From ‘The Cross’

Who can blot out the Cross, which th’instrument
Of God, dew’d on me in the Sacrament?
Who can deny me power, and liberty
To stretch mine arms, and mine own Cross to be?
Swim, and at every stroke, thou art thy Cross;
The Mast and yard make one, where seas do toss;
Look down, thou spiest out Crosses in small things;
Look up, thou seest birds rais’d on crossed wings;
All the Globes frame, and spheres, is nothing else
But the Meridians crossing Parallels.
Material Crosses then, good physic bee,
But yet spiritual have chief dignity.
These for extracted chemic medicine serve,
And cure much better, and as well preserve;
Then are you your own physic, or need none,
When Still’d, or purg’d by tribulation.
For when that Cross ungrudg’d, unto you sticks,
Then are you to your self, a Crucifix.
As perchance, Carvers do not faces make,
But that away, which hid them there, do take;

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poem by John Donne
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White Crosses

Well I packed all of my things into this blanket
To call this year to earn coyotes fill
Kiss my wife and kids goodbye choke back the quiver in my breath
And took my first steps into this corridor of death
If Im lucky I will make it to a drain
With 500 of my brothers, I would share the strain
Of standing in this boxcar praying for rain
Its the only the way we will quench our thirst
[Chorus:]
In these gardens of white crosses
Growing in the California sand
In these gardens of white crosses
We are the children of poverty trying to a make a stand
If we make it past the border, we will scatter
Vanish just like smoke in autumn wind
I will run until my color will not matter
Hopin I can find some work or possibly a friend
There are others who have made it here
They will show me how to find a job and a place to lay my head
And I cannot be concerned with dreams of my children

[...] Read more

song performed by Edwin McCain
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Her crosses were hard,
Rather difficult to bear.
But faith gave her strength.

senryu by Walterrean Salley
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The star Bethlehem born

The stardust spreading the beautiful night
The star Bethlehem being most sublime
Is being shot again and again
Broken hearted crosses we cross
Broken hearted crosses we count
Like beads of starry nights
Asleep unawake still crossing
The rivers of the first step stone
You think you could have died of shame

(The last line inspired by Franz Kafka 'Process')

©Miroslava Odalović

poem by Miroslava Odalovic
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As the wise man looks for a bridge the fool crosses the river.

Persian proverbs
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Crosses Burning # 2

Native America tragedy,
cant escape the curse of history,
poverty has its remedies,
none of which are good.

crystal meth and crack cocaine,
Devil drives that old train,
cant fix the hole or ease the pain,
and wouldnt if it could...

still the wheel of life
keeps on turning;
in the land of illusions,
crosses burning.

small town heroes falling,
the ghosts of freedom calling,
yet the truth is quite appalling,
pawns in the game.

[...] Read more

poem by Eric Cockrell
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191

The summer is hot
He crosses the river through
Teasing the bridge
With his water buffalo

poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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Teasing The Bridge

The summer is hot
He crosses the river through
Teasing the bridge
With his water buffalo

poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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My best male friend is my best friend until he crosses me. We're all protective of the self.

quote by Neil LaBute
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I mean, I tend to do my own thing, and that usually crosses purposes with everyone around me.

quote by Shirley Manson
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The Magic Of The Moment

She walks down a street
in Central London
on the sunny side of course
and is dumbfounded by the fact

that it is raining on the other side of the street.
It falls into her mind as if it were a dream
but a dream that's real.

She crosses over and holds out her hand.
Raindrops collect on her palm.
She crosses over again and watches them evaporate
on her outstretched hand.

poem by Dónall Dempsey
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Who made these laws? That's what I want to know. So that's why I wear two crosses now. I call it double cross. I believe in God-not religion.

quote by Ja Rule
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A Sheaf Of Snakes Used Heretofore To Be My Seal, The Crest Of Our Poor Family

ADOPTED in God's family and so
Our old coat lost, unto new arms I go.
The Cross—my seal at baptism—spread below
Does, by that form, into an Anchor grow.
Crosses grow Anchors ; bear, as thou shouldest do
Thy Cross, and that Cross grows an Anchor too.
But He that makes our Crosses Anchors thus,
Is Christ, who there is crucified for us.
Yet may I, with this, my first serpents hold ;
God gives new blessings, and yet leaves the old.
The serpent may, as wise, my pattern be ;
My poison, as he feeds on dust, that's me.
And, as he rounds the earth to murder sure,
My death he is, but on the Cross, my cure.
Crucify nature then, and then implore
All grace from Him, crucified there before ;
Then all is Cross, and that Cross Anchor grown ;
This seal's a catechism, not a seal alone.
Under that little seal great gifts I send,
Works, and prayers, pawns, and fruits of a friend.

[...] Read more

poem by John Donne
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Angry

Anger is like making crosses and saying praise,
Opening the hearts for a time, penetrating always.

poem by Naveed Akram
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He who crosses a bridge to paradise and blows it after him is going to hell.

African proverbs
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The Chant Of The Cross-Bearing Child

I bear dis cross dis many a mile.
O de cross-bearin' chile--
De cross-bearin' chile!

I bear dis cross 'long many a road
Wha' de pink ain't bloom' an' de grass done mowed.
O de cross-bearin' chile--
De cross-bearin' chile!

Hits on my conscience all dese days
Fo' ter bear de cross ut de good Lord lays
On my po' soul, an' ter lif my praise.
O de cross-bearin' chile--
De cross-bearin' chile!

I 's nigh-'bout weak ez I mos' kin be,
Yit de Marstah call an' He say,--'You 's free
Fo' ter 'cept dis cross, an' ter cringe yo' knee
To no n'er man in de worl' but me!'
O de cross-bearin' chile--

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poem by James Whitcomb Riley
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Jesus’ Cross

The Holy Cross beckons
To follow Jesus Christ;
The source of strength and joy
To souls, for Lord athirst!

The Holy Cross guides us
To walk upon His steps;
The Son of God had died
To save mankind from sins.

The Holy Cross reminds
To place our trust in God;
Jesus resurrected
To annul man from rod.

The Holy Cross signals
That life has crosses, woes;
Yet, we must tread fearless;
Engages God, our foes!

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poem by John Celes
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Only the man who crosses the river at night knows the value of the light of day.

Chinese proverbs
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In Long Rows

Millions and millions of crosses
standing in long rows.
Standing as a testament
of man’s inhumanity to man.
Their ages range low to high,
all casualties of a war
in which they answered
their counties call.
Their kin are long dead now,
but the crosses all bare a name
of someone who had they lived
might have gained fame
in another game.
However, here they lie
where the pretty flowers grow
after giving up their life
for their country.
Some are remembered
even to this day
for their acts of courage

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poem by David Harris
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He who postpones the hour of living is like the rustic who waits for the river to run out before he crosses.

quote by Horace
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