ASF Poetry Thread

Record books also show that in 1447 King James II issued his now famous edict in Parliament that golf was to be outlawed. His concern was that his subjects were more interested in golf than training how to use the war fare weapons of their time. Worried that this would leave his country unprotected banned golf. Although the game was outlawed it was continually played over the next 300 years but not by the masses.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Man's_A_Man_for_A'_That The Scots song "Is There For Honest Poverty", by Robert Burns, is more commonly known as "A Man's A Man For A' That", and famous for its expression of egalitarian ideas of society, which may be seen as anticipating the ideas of liberalism that arose in the 18th century, and those of socialism which arose in the 19th century.

The song was sung at the opening of the Scottish Parliament, and is sometimes associated with ideas of Scottish independence although the song is concerned with what makes a man "honest" rather than with Scotland and its self-government, neither of which are mentioned. It is also known in translations into other European languages, for example the German "Trotz Alledem Und Alledem".

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Is there for honest Poverty
That hings (hangs) his head, an' a' that;
The coward slave-we pass him by,
We dare be poor for a' that!
For a' that, an' a' that.
Our toils obscure an' a' that,
The rank is but the guinea's stamp,
The Man's the gowd (gold, wealth) for a' that.

What though on hamely (homely) fare we dine,
Wear hoddin (countryman horse rider) grey, an' a that;
Gie (give) fools their silks, and knaves their wine;
A Man's a Man for a' that:
For a' that, and a' that,
Their tinsel show, an' a' that;
The honest man, tho' e'er sae (ever so) poor,
Is king o' men for a' that.

Ye see yon birkie, (aggressive man) ca'd (called) a lord,
Wha (who) struts, an' stares, an' a' that;
Tho' hundreds worship at his word,
He's but a coof (idiot) for a' that:
For a' that, an' a' that,
His ribband, (heraldry) star, an' a' that:
The man o' independent mind
He looks an' laughs at a' that.

A prince can mak (make) a belted knight,
A marquis, duke, an' a' that;
But an honest man's abon his might,
Gude faith, he maunna fa' that! (good faith, he doesn't suit that (?))
For a' that, an' a' that,
Their dignities an' a' that;
The pith (importance) o' sense, an' pride o' worth,
Are higher rank than a' that.

Then let us pray that come it may,
(As come it will for a' that,)
That Sense and Worth, o'er a' the earth,
Shall bear the gree, an' a' that.
For a' that, an' a' that,
It's coming yet for a' that,
That Man to Man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be for a' that.

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2020hindsight said:

great poems there ng - rebel without a cause lol.

What a fantastic philosophy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z64teeHODjM A Man's a Man for a' That (also sung at opening at Scottish Parliament)


http://www.robertburns.org/works/496.shtml

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2020hindsight said:

here's a philosophical one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMc3hysFUqk In The Morning - Bee Gees

In keeping with Churchill's quote ( #378) :-
"Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning."
—Lord Mayor's Luncheon, Mansion House following the victory at El Alameinin North Africa, London, 10 November 1942.

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2020hindsight said:

maybe just an attitude,
- just that Churchill's statement "end of the beginning" can be applied to any given day/morning we wake up at any stage of our lives

I guess a Christian might even choose to say that as their last words..

"this is not the end, nor even the beginning of the end, - my friends, it is only the end of the beginning" etc

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2020hindsight said:

TOAST TO THE QUARTER MOON

How the quarter moon is glowing with reflected sunbeams growing
like a small seed after sowing or reflected ceiling light
and I stare back one of billions of Earth's piggy-backing pillions
to admire the C-shaped spill of colours spanning day and night.

Praps we're all such busy pilgrims, Ted and Alice Jack and Jill-grims
that we rarely smell the roses (while life's bloom shows on our face)
with imagined monsters gaining, I oft miss this wax and waning
Often off somewhere complaining in my rush through time and space.

Praps a softly whispered hello to this space companion mellow
compliment her gold and yellow (where Egyptians used to pray)
Rolling silently with Earth, dragging tides around its girth
Giving night skies their rebirth and deserved sleep by day.

....
As it hung there after dusk, as the farmer swept his husk
there's an old man stopped his busking and he chewed his daily bread
and he sang an evening tune to that glowing golden spoon
"HERE's TO YOU" he calls "THE MOON, and to time and tide" he said.

And long after we are gone, men will still find poem and song
to the magic of a moonbeam from its rheostatic height
Just one night of many millions for Earth's piggy-backing pillions
...I'll be dead for maybe zillions, ...
I'll enjoy the moon tonight.

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2020hindsight said:

sunshine salesman.

ng, I am ready to meet my maker. Whether or not my maker is ready for the formidible task of meeting me is another question..WC

A fanatic is one who wont change his mind and won't change the subject .. WC
(or as peter Lawrence said .. a fanatic is a person who is highly enthusiastic about something in which you are not even remotely interested )
- perhaps I qualify on the matter of poetry in the eyes of many

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new girl said:

Thirdly, does selling sunshine qualify as poetry

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