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Irish Internet Radio and TV from Dublin, Ireland.

Song

by Thomas Moore
the greatest Irish lyrist
born Dublin, 1779 - died 1852
Have you not seen the timid tear
Steal trembling from mine eye?
Have you not mark'd the flush of fear,
Or caught the murmur'd sigh?
And can you think my love is chill,
Nor fix'd on you alone?
And can you rend, by doubting still,
A heart so much your own?

To you my soul's affections move
Devoutly, warmly, true:
My life has been a task of love,
One long, long thought of you.
If all your tender faith is o'er,
If still my truth you'll try;
Alas! I know but one proof more -
I'll bless your name, and die!

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exquisite poem!

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For my LI friends who are lovers of the poem, I've been so long away. So today, I wrote my own verse and dedicate it to all whoare in this house -- of poetry, and who are my FRIENDS.

Friends
by Frank Daub
2008

It was an open door
That without sound called me in.
I stood with hesitation until I realized my sin

Of never trusting.

I reckoned, in the human-only- way,
That such a friendly looking door
Could only be surprise
Of meeting expectations.
I saw only with my eyes
And not my soul.

Yet without entrance through that threshold,
I somehow realized
That never would I be whole

Enough to love.

Outside I waited, long enough
To shake the fear and take the chance
That there are friends inside,
Friends to bring me song and dance,
To bring me dreams
To tell me stories of loving.

I entered then,
And enter every chance that comes,
To meet and sing and dance,

To know that I am home.

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Frank,

Wonderful poem! Be it known that you are indeed ‘home’ . . . the poetry forum is always somewhat empty when you are ‘missing’ for a while. Too often we see ‘only with the eyes’ and not ‘with the soul.’ Great insight!
What prompted you to ‘wait long enough . . . to shake the fear . . . of meeting expectations’? Whose? Not ours I hope - your poetry forum Friends. Without you our poetry forum home is but a house. I know this sentiment will be echoed by your other forum Friends.

This poem speaks from the heart in a sensitive, self-confessing manner with an ease of words that have a ‘Yeats feel’ to them. Great praise indeed . . . and you rhyme as well! Now that’s what I call poetry.

Walter . . .

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So good to hear from you, North Man. My fellow literary traveler.

The poem is intended to say nothing more than "We are meant to be called to each other as friends, so come inside. Don't stand without because you fear that you won't be accepted."

I have no fear whatsoever about being part of our Poetry Forum, and my thought is always proven true when I enter the doorway of the home that Lisa made for all of us.

Dia Dhuit!

Frank

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Thanks so much for sharing. This is the crossroads to me, whereby we all consult our conscience and decide if we are up totask. Breathtaking imagery and eloquently stated.

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I love this. Very well written. Glad to call you all friends!

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Lisa, I just found this poem. It is beautiful. I guess I'm a hopeless romantic; but i just love poems like this.

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Acknowlegement is not given to everyone,but it was given to you Frank,and to all your friends on this here site,appreciation of you is what come to my mind,and appreciation of us all surely,your poem is real and down to earth,humble and true.
Always seeking for the next one to find the unknown and be amaze by it
Be comfortable in your home.

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Ah, my Irish-French friend. Comment allez-vous?

I treasure your messages and our electronic friendship. As my Irish great grandmother used to say (didn't really understand her until my grandfather translated) -- "It's a wonderment to have friends, and a miracle to keep them."

Thank you for the kind words about the poem. It was sort of bubbling and splashing inside. Visiting the Poetry Forum does that for me. It's like being part of an Irish Literary University, right?

And to you I wish the comfort of home; you bring it to so many on this LI website.

Une seule langue n'est jaime suffisante --

Níl aon tintéan mar do thintéan féin.

Phransais

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Colleen

First, I hope that I am not being vain in assuming that you were refering to the poem that I wrote yesterday for all of my LI friends. Thank you for such a grand compliment.

Nothing pleases a poet, at least me, more than the ability of a reader to find the simplicity of the words and the message. There are too few romantics left in the world -- a terrible thing. There are too few "chasers of beauty" -- even more terrible. The Irish -- you, an Irish girl, are part of the legacy of protecting the romantic and the beautiful.

Is maith an scathan suil charad. (A friend's eye is a good mirror.)

Frank Daub

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I am a hopeless romantic as well. Good to see that there are still a few left. :-) I love poetry. I have since I was young and this particular piece was heartfelt to me. I love poems like this too. I am happy that everyone is enjoying this forum. :-)

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Well, now the temptation to do more has been hightened by such remarks. I wrote the following yesterday, as well. And I promise to be prudent before posting any more original work. Seldom, since my undergarduate days, have I been tempted to show my work. But all of ye are enouragers and enablers. So:

Why the Irish Sing and Dance
By Frank Daub
2008

Which the merrier – a speech or song?
One moves men to freedom
The other moves the soul along.

If they could, the Irish would
Transport their freedom to all the world.
From Parnell’s fire and flame
To Pearce’s sacramental offerings seldom heard.

Yet it is their music, the dreamer’s lively feet at dance,
That makes them known best,
And poems set to music that brings the good unrest.

Then why their gift of blarney?
Why their speeches set to life?
They’ve made their songs their army,
Sent to combat tears and strife.

The Irish are not selfish, and radiate from sea to sea,
The message that the music makes
Every freedom fighter
Free.

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