us that! "Mr. Quangle Wangle Quee!" And the Golden Grouse came there, And the Pobble who has no toes, -- And the small Olympian bear, -- And the **** with a luminous nose. And the Blue Baboon, who played the Flute, -- And the Orient Calf from the Land of Tute, -- And the Attery Squash, and the Bisky Bat, -- All came and built on the lovely Hat Of the Quangle Wangle Quee. And the Quangle Wangle said To himself on the Crumpetty Tree, -- "When all these creatures move "What a wonderful noise there'll be!" And at night by the light of the Mulberry moon They danced to the Flute of the Blue Baboon, On the broad green leaves of the Crumpetty Tree, And all were as happy as happy could be, With the Quangle Wangle Quee.
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54
Amid the fig and quince, the bright pomegranate orchards, the black mulberry and wild olives, we were still hungry. He called it the Tree of Knowledge. How were we to resist?
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Feb 3, 2011
Feb 3, 2011 at 10:42 AM UTC
We were still hungry
Autumn flares out, its flame burst clouds strewn about misted cliff sides, loam whites of winter taking their place. A stiff willow breeze, ten thousand things withdrawn to burrows and immortal pine heights. First snows stream down, duckweed carpets of August fade, jade peeking through white. I embark on the seasons final sail in hardening ice waters. Til spring my sails will be folded, my raft in idleness. ~~~ Rafting on moon drenched river, avoiding cascades and crash of rapids and falls. Silvered driftwood a warning. Silent glide of mulberry oar through dark azure, another crafts sail in silhouette. From the deck a black spectre dives below, stillness follows splash, re-emergence, beak wrapped around a dazzling rainbow. From my raft dangling lantern sways, trout swiping at gathered moths – scatter and return, some from a far off realm. Some trout in the net, others not. Luck or the way – who can tell? ~~~ Dusk colour gorge sheathed in emerald blankets, rising into sheer cliffs of auburn cinnabar, all underpinned by the fathomless flow of azure clarity. Snowy Egrets nest in pine top heights clear of dust. On white sand shores gibbons howl towards squawking beach gulls, squabble over landlocked trout – debate without end. Peach blossom petals swirl on spring breeze over carpets of jade inter cut by king fisher blue zipping over duckweed. Oriole song weaves in and out of mulberry branches. In these vast and vague waters - coves, creeks and streams all one, a river dragon lives an undetermined existence. Mud stirs below, merely a catfish airing grievances. Red tail flares in dirt, my mulberry oar rows me back home.
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Jan 15, 2012
Jan 15, 2012 at 8:13 AM UTC
Recluse (River) (Poems)
Autumn flares out, its flame burst clouds strewn about misted cliff sides, loam whites of winter taking their place. A stiff willow breeze, ten thousand things withdrawn to burrows and immortal pine heights. First snows stream down, duckweed carpets of August fade, jade peeking through white. I embark on the seasons final sail in hardening ice waters. Til spring my sails will be folded, my raft in idleness. ~~~ Rafting on moon drenched river, avoiding cascades and crash of rapids and falls. Silvered driftwood a warning. Silent glide of mulberry oar through dark azure, another crafts sail in silhouette. From the deck a black spectre dives below, stillness follows splash, re-emergence, beak wrapped around a dazzling rainbow. From my raft dangling lantern sways, trout swiping at gathered moths – scatter and return, some from a far off realm. Some trout in the net, others not. Luck or the way – who can tell? ~~~ Dusk colour gorge sheathed in emerald blankets, rising into sheer cliffs of auburn cinnabar, all underpinned by the fathomless flow of azure clarity. Snowy Egrets nest in pine top heights clear of dust. On white sand shores gibbons howl towards squawking beach gulls, squabble over landlocked trout – debate without end. Peach blossom petals swirl on spring breeze over carpets of jade inter cut by king fisher blue zipping over duckweed. Oriole song weaves in and out of mulberry branches. In these vast and vague waters - coves, creeks and streams all one, a river dragon lives an undetermined existence. Mud stirs below, merely a catfish airing grievances. Red tail flares in dirt, my mulberry oar rows me back home.
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38
Thy bower is finished, fairest! Fit bower for hunter's bride-- Where old woods overshadow The green savanna's side. I've wandered long, and wandered far, And never have I met, In all this lovely western land, A spot so lovely yet. But I shall think it fairer, When thou art come to bless, With thy sweet smile and silver voice, Its silent loveliness. For thee the wild grape glistens, On sunny knoll and tree, The slim papaya ripens Its yellow fruit for thee. For thee the duck, on glassy stream, The prairie-fowl shall die, My rifle for thy feast shall bring The wild swan from the sky. The forest's leaping panther, Fierce, beautiful, and fleet, Shall yield his spotted hide to be A carpet for thy feet. I know, for thou hast told me, Thy maiden love of flowers; Ah, those that deck thy gardens Are pale compared with ours. When our wide woods and mighty lawns Bloom to the April skies, The earth has no more gorgeous sight To show to human eyes. In meadows red with blossoms, All summer long, the bee Murmurs, and loads his yellow thighs, For thee, my love, and me. Or wouldst thou gaze at tokens Of ages long ago-- Our old oaks stream with mosses, And sprout with mistletoe; And mighty vines, like serpents, climb The giant sycamore; And trunks, o'erthrown for centuries, Cumber the forest floor; And in the great savanna, The solitary mound, Built by the elder world, o'erlooks The loneliness around. Come, thou hast not forgotten Thy pledge and promise quite, With many blushes murmured, Beneath the evening light. Come, the young violets crowd my door, Thy earliest look to win, And at my silent window-sill The jessamine peeps in. All day the red-bird warbles, Upon the mulberry near, And the night-sparrow trills her song, All night, with none to hear.
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The Hunter's Serenade
Thy bower is finished, fairest! Fit bower for hunter's bride-- Where old woods overshadow The green savanna's side. I've wandered long, and wandered far, And never have I met, In all this lovely western land, A spot so lovely yet. But I shall think it fairer, When thou art come to bless, With thy sweet smile and silver voice, Its silent loveliness. For thee the wild grape glistens, On sunny knoll and tree, The slim papaya ripens Its yellow fruit for thee. For thee the duck, on glassy stream, The prairie-fowl shall die, My rifle for thy feast shall bring The wild swan from the sky. The forest's leaping panther, Fierce, beautiful, and fleet, Shall yield his spotted hide to be A carpet for thy feet. I know, for thou hast told me, Thy maiden love of flowers; Ah, those that deck thy gardens Are pale compared with ours. When our wide woods and mighty lawns Bloom to the April skies, The earth has no more gorgeous sight To show to human eyes. In meadows red with blossoms, All summer long, the bee Murmurs, and loads his yellow thighs, For thee, my love, and me. Or wouldst thou gaze at tokens Of ages long ago-- Our old oaks stream with mosses, And sprout with mistletoe; And mighty vines, like serpents, climb The giant sycamore; And trunks, o'erthrown for centuries, Cumber the forest floor; And in the great savanna, The solitary mound, Built by the elder world, o'erlooks The loneliness around. Come, thou hast not forgotten Thy pledge and promise quite, With many blushes murmured, Beneath the evening light. Come, the young violets crowd my door, Thy earliest look to win, And at my silent window-sill The jessamine peeps in. All day the red-bird warbles, Upon the mulberry near, And the night-sparrow trills her song, All night, with none to hear.
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60
It was another hot summer’s day and I, with the small amount of change in my pocket was journeying towards to the local park in efforts to create a more fulfilling afternoon. On the way to the park I had to pass Mulberry Lane, with its shoddy Bus Stop. Graffiti littered the benches and a man sat, silent, a cigarette hanging in his mouth. Me being me, looked away, staring downward and rushing past, holding my breath as I passed through the fog of smoke, wispy, tinged blue, curling around my body as I walked away. After the afternoon had passed and the sun began to set, once again I walked past the Mulberry Lane Bus Stop, the man sat, still smoking, but with the hint of whisky. When I returned home, my mother asked “How was your day?”, and me being me, did not tell her about the man at the Mulberry Lane Bus Stop, with smoke surrounding him.
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May 11, 2014
May 11, 2014 at 12:34 PM UTC
Mulberry Lane Bus Stop
tense as the rolled up newspaper thrown slapping against the step at dawn awakening conspiratorial slinking around the truth sleuthing sniffing my way to find out this way or that but the way about the signs the clues preachers words the same weight as the street corner girls a way to think in our detectiving then the ultimate DNA almost the penultimate remains of the doer dids the who what did whats the ne'er do wells on Mulberry street , I know them hoods no they were not the culprits I scent along above below sniff and snoof behoove behind the wildest dogs to find it was mine own trail I had found among the shivering forest green I sat considered a shylock set this up then saw the bacon on my foot I had been following. I set off again my foot clean. I will find this bandit. I like bacon , though.
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May 6, 2017
May 6, 2017 at 1:44 AM UTC
I like bacon
The Mulberry butcher was amazed a packet of kidneys arrived and glazed. Where did this wonderful treat come from? It said on the label, Choice, US, One, The Chief of Police was having a fit; twenty young women reported missing and found ripped. Ripped through the throat and the back as well somebody was destined to go to hell. The coroner cried, My God, look how they died! He sliced their neck, took out their eyes and then, My God the kidneys too! This man surely belongs in a zoo. The Chief, he knew, at once, the Rippers return had given him lunch.
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Sep 25, 2010
Sep 25, 2010 at 8:56 AM UTC
The Mulberry Ripper
whilst waltzing towards the purple moon here's a bowl of lavender tea swallow it up, tactfully mulberry chill. Voila ! afternoon revealed Honeymoon concealed
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Jan 4, 2014
Jan 4, 2014 at 10:40 AM UTC
LOVE FUME
summer light drinkable through yellow straws parched grass gasping for cups of yummy liquid boys with limp fringes awkward stubble like barcodes girls lap it up thirsty dogs in mulberry skirts cusp of eighteen walking with dragonfly wings sunset colours come ooze through gauze darkness on lips presents a kiss
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Jan 8, 2015
Jan 8, 2015 at 6:47 PM UTC
The Dragonfly Years
We shall not ask for the precious pearl of the Duke of Sui, nor for the priceless jade disk of Master ** We merely ask for the recent news of our homeland. The Palace of Spiritual Illumination must be still there, surrounded by desolation. What's happened to the stone statues buried deep in the grass, still guarding the Imperial tombs? Is it true that our people left behind in the occupied territories are still planting mulberry trees and hemp? Is it true that the rear guard of the Barbarians only patrols the city walls? This widow's father and grandfather were born in Shantung. Although they never held high office, their fame spread far and wide. I remember when they carried on animated discussions with other scholars by the city gate. The listeners were so crowded that their sweat fell like rain. Their offspring crossed the Yangtze River to the South many years ago. Drifting in the rapids, they mingled with refugees. I send blood-stained tears to the mountains and rivers of home, And sprinkle a cup of earth on East Mountain. I imagine when Your Lordship, His Majesty's envoy, upholding the Imperial spirit, passes through our two capitals, K'ai Feng and Lo Yang, Thousands of people would line the streets and present tea and broth to welcome you.... Announce that the Emperor's heart aches for the suffering people--- they are his own children. Let them understand that the Will of Heaven remembers all living beings. Our sagacious Emperor offers his trust which is as brilliant as the sun. There is no need to negotiate many times after the long chaos of the years.
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1.8k
To Lord Hu
We shall not ask for the precious pearl of the Duke of Sui, nor for the priceless jade disk of Master ** We merely ask for the recent news of our homeland. The Palace of Spiritual Illumination must be still there, surrounded by desolation. What's happened to the stone statues buried deep in the grass, still guarding the Imperial tombs? Is it true that our people left behind in the occupied territories are still planting mulberry trees and hemp? Is it true that the rear guard of the Barbarians only patrols the city walls? This widow's father and grandfather were born in Shantung. Although they never held high office, their fame spread far and wide. I remember when they carried on animated discussions with other scholars by the city gate. The listeners were so crowded that their sweat fell like rain. Their offspring crossed the Yangtze River to the South many years ago. Drifting in the rapids, they mingled with refugees. I send blood-stained tears to the mountains and rivers of home, And sprinkle a cup of earth on East Mountain. I imagine when Your Lordship, His Majesty's envoy, upholding the Imperial spirit, passes through our two capitals, K'ai Feng and Lo Yang, Thousands of people would line the streets and present tea and broth to welcome you.... Announce that the Emperor's heart aches for the suffering people--- they are his own children. Let them understand that the Will of Heaven remembers all living beings. Our sagacious Emperor offers his trust which is as brilliant as the sun. There is no need to negotiate many times after the long chaos of the years.
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29
If you could only see One color of the rainbow and beyond What- how could you decide? Red  anger, love, elmo and stop signs  i'd give you roses - not just a dozen- a flower shop full Orange  fruit, sherbet, traffic cones and tigers  i could watch a billion sunsets- if you would just hold my hand? Yellow  lemonade, fear, highlighters and dandelions  you are my sunshine, my only sunshine Green  luck, mint, leprechauns, and grass  i'm envious of her, though her significance is debatable Blue  rain, robin eggs, sky, and oceans  could i cry with you? i'm still not sure. Purple  mountains, shadows, lilacs and royalty i'll bake you a mulberry pie, dripping with juice and made with love- that eternal 'secret' ingredient As for me, I'd choose brown. Brown for honest earth, for rich dark chocolate, for tall reaching trees, and for coffee dark as night, hot as hell, strong as love. For your smooth skin, warm and vibrant. An inch away from mine, I wonder what it would feel like to kiss you, soft and sweet. But I look away, laugh with my friend, watch the black evening outside. And sigh.
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May 28, 2013
May 28, 2013 at 3:10 PM UTC
Cappacino Skin
April 14, 2008 was a Monday. My family had just moved into a new house, we were starting a new life, and I was starting a new school. I was 10 years old then. I thought that moving schools and leaving all my friends behind was the worst thing in the world, the worst thing that could ever happen. I didn't realize it then, but moving was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. At Mulberry Elementary, I was put into Mrs. Bell's fourth grade class. I remember the principal standing behind me with her hand on my shoulder as I tried not to make eye contact with all the faces who were staring at me. I was terrified. I think the teacher could tell how scared I was. She sat me beside of a blonde haired girl named  Katlyn. I was an over weight, ginger kid with glasses; and Mrs. Bell knew she was the only one who would be nice to me. That year, she was the only one who was nice to me. I remember thinking how weird this girl was with all the faces she made. I also remember being confused, because the way she made me feel inside, was something I had never felt. Soon enough we became best friends. We were inseparable. Throughout the years we have gone our separate ways, had a couple of fights, and even more kisses. It was always you I came back to in the end. They say that love is kind, and patient, and works in mysterious ways. And now there's one more Love to add to that. One day in fourth grade, I took her hand and looked her in the eye. I about broke down as we promised to be best friends for forever and sealed it with a pinkie promise. Today, I married my best friend and sealed it with a kiss...and a pinkie promise.
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Jan 1, 2016
Jan 1, 2016 at 8:56 PM UTC
To Be Said On Our Big Day
April 14, 2008 was a Monday. My family had just moved into a new house, we were starting a new life, and I was starting a new school. I was 10 years old then. I thought that moving schools and leaving all my friends behind was the worst thing in the world, the worst thing that could ever happen. I didn't realize it then, but moving was the best thing that ever could have happened to me. At Mulberry Elementary, I was put into Mrs. Bell's fourth grade class. I remember the principal standing behind me with her hand on my shoulder as I tried not to make eye contact with all the faces who were staring at me. I was terrified. I think the teacher could tell how scared I was. She sat me beside of a blonde haired girl named  Katlyn. I was an over weight, ginger kid with glasses; and Mrs. Bell knew she was the only one who would be nice to me. That year, she was the only one who was nice to me. I remember thinking how weird this girl was with all the faces she made. I also remember being confused, because the way she made me feel inside, was something I had never felt. Soon enough we became best friends. We were inseparable. Throughout the years we have gone our separate ways, had a couple of fights, and even more kisses. It was always you I came back to in the end. They say that love is kind, and patient, and works in mysterious ways. And now there's one more Love to add to that. One day in fourth grade, I took her hand and looked her in the eye. I about broke down as we promised to be best friends for forever and sealed it with a pinkie promise. Today, I married my best friend and sealed it with a kiss...and a pinkie promise.
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2
I miss that place Where I used to be: My childhood land With the lilac tree. I miss that grass, And those golden fields, The times we used twigs For our makeshift shields. I miss that pond, With the brand-new deck, Where we’d use a canoe To make our trek. I miss that barn, With the musty stalls, Which I never minded, Never minded at all. I miss the house On the big, tall hill With the dark green shutters Above the windowsills. I miss our swings And the climbing tree That stained our hands And feet and knees. I miss the horses And their comforting smell With sparkling eyes that Held my secrets well. I miss the path running Through the woods Where I skipped and laughed As lively as I could. I miss my grandfather and his good ol’ dogs and doing chores and catching frogs. I miss my grandmother And her sweet smile As I sat in her kitchen And did dishes awhile. I miss those strays, The cats we had, Whose kittens we’d catch And get scratched real bad. I miss those days As we lay in the sun Soaking up all the rays And just having our fun. I miss those cats, And their colorful fur, Especially Buttercup, My favorite, her. I miss dear Grandma And her warm hugs And her talent and her laugh And her homemade rugs. I miss ol’ Gramps, And his mischievous ways and him talkin’ fast and us balin’ the hay. I miss that path That meandered in the trees Where the branches creaked And whispered in the breeze. I miss the horses, And the bridle leather And feeding them oats In all kinds of weather. I miss the swing, All knotted and worn, And the mulberry tree Where our clothes were torn. I miss that hill, With our little house, That held just us And sometimes a mouse. I miss that barn With the stalls and hayloft Where the sparrows gathered And the hay was soft. I miss the pond Where my favorite horse died And I sat next to the water And I remember I cried. I miss the grass That grew thin and tall And hid all the bugs And stole our baseballs. I miss that place From my childhood, But I’ll never forget it. I don’t think I could.
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Sep 11, 2012
Sep 11, 2012 at 5:57 PM UTC
nostalgia
I miss that place Where I used to be: My childhood land With the lilac tree. I miss that grass, And those golden fields, The times we used twigs For our makeshift shields. I miss that pond, With the brand-new deck, Where we’d use a canoe To make our trek. I miss that barn, With the musty stalls, Which I never minded, Never minded at all. I miss the house On the big, tall hill With the dark green shutters Above the windowsills. I miss our swings And the climbing tree That stained our hands And feet and knees. I miss the horses And their comforting smell With sparkling eyes that Held my secrets well. I miss the path running Through the woods Where I skipped and laughed As lively as I could. I miss my grandfather and his good ol’ dogs and doing chores and catching frogs. I miss my grandmother And her sweet smile As I sat in her kitchen And did dishes awhile. I miss those strays, The cats we had, Whose kittens we’d catch And get scratched real bad. I miss those days As we lay in the sun Soaking up all the rays And just having our fun. I miss those cats, And their colorful fur, Especially Buttercup, My favorite, her. I miss dear Grandma And her warm hugs And her talent and her laugh And her homemade rugs. I miss ol’ Gramps, And his mischievous ways and him talkin’ fast and us balin’ the hay. I miss that path That meandered in the trees Where the branches creaked And whispered in the breeze. I miss the horses, And the bridle leather And feeding them oats In all kinds of weather. I miss the swing, All knotted and worn, And the mulberry tree Where our clothes were torn. I miss that hill, With our little house, That held just us And sometimes a mouse. I miss that barn With the stalls and hayloft Where the sparrows gathered And the hay was soft. I miss the pond Where my favorite horse died And I sat next to the water And I remember I cried. I miss the grass That grew thin and tall And hid all the bugs And stole our baseballs. I miss that place From my childhood, But I’ll never forget it. I don’t think I could.
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