Are these black spots I see on me?
On my stomach , my hands, my face,,
The loathsome seal of Death? Woe is me!
Get hence, ye Evil Spirit, hence!
I rebuke thee! Get thou from me!
Thou pestilential pandemic!
Away, thou fatal Bubonic Plague!
Get hence! Why must thou molest me?
Oh, miserable venom, Black Death!
Why Hydra raised her many heads,
To bark too loud fierce Cerberus?
Should they not spare me the scholar
To speak in Greek of things classical?
Get hence, ye mean fellow, hence,.
O tu Yersinia pestis!
Nolo mortem timere. Ito
Pauperes interficere!


The death cart rattled down the street,
The London’s fog was thick and dark;
“ Bring out the dead! Bring out the dead!”
Was the sad cartmen’s mournful cry..
Shrouded figures leapt from the cart.
Their torches glimmered in the smog.
Faces shivered behind shutters,
Through the dark door they carried him,
He screamed that he was not yet deadl
Threw him atop the rotten pile,
The death cart rattled down the street;
“Bring out the dead!” the cartmen cried,
Wailings of the bereaved living,
Were cries that followed after them.


“Bring out the dead! Bring out the dead!”
Mournful cries in language diff’rent ,
Rose in every town of Europe;
In years from thirteen forty-eight ,
The sharp scythe of Death mowed the lands.
“Bring out the dead! Bring out the dead!”
Cried the sad dark shrouded cartmen,
Until year thirteen fifty –eight.

Thou murderer, cruel Black Death!
Killer of millions , Prince of Hell!
Can you ravage the earth sgain?
Will man nurture you, Burbonic clown,
By greed and gain their eyes blinded,
By ease of life their cares unfounded,
By pollutings sea , sky and ground ,
To rear your loathsome head again,
To summon the death carts to roll,
And the death men to sadly call,
Bring out the dead? Bring out the dead?
We tend to refuse to ponder.
For we know the fatal answer,
If we the environment misuse,
And man his fellowmen abuse;
In darkness we persist to live.
Pretending there is light ahead.



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Like this!
? 1990lh, Lolee and WordSlinger Like this poem!

1990lh


Lolee
1990lh commented on THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH
11 hr 15 min ago
oh excellent poem. i find this topic very interesting. i can only imagine how horrible it must have been to fall prey to bubonuc plague, they didnt have a clue to what could have brought on such an thing. all they knew if someone around you got it soon you could have to. you might think tht since they all were covered in fleas back then from king to peasant, that might have cross their minds.but anyway great poem .
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Lolee commented on THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH
12 hr 8 min ago
My husband is a history buff. His knowledge revolves mostly around war. I like this much better, because it is so personal. It hits us right where we live............or could live. AMAZING!
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WordSlinger commented on THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH
yesterday at 11:20 am
I admire your passion for history, and thank you for being a part of mine, ty WS
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Springsize commented on THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH
05-06-2010
You have presented this Historic, awful event, in apt detail... with the quill of a front row seat..... another masterpiece... how wonderful if we could tape your poems for History class in schools across the globe... It's a very difficult subject, but one you bring to life with details and descriptions, of which few may write with such care.
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cousinsoren
05/07/2010
Springsize, I must confess that I was eagerly awaiting your comment , Thanks..

Charlie23 commented on THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH
05-06-2010
Are the last lines of the first break in Greek? I don't know anything on this topic, but found your poem interesting!
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cousinsoren
05/06/2010
Ho! No. Those three lines are Latin. The afflicted man is a classical scholar. He knows both Greek Latin and most likely French, as well. . . He denounced the Black Death Latin, because that was the language of the times and sepecially of the Church and of the upper class, in civilized Europe. . Churchmen would have been praying in Latin,as well as rebuking the Evil Angel called the Black Death, in that language. .....Thanks for asking and commenting. The poet refers to this scholar and what he says about the poor (pauperes) to emphasize that the Black Death was no respecter of persons........it visited all levels of the society.
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In science one tries to tell people, in such a way as to be understood by everyone, something that no one ever knew before. But in poetry, it's the exact opposite.
Franz Kafka (1883-1924) Czech writer.

]POEMS POSTED BY OREN COUSINS ON ORIGINAL POETRY SITE
cousinsoren’s Poems (120)

CHRISMUS JUNKUNU 3 01/30/2010
YEAH, WE KNOW 24 04/27/2010
MORE ABOUT BETTYSRAINBOW'S POETRY 6 02/27/2010
MORE ABOUT BETTYSRAINBOW'S POETRY 3 02/27/2010
TIZZY DANCING 76 02/27/2010
MY WONDROUS BLESSING By John WordSlinger 17 01/24/2010
Tribute To Jamaican Women 9 02/20/2010
Archbishop Samuel Carter S.J. 2 01/19/2010
POEM IN THE MAKING 2 01/31/2009
Pocomania Two 7 12/30/2009
PUPPETS (Part Seven) 1 10/30/2009
PUPPETRY ( Part Six) 1 10/30/2009
CRUISE SHIP 15 10/30/2009
TIZZY DANCING 4 09/30/2009
de LAS CASAS 1510 ( Columbus 12) 14 01/17/2010
ENFORCED DIETING 3 01/29/2009
JOKE ON TIES AND TYPOS 17 02/16/2010
GREEDY SILLY LITTLE DOG 6 01/28/2009
WINDING ROAD 3 10/27/2009
MY BLACKNESS 6 02/27/2009
PUPPETS (Part Four) 3 10/26/2009
PUPPETS (Part Three) 2 10/26/2009
PUPPETS (Part Five) 10 10/26/2009
LAMENT OF A CANECUTTER 1 09/26/2009
FOR GOOENESS' SAKE 8 05/26/2009
BALLAD ACAPELLA ( A Christmas Song)) 8 12/25/2009
THE MEETING AND THE PARTING 26 11/25/2009
ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA 14 04/13/2010
HALF- A- DAWG 1 01/25/2009
HALF- A- DAWG 0 01/25/2009
finger in the INK 5 01/13/2010
A NEW YEAR 2 02/12/2010
LITTLE CHILD 3 02/24/2009
DOGS BARKING 3 12/23/2009
A TRIBUTE TO FATHERS 2 09/23/2009
ROCKING THE BOAT 2 08/23/2009
YOUTH 11 06/23/2009
DOGS BARKING 1 01/23/2009
AMERICA 1518 onward ( Columbus 11) 14 01/11/2010
AMERICA 1513 onward ( Columbus 10) 5 01/11/2010
JUST TO BE POOR ONCE AGAIN 30 10/22/2009
DOGS BARKING 3 09/22/2009
BALLAD OF REDEMPTION SONG 3 05/22/2009
MANGO TIME 4 02/10/2010
JERKED CHICKEN 3 02/22/2009
JERKED CHICKEN 1 02/22/2009
MANGO TIME 15 02/10/2010
SEMPER SEMPERTRNAE 3 10/21/2009
NEGRITUDE AND PULCHRITUDE 0 09/21/2009
Paradise 1 09/21/2009
A BOOK 1 09/21/2009
SQUATTER'S CRY 0 09/21/2009
DOGS BARKING 0 09/21/2009
SQUATTER 0 09/21/2009
POETS IN THE MAKING 3 01/21/2009
POETS IN THE MAKING 5 01/21/2009
LIZA 0 09/20/2009
LOUD SOUND 1 09/20/2009
AN ATOM OF INFINITY 0 09/20/2009
MISS LOU 3 09/20/2009
GREAT MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR TIMES 1 09/20/2009
BOOT ( Part Two) 1 03/20/2009
RUTH 1 02/08/2010
A WOMAN CONQUERS CRISIS 3 02/08/2010
SHOT GUN WEDDING 4 02/08/2010
THE DESTRUCTION OF PORT ROYAL 103 03/07/2010
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 1572. ( Columbus 9) 5 01/07/2010
SIR FRANCIS DRAKE 1572. ( Columbus 9) 7 01/07/2010
THE MIND IS A STAGE 9 10/18/2009
PASSIONS OF THE GODS ( Mythology Part One) 3 05/18/2009
THE TERROR OF THE BLACK DEATH 7 05/06/2010
BOOT ( Part One) 4 03/18/2009
CRICKETER 2 02/18/2009
MONTEZUMA 1519 (Columbus 8) 3 01/06/2010
COLUMBUS ( Columbus 7) 9 01/06/2010
DANIEL AS A DON 2 09/17/2009
TRIBUTE TO JAMAICAN WOMEN 2 09/17/2009
POCOMANIA 2 3 01/05/2010
OVANDO 1502 ( Columbus 6) 2 01/05/2010
THEY ARE KILLING 11 12/16/2009
SOLDIER CRAB 5 05/16/2009
POCOMANIA 4 03/16/2009
HISPANIOLA 1499 ( Columbus 5) 4 01/04/2010
ISABELLA 4 01/03/2010
CHIEF GUATIGUANA 1497 ( Columbus 4) 3 01/03/2010
PUPPETS ( The End) 5 12/14/2009
PUPPETS ( Part Nine) 1 12/14/2009
POINSETTIA 8 12/14/2009
PUPPETS (Part Ten) 1 12/14/2009
PUPPETS ( Part Eleven) 1 12/14/2009
The Nine Lives Of Kitty- Cat 2 01/02/2010
THE ROMANCE OF POCAHONTAS (Part One) 35 04/01/2010
RUTH 4 02/01/2010
CURRIED GOAT 4 01/13/2009
The Nine Lives Of Kitty- Cat 5 01/01/2010
NIAGARA FALLS AUGUST 9, 1993 15 03/12/2009
CELLULAR OFFERING TO A VILLAGE GIRL 5 03/11/2009
PUPPRTS (Part One) 3 10/10/2009
PARADISE 17 10/10/2009
I SUPREME 2 09/10/2009
I SUPREME 1 09/10/2009
SAGA OF THE SHIPBUILDER (Part Four) 2 02/10/2009
SAGA OF THE SHIPBUILDER ( Part Three) 2 02/10/2009
MY LOVE IS NOT MADNESS 14 02/10/2009
TONGUE IN CHEEK (A Tribute To Mothers) 2 05/09/2009
A LITANY FOR MOTHER'S DAY 3 05/09/2009
SUPREME 6 03/09/2009
SAGA OF THE SHIPBUILDER ( Part Two) 1 02/09/2009
SAGA OF THE SHIPBUILDER ( Part One) 1 02/08/2009
THE RIVER OF SUCCESS 8 06/07/2009
A BOOK 5 03/07/2009
TO ALL LOVERS OF POETRY 6 10/06/2009
ARREST AND ESCAPE OF BOA (Part Two) 2 10/06/2009
ARREST AND ESCAPE OF BOA (Part One) 3 10/05/2009
THE VOICE OF SOLITUDE 7 02/05/2009
ATOM OF INFINITY 8 02/04/2009
RIDING ON THE MERRI-GO- ROUND 1 07/02/2009
PUPPETS (Part Eight) 6 11/01/2009
TO FELL A TREE 6 10/01/2009
GREAT MEN AND WOMEN IN OUR TIMES 5




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Last edited by cousinsoren 05-11-2010 at 09:46:27 AM