Travel Poems
London, 1802
by William Wordsworth
Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour;
England hath need of thee: she is a fen
Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen,
Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower,
Have forfeited their ancient English dower
Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;
Oh! raise us up, return to us again;
And give us manners, virtue, freedom, power.
Thy soul was like a Star, and dwelt apart;
Thou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea:
......
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
......
The Seafarer
by Ezra Pound
(From the early Anglo-Saxon text)
May I for my own self song's truth reckon,
Journey's jargon, how I in harsh days
Hardship endured oft.
Bitter breast-cares have I abided,
Known on my keel many a care's hold,
And dire sea-surge, and there I oft spent
Narrow nightwatch nigh the ship's head
While she tossed close to cliffs. Coldly afflicted,
......
The Time Has Come For Us To Become Madmen In Your Chain
by Mewlana Jalaluddin Rumi
The time has come for us to become madmen in your chain, to
burst our bonds and become estranged from all;
To yield up our souls, no more to bear the disgrace of such a
soul, to set fire to our house, and run like fire to the tavern.
Until we ferment, we shall not escape from this vat of the
world- how then shall we become intimate with the lip of that
flagon and bowl?
Listen to the words from a madman: do not suppose that we
become true men until we die.
It is necessary that we should become more inverted than the
......
The Mores
by John Clare
Far spread the moorey ground a level scene
Bespread with rush and one eternal green
That never felt the rage of blundering plough
Though centurys wreathed spring's blossoms on its brow
Still meeting plains that stretched them far away
In uncheckt shadows of green brown, and grey
Unbounded freedom ruled the wandering scene
Nor fence of ownership crept in between
To hide the prospect of the following eye
Its only bondage was the circling sky
......
Under the Weather
by Evelyn Judy Buehler
Dr. Foster lived in old fashioned London, and was content to stay there;
As red roses are content being caressed, by the wind from everywhere.
Dr. Foster loved his daily routine, like the violet repeat of honeyed days;
And he stuck to their rhythm faithfully, like a valentine heart, ever stays.
Besides, his work kept him quite busy, easing pain, and bringing smiles;
Like vermilion mountains at moonrise, or a colorful rainbow's hazy tiles.
Since failure isn't a familiar word in nature, like rebirth of spring flowers,
......
Antwerpen
by Rikske Kessner
At Antwerp's port, where ships dissolve into the horizon's mist, cultures blend like brushstrokes on a canvas, I stand at the water's edge, feeling the heartbeat of a city alive with ceaseless motion.
I recall visiting my cousin here, an artist drawn to Antwerp's vibrant embrace. We wandered through cobblestone streets, sharing stories over Belgian brews and frites. His eyes gleamed with the city's energy, a life shaped by its eclectic charm.
The cathedral's spire pierces the sky, a beacon of faith, tenacity, and aspiration. In the bustle of diamonds and docks, I see the shimmering facets of human effort, each face a tale, each smile a mystery.
So Passe
by Evelyn Judy Buehler
Witness if you will, the occupants of Deep Space Flight 6952,
on a mission to the farthest reaches of the galaxy.
A short time ago, the spaceship experienced turbulence,
and soon they'll experience fear, and even doubt reality.
They've just entered The Twilight Zone.
'What a rough patch of turbulence!' said Thomas. Nicole
responded, 'I believe it's the worst we've encountered yet.'
Then Nicole suddenly tasted coffee, that had not even
begun to be brewed, to her regret!
......
The best day of your life
by Aldo Kraas
The best day of your life
Was when you had been
A teenager
Because you had your
Confirmation
And that day you had cried
Out of joy
You also learned
How to pray
And also you prayed
......
A better place for you and for me
by Aldo Kraas
A better place for you and for me
We will discover it today
My friend
Because I want you to
Know that I had kept
The promise that I
Had made to you
And I will be your
Best friend always
No matter what happens tomorrow
......
