Poetry

"I knew a very wise man that believed that * * * if a man were permitted to make all the ballads, he need not care who should make the laws of a nation."

"A famous man is Robin Hood, The English ballad-singer's joy."

"More solid things do not show the complexion of the times so well as Ballads and Libels."

"Drawing has always been a staple, a gratifying part of my being. It was the first creative act I knew. It is the first effort of a child to express perhaps what it cannot or will not express verbally."

"The greater puzzle of universal wisdom and beauty that we have strived to honor through our work includes the profound legacies of world artistic and spiritual traditions, the innate integrity of human communities where people seek to live in social harmony, and that regenerative stream of life sustained upon the earth itself as it spins through the cosmos to the music of the spheres. It also embraces such simple and yet essential things as the psychic nourishment received from family and friends while growing up; and the welcoming kindness received from “strangers” when venturing forth into the world."

"A beautiful book…the reproductions of the paintings are outstanding. The poems were inspired by the paintings, and make perfect companions for the reproductions."

"Even as I read the lush work of the poet, the corresponding reproductions reflected the words in yet another medium. The artist Vann works in paint that resembles colored fire—the kind that one knocks one’s head back to gaze upon in the night sky on Independence Day. Fireworks, nearly liquid fire, in every blazing color and few of them muted, but pure, in shivering and shimmering lines... The two artists are a perfect match, words as vibrant as image, image as emblazoned with fiery color as poetry. The occasional essay enlightens as to the inner workings of each, building anticipation for the pages ahead and beckoning return to the pages behind."

"These creatures made of starbreath and visions must have seen you in those moments that stood like walls of alien genetics between your life and mine. They knew what you were like, vibrating your entire universe against the skin and tears of another, slowly crushing your skull between planets of intolerance and desire."

"The image titled “The Homeless, Psalm 85:10,” featured on the cover of ELEMENTAL, can evoke multiple levels of response. They may include the spiritual in the form of a studied meditation upon the multidimensional qualities of the painting itself; or an extended contemplation of the scripture in the title, which in the King James Bible reads as follows: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” The painting can also inspire a physical response in the form of tears as it calls to mind its more earth-bound aspects; namely, the very serious plight of those who truly are homeless in this world, whether born into such a condition, or forced into it by poverty or war."

"Everywhere we shine death and life burn into something new, rise up like perfumed nebulae through the jubilant road flowing beneath our feet."

"In Bovine majesty she stands, Her purple tail she swings, The amethyst cow"

"And to my horror down the lane Came a sight; I froze inside A spectral cow with purple hide."

"Corniferous wet-nurse of the human race, Calm, comfortable cow, with placid pride Yielding your offering at eventide"

"Open then I flung a shutter, And, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a Purple Cow which gayly tripped around my floor."

"Ask me no more. A cow I fain would see Of purple tint, like a sun-soaked grape -"

"Full many a cow of purplest ray serene Is haply grazing where I may not see; Full many a donkey writes of her, I ween, But neither of these creatures would I be."

"Our most hearty laughter Something sad must rouse. Our sweetest songs are those that tell of Purple Cows."

"Though cows of rare sorts I am buying, Not one breathes a balm to my breast. Oh, rapturous, rose-crowned occasion, When I such a glory might see! But a cow of a purple persuasion I never would be."

"I dream of a purple creature Which is not as kine are now; And resembles cattle only As Cowper resembles a cow."

"Hence, vain deluding cows. The herd of folly, without colour bright, How little you delight, Or fill the Poet's mind, or songs arouse!"

"For the wind is in the gum-tree, And the hay is in the mow, And the cow-bells are a-calling "Come and see a Purple Cow!""

"She lived unknown, that Cow, and so I never chanced to see; But if I had to be one, oh, The difference to me!"

"A cow of purple is a joy forever. Its loveliness increases. I have never Seen this phenomenon."

"Ther God wile helpen, nouth ne dereth."

"Hope maketh fol man ofte blenkes."

"He was ful wis that first yaf mede."

"Dwelling haveth ofte scathe wrouth."

"Lith and selthe felawes are."

"Old sinne makes newe shame."

"My horn is made of thunder, I stole it out of Heaven, The rainbow there is this I wear, for which I hence was driven."

"To find my Tom of Bedlam, ten thousand years I'll travel. Mad Maudlin goes with dirty toes to save her shoes from gravel."

"I'll sail upon a millstone, And make the sea-gods wonder; I'll plunge in the deep, till I wake asleep, And I'll tear the rocks in sunder."

"I'll bark against the Dog-star, And crow away the morning; I'll chase the moon Till it be noon, And I'll make her leave her horning."

"With an host of furious fancies Whereof I am commander, With a burning spear and a horse of air To the wilderness I wander. By a knight of ghosts and shadows I summoned am to tourney, Ten leagues beyond the wide world’s end – Methinks it is no journey."

"The Moon's my constant mistress And the lovely owl my marrow. The flaming drake and the night-crow make Me music to my sorrow."

"While I do sing "any food, any feeding, Feeding, drink or clothing?" Come dame or maid, be not afraid: Poor Tom will injure nothing."

"On the lordly lofts of Bedlam With stubble soft and dainty, Brave bracelets strong, sweet whips ding-dong, And wholesome hunger plenty."

"From the hag and hungry goblin That into rags would rend ye, The spirit that stands by the naked man In the Book of Moons defend ye."

"Old Man: 'Tis poor mad Tom. Edgar: And worse I may be yet: the worst is not So long as we can say, "This is the worst"."

"Poor Tom; that eats the swimming frog, the toad The tadpole, the wall-newt, and the water; that in The fury of his heart, when the foul fiend rages, Eats cow-dung for sallets; swallows the old rat, and The ditch-dog; drinks the green mantle of the Standing pool; who is whipped from tithing to Tithing, and stocked, punished, and imprisoned; who Hath had three suits to his back, six shirts to his Body, horse to ride, and weapon to wear, But mice, and rats, and such small deer, Have been Tom's food for seven long year."

"Who gives anything to poor Tom? whom the foul Fiend hath led through fire and through flame, Through ford and whirlpool, over bog and quagmire; That hath laid knives under his pillow, and halters In his pew; set ratsbane by his porridge; made him Proud of heart, to ride on a bay trotting-horse over Four-inched bridges, to course his own shadow for a Traitor. Bless thy five wits! Tom's a-cold. O! do De, do de, do de. Bless thee from whirlwinds, Star-blasting, and taking! Do poor Tom some Charity, whom the foul fiend vexes."

"Forth from my sad and darksome cell, From the deep abyss of Hell, Mad Tom is come to view the world again, To see if he can ease his distemper'd brain. Fear and despair pursue my soul. Hark! how the angry Furies howl! Pluto laughs, and Proserpine is glad, To see poor naked Tom of Bedlam mad. Through the woods I wander night and day To find my straggling senses."

"Curced in kirc than sal thai be wid candil, boke, and bell."

"Selden was for ani chance Praised Inglis tong in France."

"Brut þat berne bolde of hand, First conquerour of meri Ingland."

"For-þi men sais into þis tyde, Is no man þat murthir may hide."

"Luken luve at the end wil kith."

"Efter haly kyrc state Þis ilk bok is es translate In to Inglis tong to rede For the loue of inglis lede, Inglis lede of Ingland, For the commun at understand. Frankis rimes here I redd, Communlik in ilk[a] sted, Mast es it wroght for frankis man: Of Ingland the nacion, Quat is for him na frankis can? Es Inglis man þar in commun; Þe speche þat man wit mast may spede, Mast þar-wit to speke war nede; Selden was for ani chance Praised Inglis tong in france; Giue we ilkan þare langage, Me think we do þam non outrage. To laud and Inglis man i spell Þat understandes pat i tell."

"Nil we, wil we, we sal mete."

"Hert sun for-gettes that ne ei seis."