Best No Man Is An Island Poems
You call me insensitive,
But I don't believe that's true;
Because, you see,
It's all about me.
It's not about you.
You say your opinion doesn’t matter,
That I’ve no respect for your point of view;
But I do if we agree,
Because it’s all about me.
It’s not about you.
You say I’ve no compassion,
No feelings for your troubles or your blues;
But none of us is issue free,
And mine are all about me;
But…not about you.
A time old adage,
“To thine own self be true.”,
Is all about choices you see.
My choices are all about me,
And, certainly, not about you.
So, when its time to make your choices
You’ll understand and know it’s true;
To decide what will or will not be,
Won’t be at all about me;
It will be all about you
But special moments confront most of us,
When what matters isn’t “Me”.
And while these moments are few,
They’re not about me, not about you.
For a time, it’s all about “We.”
Yes, “…no man is an island.”
Is a valid point of view;
But if it’s not about “We”,
Then it’s all about me.
Sorry. It’s not about you.
The Convivial Mancs Minx
Stirrer of the Soup
Front and center of the Loom
Feminine rat pack crooner
An erstwhile trusty steed
Who participates and loves to read
No man is an Island
But a women's playground
To fell with words and pose
And she is a sullen rose amongst tidal waves
THE SPACES BETWEEN
I am here and you are there
Close in affection love and care
We coexist in a larger sphere
But I'm not there and you're not here
Here I am and there thou art
We come together then we part
Separation means no less serene
The parting makes a space between
No man is an island the poet said
So must we be continentally wed?
Merged, united as one world nation
No free-willed self determination
This does not deny our essential coaction
Nor say we live without attraction
But each isle is distinct, individual, though
We exist as in archipelago
As with notes in a beautiful symphony
No matter in what fine harmony
The composer's key melody supreme
Depends on the spaces that intervene
That passing bell may not toll for me
Yet I’d mourn the loss of thee, she or he
You see though we're not an amalgamation
We have the great gift: of communication
Across all known spaces waves are flowing
Linking furthest points of a universe growing
We detect photons from distant galaxy
Can we not treat in closer proximity
So with hugs and Omm and kumbaya
You may lose yourself in nirvana
Praise oneness if you must by all mean
I'll bless the spaces in between
Is there a beast so fierce,as to have no pity. To make tears of blood,run from an unborn childs eyes. Must sweet roses die,as they dry up and wither. A portrait of insanity,young children marching off to war. No man is an island,nightmares wake us ever screaming. Thieves come forward,dressed in the guise of politicians. To crush our dreams and hopes,with false promises and lies. Rule number one,is young fools die in useless wars. Like sand in an hour glass,time is trapped forever. Inside one man's pain,is another man's pleasure. Found hiding in the shadows,underneath a killing moon. Bells they do toll,and death stands forever laughing. As the soils of this earth,run forever red with blood. The crimson smell and taste,ever present in your senses. Like lambs in a field,ever moving to the slaughter. Old politicians start wars,yet the young die and suffer. Nowhere to turn and run,when caught within insanity. Brother killing brother,over things they fail to understand. Living in a nightmare,where the beasts are politicians.
*** Words Vanish ***
Words vanish!
Disperse — as prayer begun
Moves to clear the mind
And bare the heart,
Swelling the soul to meet Thee
With love…
Sending on high gratitude’s praises,
Pulsing on into silence —
Worshipping in awe of Thee!
By Thy grace
Blessing along Faith’s way
With heavens’ lights leading
Searching souls
Close, ever closer to Thy presence —
Drawn to that touch —
Of communion with Thee!
Yet, prayer in a moment might flee
Back to thought to fruitlessly plea
For the ineffable to reveal
Some phrases of devotion and humility…
From the human to the Holy
…Entering Radiance
Words fail the feelings
Of the soul’s prayerful flight in adoring love
For Thee God…
God alone
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** The words “God Alone” are etched in the stone
above the arched entrance to the Trappist Gethsemani
Monastery in Bardstown, KY, USA (home of Fr. Thomas Merton, teacher, peacemaker, author
of The Seven Storey Mountain, New Seeds of Contemplation, No Man Is an Island, & more.
He also had a great fondness for James Joyce and taught often about poetry. Lectures of his
classes at Gethsemani are widely available on-line.)
————————————————————————
(c) sallyyoung eslinger 9/15/2023
Thanks be to God—-
A day no true artist would dare to paint,
Breathtaking colors by God’s hand alone,
Spoiled only by a dark and lonely figure
Dropping tears on a freshly mowed grass lawn.
A nostalgic woman of former times
When a friend might come and sit a spell,
This, though, is year Two Thousand Eight or Nine,
Belying that “No man is an Island.”
These Islands move like shells loose floating,
Privately on streets, behind closed colored doors,
Concealing problems they try to erase,
With their solitary searches for grace.
While wisdom’s left over figures of life,
Sit amongst God’s colors and doze alone.
If i were given a chance to be born again
i guess i would change anything in my life
i would enjoy the best part of my life
and the worst i would welcome it with two hands
some would want to be born billionaires
but for me i would gladly accept the poverty i have
i can see you laughing at my decisions but sorry
am poor physically but my mind is more than a gold mine
if i were born again i would long for the day i cried the most
the tears i shed makes me stand where i am today
i would ask for that happy day which i received hugs and kisses
for it taught me,just like a coin life is two sided
i would pray the day my heart was broken to come
because it taught me how to fix it
when my love was gone i tried to love myself
then i realized no man is an island because God was still loving me
i would celebrate the day i was depressed
and the day i thought i was most stressed
i would wait for the day my life was messed
because through all this am blessed
Bird in a guilded cage, a broken heart, a solitary soul
Road less travelled, a soul full of longing, my heart bleeds
On a wing and a prayer, my heart is a lonely hunter, a weary soul
Kiss the rose, look into my eyes
Endless words, my heart laid bare
No man is an island, tears fall like rain
Words that were left unspoken, over and over again
It's never too late to change, wish upon a star
Near and dear to my heart, when all is said and done
Give it a whirl, as time passes by, my soul is weeping, weeping
Stop and smell the roses, till the end of time
______________________________
May 9, 2015
Poetry/Verse/Cliches/"Broken Wings"
Copyright Protected, ID 05-671-486-09
All Rights Reserved, 2015, Constance La France
Fireflies face extinction due to habitat loss, light pollution and
pesticides. What have they done to deserve such callous fate?
"No man is an island"
A saying by the English author John Donne
Fireflies
Born underneath enigmatic expanding skies
Cuddled by a Blue Planet of emerald and ice.
Like a serpentine river of gems silently arise
Gliding on gossamer wings evoking surprise.
Sparkling rubies wove in the curtain of night
Bathed in darkness in sheer ethereal delight.
Solemnly await the inevitable ultimate flight
Towards soothing rays of love's healing light!
Penned: 02/07/2023
4:25 p.m.
N. Las Vegas
I lay spread-eagle in a field orchard;
Surrounded on four sides by long-grown, green grass
On a dry, October's noon. Nonchalant.
I watched a small squirrel climb a tree, close;
The branches shaking violently still.
With a soft thud, a bespeckled fruit fell,
And I watched it drift past my outstretched palm.
I thought of a line I'd heard too often;
"No man is an island."- or so they say.
I came to see with what I was content:
Though I could lay in that soft aroma,
Alone with the sweet sound of wind through grass;
Though I enjoyed spending time all alone;
I am afraid of living life lonely.
Terrified of being the star ungazed;
Of leaving nothing behind but my words,
For words can and will always be challenged.
As I stared on all that is celestial,
The constellations of my soul aligned.
In my emotion, the grass became rye;
For whilst I sought to be Camus' Mersault
I was but Salinger's Holden Caulfield-
Painfully aware of the blades of grass;
Too faddish of their personalities,
Yet hurt more mentally by their absence.
Still, the hardest part of this loneliness,
Is living knowing it was my own fault.
When it came to dating I had a soul full of sorrow
But all of my friends told me to hang in there
When we met I felt you looking into my soul
My soul laid bare with all protection lost
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder
And I would wait with bated breath to see you again
I finally knew what it was like to fall head over heels
Everything’s coming up roses was my first thought of every day
As time went by our love reached new heights
I thought our love could stand against the sands of time
Then sand started to fall through the cracks
The self-doubts and thoughts that no one understands me surfaced
Your spending was also a cause for concern
You have champagne tastes and a beer budget
When we split there were words that were left unspoken
It felt like you tore out my heart that day which I’ll never forget
My heart withered like a raisin and my tears fell like rain
After all no man is an island we are much more than meets the eye
I know now that your beauty is only skin deep
But it doesn’t do any good to cry over spilled milk
My friends say time heals all wounds
I guess when all is said and done
I’m sitting here left with nothing but a soul full of sorrow
Some say “it’s better to have love and lost than never love at all”
They also say “if it was meant to be it will come right back to you”
I say “love is the enemy the silent destroyer and not to be underestimated”
It is the ruler of your brain and the master of your heart
Anything lost should remain lost; if its possession was of any worth it would
not be neglected
Nothing is meant to be if it was not carved in stone, our future is mold by our
choices.
Never get emotionally attach to anything /any one you cannot see yourself
without.
For life is a journey and understanding should not compliment doubt.
Some say “never to burn your bridges behind you”
They also say “you cannot know the future without knowing your past”
I say “knowing your history is one thing but the future still remains a mystery.
Some bridges are made to be burned while some weren’t strong enough to
last
Not everyone that gives a helping hand has a good intention
Your friend could be as close as your brother but behind his aid manifest
deception
“No man is an island and no man stands alone”, I remember this well.
Who made this phrase up, what do they mean and on what aspect? Please do
tell.
Unity is strength I know this to be true and still what was made a whole can be
broken in two
I say “anything you can’t do by your self leave it alone and be very careful not
to make ones burden your own.
Some say “the youths have no hope for the future”
Yet what hope does the future provide for the youths?
And what’s the sense of being direct if it’s not all the truth?
Also what good is an opinion now if you chose to be mute?
I say “youths make use of your prime”
And ensure that you’re being paid for your time.
Never expect people to tell you the truth,
It would be a bonus if they do
People will say what they want also do what they want
So I say, time is money so when you talk be quick
And when you come with your ideology or your tricks
Come prepared for a conflict
Every human is born as a single entity
Without emotional ties, feelings or an identity
Relations and feelings are achieved in the home and hearth
Soon after the cry signals the miracle of birth
But no man is an island, as they say
Everyone in your life holds sway
To the way you are, and the decisions you take
And one gets encumbered by connections, real and fake
In the world of relations, there is a hierarchy
That regulates behaviour, preventing anarchy
And on top of the pyramid soaring like a dove
Is an extremely complex bond called Love
The bond of love I had for you
Shaped the way I am, my world and it's hue
For you I lived, and let my life go by
And it broke my heart when you took to the sky
Did you forget how I sat by your bed
When the world had left you for dead
I fed you and nurtured you to health
But you were lured away,I guess, by nature's wealth
I loved you, so I had to set you free
And I understand why you had to leave me
Because whether filled with love or brimming with hate
Every relation has an expiration date
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
to seek the treasures
abundant on this land
mutual aid is needed
you cannot succeed on your own
remember, no man is an island
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
Behind every enterprise, there is support.
Individuals who show support
with hope and confidence
be it a small or big aid
one cannot rise on its own
without other people helping
working together side by side
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
We can reach our purpose,
we can, we can
If we work together
we will reach it, before long.
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
Challenges that we may face
be it rough sea currents
drenching us with waves after waves
drowning our spirits
even getting chased by wild savages
that wants to eat us
or hunted down by a pack of vicious lions
as long as we help each other
we will come through it
reaching our admired goal
side by side, gloriously
Some say that
the power of one is strong
however, being alone
makes one vulnerable
to be attack from many sides
having trusting allies
being alongside of each other
helping each other
we are sure to win
As the saying goes
a single stick
breaks easily
a bundled of sticks
stays strong
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
such is the same for wolves’
they work as a pack
they are strong as a pack
they succeed as a pack
they have each other’s backs
So do a ship
if the crew is organized
the ship crew’s functions well
the journey will reach its destination
if the ship crew is in disarray
it will bicker and plot schemes
that will destroy each other
leading to ruin
surely it will sink the ship
All for one, one for all
we rise
when united
we fall
when divided
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
the world’s bounty is open for us
to acquire and enjoy it.
Nothing is impossible
being united, anything is possible
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
there it is
land ho, land ho
the place that has it
the treasures that we seek
Up and down
left and right
we row and row
We are HERE
anchors away boys
we can land now
celebrating our success
to rest our laurels
enjoying our well-earned rewards
of our achieved dreams
Experts describe it as a complex emotional reaction, felt by people dwelling in isolation.
Sufferers sometimes cannot explain what they are feeling, as loneliness possess their being.
Why, oh why, is this disease so pervasive among so vast a population?
What is the explanation for this strange phenomenon we are seeing?
The family structure is cracked and broken, and we seem to be losing our mind,
Emailing, texting and tweeting have replaced good, old-fashioned conversating.
Instead of loving, caring, bosom friends, we’ve settled for the Facebook kind.
And spend the best part of our day posting, streaming and Facetiming.
We’ve forsaken our Creator and dislodged our spiritual mooring.
Now devoid of all bearing, we spend our life drifting,
Searching for true meaning by carousing, feasting and lusting,
And end up frustrated, depressed and still wanting.
Singles are prone to loneliness, since companionship is often a need.
It is not fun to cook, eat, and sleep all by your lonely self.
But singles can beat loneliness if to this creed they give heed,
That, “No man is an island, entire of itself.”
Wives can be lonely too, when companionship is lacking,
Because the man they married does not do much talking.
His home is his castle, and he behaves like he’s a king,
The TV is his mistress and he doesn’t do a thing.
Then there is the survivor, whose spouse is dead and gone,
And they are left to run the race and face life all alone.
The children have a life of their own and time is scarce as gold,
So, time with them is but a dream after they leave the fold.
Now if we want to cure this strange phenomenon,
We must seek after God with humility and submission.
And find true satisfaction by modeling our mothers,
In loving and serving and caring for others.