Wishing everyone a healthy and happening 2008

ABRAHAM LINCOLN's LETTER TO HEADMASTER

A letter written by Abraham Lincoln to the Headmaster of a school in which his son was studying. It contains an advice, which is still relevant today for executives, workers, teachers, parents and students.

A WORD TO TEACHERS

"He will have to learn, I know, that all men are not just and are not true. But teach him if you can, the wonder of books.. but also give him quiet time to ponder the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun and flowers on a green hillside.

In school, teach him it is far more honorable to fall than to cheat.....

Teach to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him he is wrong.

Teach him to be gentle with gentlepeople and tough with the tough.

Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone getting on the bandwagon...

Teach him to listen to all men; but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take only the good that comes through.

Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad... Teach him there is no shame in tears.

Teach him to scoff at cynics and to be beware of too much sweetness.. Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to highest bidders, but never to put a price on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob.. and stand and fight if thinks he is right.

Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient.. Let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will have faith in humankind.

This is a big order, but see what you can do. . He is such a fine little fellow my son!

- Abraham Lincoln"

Source: http://www.ncte-in.org/contrib/abraham.htm

All Is Not Lost!

A 10-year-old boy decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident. The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move. "Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?" "This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied. Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.

Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals. This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.

"No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue." Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament.

He was the champion. On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every
move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind. "Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?" "You won for two reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm." The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.

"Sometimes we feel that we have certain weaknesses and we blame god, the circumstances and our self for it but we never know that our weakness can become our strength one day. Each of us is special and important, so never think you have any weakness, never think of pride or pain, just live your life to its fullest and extract the best out of it!"

You will love this one...

A young and pretty lady posted this on a popular forum:
Title: What should I do to marry a rich guy?

I'm going to be honest of what I'm going to say here. I'm 25 this year. I'm very pretty, have style and good taste. I wish to marry a guy with $500k annual salary or above. You might say that I'm greedy, but an annual salary of $1M is considered only as middle class in New York. My requirement is not high. Is there anyone in this forum who has an income of $500k annual salary? Are you all married? I wanted to ask: what should I do to marry rich persons like you? Among those I've dated, the richest is $250k annual income, and it seems that this is my upper limit. If someone is going to move into high cost residential area on the west of New York City Garden (?), $250k annual income is not enough.

I'm here humbly to ask a few questions:
1) Where do most rich bachelors hang out? (Please list down the names and addresses of bars, restaurant, gym)
2) Which age group should I target?
3) Why most wives of the riches is only average-looking? I've
met a few girls who doesn't have looks and are not interesting, but they are able to marry rich guys
4) How do you decide who can be your wife, and who can only be your girlfriend? (my target now is to get married)

Ms. Pretty


Here's a reply from a Wall Street Financial guy:

Dear Ms. Pretty,

I have read your post with great interest. Guess there are lots of girls out there who have similar questions like yours. Please allow me to analyse your situation as a professional investor. My annual income is more than $500k, which meets your requirement, so I hope everyone believes that I'm not wasting time here. From the standpoint of a business person, it is a bad decision to marry you. The answer is very simple, so let me explain. Put the details aside, what you're trying to do is an exchange of "beauty" and "money": Person A provides beauty, and Person B pays for it, fair and square. However, there's a deadly problem here, your beauty will fade, but my money will not be gone without any good reason. The fact is, my income might increase from year to year, but you can't be prettier year after year. Hence from the viewpoint of economics, I am an appreciation asset, and you are a depreciation asset. It's not just normal depreciation, but exponential depreciation. If that is your only asset, your value will be much worried 10 years later.

By the terms we use in Wall Street, every trading has a position, dating with you is also a "trading position". If the trade value dropped we will sell it and it is not a good idea to keep it for long term - same
goes with the marriage that you wanted. It might be cruel to say this, but in order to make a wiser decision any assets with great depreciation value will be sold or "leased". Anyone with over $500k annual income is not a fool; we would only date you, but will not marry you. I would advice that you forget looking for any clues to marry a rich guy. And by the way, you could make yourself to become a rich person with $500k annual income. This has better chance than finding a rich fool.

Hope this reply helps. If you are interested in "leasing" services, do
contact me…

signed,
J.P. Morgan

Plan B

A pretty woman was serving a life sentence in prison. Angry and resentful about her situation, she had decided that she would rather die than to live another year in prison.

Over the years she had become good friends with one of the prison caretakers. His job, among others, was to bury those prisoners who died in a graveyard just outside the prison walls. When a prisoner died, the caretaker rang a bell, which was heard by everyone. The caretaker then got the body and put it in a casket. Next, he entered his office to fill out the death certificate before returning to the casket to nail the lid shut. Finally, he put the casket on a wagon to take it to the graveyard and bury it.

Knowing this routine, the woman devised an escape plan and shared it with the caretaker. The next time the bell rang, the woman would leave her cell and sneak into the dark room where the coffins were kept. She would slip into the coffin with the dead body while the caretaker was filling out the death certificate. When the care-taker returned, he would nail the lid shut and take the coffin outside the prison with the woman in the coffin along with the dead body. He would then bury the coffin. The woman knew there would be enough air for her to breathe until later in the evening when the caretaker would return to the graveyard under the cover of darkness, dig up the coffin, open it, and set her free.

The caretaker was reluctant to go along with this plan, but since he and the woman had become good friends over the years, he agreed to do it.

The woman waited several weeks before someone in the prison died. She was asleep in her cell when she heard the death bell ring. She got up and slowly walked down the hallway. She was nearly caught a couple of times. Her heart was beating fast. She opened the door to the darkened room where the coffins were kept. Quietly in the dark, she found the coffin that contained the dead body, carefully climbed into the coffin and pulled the lid shut to wait for the caretaker to come and nail the lid shut.

Soon she heard footsteps and the pounding of the hammer and nails. Even though she was very uncomfortable in the coffin with the dead body, she knew that with each nail she was one step closer to freedom. The coffin was lifted onto the wagon and taken outside to the graveyard. She could feel the coffin being lowered into the ground. She didn't make a sound as the coffin hit the bottom of the grave with a thud. Finally she heard the dirt dropping onto the top of the wooden coffin, and she knew that it was only a matter of time until she would be free at last. After several minutes of absolute silence, she began to laugh. She was free! She was free! Feeling curious, she decided to light a match to find out the identity of the dead prisoner beside her.

To her horror, she discovered that she was lying next to the dead caretaker.

Many people believe they have life all figured out..... but sometimes it just doesn't turn out the way they planned it.

Think 'Plan B' !

A woman parked her brand-new Lexus in front of her
office ready to show it off to her colleagues. As
she got out, a truck passed too close and completely
tore off the door on the driver's side.

The woman immediately grabbed her cell phone, dialled
911,and within minutes a policeman pulled up. Before
the officer had a chance to ask any questions, the
woman started screaming hysterically. Her Lexus, which
she had just picked up the day before, was now
completely ruined and would never be the same, no
matter what the body shop did to it.

When the woman finally wound down from her ranting
and raving, the officer shook his head in disgust
and disbelief.

"I can't believe how materialistic you women are," he
said. "You are so focused on your possessions that you
don't notice anything else."

"How can you say such a thing?" asked the woman.

The cop replied, "Don't you know that your left arm is
missing from the elbow down? It must have been torn
off when the truck hit you."


"OH MY GOD!" screamed the woman. "Where's my new
bracelet?

A doctor was at a mechanics place to get his car fixed.

After examining the car and fixing the problem the mechanic said, “Hey doc!! We both fix malfunctioning parts of the body. Then how come you get paid hefty??”

The doctor replied, “Have you ever tried fixing the body when the engine is running??”

Mungaru MaLe


Now that I have accepted here that I'm highly opinionated, I kinda feel a freedom to voice myself all the more.

Here's the lyrics of one of my favourite songs from Mungaru MaLe, The Kannada Movie. To know/read more about the movie I'd suggest you read this and this post.

Anisuthide yaako indu
Neeneyne nannavaLendu
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaage bandavaLendu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathane
[ Don’t know why I feel this way today,
That you are the one for me,
From a magical world,
You have come for me today,
Oh what a sweet pain is this……]

Kollu huDugi omme nanna, haage summane (these 2 words are equivalent of ‘bas yun hi’ in hindi…literally it translates to just simply)
[ Kill me once oh girl, just like that…..]
Suriyuva soneyu sooside ninnade parimaLa
Innyara kanasulu neenu hodare taLamaLa
PoorNa chandira rajaa haakida
Ninnaya mogavanu kanDa kshaNaa…
Naa khaidi neeney seremane
Tappi nanna appiko omme…. haage summane
[ The raging rain has brought your sweet smell,
If you step into anyone else’s dream, I feel so restless,
The full moon ceased to exist, from the moment he saw your face.
I’m a prisoner and you are the prison….
Please hold and hug me tight, just like that….]

Anisuthide yaako indu…
TutigaLa hoovali aaDada maathina sihiyide
Manasina putadali kevala ninnade sahiyide
HaNeyali bareyada ninna hesara, Hrudayadi naane korediruve
Ninagunte idara kalpane
Nanna hesara kooge omme… haage summane
[ The petals of your lips have the sweetness, of the words you haven’t spoken,
The pages of my heart have only your signatures,
Your name which fate hasn’t written on my forehead, I have engraved them on my heart,
Do you have any idea about this?
Call my name just once, just like that…..]

Anisuthide yaako indu….
Neeneyney nannavaLendu….
Maayadaa lokadinda
Nanagaagi bandavaLendu
Aahaa yentha madhura yaathaney
Kollu huDugi omme nanna, haage summane…

Translation coutesy freegeek

Well if you think the lyrics is awesome I'm all with you. It sure shows the love this chap has for his girl, to what extent he is in love with her and all such stuff. The highligheted lines just pull at your heart. And the violin after the last highlighted line (if you've heard the song you'll know) always gives me the feeling that You are the fiddler, me the fiddle and your words the bow.

I do not appreciate the lyrics of the female version of this song. Especially the following verses:

baaLa daariyali bere yaadaru chandira baruvanu namma jothe
kaaNuvenu avanalle ninnane…irali geLaya ee anubandha heege summane…

I'm more practical than the lyricist. I can't do with imagining you in the moon, sun or whatever and lead my life. That would mean I am betraying the trust of many. It's either "You are with me or you are not". I want to live with you. If not I know can live on without you. So either there's a relationship between us, or there's none.

bAD lUCK

Fresh blood, full of emotions,
A virgin heart, wanting you till death,
Only a life, full of love and passion.
I offered you the world, of being my queen,

You were young and proud, alas not wise.
Being selfish, failing to see beyond the hill.
Choosing to use me, for your ego.
You have lost dear, a life perfect just with me.

I promised my heart, body and soul,
To my only love, throughout my life.
I still feel so for you but never,
Will I let you feel it again dear.

I promise to hurt you, throughout my life,
Living without you, still loving you,
You had your man, friend, your lover,
I still being the same, but not with you.


~ aNON

DO YOU KNOW

Do you know?
Do you know?


Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?

If birds flying south is a sign of changes
At least you can predict this every year
Love, you never know the minute it ends suddenly
I can’t get it to speak
Maybe if I knew all the things it took to save us
I could fix the pain that bleeds inside of me
Look in your eyes to see something about me
I’m standing on the edge and I don’t know what else to give.

Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?

How can I love you?
How can I love you?
How can I love you?
How can I love you?
If you just don’t talk to me, babe.

I flow through my act
There's a question: Is she needed?
And decide all the man I can ever be.
Looking at the last 3 years like I did
I could never see us ending like this.

[Do You Know (Ping Pong Song) lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]

(Do you know?)

Seeing your face no more on my pillow
Is a scene that’s never ever happened to me.

(Do you know?)

But after this episode I don’t see
You could never tell the next thing life could be

Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?

Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?

(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)
(Do you know?)

Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
Do you know, do you know, do you know, do ya?
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?

Do you know what it feels like loving someone that’s in a rush to throw you away?
(Do you know how it feels?)
Do you know what it feels like to be the last one to know the lock on the door has changed?
(Do you know how it feels?)

(Do you know? Do you know? Do you know? Do you?)
(Do you know? Do you know? Do you know? Do you?)

One of the best proposals ever -

When I saw your name next to mine,
In our wedding card,
I felt blessed.

When I saw you smile,
Seeing me in traditional bride groom dress,
I felt teased.

When I held your hand,
During the marriage rituals,
I felt responsible.

When you entered my lonely bachelor life,
And changed it into a heavenly abode,
I felt lucky.

When you showed the same love as I did,
Towa rds my parents,
I felt proud.

When you scolded me,
For neglecting my health amidst my hectic work,
I felt pampered.

When I saw you scream,
Crying out of labor pains,
I felt helpless.

When I saw tears of happiness in your eyes,
As you looked at our kid,
I felt blessed once again.

All these feelings have bloomed in my heart,
But are yet to blossom in reality.

As these are feelings I long to feel,
For these are still unfelt.

WILL YOU MARRY ME??

A walk to remember

The woods were lovely dark and deep. Walking slowly beside her, in the

damp mud road, was her husband whom she barely knew. He was very

relaxed, happily watching a group of kids playing at a distance.

Her "mehandi" was still dark and smelling fresh, reminding of the

excitements and tension 2 days back. "It cant work this way

mom...please stop this", she kept telling her mother till the last

moment, who wouldn’t listen but carry on with beautifying her. She had

been crying all night and her make-up had to be patched up twice or

thrice to hide her awkwardly swollen face.

It was too late now. She had to get married "NOW" to the guy...The guy

whom she had seen once and talked thrice. The guy about whom she knew

nothing at all but for his name and work. Everything happened in a

hurry and everything was over before she could breathe again... here

was she with this guy, all alone in this hill station... how can

anybody send their daughter such a long distance with a stranger???

"Hey look at that...!" he shouted in excitement... she shrugged and

looked where his finger pointed...

Bright colored balloons dotted the sky. Children were jumping in joy

and he seemed to be completely absorbed into it...colors are always

exciting...but not now. She was not with her friends, not with her team

mates, not even with her parents. This was not a 3 day tour or team

building trip. This was her life and she has been forced to start off

with this person.

Loneliness and discomfort with this stranger was sickening...She

looked at him in wonder... does he even realize that he has married

me? Does he understand that he has to love me, protect me, care for me, a

new girl, a stranger, all his life?



The marriage morning started like a daylight nightmare for her. The

first time in life she felt she should have fallen in love and then

married somebody. some man who she would have felt more comfortable

with, someone whom she could call by name and introduce to friends,

someone whom she could trust. But marriage morning was obviously not

the time to think all these.

Her parents would never have said "no" if she had declared that she

was in love. But she was not emotionally attached to anybody she

met, especially guys. She was very friendly, playing, teasing, but never

had second thought for any man around her. That brought the entire

responsibility of looking for a groom on her parents' shoulders. Her

parents had had a very bad time with this entire process. They started

their groom search with unending "&" operation. The concatenation of

"Horoscope matching" & "Decent family" & "Good-looking" & "Good pay" &

"same cast" & so on... that always gave 0 output. Now after all that 8

months hunt, they were not ready to hear her "ifs" and "buts” for this

'good guy'.

She had explained to her father. She does not feel anything for this

person. He is nothing more to me than any other software

professional. Like list of names she sees in the chat rooms. Distant

and usual...Her father asked her to talk to him and even meet him and

discuss their likes and dislikes. That meeting started like the

induction program self introduction and ended like a 3 hour

seminar. She was waiting to get away from that place. "So did you talk

with him?". "yes". "was he polite and decent”. ”yes". "Oh he got that

special flavored tri-color ice-cream...!!!".OK. All her family and

relatives discussed...She was given the chance to "understand her life

partner" and that they have understood each other "well” and she is

ready for the marriage now.

All arrangements geared up and it was 24 days after her first meeting

that she was getting married to her man... perfect match as everybody

else described. Marriage hall was full with excited people, kids got

the chance to play, and ladies got the chance to wear the silk saree. The

smell of rose and jasmine filled the hall. Different poses for the

photographer and artificial smiles for the videos. The moment he had

tied the sacred thread was unexplainable vacuum in the head. It was

over. She was his wife. Accepted by the society and law. Her proud

parents were relaxed. This was their duty they had been planning to

fulfill since she was born. This entire crowd will fade away, leaving her

to explore her new world...

He pulled her hand gently to sit on the stone bench. The bench was wet

and the chillness was indeed enjoyable. "So what are you thinking

about?"... That was an unexpected ball. Should she reply? Should she be

silent? She remembered the two hour presentation she had taken last

month. Bold and confident, she kept answering all the queries with a

broad smile. Now she remained silent. "Do you know honey... I wasn’t

for this marriage too..." Oh my God... what did I hear??? Did HE tell

that or did I think aloud? What does he mean? Didn’t he like me? Was he

forced into this? He must have noticed the quizzical look on my

face...with a gentle smile he continued..."I wanted to look for a girl

myself, buy her everything, care for her, argue with her, laugh and cry

with her, then get married to her... Anything otherwise would be a

drama. Traditional drama and i was not for it anytime. But my love for

my work and also my stress would not give me time and mind to search

that girl...When your parents talked to me 2 weeks before our

marriage, about your fear of getting married, to a stranger, i could

completely understand your mind. I could see myself in you and that

was the moment i decided i will marry you. There was no time to prove

myself to you, make you trust me, everything happened in a hurry. But

there was the entire life before me, to please you, to love you, to

make you trust me. This is no less than what i had dreamt, the girl i

was waiting for, is you. Now tell me... will you love me???" Tears came

down her cheek. Her parents had done more than their duty. They had

found her the perfect guy. Thank you Mom!!! Thank you Dad!!! His

question remained unanswered yet both knew the answer....

This is a cute one...

One Early morning a mother went to her sleeping son and woke him up.

MOM: "Wake up, son. It's time to go to school."

SON: "But why, Mama? I don't want to go to school."

MOM: "Give me two reasons why you don't want to go to school."

SON: "One, all the children hate me. Two, all the teachers hate me."

MOM: "Oh! that's not a reason. Come on, you have to go to school."

SON: "Give me two good reasons WHY I *should* go to school?"

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MOM: "One, you are FIFTY-TWO years old. Two, you are the PRINCIPAL of the school

Show Me Love

Yeah, yeah, yeah...
Always been told that I've got too much pride
Too independant to have you by my side
But my heart said all of you will see
Just won't live for someone until he'll live for me
Never thought I would find love so sweet
Never thought I would meet someone like you
Well now I've found you and I'll tell you no lie
This love I've got for you
Could take me 'round the world
Now show me love
Show me love, show me life
Baby show me what it's all about
You're the one that I ever needed
Show me love and what it's all about, alright
Don't waste this love I wanna give it to you
Tell me what you got, show me what you can do
Show me love, show me everything
I know you've got potential
So baby let me in and show me love
Show me love, show me life (alright)
Baby show me that it's all about
You're the only one that I ever needed (show me love)
Show me love and what it's all about, alright
Show me love, show me life
Baby show me what it's all about
You're the one that I ever needed
Show me love and what it's all about, alright
Show me love baby
Show me everything you've got and show me life
Show me love baby
Show me everything and what it's all about
You're the one, the only one I ever needed
Show me love and what it's all about, alright
I'll love you
I'll miss you
I'll make sure
Everything will be alright
I'll give you my heart if you just give me love
Every day and every night
Show me love, show me life (alright)
Baby show me what it's all about
You're the one that I ever needed
Show me love and what it's all about, alright
Show me love, show me life (alright)
Baby show me what it's all about
You're the one that I ever needed
Show me love and what it's all about, alright

Courtesy

Something close to my soul.

tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin
tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin
lekar yaad teri raaten meri kati - 2
mujhse baaten teri karti hai chaandani
tanha hai tujh bin raaten meri
din mere din ke jaise nahi
tanha badan tanha hai ruh nam meri aankhen rahe
aaja mere ab rubaru
jeena nahi bin tere
tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin
tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin

kabse aankhen meri raah mein tere bichhi - 2
bhule se hi kahi tu mil jaaye kabhi
bhule na mujhse baaten teri
bheegi hai har pal aankhen meri
kyun saans loon kyun main jiyu
jeena bura sa lage
kyun ho gaya tu bewafaaa mujhko bata de wajah
tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin ...
tere bin main yun kaise jiya
kaise jiya tere bin ...

Something for the guys to ponder about -


Here is a girl, who is as much educated as you are;
who is earning almost as much as you do;

one, who has dreams and aspirations just as you have
because she is as human as you are;

one, who has never entered the kitchen in her life
just like you or your sister haven't,
as she was busy in studies and competing in a system
that gives no special concession to
girls for their culinary achievements;

one, who has lived and loved her parents & brothers & sisters,
almost as much as you do for 20-25 years of her life;

one, who has bravely agreed to leave behind all that, her home,
people who l ove her, to adopt your home, your family, your ways and
even your family name;

one, who is somehow expected to be a master-chef from day #1,
while you sleep oblivious to her predicament in her new circumstances,
environment and that kitchen;

one, who is expected to make the tea, first thing in the morning
and cook food at the e nd of the day,
even if she is as tired as you are, maybe more,
and yet n ever ever expected to complain;

to be a servant, a cook, a mother, a wife,
even if she doesn't want to;

and is learning just like you are
as to what you want from her;

and is clumsy and sloppy at times
and knows th at you won't like it if she is too demanding,
or if she learns faster than you;

one, wh o has her own set of friends,
and that includes boys and even men at her workplace too,
those, who she knows from school days
and yet is willing to put all that on the back-burners
to avoid your irrational jealousy,
unnecessary competition and your inherent insecurities;

yes, she can drink and dance
just as well as you can, but won't,
simply because you won't like it,
even though you say otherwise;

one, who can be late from work once in a while
when deadlines, just like yours, are to be met;

one, who is doing her level best
and wants to make th is most important relationship
in her entire life a grand success,
if you just help her some and trust her;

one, who just wants one thing from you,
as you are the only one she knows
in your entire house - your unstinted support,
your sensitivities and most importantly - your understanding, your time
or love, if you may call it.

But not many people understand this......think about it!!!

The Highwayman
by
English Poet

Alfred Noyes 1880-1958

Part One

The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,
The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
The road was a ribbon of moonlight, over the purple moor,
And the highwayman came riding
Riding-riding-
The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

He'd a French cocked-hat on his forehead, a bunch of lace at his chin,
A coat of the claret velvet, and breeches of brown doe-skin;
They fitted with never a wrinkle: his boots were up to the thigh!
And he rode with a jewelled twinkle,
His pistol butts a-twinkle,
His rapier hilt a-twinkle, under the jewelled sky.

Over the cobbles he clattered and clashed in the dark inn-yard,
And he tapped with his whip on the shutters, but all was locked and barred;
He whistled a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

And dark in the old inn-yard a stable-wicket creaked
Where Tim the ostler listened; his face was white and peaked;
His eyes were hollows of madness, his hair like mouldy hay,
But he loved the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's red-lipped daughter,
Dumb as a dog he listened, and he heard the robber say -

"One kiss, my bonny sweetheart, I'm after a prize to-night,
But I shall be back with the yellow gold before the morning light;
Yet, if they press me sharply, and harry me through the day,
Then look for me by moonlight,
Watch for me by moonlight,
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way."

He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.

Part Two

I

He did not come in the dawning; he did not come at noon;
And out o' the tawny sunset, before the rise o' the moon,
When the road was a gypsy's ribbon, looping the purple moor,
A red-coat troop came marching-
Marching-marching-
King George's men came marching, up to the old inn-door.

II

They said no word to the landlord, they drank his ale instead,
But they gagged his daughter and bound her to the foot of her narrow bed;
Two of them knelt at her casement, with muskets at their side!
There was death at every window;
And hell at one dark window;
For Bess could see, through the casement, the road that he would ride.

III

They had tied her up to attention, with many a sniggering jest;
They bound a musket beside her, with the barrel beneath her breast!
"Now keep good watch!" and they kissed her.
She heard the dead man say-
Look for me by moonlight;
Watch for me by moonlight;
I'll come to thee by moonlight, though hell should bar the way!

IV

She twisted her hands behind her; but all the knots held good!
She writhed her hands till here fingers were wet with sweat or blood!
They stretched and strained in the darkness, and the hours crawled by like years,
Till, now, on the stroke of midnight,
Cold, on the stroke of midnight,
The tip of one figure touched it! The trigger at least was hers!

V

The tip of one finger touched it; she strove no more for the rest!
Up, she stood up to attention, with the barrel beneath her breast,
She would not risk their hearing; she would not strive again;
For the road lay bare in the moonlight;
Blank and bare in the moonlight;
And the blood of her veins in the moonlight throbbed to her love's refrain

VI

Tlot-tlot; tlot-tlot! Had they heard it? The horse-hoofs ringing clear;
Tlot-tlot, tlot-tlot, in the distance? Were they deaf that they did not hear?
Down the ribbon of moonlight, over the brow of the hill,
The highwayman came riding,
Riding, riding!
The red-coats looked to their priming! She stood up strait and still!

VII

Tlot-tlot, in the frosty silence! Tlot-tlot, in the echoing night
Nearer he came and nearer! Her face was like a light!
Her eyes grew wide for a moment; she drew one last deep breath,
Then her finger moved in the moonlight,
Her musket shattered the moonlight,
Shattered her breast in the moonlight and warned him-with her death.

VIII
He turned; he spurred to the West; he did not know who stood
Bowed, with her head o'er the musket, drenched with her own red blood!
Not till the dawn he heard it, his face grew grey to hear
How Bess, the landlord's daughter,
The landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Had watched for her love in the moonlight, and died in the darkness there.

IX

Back, he spurred like a madman, shrieking a curse to the sky,
With the white road smoking behind him and his rapier brandished high!
Blood-red were his spurs i' the golden noon; wine-red was his velvet coat,
When they shot him down on the highway,
Down like a dog on the highway,
And he lay in his blood on the highway, with a bunch of lace at his throat.

X

And still of a winter's night, they say, when the wind is in the trees,
When the moon is a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,
When the road is a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,
A highwayman comes riding-
Riding-riding-
A highwayman comes riding, up to the old inn-door.

XI

Over the cobbles he clatters and clangs in the dark inn-yard,
And he taps with his whip on the shutters, but all is locked and barred;
He whistles a tune to the window, and who should be waiting there
But the landlord's black-eyed daughter,
Bess, the landlord's daughter,
Plaiting a dark red love-knot into her long black hair.

The End

Courtesy