Citatepedia^®.com

The jam is moving toward the Capitol where Congress sits in judgment on all the administrative agencies of Government.

quote by Grace Abbott
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Def Jam In The Motherland

(Intro: LL Cool J)
Yeah, yeah, checkin' 'em out
Special shout-out, keepin' on
Check it out y'all, my man in the house...
(LL Cool J)
Corkunrun absolute killer of all
Take her blood, bouncin' heads like balls
Murderer, somethin' mutilater of Amiga
I get ill, so blood spills, everytime I speak
Drivin' Bombs that inveterate your ego
Suckers all weird, no let the best go migo
They talk and talk, I invade and take over
Forget Mako, you gonna need a make-over
I'm ferocious, animalistic, an animal
On the mic - I'm a cannibal
I eat livers, hearts, legs and arms
They crown me the King of doin' nothin' but harm
I'm two with the Universe and I'ma make you
diverse, make I kill quick, so you'll win from crew to hers
I'ma Titan, keepin' you frightened
I went to the Motherland, so now I'm enlightened
There's a...
(Chorus: LL Cool J)
Def Jam in the Motherland, Def Jam in the Motherland
Def Jam in the Motherland, in the Motherland
It's a Def Jam in the Motherland, Def Jam in the Motherland
Def Jam in the Motherland, in the Motherland
(LL Cool J)
For bow-take to far cynical of Egypt
Cool J I'm slay and I'm fully equipped
to decapatate, amputate and take titles
The legend of leather, I'ma real live idol
Damn I take souls, condemn we men
and make microphones men again and again
Cause, I'm blood thirsty watch and try to curse me
You'll lose the battle even if you out re-hearsed me
I'ma rip holes watch heads roll, like a mole
when I'm strollin' with my neck on a goal
My battles' like a blackout, you can't back out
Only difference, no time to feel a track out
It's a...
(Chorus: LL Cool J)
Def Jam in the Motherland, Def Jam in the Motherland
Def Jam in the Motherland, in the Motherland
It's a Def Jam in the Motherland, Def Jam in the Motherland
Def Jam in the Motherland, in the Motherland
(LL Cool J)
So come forward, admit you're guilty
Admit that your thoughts of New Jack killed me
Admit you were sleepin' on the skills of L

[...] Read more

song performed by LL Cool J
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jam

Starting over
To feel the way I do
A sudden stranger
To everything I knew
All the years together
Now the days we are apart
New experiences
New sensation for the heart
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Got to get some
To be alone was frightening
But I knew I had to stay
til all the dreamers came
To take my loneliness away
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Youve got to get some
If all our life is dancing
Then lets just let the music play
What good is crying?
Im going to jam my life away
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Where you used to
Jam
Jam
Jam
Jam
Starting over
To feel the way I do
A sudden stranger
To everything I knew
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
But you know that you will go back
Where you used to
Jam
Got to get some jam
Jam
Got to get some
Jam
Got to get some jam

[...] Read more

song performed by Human League
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jam Karet

i do not measure the space between
moments of pleasure we'll someday see
if you need a reason let me know
if you need the answer you will know
if you say tomorrow you will go you will go away
chorus
there is no limit
jam karet jam karet
open every window
jam karet
there is no limit
jam karet jam karet
i do not measure the distance
or instigate any resistance
if you need a reason let me know
if you need the answer you will know
if you say tomorrow you will go you will go away
chorus
there is no limit
jam karet jam karet
open every window
jam karet
there is no such thing as time
stretching every minute
jam karet jam karet
there is no limit
jam karet jam karet
i'll light the fire within you
you can make mountains move too
bridge
ooh with my truer friends
i do not notice when the clocks unwind
chorus
there is no limit
jam karet jam karet
open every window
jam karet jam karet
there is no such thing as time
stretching every minute
jam karet jam karet
as long as we are in it
jam karet jam karet
chorus

song performed by Vonda Shepard
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jam Karet (Time Is Elastic)

I do not measure the space between
Moments of pleasure we'll someday see
If you need a reason let me know
If you need the answer you will know
If you say tomorrow you will go, you will go away
(Chorus)
There is no limit
Jam Karet Jam Karet
Open every window
Jam Karet
There is no limit
Jam Karet Jam Karet
I do not measure the distance
Or instigate any resistance
If you need a reason let me know
If you need the answer you will know
If you say tomorrow you will go, you will go away
(Chorus)
There is no limit
Jam Karet Jam Karet
Open every window
Jam Karet
(There is no such thing as time)
Stretching every minute
Jam Karet Jam Karet
There is no limit
Jam Karet Jam Karet
I'll light the fire within you
You can make mountains move too
(Bridge)
Ooh with my truer friends
I do not notice when the clocks unwind
(Chorus)
There is no limit
Jam Karet Jam Karet
Open every window
Jam Karet Jam Karet
(There is no such thing as time)
Stretching every minute
Jam Karet Jam Karet
As long as we are in it
Jam Karet Jam Karet
(Chorus

song performed by Vonda Shepard
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

How Do You Like It

Keith sweat & left eye
(appears on the album get up on it)
How do you like it when I do it just like this (ho)
How do you like it when I do it just like that
How do you like it when I do it just like this
How do you like it when I do it just like that
Chorus:
And all the gangstas say (ho)
And all the gangstas say (ho)
And all the gangstas say (ho)
And all the gangstas say (ho)
I dont wanna do you wrong baby (do you wrong)
I just wanna treat you right (treat you right baby)
Come and lay with me my girl (lay with me)
I just wanna serve you right
How do you like it baby
Nice and slow boy
Tell me how do you want it baby
Here we go my baby
Tell me girl what makes you feel good my baby
Nice and slow boy
Tell me girl how do you like it baby
Here we go my baby
I want my back promises
How do you like it when I do it just like this
Come on come on come on
How do you like it when I do it just like that
Do you like it when I do it like this to you baby
How do you like it when I do it just like this
Tell me how do you like it girl
How do you like it when I do it just like that (yea)
Chorus
Come on girl and taste this lovin girl
Taste this love
That you know I got for you
Got for you baby
I just wanna lay you down
Down with me
That is what I wanna do
How do you like it baby
Nice and slow boy
Tell me girl how do you want me baby baby
Here we go my baby
Tell me how you like it sugar
Nice and slow boy
I wanna know how you want it baby
Here we go my baby
Girl I got to know girl
How do you like it when I do it just like this
Aint nothin but a jam

[...] Read more

song performed by TLC
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Traffic Jam

Carbon monoxide
Making me choke
No a.c.
And the radios broke
Cars backed up
Far as you can see
Seems like Ive been waiting here for all eternity
Oh, and just in case youre wondering
Ill tell you where I am
Im right here (right here) right here (right here)
Stuck right here in the middle of this...
Traffic jam
I havent moved one inch from this here spot
Traffic jam
The freeways one big parking lot
Traffic jam
My radiators boiling hot
And Im stuck right here in the middle (right here in the middle)
Right here in the middle of a traffic jam
Trapped inside
My automobile
Cobwebs gowin
On the steerin wheel
Now, Im no genius
But one thing I know
I shouldnt have had that bag of bran muffins
An hour and a half ago
Yeah, and if you need to find me
Ill tell you where I am
Im right here (right here) right here (right here)
Stuck smack dab in the middle of this...
Traffic jam
I havent moved one inch from this here spot
Traffic jam
The freeways one big parking lot
Traffic jam
Well, I thought we were movin but I guess were not
cause Im stuck right here in the middle (right here in the middle)
Right here in the middle of a traffic jam
Stuck in the middle of a traffic jam
Yeah yeah yeah yeah
Bumper to bumper to bumper to bumper to
Bumper to bumper to bumper to bumper to
Bumper to bumper to bumper to bumper...
Yay-hey!
Theres a yuppie on a cellular phone
Im gonna puke if I here any more
Theres a motorcycle zoomin by me
Watch what happens when I open my door
Now were all goin nowhere fast

[...] Read more

song performed by Weird Al Yankovic
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jam (A Hymn of Hate)

What is meant by active service
'Ere where sin is leakin' loose,
'N' the oldest 'and's as nervis
As a dog-bedevilled goose,
Has bin writ be every poet
What can rhyme it worth a dam,
But the 'orror as we know it
Is jist jam, jam, JAM!
Oh, the 'ymn of 'ate we owe it—
Stodgy, splodgy, seepy, soaky, sanguinary
jam!

There's the “fearful roar iv battle,”
What gets underneath yer 'at,
Mooin' like a million cattle
Each as big as Ararat;
There's the red field green 'n' slippy
(And I'm cleaner where I am),
But the thing that's got me nippy
It is jam, jam, JAM!
Druv us sour it has, 'n' dippy,
Sticky, sicky, slimy, sloppy, stummick-strafin'
jam!

Of the mud that's in the trenches
Writers make a solemn fuss;
For the vermin 'n' the stenches
Little ladies pity us;
But the yearn that's honest dinkum,
'N' the prayer what ain't a sham
Is that Fritz may bust 'n' sink 'em
Ships of jam, jam, JAM!
For we bolt 'em, chew 'em, drink 'em,
Million billion bar'ls of beastly, cloyin'
clammy jam!

We are sorry-sick of peaches,
'N' we're full right up of plum,
'N' innards fairly screeches
When the tins of apple come.
Back of Blighty piled in cases,
Jist as close as they can cram,
Fillin' all the open spaces,
Is the 'jam, jam, JAM!
Oh, the woe the soldiers face is,
Monday, Sunday, ruddy, muddy, boundless
bogs of jam.

poem by Edward George Dyson
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jam Of The Year

Ooh!
This is the joint Ive been layin 4 all night
This is the one that really gets me gone
The djs on point, Im sayin hes alright
We gonna fun baby, baby, its on
Gotta new puerto rican score
And she doin it on the floor
When the groove rubberbabys hot
Im givin it all I got
Chorus:
Ooh, everybodys here
This is the jam of the year
Ooh, everybodys here
This is the jam of the year
Gimme a drummer and a funky bass line
Thats all I need and Im ready 2 flow
Been chillin in the cut and now Im comin 2 get mine
And if I hit u once, I got 2 hit u some more
Gotta new puerto rican score
And she doin it on the floor (doin it on the floor)
When the groove rubberbabys hot
Im givin it all I got
Chorus
(everybodys here)
Yeah, ooh
Ooh!
Lets make a toast 2 the host with the most, heh
Raise your glass if ure on your own, yeah
(raise your glass if ure on your own)
All the girls say ho! (ho!) if your mans givin up the gold
All the fellas say woof! if ure only givin up the bone
2night were gonna hide it
(whatcha say, baby? )
Yeah, baby
(whatcha say, baby? )
This is the joint Ive been layin 4 all night
This is the one that really gets me gone (this is the one, this is the one)
The djs on point, Im sayin hes alright
We gonna fun baby, baby, its on
Gotta new puerto rican score
And shes doin it on the floor
When the groove rubberbabys hot
Im givin it all I got
Im givin it, Im givin it, Im givin it all I got
Chorus
(everybodys here)
(this is the jam of the year)
Did u come 2 jam, baby? (oh yeah)
Then let me see ya, come on
Chorus {repeat refrain 3 times}

[...] Read more

song performed by Prince
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jammin

Ooh, yeah! all right!
Were jammin:
I wanna jam it wid you.
Were jammin, jammin,
And I hope you like jammin, too.
Aint no rules, aint no vow, we can do it anyhow:
Ini will see you through,
cos everyday we pay the price with a little sacrifice,
Jammin till the jam is through.
Were jammin -
To think that jammin was a thing of the past;
Were jammin,
And I hope this jam is gonna last.
No bullet can stop us now, we neither beg nor we wont bow;
Neither can be bought nor sold.
We all defend the right; jah - jah children must unite:
Your life is worth much more than gold.
Were jammin (jammin, jammin, jammin)
And were jammin in the name of the lord;
Were jammin (jammin, jammin, jammin),
Were jammin right straight from yah.
Yeh! holy mount zion;
Holy mount zion:
Jah sitteth in mount zion
And rules all creation.
Yeah, were - were jammin (wotcha-wa),
Wotcha-wa-wa-wa, were jammin (wotcha-wa),
See, I wanna jam it wid you
Were jammin (jammin, jammin, jammin)
Im jammed: I hope youre jammin, too.
Jams about my pride and truth I cannot hide
To keep you satisfied.
True love that now exist is the love I cant resist,
So jam by my side.
Were jammin (jammin, jammin, jammin), yeah-eah-eah!
I wanna jam it wid you.
Were jammin, were jammin, were jammin, were jammin,
Were jammin, were jammin, were jammin, were jammin;
Hope you like jammin, too.
Were jammin, were jammin (jammin),
Were jammin, were jammin (jammin).
I wanna (I wanna jam it wid you) - I wanna -
I wanna jam wid you now.
Jammin, jammin (hope you like jammin too).
Eh-eh! I hope you like jammin, I hope you like jammin,
cause (I wanna jam it wid you). I wanna ... wid you.
I like - I hope you - I hope you like jammin, too.
I wanna jam it;
I wanna jam it.

song performed by Bob Marley
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

The Rosciad

Unknowing and unknown, the hardy Muse
Boldly defies all mean and partial views;
With honest freedom plays the critic's part,
And praises, as she censures, from the heart.

Roscius deceased, each high aspiring player
Push'd all his interest for the vacant chair.
The buskin'd heroes of the mimic stage
No longer whine in love, and rant in rage;
The monarch quits his throne, and condescends
Humbly to court the favour of his friends;
For pity's sake tells undeserved mishaps,
And, their applause to gain, recounts his claps.
Thus the victorious chiefs of ancient Rome,
To win the mob, a suppliant's form assume;
In pompous strain fight o'er the extinguish'd war,
And show where honour bled in every scar.
But though bare merit might in Rome appear
The strongest plea for favour, 'tis not here;
We form our judgment in another way;
And they will best succeed, who best can pay:
Those who would gain the votes of British tribes,
Must add to force of merit, force of bribes.
What can an actor give? In every age
Cash hath been rudely banish'd from the stage;
Monarchs themselves, to grief of every player,
Appear as often as their image there:
They can't, like candidate for other seat,
Pour seas of wine, and mountains raise of meat.
Wine! they could bribe you with the world as soon,
And of 'Roast Beef,' they only know the tune:
But what they have they give; could Clive do more,
Though for each million he had brought home four?
Shuter keeps open house at Southwark fair,
And hopes the friends of humour will be there;
In Smithfield, Yates prepares the rival treat
For those who laughter love, instead of meat;
Foote, at Old House,--for even Foote will be,
In self-conceit, an actor,--bribes with tea;
Which Wilkinson at second-hand receives,
And at the New, pours water on the leaves.
The town divided, each runs several ways,
As passion, humour, interest, party sways.
Things of no moment, colour of the hair,
Shape of a leg, complexion brown or fair,
A dress well chosen, or a patch misplaced,
Conciliate favour, or create distaste.
From galleries loud peals of laughter roll,
And thunder Shuter's praises; he's so droll.
Embox'd, the ladies must have something smart,

[...] Read more

poem by Charles Churchill
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

The Course Of Time. Book X.

God of my fathers! holy, just, and good!
My God! my Father! my unfailing Hope!
Jehovah! let the incense of my praise,
Accepted, burn before thy mercy seat,
And in thy presence burn both day and night.
Maker! Preserver! my Redeemer! God!
Whom have I in the heavens but Thee alone?
On earth, but Thee, whom should I praise, whom love?
For Thou hast brought me hitherto, upheld
By thy omnipotence; and from thy grace,
Unbought, unmerited, though not unsought—
The wells of thy salvation, hast refreshed
My spirit, watering it, at morn and even!
And by thy Spirit, which thou freely givest
To whom thou wilt, hast led my venturous song,
Over the vale, and mountain tract, the light
And shade of man; into the burning deep
Descending now, and now circling the mount,
Where highest sits Divinity enthroned;
Rolling along the tide of fluent thought,
The tide of moral, natural, divine;
Gazing on past, and present, and again,
On rapid pinion borne, outstripping Time,
In long excursion, wandering through the groves
Unfading, and the endless avenues,
That shade the landscape of eternity;
And talking there with holy angels met,
And future men, in glorious vision seen!
Nor unrewarded have I watched at night,
And heard the drowsy sound of neighbouring sleep;
New thought, new imagery, new scenes of bliss
And glory, unrehearsed by mortal tongue,
Which, unrevealed, I trembling, turned and left,
Bursting at once upon my ravished eye,
With joy unspeakable, have filled my soul,
And made my cup run over with delight;
Though in my face, the blasts of adverse winds,
While boldly circumnavigating man,
Winds seeming adverse, though perhaps not so,
Have beat severely; disregarded beat,
When I behind me heard the voice of God,
And his propitious Spirit say,—Fear not.
God of my fathers! ever present God!
This offering more inspire, sustain, accept;
Highest, if numbers answer to the theme;
Best answering if thy Spirit dictate most.
Jehovah! breathe upon my soul; my heart
Enlarge; my faith increase; increase my hope;
My thoughts exalt; my fancy sanctify,
And all my passions, that I near thy throne

[...] Read more

poem by Robert Pollok
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Why Washington Retreated

1775

Said Congress to George Washington:
"To set this country free,
You'll have to whip the Britishers
And chase them o'er the sea."
"Oh, very well," said Washington,
"I'll do the best I can.
I'll slam and bang those Britishers
And whip them to a man."

1777

Said Congress to George Washington:
"The people all complain;
Why don't you fight? You but retreat
And then retreat again."
"That can't be helped," said Washington,
"As you will quite agree
When you see how the novelists
Have mixed up things for me."

Said Congress to George Washington:
"Pray make your meaning clear."
Said Washington: "Why, certainly --
But pray excuse this tear.
Of course we know," said Washington,
"The object of this war --
It is to furnish novelists
With patriotic lore."

Said Congress to George Washington:
"Yes! yes! but pray proceed."
Said Washington: "My part in it
Is difficult indeed,
For every hero in the books
Must sometime meet with me,
And every sweet-faced heroine
I must kiss gallantly."

Said Congress to George Washington:
"But why must you retreat?"
Said Washington: "One moment, please,
My story to complete.
These hero-folk are scattered through
The whole United States;
At every little country town
A man or maiden waits."

To Congress said George Washington:

[...] Read more

poem by Ellis Parker Butler
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Info For Everone

From: CLEMENT TWIFORD [mailto: cwtwiford@bellsouth.net]
Sent: Saturday, October 15,2011 10: 16 AM
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: : Makes sense to me! !

Warren Buffett, in a recent interview with CNBC, offers one of the best
quotes about the debt ceiling:

'I could end the deficit in 5 minutes, ' he told CNBC. 'You just pass a law
that says that anytime there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all
sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th
amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months
& 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in
1971...before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to
the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the
land...all because of public pressure.

Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of
twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do
likewise.
In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the
message. This is one idea that really should be passed around.

*Congressional Reform Act of 2011*

1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office
and receives no pay when they are out of office.

2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All
funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security
system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system,
and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for
any other purpose.

3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans
do.

4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay
will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.

5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the
same health care system as the American people.

6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American
people.

7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective
1/1/12.
The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen
made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor,

[...] Read more

poem by Louis Rams
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Jumpin Jive

Boys - what you gonna say down there?
Oh boys - what you gonna say down there?
Palamar, shalamar, swanny shore
Let me dig that jive once more
Boys - take it right on down to the gator
Oh boys - gotta take a side elevator
Cant you hear those hip cats call
Come on boys lets have a ball
The jip-jam-jump is a jumpin jive
Makes you dig your jive on the mellow side
The jip-jam-jump is a solid jive
Makes you nine foot tall when youre four foot five
Now, dont you be that ickeroo
Get hip, come on and follow do
When you get your steady fool
You met your jump like the gators do
The jip-jam-jump is a jumpin jive
Makes you like your eggs on the jersey side
The jip-jam-jumpin jive
Makes you hip hip on the mellow side
The jip-jam-jump is a solid jive
Makes you nine foot tall when youre four foot five
The jip-jam-jumpin jive
Makes you hip hip on the mellow side
Now, dont you be that ickeroo
Get hip, come on and follow do
When you get your steady fool
You met your jump like the gators do
The jip-jam-jump is a jumpin jive
Makes you like your eggs on the jersey side
The jip-jam-jumpin jive
Makes you hip hip on the mellow side
Skibbel-de-doo . . .
Now I told you bout the jumpin jive
Jip-jam-jum the jumpin jive
I know you dug this mellow jive
Cause you dig it on the mellow side

song performed by Joe Jackson
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

An Essay on Criticism

Part I

INTRODUCTION. That it is as great a fault to judge ill as to write ill, and a more dangerous one to the public. That a true Taste is as rare to be found as a true Genius. That most men are born with some Taste, but spoiled by false education. The multitude of Critics, and causes of them. That we are to study our own Taste, and know the limits of it. Nature the best guide of judgment. Improved by Art and rules, which are but methodized Nature. Rules derived from the practice of the ancient poets. That therefore the ancients are necessary to be studied by a Critic, particularly Homer and Virgil. Of licenses, and the use of them by the ancients. Reverence due to the ancients, and praise of them.

'Tis hard to say if greater want of skill
Appear in writing or in judging ill;
But of the two less dangerous is th'offence
To tire our patience than mislead our sense:
Some few in that, but numbers err in this;
Ten censure wrong for one who writes amiss;
A fool might once himself alone expose;
Now one in verse makes many more in prose.

'Tis with our judgments as our watches, none
Go just alike, yet each believes his own.
In Poets as true Genius is but rare,
True Taste as seldom is the Critic's share;
Both must alike from Heav'n derive their light,
These born to judge, as well as those to write.
Let such teach others who themselves excel,
And censure freely who have written well;
Authors are partial to their wit, 'tis true,
But are not Critics to their judgment too?

Yet if we look more closely, we shall find
Most have the seeds of judgment in their mind:
Nature affords at least a glimm'ring light;
The lines, tho' touch'd but faintly, are drawn right:
But as the slightest sketch, if justly traced,
Is by ill col'ring but the more disgraced,
So by false learning is good sense defaced:
Some are bewilder'd in the maze of schools,
And some made coxcombs Nature meant but fools:
In search of wit these lose their common sense,
And then turn Critics in their own defence:
Each burns alike, who can or cannot write,
Or with a rival's or an eunuch's spite.
All fools have still an itching to deride,
And fain would be upon the laughing side.
If Mævius scribble in Apollo's spite,
There are who judge still worse than he can write.

Some have at first for Wits, then Poets pass'd;
Turn'd Critics next, and prov'd plain Fools at last.
Some neither can for Wits nor Critics pass,
As heavy mules are neither horse nor ass.
Those half-learn'd witlings, numerous in our isle,
As half-form'd insects on the banks of Nile;
Unfinish'd things, one knows not what to call,

[...] Read more

poem by Alexander Pope
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

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
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

The Latest Fashion

Performed by the time with prince
Fellas? yeah! hit me!
R we ready? I do believe we r ready!
What time is it? yount! its killing time, morris!
I know thats right, cause I am the latest fashion
(go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris,
Yount, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris,
Go morris, go morris)
I know I said I loved u
I know I said I needed u
I know I said that Id b here always
But I what I didnt tell u is that
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
People tell us what we want 2 hear
(time) this time the tables r turned
This time were the ones thats painting fires
Instead of getting burned (yount)
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
(go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris, go morris)
Jellybean, (go morris) dont be so mean, (go morris)
Cowboy. heh heh, youre fired!
Jam jimmy jam jimmy jam jimmy jam jimmy jam jimmy jam jimmy jam jimmy jam!
People tell me what I want to hear
This time the tables r turned
Jerome, body language
{go morris chanted 16 times over}
Now do the horse (yeah)
Oak tree! (look out)
I like that, oak tree!
Get ready, chili sauce!
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
Fellas? (yeah) hit me, but dontcha lag
Tell me what dance to do...it starts with an m ... (murph drag)
I aint thru yet...band!
Whaa...hallelujah...whoa whoa whoa whoa
Everybody wanna tell me how to play the game
When I run it better than a madame runs dames
Trying to beat me like playing pool with a rope
My funk will leave ya dead cause its good and plenty dope
All in all Im still the king and all yall the court
If you thinking about ruling me ya better get abortions, yes!
Its jacked, cause Im back, and Im harder than a heart attack
And Im the cure for any disease cause there aint nobody funky like me!
(go morris go morris go morris)
Dont be a fool
(go morris, go morris, go morris)
This year the latest fashion is 2 lie in the heat of passion
The latest fashion

[...] Read more

song performed by Prince
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Nasty Girl

Thats right, pleased to meet u
I still [dont wanna/wont] tell u my name
Dont u believe in mystery?
Dont u wanna play my game?
Im lookin for a man to love me
Like I never been loved before
Im lookin for a man thatll do it anywhere
Even on [the/a] limousinse floor
Cuz
Tonight, Im living in a fantasy.
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Tonight, living in a fantasy
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
I guess Im just used to sailors
I think they got water on the brain
I think they got more water upstairs
Than they got sugar on [the/a] candy cane
Thats right, its been a long time
Since I had a man [who/that] did it real good
If u aint scared, take it out
Ill do it like a real live nasty girl should
Tonight, Im living in a fantasy
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Tonight, Im living in a fantasy
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Tonight, Im living in a fantasy
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Tonight, Im living in a fantasy
My own little nasty world
Tonight, dont u wanna come with me?
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Please, please
Please, please
Nasty girl (nasty girl)
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Nasty girl (nasty girl)
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Nasty girl (nasty girl)
Do u think Im a nasty girl?
Nasty girl (nasty girl)

[...] Read more

song performed by Prince
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

From A Moving Train

Written by gerry beckley, 1998
Found on human nature.
Ive seen the ides of march
And Ive seen the fall of rome
Ive seen all kinds of stuff
But I never see my home
If my life-line is
These million miles of track
One thing I know by now
There is no turning back
From a moving train
From a moving train
From a moving train
From a moving train
If every venture was
A path to no avail
Id still be rolling down
This never ending trail
If we had a destination
In our sights
We would be helpless as
We passed it in the night
From a moving train (hear the engine running)
From a moving train (you can get on board)
From a moving train (hear the motor humming)
From a moving train (see, youve gotta see the light)
And if by chance you find a woman
That you might love along the way
You better hold her tight
Tell her everythings alright
Or she might jump along the way
From a moving train (hear the engine running)
From a moving train (you can get on board)
From a moving train (hear the motor humming)
From a moving train (see, youve gotta see the light)
From a moving train (hear the engine running)
From a moving train (you can get on board)
From a moving train (hear the motor humming)
From a moving train (see, youve gotta see the light)

song performed by America
Added by Lucian Velea
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!

Mirrors Of Our Time

THE ECONOMY is a hose.
The Government collects water from the people
and pours it into the top of the hose
and gives it back to the people.
Near the top of the hose is a hole.
A lot of the water pours out of this into a tank
marked Government which is always empty.
The rest flows down towards the people.
It passes other holes marked
Government Agencies
Government buildings
Government contingencies
Government perks
There are also holes marked
Lawyers
Accountants
Criminals.
The Government is always trying
to stop these last three holes.
Finally what is left of the water
reaches people at the end of the hose.
The people fight over it
(it is never enough) .
When they get very thirsty they start
to throw stones at the government
and threaten to sack them.
The government then reluctantly
pours more water into the top of the hose
(which they get from the people) .
Finally when the people are very thirsty indeed,
under the leadership of the
Lawyers
Accountants
and other Criminals,
they attack the tank marked Government
and break it open.
It is always empty.
Then many of the people die
(except for the Lawyers, Accountants
and other Criminals.)
The survivors go off and look for a new well,
drink as much as they can
as quickly as they can
and wait for a new Government to find them.

poem by Brian Taylor
Added by Poetry Lover
Comment! | Vote! | Copy!