Poetry spam
Jul. 2nd, 2004 02:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
doyleI'm in a poetry mood today.
Discretion
by Roger McGough
Discretion is the better part of Valerie
(though all of her is nice)
lips as warm as strawberries
eyes as cold as ice
the very best of everything
only will suffice
not for her potatoes
and puddings made of rice
Not for her potatoes
and puddings made of rice
she takes carbohydrates
like God takes advice
a surfeit of ambition
is her particular vice
Valerie fondles lovers
like a mousetrap fondles mice
And though in the morning
she may whisper: "it was nice"
you can tell by her demeanour
that she keeps her love on ice
but you've lost your hard-earned heart
now you'll have to pay the price
for she'll kiss you on the memory
and vanish in a trice
Valerie is corruptible
but known to be discreet
Valerie rides a silver cloud
where once she walked the street.
If anybody wants to spam me with poetry in the comments - any poet, obscure or something that everyone knows - please do.
Discretion
by Roger McGough
Discretion is the better part of Valerie
(though all of her is nice)
lips as warm as strawberries
eyes as cold as ice
the very best of everything
only will suffice
not for her potatoes
and puddings made of rice
Not for her potatoes
and puddings made of rice
she takes carbohydrates
like God takes advice
a surfeit of ambition
is her particular vice
Valerie fondles lovers
like a mousetrap fondles mice
And though in the morning
she may whisper: "it was nice"
you can tell by her demeanour
that she keeps her love on ice
but you've lost your hard-earned heart
now you'll have to pay the price
for she'll kiss you on the memory
and vanish in a trice
Valerie is corruptible
but known to be discreet
Valerie rides a silver cloud
where once she walked the street.
If anybody wants to spam me with poetry in the comments - any poet, obscure or something that everyone knows - please do.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
on 2004-07-02 07:01 am (UTC)Late T'ang dynasty
Ch'ang hsiang-ssu
1.
A traveling merchant west of the river
Displays wealth rare in this world,
All day long he stays in the pleasure quarters
. . . dancing and singing.
Incessantly drinking until drunk like mud,
Lightheartedly exchanging the golden goblets,
Pursuing pleasure, seeking happiness, until nightfall.
This is: not to return in wealth.
2.
A sad merchant west of the river,
His loneliness he keeps to himself;
His whole face covered with dust,
Every day cheated by people.
Mornings he stands in front of the western city gate
The cold wind blowing tears from both his eyes;
He gazes toward home, many post stations away.
This is: not to return in poverty.
3.
A merchant makes his home west of the river,
Lying sick in the Temple of the Earth-god.
People look in to ask for the latest news,
And to find out if there's a chance for departing.
The villagers just drag him off to the west of the road,
His parents know nothing of his fate.
On his body he carries his identification tag.
This is: not to return in death.