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Matsch's Law

A horrible ending is better than endless horrors.

murphism
Added by Dan Costinaş
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Europe Endless

Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Life is timeless
Europe endless
Life is timeless
Europe endless
Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Parks, hotels and palaces
Europe endless
Parks, hotels and palaces
Europe endless
Promenades and avenues
Europe endless
Real life and postcard views
Europe endless
Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Europe endless
Endless endless endless endless
Elegance and decadence
Europe endless
Elegance and decadence
Europe endless

song performed by Kraftwerk
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Girl With Demon Eyes

A cloudy image appears before me.
Who is that with demon eyes?
They speak of horrors that I never want to see.

A girl raped and they say it was justified.
She was asking for it by being such a tease.
Wearing skin tight cloths.
Walking with a strut saying I know you want it.
But you'll never have it.

A cloudy image appears before me.
Who is that with demon eyes?
They speak of horrors that I never want to see.

Her brother died trying to stop it.
His head got shoved right through a window by three men.
The glass broke and dropped slashing his throat.
And the men turned back on her.
She could smell the whiskey on their breath even from distance.

A cloudy image appears before me.
Who is that with demon eyes?
They speak of horrors that I never want to see.

She knew what they wanted.
But looking at her brother she had to fight it.
She grabbed the nearest object she could get her hands on.
And clobbered the biggest one of the bunch with a lamp.
Down he went crashing right across the coffee table.

A cloudy image appears before me.
Who is that with demon eyes?
They speak of horrors that I never want to see.

The other two grabbed her and started ripping off her cloths.
She screamed multiple times at the top of her lungs.
Kicking, punching, and clawing her way to be free.
And it was not a completely an unanswered plea.
The a man and his wife next door heard the woman being brutalized.

A cloudy image appears before me.
Who is that with demon eyes?
They speak of horrors that I never want to see.

He thundered, call 911 I'm going to grab my gun.
Tossed her his cell phone, as he started running.
To bedroom he went.
No hesitation, for it was a matter of life and death.
Meanwhile these gruff men were taking turns forcing her to do unspeakable acts and her brother just lay there unable to move.

[...] Read more

poem by Ace Of Black Hearts
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Someone Keeps Moving My Chair

Mr. horrible
Mr. horrible
Telephone call for mr. horrible
But before he can talk to the ugliness men
Theres some horrible business left
For him to attend to
Something unpleasant has spilled on his brain
As he sponges it off they say
Is this horrible?
Is this horrible?
Its the ugliness men, mr. horrible
Were just trying to bug you
We thought that our dreadfulness
Might be a thing to annoy you with
But mr. horrible says, I dont mind
The thing that bothers me is
Someone keeps moving my chair
Would you mind if we balance this glass of milk
Where your visiting friend accidentally was killed?
Would it be okay with you if we wrote a reminder
Of things well forget to do today otherwise,
Using a green magic marker, if its alright
On the back of your head?
Mr. horrible
Mr. horrible
Were not done with you yet mr. horrible
You have to try on these pants so the ugliness men
Can decide if theyre just as embarrassing as we think
We have to be sure about this
But mr. horrible says, I dont mind
The thing that bothers me is
Someone keeps moving my chair
Someone keeps moving my chair
Mr. horrible says, I dont mind
The thing that bothers me is
Someone keeps moving my chair

song performed by They Might Be Giants
Added by Lucian Velea
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Lycus the Centaur

FROM AN UNROLLED MANUSCRIPT OF APOLLONIUS CURIUS

(The Argument: Lycus, detained by Circe in her magical dominion, is beloved by a Water Nymph, who, desiring to render him immortal, has recourse to the Sorceress. Circe gives her an incantation to pronounce, which should turn Lycus into a horse; but the horrible effect of the charm causing her to break off in the midst, he becomes a Centaur).

Who hath ever been lured and bound by a spell
To wander, fore-doomed, in that circle of hell
Where Witchery works with her will like a god,
Works more than the wonders of time at a nod,—
At a word,—at a touch,—at a flash of the eye,
But each form is a cheat, and each sound is a lie,
Things born of a wish—to endure for a thought,
Or last for long ages—to vanish to nought,
Or put on new semblance? O Jove, I had given
The throne of a kingdom to know if that heaven,
And the earth and its streams were of Circe, or whether
They kept the world's birthday and brighten'd together!
For I loved them in terror, and constantly dreaded
That the earth where I trod, and the cave where I bedded,
The face I might dote on, should live out the lease
Of the charm that created, and suddenly cease:
And I gave me to slumber, as if from one dream
To another—each horrid,—and drank of the stream
Like a first taste of blood, lest as water I quaff'd
Swift poison, and never should breathe from the draught,—
Such drink as her own monarch husband drain'd up
When he pledged her, and Fate closed his eyes in the cup.
And I pluck'd of the fruit with held breath, and a fear
That the branch would start back and scream out in my ear;
For once, at my suppering, I plucked in the dusk
An apple, juice-gushing and fragrant of musk;
But by daylight my fingers were crimson'd with gore,
And the half-eaten fragment was flesh at the core;
And once—only once—for the love of its blush,
I broke a bloom bough, but there came such a gush
On my hand, that it fainted away in weak fright,
While the leaf-hidden woodpecker shriek'd at the sight;
And oh! such an agony thrill'd in that note,
That my soul, startling up, beat its wings in my throat,
As it long'd to be free of a body whose hand
Was doom'd to work torments a Fury had plann'd!

There I stood without stir, yet how willing to flee,
As if rooted and horror-turn'd into a tree,—
Oh! for innocent death,—and to suddenly win it,
I drank of the stream, but no poison was in it;

[...] Read more

poem by Thomas Hood
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Endless Flight

Writers: andrew gold
Keep me steady
Dont rock me all around
Lord, I dont wanna fall down
Understand me
I wish this jet was off the ground
Look around you
And tell me what you see
Are you afraid or is it me?
I hope we make it
I hope we dont fall in the sea
And its gonna be an endless flight
Until we reach the ground tonight
Yes its gonna be an endless flight I know
Like a flyinbird in the night
The wind is strong but I hope Im right
An this will be the end of this endless flight
Make me happy
Just let me see the light
I hope the runway time is near
The look the captain gave
Wasnt comfort and saw fear
Oh, what a fear
And its gonna be an endless flight
Until we reach the ground tonight
Yes its gonna be an endless flight I know
Like a flyin bird in the night
The wind is strong but I hope Im right
An this will be the end of this endless flight
And its gonna be an endless flight
Until we reach the ground tonight
Yes its gonna be an endless flight I know
Like a flyin bird in the night
The wind is strong but I hope Im right
An this will be the end of this endless flight
And its gonna be an endless flight
Until we reach the ground tonight
Yes its gonna be an endless flight I know
Like a flyin bird in the night
The wind is strong but I hope Im right
An this will be the end of this endless flight

song performed by Leo Sayer
Added by Lucian Velea
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Endless Stream Of Tears

I cry awake at night and hug my pillow
And pray that I will die before I wake
No such luck
Another day of cryin
Dont know how much more my old heart can break
Flooded with these memories and emotions
The tears like rain keep on falling down
They say that Ill forget
But my face is just as wet
As it was the day you left this town
Chorus:
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in an endless stream of tears
Its relentless and Im defenseless
Drowning in an endless stream of tears
I cant believe that I can talk about it
I never thought Id live to see this day
But a broken heart wont kill you
You just want to die
But you have to go on livin anyway
I feel it through and through
And Ive never been so blue
And I cried a river over you
Repeat chorus
Oh, Im drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless, endless
Drowning in this endless stream of tears

song performed by Dolly Parton
Added by Lucian Velea
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Endless Dark

Softly the light shines in through
gates of grace on me and you
deceiving our restless hearts
a flickering flame so serene
it fires the night so we could see
the feeling we hold on to so strong
and I know where I belong
away from your Gods
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
endless dark
this endless dark
Lonely the light shines on you
through the gates of fire entombed
feeding on your love
weak is the blaze that kept me away
from cruelty and tenderness embraced
saving my soul no more
and I know where I belong
away from your Gods
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
endless dark
this endless dark
I know where I belong
away from you Gods
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
that shines on you and tame your burning heart
that bury my truth right into your arms
that worship the tomb of our forlorn love
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark
that heal all wounds and light this endless dark

song performed by H.I.M.
Added by Lucian Velea
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Endless Dark

Softly the light shines in through
Gates of grace on me and you
Deceiving our restless hearts
A flickering flame so serene
It fires the night so we could see
Feeling alone so strong
And I know where I belong
Away from your guards
That heal our wounds in life
This endless dark
Endless dark
This endless dark
Lovely the light shines on you
Through the gates of fire entombed
Feeling on your own
Weak is the blaze that kept me away
From cruelty and tenderness embraced
Saving my soul no more
And I know where I belong
Away from your guards
That heal our wounds in life
This endless dark
Endless dark
This endless dark
I know where I belong
Away from you guards
That heal our wounds in life,
This endless dark
The shadow on you that tamed your burning heart
That buried my truth right into your arms
The words of the tomb of I fall on lone
That heal our wounds and light , this endless dark
That heal our wounds and light , this endless dark
That heal our wounds and light , this endless dark
That heal our wounds and light , this endless dark

song performed by H.i.m. (his Infernal Majesty)
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Four Seasons : Winter

See, Winter comes, to rule the varied year,
Sullen and sad, with all his rising train;
Vapours, and clouds, and storms. Be these my theme,
These! that exalt the soul to solemn thought,
And heavenly musing. Welcome, kindred glooms,
Congenial horrors, hail! with frequent foot,
Pleased have I, in my cheerful morn of life,
When nursed by careless Solitude I lived,
And sung of Nature with unceasing joy,
Pleased have I wander'd through your rough domain;
Trod the pure virgin-snows, myself as pure;
Heard the winds roar, and the big torrent burst;
Or seen the deep-fermenting tempest brew'd,
In the grim evening sky. Thus pass'd the time,
Till through the lucid chambers of the south
Look'd out the joyous Spring, look'd out, and smiled.
To thee, the patron of her first essay,
The Muse, O Wilmington! renews her song.
Since has she rounded the revolving year:
Skimm'd the gay Spring; on eagle-pinions borne,
Attempted through the Summer-blaze to rise;
Then swept o'er Autumn with the shadowy gale;
And now among the wintry clouds again,
Roll'd in the doubling storm, she tries to soar;
To swell her note with all the rushing winds;
To suit her sounding cadence to the floods;
As is her theme, her numbers wildly great:
Thrice happy could she fill thy judging ear
With bold description, and with manly thought.
Nor art thou skill'd in awful schemes alone,
And how to make a mighty people thrive;
But equal goodness, sound integrity,
A firm, unshaken, uncorrupted soul,
Amid a sliding age, and burning strong,
Not vainly blazing for thy country's weal,
A steady spirit regularly free;
These, each exalting each, the statesman light
Into the patriot; these, the public hope
And eye to thee converting, bid the Muse
Record what envy dares not flattery call.
Now when the cheerless empire of the sky
To Capricorn the Centaur Archer yields,
And fierce Aquarius stains the inverted year;
Hung o'er the farthest verge of Heaven, the sun
Scarce spreads through ether the dejected day.
Faint are his gleams, and ineffectual shoot
His struggling rays, in horizontal lines,
Through the thick air; as clothed in cloudy storm,
Weak, wan, and broad, he skirts the southern sky;
And, soon-descending, to the long dark night,

[...] Read more

poem by James Thomson
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Life Is Like...

Life is like an endless circle
that goes round and round forever.
Life is just like an endless circle
filled with tears and wounds.

Life is like an endless scar
that just hurts more and more
Life is like an endless scar
that only make me cry.

Life is like an endless pain
that never seems to end
Life is like and endless pain
that just goes round and round forever.

Life is like an endless story
that i just want to end
Life is just like an endless story
there tragic is the line

Life is like an endless song
that goes on and on forever
Life is just like an endless song
with a melody that can tear up hearts.

Life is like a pure shit hole
that don't have anything me to offer
Life is just like a pure shit hole
that never get an end

Life is just pain and tears
i don't know what to do
i don't know how to do
i just know i want out
i just know i want to put
put my final dot.

poem by Fredde Afzederos
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I Am Proud To Say

the horrors
of life, we were
there to confront
all the horrors
of life,
at first it was
a struggle to be
free
and then it is not
anymore
it has become
a lifestyle
and so we get
used to all
these horrors
and they are not
horrors anymore
they become
facts that we
face everyday
without anymore
the fear
these everyday
every minute
we conquer them
with nothing
but a blank face
this numbness
that chews
what seemingly
is horrible
at first but now
they have become
us.

poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Bloody Eyes (Sonnet)

Deep in the darkness horrors lurk
Horrors of a homophobic racist jerk
Horrors of a life destroyed by family
Horrors of person who wanders idly
In the darkness there is no hope
For he has wrapped his neck with that rope
He is prejudice and mean to others
But to me he is like my only brother

I love that jerk to pieces, he can be so kind
I love his bravery, his intuitive mind
But in his darkness I see such pain
He thinks in life there is nothing to gain
My wonderfully horrible cousin doesn’t cry
Instead I see a trickle of blood in his eye

poem by Lenore Lee
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Only One Horrible Thorn

I like to cry and throw a fit
Even the dark day I was born
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

I did not like people around
I would sit, curse at them and scorn
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

My heart could never feel the love
Deep inside I felt sad and torn
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

People still tried to get close to me
I would open my mouth and warn
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

I will never show a smile
This is an oath that I have sworn
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

But the day will come, I will die
Then haunt people after they mourn
I am a sad and drooping rose
With only one horrible thorn

poem by Paul Celano
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The Book of Urizen

PRELUDIUM TO THE [FIRST] BOOK OF URIZEN

Of the primeval Priests assum'd power,
When Eternals spurn'd back his religion;
And gave him a place in the north,
Obscure, shadowy, void, solitary.
Eternals I hear your call gladly,
Dictate swift winged words, & fear not
To unfold your dark visions of torment.

Chap: I

1. Lo, a shadow of horror is risen
In Eternity! Unknown, unprolific!
Self-closd, all-repelling: what Demon
Hath form'd this abominable void
This soul-shudd'ring vacuum? — Some said
"It is Urizen", But unknown, abstracted
Brooding secret, the dark power hid.

2. Times on times he divided, & measur'd
Space by space in his ninefold darkness
Unseen, unknown! changes appeard
In his desolate mountains rifted furious
By the black winds of perturbation

3. For he strove in battles dire
In unseen conflictions with shapes
Bred from his forsaken wilderness,
Of beast, bird, fish, serpent & element
Combustion, blast, vapour and cloud.

4. Dark revolving in silent activity:
Unseen in tormenting passions;
An activity unknown and horrible;
A self-contemplating shadow,
In enormous labours occupied

5. But Eternals beheld his vast forests
Age on ages he lay, clos'd, unknown
Brooding shut in the deep; all avoid
The petrific abominable chaos

6. His cold horrors silent, dark Urizen
Prepar'd: his ten thousands of thunders
Rang'd in gloom'd array stretch out across
The dread world, & the rolling of wheels
As of swelling seas, sound in his clouds
In his hills of stor'd snows, in his mountains

[...] Read more

poem by William Blake (1794)
Added by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Graveyard

The eyes of the dark
Which see through the dimly lit full moon
The snowy flakes,
Covers the graveyard which wakes
The cracking of lids
The wooden carved coffins underground

Some opened up,
Horrors stood up, stretched and bent
With all their waiting there came the end
The lonely graveyard,
Now filled with unseen shadows
Approaching hot living blood
The clinking of chains, hanging from hands
The one-eyed pirates, dirty and torn
They were white, outlined black
With fearful groans, this enjoyed pain

So the graveyard awoke
No fiction at all…
Fearful horrors, they waited so long
For the some that needed to be paid
Some which caused their fearful deaths
The shaken up minds, heart broken men,
By spoiling so some lived, closing the gaps
Fury rose up from them, head to foot
What they accepted was beyond dreams
They will kill, let them
If you shield the culprits, you will be next

So they took off, be aware
The eyes of the dark following them
But when would they return?
After those terrible deaths they suffered
The sounds grew louder, when they approached farther
The clinking and groaning still behind them

January 2008

[DECEMBER 26TH 2004.

I KEPT THE HORRIBLE SCENES OF THE TSUNAMI WAVES. WHILE
LEAVING MY HOMETOWN, I SAW WHAT THE SEA DID TO THE BEAUTIFUL SHORE AND TO THE PEOPLE. THE BEAUTIFUL SHORE BECAME A GRAVEYARD THAT DAY. NOT SLEEPING IN PEACE WAS 150 PEOPLE. THE ONES WHO WERE CHEATED BY THE SEA. THE SCENES OF THE BODIES BEING BURNED WAS A HORRIBLE SIGHT. AND I HAVE KEPT THAT ALL MY LIFE AND THIS IS WHAT CAME THROUGH MY WORDS. THE HORRORS SEEKING REVENGE. BUT WHAT TO DO TO NATURE? ? ? ]

© Copyright Aiswarya T Anish, Kerala, India

poem by Aiswarya T. Anish
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Endless Summer

There used to be a time that I believed
The soft pouring rain was just the pouring rain, it wasnt me
But every new light that wasnt shiny and bright
Well suspend the storms and the clouds in sight
Of an endless summer
An endless summer
An endless summer to be home
Let me go, wasting time
Let me go waste my time
Once there was a chance that I believed you
A kiss was just a kiss
No matter how I missed you
Shine a light on me
Say a prayer for the relief
From an endless summer
An endless summer
An endless summer to be home
Did we go on too long
Did we listen too close
To a youth built strong
With things children shouldnt know
And the fall out from your third degrees
Of broken chairs and of pedigrees
Where the sons kill sons, and the daughters stay wise
cause when we rule, everybody dies
In an endless summer
An endless summer
An endless summer to be home
Let me go, wasting time
Let me go waste my time
Let me go, wasting time
Let me go waste my time
Now you can disagree
With how I choose to live
But freedom isnt free
Unless you learn how to give
To the summer, summer, summer, yeah
Summer, summer, summer, yeah
Summer, summer, summer, yeah
Summer, summer, summer, yeah

song performed by Zwan
Added by Lucian Velea
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Z. Comments

CRYSTAL GLOW

Madhur Veena Comment: Who is she? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ....You write good!

Margaret Alice Comment: Beautiful, it stikes as heartfelt words and touches the heart, beautiful sentiments, sorry, I repeat myself, but I am delighted. Your poem is like the trinkets I collect to adorn my personal space, pure joy to read, wonderful! Only a beautiful mind can harbour such sentiments, you have a beautiful mind. I am glad you have found someone that inspires you to such heights and that you share it with us, you make the world a mroe wonderful place.

Margaret Alice Comment: Within the context set by the previous poem, “Cosmic Probe”, the description of a lover’s adoration for his beloved becomes a universal ode sung to the abstract values of love, joy and hope personified by light, colours, fragrance and beauty, qualities the poet assigns to his beloved, thus elevating her to the status of an uplifting force because she brings all these qualities to his attention. The poet recognises that these personified values brings him fulfilment and chose the image of a love relationship to illustrate how this comes about; thus a love poem becomes the vehicle to convey spiritual epiphany.

FRAGRANT JASMINE

Margaret Alice Comment: Your words seem to be directed to a divine entity, you seem to be addressing your adoration to a divinity, and it is wonderful to read of such sublime sentiments kindled in a human soul. Mankind is always lifted up by their vision and awareness of divinity, thank you for such pure, clear diction and sharing your awareness of the sublime with us, you have uplifted me so much by this vision you have created!

Margaret Alice Comment: The poet’s words seem to be directed to a divine entity, express adoration to a divinity who is the personification of wonderful qualities which awakens a sense of the sublime in the human soul. An uplifting vision and awareness of uplifting qualities of innocence represented by a beautiful person.

I WENT THERE TO BID HER ADIEU

Kente Lucy Comment: wow great writing, what a way to bid farewell

Margaret Alice Comment: Sensory experience is elevated by its symbolical meaning, your description of the scene shows two souls becoming one and your awareness of the importance of tempory experience as a symbol of the eternal duration of love and companionship - were temporary experience only valid for one moment in time, it would be a sad world, but once it is seen as a symbol of eternal things, it becomes enchanting.

I’M INCOMPLETE WITHOUT YOU

Margaret Alice Comment: You elevate the humnan experience of longing for love to a striving for sublimity in uniting with a beloved person, and this poem is stirring, your style of writing is effective, everything flows together perfectly.

Margaret Alice Comment:

'To a resplendent glow of celestial flow
And two split halves unite never to part.'

Reading your fluent poems is a delight, I have to tear myself away and return to the life of a drudge, but what a treasure trove of jewels you made for the weary soul who needs to contemplate higher ideals from time to time!

IN CELESTIAL WINGS

Margaret Alice Comment: When you describe how you are strengthened by your loved one, it is clear that your inner flame is so strong that you need not fear growing old, your spirit seems to become stronger, you manage to convey this impression by your striking poetry. It is a privilege to read your work.

Obed Dela Cruz Comment: wow.... i remembered will shakespeare.... nice poem!

Margaret Alice Comment: The poet has transcended the barriers of time and space by becoming an image of his beloved and being able to find peace in the joy he confers to his beloved.

'You transcend my limits, transcend my soul, I forget my distress in your thoughts And discover my peace in your joy, For, I’m mere image of you, my beloved.'

Margaret Alice Comment: You are my peace and solace, I know, I am, yours too; A mere flash of your thoughts Enlivens my tired soul And fills me with light, peace and solace, A giant in new world, I become, I rise to divine heights in celestial wings. How I desire to reciprocate To fill you with light and inner strength raise you to divine heights; I must cross over nd hold you in arms, light up your soul, Fill you with strength from my inner core, Wipe away your tears burst out in pure joy How I yearn to instill hope and confidence in you we never part And we shall wait, till time comes right. the flame in my soul always seeks you, you transcend my limits, transcend my soul, I forget my distress in your thoughts And discover my peace in your joy, For, I’m mere image of you, my beloved.

RAGING FIRE

[...] Read more

poem by Praveen Kumar
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There Are Those Who Have Known Daily Horrors

THERE ARE THOSE WHO HAVE KNOWN DAILY HORRORS

I have had a relatively easy life-
There are those who have known daily horrors
Beyond those any human being should ever have to imagine
I think of the last generation of survivors of the Shoah
Slowly dying out now
Taking with them their memories of loved ones murdered before their eyes
Of incredible tortures and cruelty
Of horrible partings and endless humiliations-

I think of these people my fellow Jews
And wonder why God allowed it to happen to them
And what it all means-

I certainly don't know-

I have had a relatively easy life
With of course my own griefs and sorrows and failings
But nothing at all like what they went through -

Oh God what is this whole thing about anyway?
And why did You let the Nazi Germans and their Austrian Polish Lithuanian Slovak Romanian Hungarian Dutch French helpers
Do it to them?

Why families with tens of members murdered
Why the children?
The incredible cruelties and humiliations and horrors
Why?

poem by Shalom Freedman
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Tasker Norcross

“Whether all towns and all who live in them—
So long as they be somewhere in this world
That we in our complacency call ours—
Are more or less the same, I leave to you.
I should say less. Whether or not, meanwhile,
We’ve all two legs—and as for that, we haven’t—
There were three kinds of men where I was born:
The good, the not so good, and Tasker Norcross.
Now there are two kinds.”

“Meaning, as I divine,
Your friend is dead,” I ventured.

Ferguson,
Who talked himself at last out of the world
He censured, and is therefore silent now,
Agreed indifferently: “My friends are dead—
Or most of them.”

“Remember one that isn’t,”
I said, protesting. “Honor him for his ears;
Treasure him also for his understanding.”
Ferguson sighed, and then talked on again:
“You have an overgrown alacrity
For saying nothing much and hearing less;
And I’ve a thankless wonder, at the start,
How much it is to you that I shall tell
What I have now to say of Tasker Norcross,
And how much to the air that is around you.
But given a patience that is not averse
To the slow tragedies of haunted men—
Horrors, in fact, if you’ve a skilful eye
To know them at their firesides, or out walking,—”

“Horrors,” I said, “are my necessity;
And I would have them, for their best effect,
Always out walking.”

Ferguson frowned at me:
“The wisest of us are not those who laugh
Before they know. Most of us never know—
Or the long toil of our mortality
Would not be done. Most of us never know—
And there you have a reason to believe
In God, if you may have no other. Norcross,
Or so I gather of his infirmity,
Was given to know more than he should have known,
And only God knows why. See for yourself
An old house full of ghosts of ancestors,
Who did their best, or worst, and having done it,

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poem by Edwin Arlington Robinson
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The Borough. Letter XXII: Peter Grimes

Old Peter Grimes made fishing his employ,
His wife he cabin'd with him and his boy,
And seem'd that life laborious to enjoy:
To town came quiet Peter with his fish,
And had of all a civil word and wish.
He left his trade upon the sabbath-day,
And took young Peter in his hand to pray:
But soon the stubborn boy from care broke loose,
At first refused, then added his abuse:
His father's love he scorn'd, his power defied,
But being drunk, wept sorely when he died.

Yes! then he wept, and to his mind there came
Much of his conduct, and he felt the shame,--
How he had oft the good old man reviled,
And never paid the duty of a child;
How, when the father in his Bible read,
He in contempt and anger left the shed:
"It is the word of life," the parent cried;
--"This is the life itself," the boy replied;
And while old Peter in amazement stood,
Gave the hot spirit to his boiling blood:--
How he, with oath and furious speech, began
To prove his freedom and assert the man;
And when the parent check'd his impious rage,
How he had cursed the tyranny of age,--
Nay, once had dealt the sacrilegious blow
On his bare head, and laid his parent low;
The father groan'd--"If thou art old," said he,
"And hast a son--thou wilt remember me:
Thy mother left me in a happy time,
Thou kill'dst not her--Heav'n spares the double-crime."

On an inn-settle, in his maudlin grief,
This he revolved, and drank for his relief.

Now lived the youth in freedom, but debarr'd
From constant pleasure, and he thought it hard;
Hard that he could not every wish obey,
But must awhile relinquish ale and play;
Hard! that he could not to his cards attend,
But must acquire the money he would spend.

With greedy eye he look'd on all he saw,
He knew not justice, and he laugh'd at law;
On all he mark'd he stretch'd his ready hand;
He fish'd by water, and he filch'd by land:
Oft in the night has Peter dropp'd his oar,
Fled from his boat and sought for prey on shore;
Oft up the hedge-row glided, on his back

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poem by George Crabbe
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