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Whenever A annoys or injures B on the pretense of saving or improving X, A is a scoundrel.

quote by H.L. Mencken
Added by Lucian Velea
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We Your Dearest Friends

We, your dearest friends
Are having dinner without you
We're witty and we use it to be vicious
In just another minute
We'll laughing about you
To the untrained eye
It wouldn't look suspicious
We, your dearest friends
Don't really care if you have needs
Your hopes and dreams
Are trivial by your standards
We make fun of how you sing
And then we imitate your speech
And the stupid things
You say we like to slander
But we won't reel you out too far
'Cause after all, we need you for
Our ongoing quest
We've bonded here in faithlessness
To undermine your happiness
Toying with your paranoia
Everything you do annoys us
It annoys us
We remember how
You bought us all those gifts
You liked to make us think
You were so generous
Be careful in the future
Of everything you say and do
'Cause it can and will be used
Against you by us
We your dearest friends
Judge you "guilty
Here and now
Of thinking you're a star
When it's all over
Nobody wants you
And we the least of all
It's been a long time since
You had those famous lovers
But we won't reel you out too far
'Cause after all, we need you for
Our ongoing quest
We've bonded here
In faithlessness
To undermine your happiness
Toying with your paranoia
Everything you do annoys us
(it annoys the hell out of us)
It's not the straw

[...] Read more

song performed by Carly Simon
Added by Lucian Velea
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Saving Grace

Without direction I walk the night
I was alone in a single beam of light
One glance and you changed my blues
To a prism of light
A thousand hues
Now I must climb to the rainbows arc
Who knows I might find a halo for your heart
Whenever I'm lost for words
And my whole world is falling apart
You are my saving grace
You are the light of a love everlasting
I find hiding place
In your arms
My one and only
Saving grace
My saving grace
I fought the world with a restless heart
Kept my emotions locked away in the dark
Then you came to build me up
When this world could only tear me apart
You are my saving grace
You are the light of a love everlasting
And I find hiding place in your arms
My one and only
Saving grace
For the rest of your life
You can count on me
To never let you down
When you whisper to me
You give me strength to believe that I can hold on
Somehow
You are my saving grace
You are the light of a love everlasting
I find a hiding place
In your arms
My one and only
Saving grace
You are my light and my love everlasting
And I find a hiding place
In your arms
My one and only
Saving grace
My saving grace....
My saving grace

song performed by 38 Special
Added by Lucian Velea
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My Saving Grace

Ive still got a lot to learn
But, at least I know where I can turn
When Im in my times of need
Just as long
(as I know all things are possible)
Just as long as I believe
Ive loved a lot, hurt a lot
Been burned a lot in my life and times
Spent precious years wrapped up in fear
With no end in sight
Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free
Giving me peace
Giving me strength when id
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
I found my saving grace within you
Yes, Ive been bruised
Grew up confused
Been destitute
Ive seen life from many sides
Been stigmatized
Been black and white
Felt inferior inside
Until my saving grace shined on me
Until my saving grace set me free
Giving me peace
Giving me strength when id
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
I found my saving grace within you
And the bountiful things that you do
Lord thank you
For delivering me
And giving me peace
Giving me strength
Giving me hope when id
Almost lost it all
Catching my every fall
I still exist because you keep me safe
Always my saving grace
Pulls me through
I found my saving grace within you
(yes you are - youre my every, everything)
Within you...
(only, only you)
Yes lord
(only you)

[...] Read more

song performed by Mariah Carey
Added by Lucian Velea
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Deceiving World.

Try to catch,
But couldn't catch,
Seen as small and big fish,
Then too strong for their hooks,
Swimming under the new city mall,
Swimming under silver bird gallery,
Swimming under the theatre gallery
Where it called to be situated,
In the island of Nigeria Africa.
Asked where is the world,
Deceiving world its means?
Answers in illusion and delusion,
Tried but hid in tenacious pretense,
pretense of long slavery,
Pretense in standard,
Pretense of self interest,
Pretense of wickedness,
Try to catch,
Too strong for the hooks,
Seen as small and big fish,
Swimming in the island,
Swimming under Museum center,
Swimming under cultured and tour-isms,
Where its called to be situated,
In the world of blacks and white,
In the island of Africa.
Asked where is the world,
Deceiving world its means?
ILLUSION, WICKEDNESS, GREED AND HATRED founds,
Appears answers for reality,
Reality of seconds, Movement, distractions, and player hitters,
Called and seen a deceiving world,
Asked where is the world of the deceits,
At levels of a canteen,
Deceiving world at classrooms,
Deceiving world world of movement,
Deceiving world of called percussionists,
Deceiving world indeed and not fiction called.

poem by Bunmi Orogun Samuel
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Get Over the Hump

Take your bumps and get those lumps,
Although some days you'll be grumpy.
You may also feel crunchy.
But you will get over the hump.

Take your medicine unsweetened,
It is suggested that you do.
Keep yourself from being beatened.
Or you will always feel screwed.

Why do you overwork and welcome ruin?
What is this that you're doing?
There's nothing you're improving!

Why do you overwork and welcome ruin?
What is this that you're doing?
There's nothing you're improving!

Take your bumps and get those lumps,
Although some days you'll be grumpy.
You may also feel crunchy.
But you will get over the hump.

Why do you overwork and welcome ruin?
What is this that you're doing?
There's nothing you're improving!

Take your medicine unsweetened,
It is suggested that you do.
Keep yourself from being beatened.
Or you will always feel screwed.

Why do you overwork and welcome ruin?
To feel crunchy?
What is this that you think that you are doing?
To feel grumpy?
What is it that you're seeking.
A beating that is treating? ? ?

Why do you overwork and welcome ruin?
To feel crunchy?
What is this that you think that you are doing?
To feel grumpy?
What is it that you're seeking.
A beating that is treating? ? ?

Take your medicine unsweetened,
It is suggested that you do.
Keep yourself from being beatened.
Or you will always feel screwed.

[...] Read more

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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The Impact Of Poverty On Education

THE IMPACT OF POVERTY ON EDUCATION.

INTRODUCTION

There are so many different tools that have been thought relevant in people’s developmental projects both at individual and societal levels. Education is one of such practical tools. Importantly to note, there are also various meanings that denote the broad term ‘education’. In this essay, however, we are mainly interested in defining formal education since our discussion will dwell much on it. According to Nwomonoh (1998) , formal education is the process of gaining knowledge, attitudes, information and skills during the course of life especially at school.

Though education is said to be so instrumental in human development but also in the revamping of world economies, it is very unfortunate that education systems, world wide, are being held to ransom all because of poverty at both governmental and household levels. According to Thibault (2009) , poverty means the shortage of common things such as food, clothing, shelter and safe drinking water, all of which determine our quality of life. It may also include lack of access to opportunities like education and employment which aid the escape of poverty.

Problems in our society are interconnected in one way or the other, just like poverty and personal family problems affect a student’s capability to learn. Improving education entails improving the living conditions of students. Having in mind that education is basically responsible for the development of many countries including Malawi, as the back ground suggests, we cannot afford to bypass such a vital element without a mention. Considering also the fact that poverty is one of the forces that come in the way; blocking the success of education, we feel it rational to look at how the two realities, education and poverty, affect each other both positively and negatively. That is also why we are convinced that this topic is worth studying. Our awareness of this source, poverty, and its impact on education will enable us devise some proper measures of intervention with the hope of minimizing the negative impact of poverty on education. This point, in short, explains the purpose of our investigation and why we are so passionate in getting into this research. During the whole discussion we are being guided by two questions thus, ‘does poverty really affect education? And if it does, what points do we have on the positive and negative impacts of poverty on education? ’

METHODOLOGY

The study was basically qualitative in approach because of the nature of the issue that was being addressed. This was the case because the issue of how poverty affects education, both positively and negatively is particularly very difficult to predict the conclusions without penetrating into the core of the issue. For instance, one may unreasonably rush into concluding that poverty affects education negatively only and we cannot even dare to speak of poverty affecting education positively. The study was conducted in three schools namely; Mulunguzi, Masongola and Chirunga Private Secondary schools in Zomba district between 24th April and 3rd May. In this research we used both government and private funded schools to have a more balanced result on how poverty affects formal education in these different institutions. The information required for the study was collected through group interviews of form three students and individual interviews with teachers using semi-structured interview schedules. We opted to use these interviews in the first place because we felt books are more theoretical whereas a field research is practical and it involves real life experiences. Nevertheless, we still used desk research as a supplementary source of information and for clarity in some areas.

RESULTS

Positive impacts of poverty on education
To begin with, poverty encourages one to get educated and of course work hard in class. This is because the problems faced due to poverty are very serious and therefore students who are from poverty stricken families strive to end the problems and one of the best solutions is through education. That is to say, if a person, for instance, due to poverty, is taking just a meal in a day instead of three meals, and again if he/she is sometimes sleeping on an empty stomach, he/she will resort to education bearing in mind that if he/she gets educated they will secure formal employment and eventually be able to make ends meet for themselves as well as fending for their families.

Not only does poverty encourage one to get educated, but also it helped in the introduction of free primary education. In Malawi, for instance, when Bakili Muluzi became president, he introduced free primary education and he had eliminated the requirements for school uniform forthwith (Kadzamira & Rose,2001) . This had increased the access to education dramatically as those pupils who were coming from less privileged families were also given access to this free primary education. It should also be noted that the free primary education system was not only implemented to fulfill an electoral pledge but also bearing in mind that some families were not able to send their children to school due to poverty. Free primary education was there to deal with illiteracy by reducing families’ direct costs of education. Again due to the influx in the number of pupils in primary schools; there was a lack of teachers. Sonani (2002) , testifies that the Ministry of Education re-employed all retired teachers below the age of 65. This also meant that the once retired teachers got back to their source of income which helped them support their families as well as hauling the economy of the country. The implementation of free primary education system in Malawi forced the government to provide infrastructures so as to accommodate the large number of pupils in these schools. Simply put, poverty had led to the introduction of free primary education which means that more children are going to school, and again more teachers are being trained and getting employed and finally the construction of school blocks culminating into infrastructural development, all these branching from poverty.

We may also look at poverty from a positive angle bearing in mind that when a country is poor more funds and donations come into it. These funds and donations are also given to the education sector to build new infrastructures and in the maintenance of already existing ones in the sector. These privileged countries also provide learning materials to schools that are poor as a result students in these less privileged schools perform well in accordance with the amount and quality of the learning materials that they have been provided with. For instance, a United States based non governmental organization known as “Water for People” handed over 44 water toilets they built to Chimwankhunda primary school. The school toilet facilities had been vandalized 11 years ago but because of poverty the school could not renovate them (Gausi,2007) .

In addition, these funds and donations help more people to get educated. This is so because people can use funds as school fees, pocket money and buy stationery. The donations may include library books, chairs and writing materials. These can make a conducive environment for one to learn since there will be enough facilities at the school. For instance, with funding from the “United States Agency for International Development” (USAID) ,3,300 needy Malawian primary school girls are being funded. They are being provided with food, clothing, school supplies and hygienic products like soap and body lotion (Muhaliwa,2005) . Likewise,500 pupils at Katoto primary school in Mzuzu no longer sit on the floors during lessons courtesy of Southern Bottlers Limited and Lions Club of Limbe. Before these funds and donations, pupils used to sit on the floor due to scarcity of desks. These donations improved the pupils’ school attendance in such a way that pupils have started going to school regularly.

In the same line, a needy student can be given a scholarship to go further with his/her education. In this case the scholarship is given to the person just because he/she cannot manage to pay school fees on her own. This in turn benefits the needy person and the community at large. In this situation poverty has assisted in the development of education in an area by beckoning funds and donations from rich countries and organisations.

Further more; in most cases poverty facilitates one’s ambitions to attain formal education. It becomes easier for a poor child to put much of his concentration on education as compared to a rich child. This is because a poverty stricken student will have less destructive materials for entertainment. He/she will also have less or no money to indulge him/herself in activities that require spending a lot of money for instance, drinking beer. Sometimes even if the child can find money he/she can buy basic needs and not just spending it anyhow. Contrast to this a rich child may obtain things like ipods, mp3s, games for entertainment. These things in most cases destruct the concentration of students in their studies. As a result, one’s class performance is negatively affected since most of his/her time is being spent on entertainment.

Negative impacts of poverty on education

Just as a coin has got two sides, a head and a tail, poverty also, apart from having positive impacts on education, it does have negative impacts on the same. We have talked much about the positive face of poverty on education. We shall surely do ourselves injustice if we do not look at the negative part. In spite of the fact that poverty has an impact on education that is worth complimenting, we cannot afford in this discussion to overlook the point that so many students have been forced to leave the corridors of learning institutions due to the same poverty. One of the reasons that force some students leave the learning institutions prematurely is pregnancy, which in most cases, come because of poverty. It is almost common knowledge that a good number of students who come from poor families wish they could be sailing in the same boat with those who come from well to do families as far as luxurious life is concerned. The poor students constantly feel that there is something missing at the core psychologically. With this feeling in their minds, they tend to regard themselves as incomplete and not accepted socially. Consequently, they envy the rich students and squarely want to posses the things that are associated with the rich students. Very unfortunate that the poor students’ parents cannot afford to fulfill their children’s desires like what the rich parents would provide. Because the pull towards recognition is too strong for the poor students to resist, they end up in indulging themselves into prostitution in their search for money. Pity indeed that instead of recreating, as anticipated, their promiscuous behavior sees most of them getting pregnant and for some very unfortunate ones get even HIV and other STIs. From this discussion, commonsense convinces us that this school dropp out due to pregnancy is one of the negative impacts of poverty on education.

Adding more flesh to this discussion, we can also appreciate that hunger has been so instrumental in bringing down the standards of education world wide, in general, and Malawi, in particular. Frankly speaking, there are very few students if not none, who concentrate on their studies on empty stomachs. Food is one of the basic needs that every person is obliged to have if he/she is to survive. It is not surprising, therefore, to see some students performing miserably in class simply because they have not taken enough food or they have taken none altogether. The question of hunger finds its way into the education system because the government has failed to provide adequate food in most of its boarding schools. This is poverty at governmental level. There are also some students who are not boarders but still endure the hostile reality of hunger right in their homes. This is due to poverty at household level. It is sad that poverty, both at governmental and household level, has helped in engineering the deteriorating of education standards in Malawi.

Bearing in mind that it is only the eagle that can tell us the real whisper of a cloud, we visited Masongola Secondary school with the hope of getting first hand information from the students and their teachers since they are the ones who mostly benefit or get destructed by poverty. The Masongola secondary school students and their teacher, Mr. Enock Abraham, testified to us during an interview that government’s inability to provide extra food, apart from the usual beans that the institution offers, has seen many students developing ulcers. It would sound bizarre to reason that one can attend classes whilst he/she is on a hospital bed battling with ulcers. The Masongola students further testified that most poor students who have ulcers just bow down out of the race of learning because they cannot afford to buy extra food whenever the institution is serving the students beans.

This pitiful development goes beyond the boundaries of Masongola secondary school. Mulunguzi secondary school as Mr……the head teacher at the institution testifies, has not been spared from the scourge of school dropp outs simply because the school has not been able to provide extra or adequate food to students who cannot take what their friends take on health grounds. Needless to say this leaves the education standards in Malawi vacillating. It is a pity that though we have wrestled with this question of poverty a dozen times, we have not been successful in the battle. At one point in time, the government attempted to minimize the chances of school dropout in primary schools through its provision of porridge to pupils in the junior section. This attempt was in itself a good gesture but the government has failed to implement the initiative further in other schools that up to now have not benefited from the program.

It may not sound an exaggeration if we may say poverty has also forced a good number of students to give up their hopes of getting educated simply because they find it so difficult traveling to and from their respective schools. Lack of transport means, in short, has pushed them well towards the blink of despair as far as attaining formal education is concerned. This point speaks for itself how poverty can sometimes work on the education’s disadvantage.

As we go further with this discussion, we also appreciate the fact that the problem that mostly hinders a student’s success is inadequate resources that include; few teachers and learning materials. It must be highlighted that these problems are not only in developing countries but they may also find their way in reasonably developed countries like South Africa. In a developing country like Malawi, the education system encounters these problems because of the government’s failure to look into problems of infrastructure, capacity and availability of teaching and learning materials (Nkawike,2005) . The Muluzi government did a little if any; in as far as infrastructure is concerned. Lack of school blocks facilitated by a large number of pupils due to the introduction of the free primary education in 1994, forced pupils to have lessons under trees. In 2003, for example, lack of school blocks resulted in a tragedy at Nkomachi in Lilongwe when a tree fell onto an outdoor class, resulting in injury and deaths of pupils (Mvula & Chanika,2004) . This problem of learning materials continues till date, in all levels of the education system. According to Abraham (2009) , the school has always had shortage of learning blocks to an extent that the Physical Science and Biology laboratories are used as classrooms. There is also great shortage of books in all departments, and some departments like the technical department needs new equipment and current books which are very expensive. With this unfortunate situation we cannot anticipate good performance from Masongola secondary school.

In order to deal with these issues, the Muluzi government thought it wise to disregard the provision of learning materials in schools. Instead the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) pass mark was reduced to ensure the success of students in their examinations. Even the director of Basic Education, Nelson Kaperemera admitted that funds intended for learning materials were servicing the debts of government at the expense of improving quality education. Instead of reducing the pass mark, the government and other stake holders should strive to improve quality of education, improve teacher salaries, and provide adequate materials and train teachers properly (Malawi News,2006) .

In developing countries like Malawi, the schools are understaffed (teaching personnel) and they tend to be handling a large number of students for long hours. Furthermore, the teachers are subjected to meager salaries, which are even made late. The government does not seem to have the welfare of teachers at heart, for instance the education Manager for Phalombe, Enoch Ali says the district is facing a dire shortage of teachers, a situation that is contributing to low education standards. The teacher pupil ratio in Phalombe is 1: 120, whilst the recommended ratio is 1: 60 (The Nation,2006) . Due to low pay teachers resort to organizing part time classes, which demand an extra amount of money on top of the normal fees. These changes clearly affect those students who come from very poor families, as they do not receive adequate studies because of lack of money.
This does not only occur in secondary schools, but it also happens in universities. As the academic staff of the Universities go on strike because of the government’s reluctance to increase their salaries. One considers how this is supposed to retain staff in the University. As a result lecturers spend more time doing consultancies; instead of preparing lectures and doing University mandated research. If we are serious about fighting poverty, formal education is the hub of ideas to fight these problems by improving its standards (Kapasula,2008) .
Child labour is one of the major problems that contribute to school dropp out. The majority of child labour victims are children who are living in poverty. This is so because they lack basic needs, for this reason they are forced even against their will to do any kind of work in order to gain financial wealth. This, therefore, affects school attendance. Evidence of school dropp out due to child labour is found in central region where most children are being employed in estates. This region has high tobacco production. Since this crop demands a lot of work, children are at high demand because they do not claim high wages compared to adults. Research, therefore, showed that the percentage of children attending schools is lower compared to that of northern and southern region (Nyirongo,2004) . We have the case of two brothers aged between 12 and 15 who were forced to work at a tobacco farm at Mpherembe in Kasungu district, where they were receiving 150 kwacha a day due to poverty (Namangale,2005) . We can see that child labour has a great impact on education because through it, a lot of children are being deprived of their right to education as they spend most of their time working.

In addition to that, Chirwa (2003) found out that child labour is also taking place in people’s houses. In this case children are forced to dropp out of school either by parents or on their own, to work in neighbouring homes. Here one of the victims is a 12 year old girl Elizabeth Chalimba, who left school when she was in standard six to work as a nanny in order to support her siblings. Children from low income families are at risk because though school is their only hope for a better future, they dropp out because their parents are failing to provide them with basic needs. Apart from child labour, psychological problems due to poverty is also another cause of school dropp outs. Research shows that the impact of poverty is greater on children as opposed to adults. Firstly, the problem arises due to the environment in which these children are raised. These environments being impoverished, they are intellectually unstimulating, and lack of stimulation results in impaired intellectual development of a child. This in turn contributes to failure in class which can later on lead to school dropp out.

[...] Read more

poem by Innocent Masina Nkhonyo
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She's Saving Me

we were sitting round a dying fire
somebody lit incense
somebody lit a cigarette
and passed a bottle around
it was just strawberry season
backbreaking pickers in the patches
everythings burning down to ashes
and down to the ground
she's saving me
i don't even think she knows it
it's a strange way to show it as distant as
last nights dream unravels
she's saving me
i'm a very lost soul
i was born with a hole in my heart
the size of my land locked travels
i try to put it aside
but it's too much bigger than me
there's a big brown hawk in the tree
lighting and leaving
and there's tea leaves tossing
heads up pennies in my pocket
dead star like a rocket
the arc of my grieving
she's saving me
i don't even think she knows it
its a strange way to show it
as distant as last nights dream unravels
she's saving me
i'm a very lost soul
i was born with a hole in my heart
the size of my land locked travels
the sky pours out biblical rain
then days so still the beauty gives you pain
the heatwave kills the green
and she remains unseen
but colors up my dreams
with all things blooming
this is not all there is
it's not a kingdom
it's not an angry god
it feels like her
it feels like no fear
it feels like no doubt
it feels like inside out
the ashes stir
she's saving me
i don't even think she knows it
such a strange way to show it as distant as
last nights dream unravels

[...] Read more

song performed by Indigo Girls
Added by Lucian Velea
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Save, secure, savour!

Lets see in today’s world,
all worried about a good financial formula.
Felt like running against time,
thinking of saving huge amount prior to retirement!

Competing with colleagues,
if their investments; really the better plans than mine.
Assuming an ideal situation only if i got little earlier,
all saving incomes with incredible interest’ would sound awesome!

Saving should be in that leading institute which already,
has been awarded as 5 star fund mutually.
Considering all that risk factors of net asset value,
in market but strongly there’s an assurance of capital returns!

Now, start dreaming about after retirement,
no doubt, it could be a unique holidays with the family.
But there won’t be such amazing holidays,
cause suddenly a consciousness comes about family’s future security!

It would be more better if i save a little more,
since i have been saving throughout my whole working life.
Let my family & this world shall know that i am capable of saving,
such huge fund just to secure their (family’s) future!

It goes like this all of my life,
I worked hard on saving for future securities.
Then it keeps on continuing until i die and finally admitted myself
that i save all that i can for my family, so i’m ready to leave this world peacefully…!

Written by warner keisham, at 3.49 am, sunday morning, march 28,2010.

poem by Warner Keisham
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The Parish Register - Part III: Burials

THERE was, 'tis said, and I believe, a time
When humble Christians died with views sublime;
When all were ready for their faith to bleed,
But few to write or wrangle for their creed;
When lively Faith upheld the sinking heart,
And friends, assured to meet, prepared to part;
When Love felt hope, when Sorrow grew serene,
And all was comfort in the death-bed scene.
Alas! when now the gloomy king they wait,
'Tis weakness yielding to resistless fate;
Like wretched men upon the ocean cast,
They labour hard and struggle to the last;
'Hope against hope,' and wildly gaze around
In search of help that never shall be found:
Nor, till the last strong billow stops the breath,
Will they believe them in the jaws of Death!
When these my Records I reflecting read,
And find what ills these numerous births succeed;
What powerful griefs these nuptial ties attend;
With what regret these painful journeys end;
When from the cradle to the grave I look,
Mine I conceive a melancholy book.
Where now is perfect resignation seen?
Alas! it is not on the village-green: -
I've seldom known, though I have often read,
Of happy peasants on their dying-bed;
Whose looks proclaimed that sunshine of the breast,
That more than hope, that Heaven itself express'd.
What I behold are feverish fits of strife,
'Twixt fears of dying and desire of life:
Those earthly hopes, that to the last endure;
Those fears, that hopes superior fail to cure;
At best a sad submission to the doom,
Which, turning from the danger, lets it come.
Sick lies the man, bewilder'd, lost, afraid,
His spirits vanquish'd, and his strength decay'd;
No hope the friend, the nurse, the doctor lend -
'Call then a priest, and fit him for his end.'
A priest is call'd; 'tis now, alas! too late,
Death enters with him at the cottage-gate;
Or time allow'd--he goes, assured to find
The self-commending, all-confiding mind;
And sighs to hear, what we may justly call
Death's common-place, the train of thought in all.
'True I'm a sinner,' feebly he begins,
'But trust in Mercy to forgive my sins:'
(Such cool confession no past crimes excite!
Such claim on Mercy seems the sinner's right!)
'I know mankind are frail, that God is just,
And pardons those who in his Mercy trust;

[...] Read more

poem by George Crabbe
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Scoundrel Days

Was that somebody screaming...
It wasnt me for sure
I lift my head up from uneasy
Pillows
Put my feet on the floor
Cut my wrist on a bad thought
And head for the door
Outside on the pavement
The dark makes no noise
I can feel the sweat on my lips
Leaking into my mouth
Im heading out for the steep hills
Theyre leaving me no choice
And see...as our lives are in the making
We believe through the lies and the hating
That love goes free
For want of an option
I run the wind round
I dream pictures of houses burning
Never knowing nothing else to do
With death comes the morning
Unannounced and new
Was it too much to ask for
To pull a little weight...
They forgive anything but greatness
These are scoundrel days
And Im close to calling out their names
As pride hits my face
See...as our lives are in the making
We believe through their lies and the hating
That love goes free through
Scoundrel days
I reach the edge of town
Ive got blood in my hair
Their hands touch my body
From everywhere
But I know that Ive made it
As I run into the air
And see...as our lives are in the making
We believe through the lies and the hating
That love goes free
Through scoundrel days

song performed by A-Ha
Added by Lucian Velea
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Transocean Ltd Vision Gulf Of Mexico Does Not Count

Transocean Ltd. CEO Steve Newman scores on Gulf oil
the company noted 'the tragic loss of life' when BP PLC
exploded their Transocean's Deepwater Horizon oil rig in
the Gulf of Mexico on April 20 2010 killing 11 workers

causing the largest offshore oil spill in American history
Newman brushed the incident off proclaiming company
'exemplary' safety record which “met or exceeded certain
internal safety targets concerning frequency and severity

of its accidents, according to the filing with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on Friday.” Newman loves
putting out fire with gasoline getting big bonuses shafting
ocean environment with explosion policy profit not safety

is mean and a commission appointed by President Barack
Obama agreed stated explosion was caused by a series of
time money-saving decisions deliberately made by policy
Transocean, BP and oil services company Halliburton Inc.

These companies “created an unacceptable amount of risk.”
Newman environment can burn hang conservation ideology
reflected in blue lighter fluid burning of protective red tape
was polished off in the company regulatory filing bonuses

“appropriate as a way to recognize its executives' efforts in
'significantly improving the company's safety record' and
implementing a new internal planning system” (called burn
baby burn record 200 million gallons spilled oil stupidity)

Transocean Ltd further boasting 'exemplary' safety record
executives efforts 'significantly improving the company's
safety record' proudly continued stated “Those efforts have
'enabled the company to maintain its financial flexibility

during a challenging period, ('the tragic loss of life') while,
at the same time, positioning the company for sustained
growth in the future.' Achieved without handicap safety
first life saving policy limiting losing profit unforgivable

Transocean Ltd. CEO Steve Newman soaks up a calculated
by The Associated Press $5.8 million compensation package
after spilling 200 million gallons of oops accident crime oil
into beautiful Gulf of Mexico because nature does not count

Copyright © Terence George Craddock
Source article ‘Transocean gives safety bonuses despite deaths’ by Jordan Robertson, AP Business Writer.

poem by Terence George Craddock
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Saving Grace

If you find it in your heart, can I be forgiven?
Guess I owe you some kind of apology.
Ive escaped death so many times, I know Im only living
By the saving grace thats over me.
By this time id-a thought I would be sleeping
In a pine box for all eternity.
My faith keeps me alive, but I still be weeping
For the saving grace thats over me.
Well, the death of life, then come the resurrection,
Wherever I am welcome is where Ill be.
I put all my confidence in him, my sole protection
Is the saving grace thats over me.
Well, the devils shining light, it can be most blinding,
But to search for love, that aint no more than vanity.
As I look around this world all that Im finding
Is the saving grace thats over me.
The wicked know no peace and you just cant fake it,
Theres only one road and it leads to calvary.
It gets discouraging at times, but I know Ill make it
By the saving grace thats over me.

song performed by Bob Dylan
Added by Lucian Velea
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All Of This Love

(john paul daniel/chapin hartford/jule medders)
Have you ever seen a wild magnolia
Theres only one place it grows
On the shady banks of the tennessee river
Sheltered, untouched and alone
Theres a place in my heart where nobody has been
And I keep it for you
Theres a door to my dreams and one day youll walk in
And until that day Ill be true
cause I cant wait to see what youll do
With all of this love that Im saving for you
All of this love
Cant wait to see what youll do
With all of this love
All of this love that Im saving for you
Do you ever feel the ache and the hunger
And do you look for me too
Sometimes at night when I lie awake and I wonder
Shadows of doubt fill my room
And the darkness falls and I stare at the walls
til you come into view
And I picture your face and the time and the place
Youre a dream waiting to come true
And I cant wait to see what youll do
With all of this love that Im saving for you
All of this love
Cant wait to see what youll do
With all of this love
All of this love that Im saving for you
All of this love that Im saving for you

song performed by Pam Tillis
Added by Lucian Velea
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All Things Are Simply Possible, Just By God's Saving Grace!

I aimed to accomplish one thing,
But turned to be yet another;
I thought I was unfit in life,
But God brought me out of all strife.
All things are simply possible,
Just by God's saving grace!

I travelled by a road I chose;
It led me to an alien place;
I thought I had a blunder done;
God gave me timely rain and sun!
All things are simply possible,
Just by God's saving grace!

I felt awful and depressed oft,
And life had turned quite meaningless;
To God, I cried in despair, ‘Lord! '
My strength returned reading His Word!
All things are simply possible,
Just by God's saving grace!

I saw the modern world of man,
Afilled by sin and wickedness;
I felt like asking God, ‘But why? '
Hope filled my heart anew from sky!
All things are simply possible,
Just by God's saving grace!

I found all earthly life futile,
And wished from heart to earlier die!
But God renewed my spirits high,
And made my earthly stay worthwhile!
All things are simply possible,
But by God's saving grace!

Copyright by Dr John Celes 17=11-2012

poem by John Celes
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The Borough. Letter XIII: The Alms-House And Trustees

LEAVE now our streets, and in yon plain behold
Those pleasant Seats for the reduced and old;
A merchant's gift, whose wife and children died,
When he to saving all his powers applied;
He wore his coat till bare was every thread,
And with the meanest fare his body fed.
He had a female cousin, who with care
Walk'd in his steps, and learn'd of him to spare;
With emulation and success they strove,
Improving still, still seeking to improve,
As if that useful knowledge they would gain -
How little food would human life sustain:
No pauper came their table's crumbs to crave;
Scraping they lived, but not a scrap they gave:
When beggars saw the frugal Merchant pass,
It moved their pity, and they said, 'Alas!
Hard is thy fate my brother,' and they felt
A beggar's pride as they that pity dealt.
The dogs, who learn of man to scorn the poor,
Bark'd him away from every decent door;
While they who saw him bare, but thought him rich,
To show respect or scorn, they knew not which.
But while our Merchant seemed so base and mean,
He had his wanderings, sometimes 'not unseen;'
To give in secret was a favourite act,
Yet more than once they took him in the fact
To scenes of various woe he nightly went,
And serious sums in healing misery spent;
Oft has he cheer'd the wretched at a rate
For which he daily might have dined on plate;
He has been seen--his hair all silver-white,
Shaking and shining--as he stole by night,
To feed unenvied on his still delight.
A twofold taste he had; to give and spare,
Both were his duties, and had equal care;
It was his joy to sit alone and fast,
Then send a widow and her boys repast:
Tears in his eyes would spite of him appear,
But he from other eyes has kept the tear:
All in a wint'ry night from far he came,
To soothe the sorrows of a suffering dame;
Whose husband robb'd him, and to whom he meant
A ling'ring, but reforming punishment:
Home then he walked, and found his anger rise
When fire and rushlight met his troubled eyes;
But these extinguish'd, and his prayer address'd
To Heaven in hope, he calmly sank to rest.
His seventieth year was pass'd and then was seen
A building rising on the northern green;
There was no blinding all his neighbours' eyes,

[...] Read more

poem by George Crabbe
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Hate is too great a burden to bear. It injures the hater more than it injures the hated.

quote by Coretta Scott King
Added by Lucian Velea
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The Parish Register - Part I: Baptisms

The year revolves, and I again explore
The simple Annals of my Parish poor;
What Infant-members in my flock appear,
What Pairs I bless'd in the departed year;
And who, of Old or Young, or Nymphs or Swains,
Are lost to Life, its pleasures and its pains.
No Muse I ask, before my view to bring
The humble actions of the swains I sing. -
How pass'd the youthful, how the old their days;
Who sank in sloth, and who aspired to praise;
Their tempers, manners, morals, customs, arts,
What parts they had, and how they 'mploy'd their

parts;
By what elated, soothed, seduced, depress'd,
Full well I know-these Records give the rest.
Is there a place, save one the poet sees,
A land of love, of liberty, and ease;
Where labour wearies not, nor cares suppress
Th' eternal flow of rustic happiness;
Where no proud mansion frowns in awful state,
Or keeps the sunshine from the cottage-gate;
Where young and old, intent on pleasure, throng,
And half man's life is holiday and song?
Vain search for scenes like these! no view appears,
By sighs unruffled or unstain'd by tears;
Since vice the world subdued and waters drown'd,
Auburn and Eden can no more be found.
Hence good and evil mixed, but man has skill
And power to part them, when he feels the will!
Toil, care, and patience bless th' abstemious few,
Fear, shame, and want the thoughtless herd pursue.
Behold the Cot! where thrives th' industrious

swain,
Source of his pride, his pleasure, and his gain;
Screen'd from the winter's wind, the sun's last ray
Smiles on the window and prolongs the day;
Projecting thatch the woodbine's branches stop,
And turn their blossoms to the casement's top:
All need requires is in that cot contain'd,
And much that taste untaught and unrestrain'd
Surveys delighted; there she loves to trace,
In one gay picture, all the royal race;
Around the walls are heroes, lovers, kings;
The print that shows them and the verse that sings.
Here the last Louis on his throne is seen,
And there he stands imprison'd, and his Queen;
To these the mother takes her child, and shows
What grateful duty to his God he owes;

[...] Read more

poem by George Crabbe
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Ticket To Lie

Attention annoys me
Could disappoint me
So just take a walk
And try to avoid
The cars in the street now
They could knock you
So just take a bus
Theres a ticket in my hand
If you want
I dont know what you think
Tell me where you want to go
Take a breath when I ask you to
Just try
Close your eyes
Ill take you there
I could take you anywhere
Come fly
Yeah tell me what you want to do
I can make it up for you and lie
Laughter annoys me
Makes me feel sad
Yeah I love that bug
Can I have it back
Theres black all around me
Im lost in this crowd
Theres no coming back
Cause Im on my way down
Theres a ticket in my hand
I cant use it without you
So tell me where you want to go
Take a breath when I ask you to
Just try
Close your eyes
Ill take you there
I could take you anywhere
Come fly
Tell me where you want to go
Take a breath when I ask you to
Just try
Close your eyes
Ill take you there
I could take you anywhere
Come fly
Yeah tell me what you want to do
I can make it up for you and lie
So tell me where you want to go
I will put that ticket in your hand

song performed by Texas
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Noise and Equipoise

NOISE AND EQUIPOISE
Noise:
A signal the individual is unaware [s]he could decipher

Static is said to be noise,
'interference’ which often annoys,
yet the noise is not static
but code automatic,
sent by atoms which seek equipoise.

Here is there, where perception employs
perspicacity spurning poor ploys,
though zen trip's tip erratic
seems, dreams reel to vatic
conclusion aback zen tortoise.

Noise: an echo where energy toys
with a world whose half-life it destroys,
this while reader, ecstatic,
ventures smile enigmatic,
sees the light, - contradictions enjoys.

For 'pro', 'con', twins identical, boys,
maintain nothing's vain, on 'porpoise'
spins life's jest, though dramatic
it appears, scarce pragmatic,
sense intense may discover, reach poise.

31 May 1995 revised 6 May 2009
robi03_0756_robi03_0000 GWX_EJZ
for previous version followed by Nothing see below

Noise and Equipoise

Noise:
A signal the individual is unaware [s]he could decipher

Static is said to be noise,
‘interference’ which often annoys,
yet the noise is not static
but code automatic,
sent by atoms which seek equipoise...

Noise: an echo where energy toys
with a world whose half-life it destroys,
this while reader, ecstatic,
with a smile enigmatic,
sees the light, - contradictions enjoys...

[...] Read more

poem by Jonathan Robin
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Refuse to Be Driven to Fits

Grab your destiny.
Prepare to mix a recipe...
With a freeing breeze.
And-don't-let-go.

Know you've got the key.
To fulfill your every need.
Choose your life to be...
One-that-flows.

You alone can plant your crop with joy.
If you want it.
And get on it.

You alone can stop that which annoys.
By distractions coming to sit...
To make you bite your lower lip.

Grab your destiny.
Prepare to mix a recipe...
With a freeing breeze.
And-don't-let-go.

Know you've got the key.
To fulfill your every need.
If you want it.
Just get on it.

Refuse to be driven to fits.
Know you're tired of this and quit.
If you want it.
Just get on it.

Refuse to be driven to fits.
Know you're tired of this and quit.
If you want it.
Just get on it.

You alone can plant your crop with joy.
You alone can stop that which annoys.
If you want it.
Just get on it.
And...
Refuse to be driven to fits.
Know you're tired of this and quit.
If you want it.
Just get on it.
And...
Refuse to be driven to fits.
Know you're tired of this and quit.

[...] Read more

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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