Poetry Friday: Can You Remember

Here's another edition of Poetry Friday Christmas style. I'm featuring lyrics from Christmas songs as my Poetry Friday posts all month long!


The song I've had stuck in my head today is "Can You Remember". Most of you have probably never heard of it. It's the song that's at the beginning of Believe... in Holiday Magic, which is Disneyland's Christmas fireworks display. Being the big Disney fan I am, the music to those fireworks in one of my favorite Christmas things to listen to. But I love the words too. So here for your enjoyment are the lyrics, as best as I can tell (I had to transcribe them myself).


"Can You Remember" from Believe... in Holiday Magic at the Disneyland Resort



(spoken) Does your heart hold the magic of the holidays? Is it filled with warm memories just waiting to be discovered again? Well now is the time to open your heart. Believe in that magic, and remember those treasured moments. Oh, they're still there, deep within you. Waiting to touch you once more. So come along, as the magic of the season leads the way.

Can you remember
How Christmas makes you feel?
The special magic in the air
When all your dreams were real
Can you remember
The smell of gingerbread?
Candy canes and sugar plums
That danced inside your head

Remember when the twinkling stars at night
Told you reindeer were in flight?
And jolly Santa Claus was on his way
The warmth of candle glow
A kiss of mistletoe
The magic lives when we believe it's in our hearts to stay

Remember the caring
A season worth sharing
Believe in the magic in our lives
Just open up your heart
And reel in the feeling
Just remember the magic
Yes, remember the magic
One more time

Poetry Friday: Baby What You Goin' To Be?

So last year I posted Christmas carol lyrics on Poetry Friday for the month of December. I had a lot of fun with it, so I've decided to do it again. In fact, I was going to do it last Friday too and I completely forgot. (haha)

So the song I have running through my head is "Baby What You Goin' To Be?" by Natalie Sleeth. This is one of the songs we're singing for our Christmas choir in my church, and it's beautiful.

Here are the lyrics, although it's kind of hard to type them like this because the song is layered between the four parts (soprano, alto, tenor and bass) so the melody keeps changing voices.

"Baby What You Goin' To Be?" by Natalie Sleeth

Baby, Lying in a manger, slumbering so sweetly,
Whatcha gonna be?
Baby all the world is watchin',
all the world awaits to see,
what will you be?
Baby sleeping in a stable, underneath the heavens,
whatcha gonna say?
Baby, did you bring the Good News?
Did you come to light our way?

Oh, look, see the cattle asleep, see the shepherds beside,
See the Wise Men, they bow unto you.
Are you the one who was meant to be Master?
To bring in the Kingdom too?
Alleluia
Baby, Hope of all the people,
what you come to do here?
What you come to say?
Baby, can you be the Savior?
Come to save the world one day?
Baby lying in a manger,
will you save the world one day?


And since you can't really get a good idea of how pretty this music is without hearing it, here's the best YouTube video I could find with it. This actually has three songs sung by this choir, but this one is the first one shown.

Poetry Friday: Carol of the Bells

Welcome to another holiday edition of Poetry Friday. Today I've got one of my favorite Christmas Carols to share with you:

Carol of the Bells
Hark how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say
Throw cares away

Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold
Ding dong ding
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling

One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From everywhere
Filling the air

Oh how they pound
Raising the sound
O'er hill and dale
Telling their tale

Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer
Christmas is here

Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
On on they send
On without end
Their joyful tone to every home
Dong ding dong ding

And since reading the words are only part of the fun, here's a video too. There are many, many variations of this song, but this particular version is one of my favorites:

Poetry Friday: Abraham Lincoln

So it's been awhile since I've participated in Poetry Friday. And I'm taking the easy way out by posting music lyrics again. But there's a little bit of a story behind this.

If you've a few posts back, you'll notice I had a great deal of trouble posting earlier this week. Well, my initial intent was the spend the whole week celebrating Abraham Lincoln and related subjects because 1) tomorrow is the 4th of July and 2) today marks the anniversary of the last day of the battle of Gettysburg. So instead today will kick off the themed week, and you can expect some Lincoln/Gettysburg stuff in the coming week.

But back to the song. You know how sometimes the lyrics to a song really hit you? Not necessarily the song itself, but the actual words being sung? That's how I feel about this song. I comes from an animated hero movie that I had growing up. But although I don't really remember most of the movie, this song continues to come to mind.

I've always deeply admired Abraham Lincoln. The Gettysburg is one of my favorite speeches because it's so simple it's complex. One day I was listening to this song and I had the idea to put the two together to video. So here's the end result. My very first time editing together a video (so be nice!). And below it you'll find the lyrics to the song that comes at the end.

I hope you enjoy it. (If you're reading this in a feed, you'll need to click over to the acutal post to see the video)



"One Life" from the Animated Hero Classics: Abraham Lincoln.
One life
Lived with courage and care
One life
Yes, that’s all that it takes
One hand
That will never be halted
One back
That the World cannot break

One Life
Lived by heavenly faith
One Life
Shining clear in the dark
One Life seeing visions of morning
One word
Igniting the spark

See how it glows
See how it grows
Changing the world
Rearranging the world
Giving hope that will stand firm and fast
When that one life is ended and past
Oh that light will burn bright and will last
Forever
Forever!

One life
Given up for cause
One soul
Oh how it will soar
One day
That will not be forgotten
One name
That will live evermore

One life
Lived with courage and care
One life
Yes, that’s all that it takes
One hand
That will never be halted
One back
That the World cannot break

See how it glows
See how it grows
Changing the world
Rearranging the world
Giving hope that will stand firm and fast
When that one life is ended and past
Oh that light will burn bright and will last
Forever
Forever!

Poetry Friday: The Raven

Since today is Halloween, I thought this was appropriate. And we just covered Poe last week in my American Lit class, so it was on my mind. I wouldn't be surprised if several people turn this one in, but there you go. This is a great one to read aloud, I love the alliteration. Happy Halloween everyone!

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.`
'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what threat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'

But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?
'Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Poetry Friday: Excelsior

Believe it or not, I'm spending most of the day today grading papers. So I came across a paper on this poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Excelsior is Latin for "ever upward." So as I move ever upward through the stack of papers and grades, I hope you enjoy this poem.

"Excelsior" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
The shades of night were falling fast,
As through an Alpine village passed
A youth, who bore, 'mid snow and ice,
A banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

His brow was sad; his eye beneath,
Flashed like a falchion from its sheath,
And like a silver clarion rung
The accents of that unknown tongue,
Excelsior!

In happy homes he saw the light
Of household fires gleam warm and bright;
Above, the spectral glaciers shone,
And from his lips escaped a groan,
Excelsior!

"Try not the Pass!" the old man said:
"Dark lowers the tempest overhead,
The roaring torrent is deep and wide!
And loud that clarion voice replied,
Excelsior!

"Oh stay," the maiden said, "and rest
Thy weary head upon this breast!"
A tear stood in his bright blue eye, B
ut still he answered, with a sigh,
Excelsior!

"Beware the pine-tree's withered branch!
Beware the awful avalanche!"
This was the peasant's last Good-night,
A voice replied, far up the height,
Excelsior!

At break of day, as heavenward
The pious monks of Saint Bernard
Uttered the oft-repeated prayer,
A voice cried through the startled air,
Excelsior!

A traveller, by the faithful hound,
Half-buried in the snow was found,
Still grasping in his hand of ice
That banner with the strange device,
Excelsior!

There in the twilight cold and gray,
Lifeless, but beautiful, he lay,
And from the sky, serene and far,
A voice fell, like a falling star,
Excelsior!

Poetry Friday: Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband

So as I mentioned last week, I had the oppertunity to go to a concert of one of my favorite groups, Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband. Although I knew most of the songs they did, there was one in particular from their new CD that struck me. So here's my entry for Poetry Friday:

"All I Need" by Ryan Shupe and the Rubberband
I've been to new york city central park
then headed out to upstate lake champlain
crossed up to montreal and heard a band playing mandolins
while we were standing in the rain
I've seen castle walls and waterfalls
and bridges spanning over Venetian waterways
backpack summer drifting through the mountains
filled with European hostel stays

but all I need is you, here, falling in my arms
and me, there, subject to your charms
and I don't know if I have ever felt this way before
all I need is you

I've sailed out in the San Francisco Bay
And I've seen fireworks light up the night
I've Eaten dinner with good friends
Authentic Mexican patio dining in the moonlight
I've Spent days skiing sunny powdered peaks
And hiking up to Zions where the angels land
I've Dropped off cliffs into the crystal blue
And I've set up tents on golden sand

but all I need is you, here, falling in my arms
and me, there, subject to your charms
and I don't know if I have ever felt this way before
all I need is you

I've been all over the rocky mountains
Splashed in England's Hyde Park fountains
Seen Denali rising up at three A.M.
Watched the wind blow through the red wood forest
Heard the tabernacle chorus
singing songs like angels do in heaven

but all I need is you, here, falling in my arms
and me, there, subject to your charms
and I don't know if I have ever felt this way before
all I need is you

Of course, the lyrics are great, but it is the music combined with the lyrics that make the song so wonderful. I was able to find a sample of the song so you can get an idea of how it sounds:

Of course, you can buy the whole CD from Amazon.com too:

I may come back to Ryan Shupe later. It really is a cool band. You should check it out.

Poetry Friday: e e cummings

We're studying e e cummings in my American Lit class right now. So I thought this was appropriate.

anyone lived in a pretty how town by e e cummings
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn’t he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn’t they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone’s any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hope and then)they
said their nevers they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt to forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

Poetry Friday: Snow White

I had so much fun with last week's poem that I found another one:

Snow White by Andrea Hollander Budy
It was actually one of the dwarfs
who kissed her—Bashful,
who still won't admit it.
That is why she remained in the forest
with all of them and made up
the story of the prince. Otherwise,
wouldn't you be out there now
scavenging through wildflowers,
mistaking the footprints of your own
children for those little men?
And if you found some wild apples
growing in the thickest part, if no one
were looking, wouldn't you
take a bite? And pray
some kind of magic sleep
would snatch you
from the plainness
of your life?

Poetry Friday: Cinderella

Since I love retold fairy tales, and since Valentine's Day is approaching, I thought this poem was appropriate. Please note that this poem is based on the Grimms' German version of Cinderella, which you can find here. I hope you enjoy.

Cinderella by Anne Sexton
You always read about it:
the plumber with the twelve children
who wins the Irish Sweepstakes.
From toilets to riches.
That story.

Or the nursemaid,
some luscious sweet from Denmark
who captures the oldest son's heart.
from diapers to Dior.
That story.

Or a milkman who serves the wealthy,
eggs, cream, butter, yogurt, milk,
the white truck like an ambulance
who goes into real estate
and makes a pile.
From homogenized to martinis at lunch.

Or the charwoman
who is on the bus when it cracks up
and collects enough from the insurance.
From mops to Bonwit Teller.
That story.

Once
the wife of a rich man was on her deathbed
and she said to her daughter Cinderella:
Be devout. Be good. Then I will smile
down from heaven in the seam of a cloud.
The man took another wife who had
two daughters, pretty enough
but with hearts like blackjacks.
Cinderella was their maid.
She slept on the sooty hearth each night
and walked around looking like Al Jolson.
Her father brought presents home from town,
jewels and gowns for the other women
but the twig of a tree for Cinderella.
She planted that twig on her mother's grave
and it grew to a tree where a white dove sat.
Whenever she wished for anything the dove
would drop it like an egg upon the ground.
The bird is important, my dears, so heed him.

Next came the ball, as you all know.
It was a marriage market.
The prince was looking for a wife.
All but Cinderella were preparing
and gussying up for the event.
Cinderella begged to go too.
Her stepmother threw a dish of lentils
into the cinders and said: Pick them
up in an hour and you shall go.
The white dove brought all his friends;
all the warm wings of the fatherland came,
and picked up the lentils in a jiffy.
No, Cinderella, said the stepmother,
you have no clothes and cannot dance.
That's the way with stepmothers.

Cinderella went to the tree at the grave
and cried forth like a gospel singer:
Mama! Mama! My turtledove,
send me to the prince's ball!
The bird dropped down a golden dress
and delicate little slippers.
Rather a large package for a simple bird.
So she went. Which is no surprise.
Her stepmother and sisters didn't
recognize her without her cinder face
and the prince took her hand on the spot
and danced with no other the whole day.

As nightfall came she thought she'd better
get home. The prince walked her home
and she disappeared into the pigeon house
and although the prince took an axe and broke
it open she was gone. Back to her cinders.
These events repeated themselves for three days.
However on the third day the prince
covered the palace steps with cobbler's wax
and Cinderella's gold shoe stuck upon it.
Now he would find whom the shoe fit
and find his strange dancing girl for keeps.
He went to their house and the two sisters
were delighted because they had lovely feet.
The eldest went into a room to try the slipper on
but her big toe got in the way so she simply
sliced it off and put on the slipper.
The prince rode away with her until the white dove
told him to look at the blood pouring forth.
That is the way with amputations.
They just don't heal up like a wish.
The other sister cut off her heel
but the blood told as blood will.
The prince was getting tired.
He began to feel like a shoe salesman.
But he gave it one last try.
This time Cinderella fit into the shoe
like a love letter into its envelope.

At the wedding ceremony
the two sisters came to curry favor
and the white dove pecked their eyes out.
Two hollow spots were left
like soup spoons.

Cinderella and the prince
lived, they say, happily ever after,
like two dolls in a museum case
never bothered by diapers or dust,
never arguing over the timing of an egg,
never telling the same story twice,
never getting a middle-aged spread,
their darling smiles pasted on for eternity.
Regular Bobbsey Twins.
That story.

Poetry Friday: Grim, Grinning, Ghosts

So, I normally don't participate in Poetry Friday, but I had the perfect one for Halloween so I decided to get in on the spirit (pun not intended....).

These are actually song lyrics, but I think that should count as poetry too. Bonus points if you can leave me a comment and tell me where this song is from! :-)

Grimm, Grinning, Ghosts
When the crypt doors creak,
And the tombstones quake.
Spooks come out for a swinging wake.
Happy haunts materialize,
And begin to vocalize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize.

Now don't close your eyes,
And don't try to hide.
Or a silly spook may sit by your side.
Shrouded in a daft disguise,
They pretend to terrorize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize.

As the moon climbs high o'er the dead oak tree,
Spooks arrive for the midnight spree.
Creepy creeps with eerie eyes,
Start to shriek and harmonize.
Grim grinning ghosts come out to socialize.

When you hear the knell of a requiem bell,
Weird glows gleam where spirits dwell.
Restless bones etherialize,
Rise as spooks of every size.

(Maniacal laughter)

If you would like to join our jamboree,
There's a simple rule that's compulsory.
Mortals pay a token fee.
Rest in peace, the haunting's free.
So hurry back, we would like your company.

Confusing English!

I've been teaching English as a second language to a girl in the class I TA for. It's been so hard to teach her grammar, because English has a nasty way of establishing a rule and then promptly giving a bunch of exceptions. So when I found this little poem in my Adventure of English textbook, I thought it quite appropriate:

We'll begin with a box and the plural is boxes.
But the plural of ox should be oxen not oxes.
Then one fowl is goose, but two are called geese.
Yet the plural of mouse should never be meese.
You may find a lone mouse or a whole lot of mice.
But the plural of house is houses not hice.
If the plural of man is always called men,
Why shouldn't the plural of pan be called pen?
The cow in a plural may be cows or kine,
But the plural of vow is vows and not vine.
And I speak of foot and you show me your feet,
But I give you a boot...would a pair be called beet?...
The masuline pronouns are he, his, and him
But imagine the feminine she, shis, and shim!
So our English, I think you'll agree
Is the trickiest language you ever did see.

Jabberwocky

I've been seeing a lot of Lewis Carroll lately. I've been re-reading Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass as background before I start Frank Beddor's new book The Looking Glass Wars (which has gotten fab reviews, by the way).

Anyway, last night I was sitting at home working on my Fundamentals of Literary Interpretation homework when I happened to stumble across this poem. Lewis Carroll everywhere…. : - )

Jabberwocky (1871) by Lewis Carroll

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”

He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought--
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

“And has thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.

‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.