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Poetry to remember Michael

Sophielo

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We Had Him​


Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.

Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.

In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.

Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.

Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.

He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.

Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.

He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.

We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.

His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.

And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.

We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.

Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square.

In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England

We are missing Michael.

But we do know we had him, and we are the world.​
 
To Michael, a poem by the great Chilean poet Pablo Neruda

Perhaps not to be is to be without your being
Perhaps not to be is to be without your being,
 
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Dedicated to Michael, a poem by e.e. cummings:

i carry your heart with me
i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)
e.e. cummings​
 
Success by Bessie Stanley - 1905

He has achieved success
who has lived well,
laughed often, and loved much;

who has enjoyed the trust of
pure women,

the respect of intelligent men and
the love of little children;

who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

who has left the world better than he found it
whether by an improved poppy,
a perfect poem or a rescued soul;

who has never lacked appreciation of Earth's beauty
or failed to express it;

who has always looked for the best in others and
given them the best he had;

whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.


"Bessie Anderson Stanley (1879 - 1952), a resident of Kansas, wrote this for a magazine contest that asked, "What constitutes success?” Her entry won first place. Bessie's words are often erroneously attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson and Robert Louis Stevenson, and often paraphrased, but this is the original version."
 
37aabd187abf6b33823b399872402838.jpg


Repeating the Maya Angelou poem which starts this thread. But here it is accompanied by a beautiful image of Michael so I thought it was worth posting again.
 


Felt the need to revisit the poem by Maya Angleou. This reading is by Queen Latifah from Michael's memorial. It's raw and very emotional. Plus, there is a brief glimpse of Michael's casket at the end of the clip so approach with caution. But this is such a powerful performance from Queen Latifah. I think I can appreciate it more now, after so many years, than I could at the time.

I'm so glad Maya Angelou was still alive at the time of Michael's death. At least she was still here to write this for him. I don't think anyone else could have written a better eulogy / celebration / lamentation for him.
 
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@wendijane

Hope you don't mind but I'm posting your Chaucer quote over here. Just feel the need to have it on this thread - even though it's such a tiny thread, lol.

I've added in the second verse bc sometimes, if I'm listening to Michael specifically bc I need a bit of Michael therapy, that bit about his word (i.e. one of his songs) healing the injury fits quite well. I mean, it's maybe overstating it just a little bit but not by much.

Anyway, here we go:

Rondel of Merciless Beauty
by Geoffrey Chaucer

Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;
Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Only your word will heal the injury
To my hurt heart, while yet the wound is clean -
Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene.

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/rondel-of-merciless-beauty/
 
zinniabooklover said:
@wendijane

Hope you don't mind but I'm posting your Chaucer quote over here. Just feel the need to have it on this thread - even though it's such a tiny thread, lol.

I've added in the second verse bc sometimes, if I'm listening to Michael specifically bc I need a bit of Michael therapy, that bit about his word (i.e. one of his songs) healing the injury fits quite well. I mean, it's maybe overstating it just a little bit but not by much.

Anyway, here we go:

Rondel of Merciless Beauty
by Geoffrey Chaucer

Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene;
Straight through my heart the wound is quick and keen.

Only your word will heal the injury
To my hurt heart, while yet the wound is clean -
Your two great eyes will slay me suddenly;
Their beauty shakes me who was once serene.

https://www.poemhunter.com/poem/rondel-of-merciless-beauty/
Click to expand...
:LOL:ooh Not at all. It feels quite surreal because i did alot of this in my books, matching up his pics with Geoffrey 🤭
Yeah it does work doesn't it? Lovely . Thankyou 😁

****************
♡

There Is A Gentle Thought

There is a gentle thought that often springs
to life in me, because it speaks of you.
Its reasoning about love’s so sweet and true,
the heart is conquered, and accepts these things.
‘Who is this’ the mind enquires of the heart,
‘who comes here to seduce our intellect?
Is his power so great we must reject
every other intellectual art?
The heart replies ‘O, meditative mind
this is love’s messenger and newly sent
to bring me all Love’s words and desires.
His life, and all the strength that he can find,
from her sweet eyes are mercifully lent,
who feels compassion for our inner fires.’

~Dante Alighieri
 
wendijane said:
:LOL:ooh Not at all. It feels quite surreal because i did alot of this in my books, matching up his pics with Geoffrey 🤭
Yeah it does work doesn't it? Lovely . Thankyou 😁

****************
♡

There Is A Gentle Thought

There is a gentle thought that often springs
to life in me, because it speaks of you.
Its reasoning about love’s so sweet and true,
the heart is conquered, and accepts these things.
‘Who is this’ the mind enquires of the heart,
‘who comes here to seduce our intellect?
Is his power so great we must reject
every other intellectual art?
The heart replies ‘O, meditative mind
this is love’s messenger and newly sent
to bring me all Love’s words and desires.
His life, and all the strength that he can find,
from her sweet eyes are mercifully lent,
who feels compassion for our inner fires.’

~Dante Alighieri
Click to expand...
oh, love me some Dante. Ngl, haven't read much. No point in pretending I'm all highbrow, lol. But the odd fragments I come across? Love 'em.
 
Not a poem. a well known song (cried to this alot)


The Logical Song ~SuperTramp.

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily
Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me
But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh, responsible, practical
Then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical

There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am

I said, now, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah

But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please (oh, won't you tell me)
Please tell me what we've learned?
(Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd
(Oh, won't you tell me) please tell me who I am
Who I am, who I am, who I am

Ooh
Hey

'Cause I was feeling so logical
Yeah
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Digital
Yeah, one, two, three, five
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Ooh, it's getting unbelievable
Yeah
Getting, getting, yeah, yeah

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/64176363425352903/

(The lyrics are about how the innocence and wonder of childhood can quickly give way to worry and cynicism as children are taught to be responsible adults. It makes the point that logic can restrict creativity and passion.)
 
zinniabooklover said:
oh, love me some Dante. Ngl, haven't read much. No point in pretending I'm all highbrow, lol. But the odd fragments I come across? Love 'em.
Click to expand...
YAY no im not either , but some of the words and the feelings are spot on zin
 
wendijane said:
Not a poem. a well known song (cried to this alot)


The Logical Song ~SuperTramp.

When I was young, it seemed that life was so wonderful
A miracle, oh, it was beautiful, magical
And all the birds in the trees, well they'd be singing so happily
Oh, joyfully, oh, playfully watching me
But then they sent me away to teach me how to be sensible
Logical, oh, responsible, practical
Then they showed me a world where I could be so dependable
Oh, clinical, oh, intellectual, cynical

There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am

I said, now, watch what you say, they'll be calling you a radical
A liberal, oh, fanatical, criminal
Oh, won't you sign up your name? We'd like to feel you're acceptable
Respectable, oh, presentable, a vegetable
Oh, take, take, take it, yeah

But at night, when all the world's asleep
The questions run so deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please (oh, won't you tell me)
Please tell me what we've learned?
(Can you hear me?) I know it sounds absurd
(Oh, won't you tell me) please tell me who I am
Who I am, who I am, who I am

Ooh
Hey

'Cause I was feeling so logical
Yeah
D-D-D-D-D-D-D-Digital
Yeah, one, two, three, five
Oh, oh, oh, oh, yeah
Ooh, it's getting unbelievable
Yeah
Getting, getting, yeah, yeah

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/64176363425352903/

(The lyrics are about how the innocence and wonder of childhood can quickly give way to worry and cynicism as children are taught to be responsible adults. It makes the point that logic can restrict creativity and passion.)
Click to expand...
loved Supertramp!
 
A lovely poem from Langston Hughes for World Poetry Day.


"I catch the pattern
of your silence
before you speak

I do not need
to hear a word.

In your silence
every tone I seek
Is heard."

Silence by Langston Hughes
 
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Presumably this is legit.

A poem written by Buz Kohan for Michael. 2004. The video does contain lots of footage of Michael arriving at court in 2005.

EDIT - trigger warning. Approach with caution. The images in the video are heartwrenching. Not easy to watch.

8m 10s

 
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A very short, spoken word poem celebrating Michael. Performed by Brit Nicole at MJ Uncovered 2018. Starts at 1m 30s.

ps-af.facebook.com

MJ UNCOVERED: Brit Nicole - King of Pop Poem | Milwaukee artist Brit Nicole performs her King Of Pop poem for opening segment of MJ UNCOVERED show. FULL VIDEO AVAILABLE HERE:... | By ‎B-Free‎ | Facebook

۳۳ views, ۰ likes, ۰ loves, ۰ comments, ۰ shares, Facebook Watch Videos from B-Free: Milwaukee artist Brit Nicole performs her King Of Pop poem for opening segment of MJ UNCOVERED show. FULL VIDEO...
ps-af.facebook.com ps-af.facebook.com
 
"I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree."

by Joyce Kilmer 1886 - 1918


And here's Michael in the Giving Tree. There is a shorter version of this with not so much of Bashir in it but I can't find it.

@wendijane - can you help? You posted it recently.

 
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"On what instrument are we strung?

And what artist has us in their hand?"

'Love-Song' by Rainer Maria Rilke
 
My own poem, "Michael's Song, Part 2." Originally written on January 7th, 2023.

Why am I sharing this now, eight months after writing it?

Today, I've been the target of hate and misunderstanding for another time regarding my love for Michael. This poem is dedicated not just to Michael, but to those that have tried to humiliate me for loving him, and for twisting my love for him into something it is not.

www.mjjcommunity.com

"Michael's Song, Part 2" ~by DJ (Originally written January 7th, 2023).

I've been going through my old letters to Michael to find this very special poem (even though it says "song" in the title). I also found Part 1, but it is not as good as this. One of my favorite pieces I've ever written, written with true love.
www.mjjcommunity.com www.mjjcommunity.com

I've been in love with Michael for longer than most people want to believe. Believe me, it's not a momentary infatuation, nor do I desire him for pleasure only. This is true love at its core.
 
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