After getting amazingly good feedback on my previous article about movies that make you cry, I decided to write about other things that will impress people to tears. If crying is not quite desirable in the day to day life, when it comes to fiction people love to shed a tear or two for those movie heroes who face difficult life situations. Poems are even easier to touch the heart, as they don’t even need to depict such situations for building up those tears inside the reader’s mind. Metaphors and subtle suggestions are most of the times enough to make sensitive people feel the emotion. Here’s a list of 10 great poems that make you cry (actually they may not make all of you look after a handkerchief, but they are still beautiful and memorable). Most of them are sad and talk about love and friendship. Some of the poems are song lyrics. Where possible, I’ve included the song video with English subtitles for foreign language ones. Where I couldn’t find subtitles, I added the translation below the video. Poems are not ranked, but if you wish, I’d love to hear which one is your favorite and why it makes you cry. Let's make this list really big, shall we?

 

1. Seasons in the Sun – Terry Jacks, 1974

 

Here are the lyrics of this song:

Goodbye to you my trusted friend

We've known each other since we were nine or ten

Together we climbed hills and trees

Learned of love and A B C's

Skinned our hearts and skinned our knees.

 

Goodbye my friend it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

Pretty girls are everywhere

Think of me and I'll be there

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the hills that we climbed were just seasons

Out of time......

 

Goodbye Papa please pray for me

I was the black sheep of the family

You tried to teach me right from wrong

Too much wine and too much song

Wonder how I got along.

 

Goodbye Papa its hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

Little children everywhere

When you see them I'll be there.

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone.

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone.

 

Goodbye Michelle my little one

You gave me love and helped me find the sun

And every time that I was down

You would always come around

And get my feet back on the ground.

 

Goodbye Michelle it's hard to die

When all the birds are singing in the sky

Now that the spring is in the air

With the flowers everywhere

I wish that we could both be there

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the stars we could reach

Were just starfish on the beach

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the stars we could reach

Were just starfish on the beach

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the wine and the song like the seasons

Have all gone

 

All our lives we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

But the hills that we climbed were just seasons

Out of time......

 

We had joy we had fun

We had seasons in the sun

 

With more than 6 million copies sold worldwide, Seasons in the Sun was one of the great hits of the 70s, but few people may know its roots come from a song written and interpreted 13 years earlier by Jacques Brel, a Belgian artist. You can listen below to Brel’s version:

 

2. Dying (Le Moribonde - Jacques Brel, 1961)

 

This is what the lyrics say:

Farewell Emil, I loved you well

Farewell Emil, I loved you well, you know

We used to sing the same wines

We used to sing the same chicks

We used to sing the same sorrows.

 

Farewell Emil, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who are as good as white bread,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell Priest, I loved you well

Farewell Priest, I loved you well, you know

We didn’t belong in same groups

We didn’t follow the same path,

But we seeking for the same harbor.

 

Farewell Priest, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who’ve been her confident,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell Antoine, I didn’t love you

Farewell Antoine, I didn’t love you, you know

I’m dying to see myself dying today

While you’re well and alive

And even stronger than a pain in the butt.

 

Farewell Antoine, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my soul at peace,

As you who were her lover,

I know you'll take care of my wife.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

Farewell my wife, I loved you well

Farewell my wife, I loved you well, you know

But I take the train to the Good God now,

A train that came ahead of yours,

But we all take whatever train we can.

 

Farewell my wife, I'm going to die

It's tough dying in spring, you know,

But I go to flowers with my eyes closed, my wife,

As you who’ve seen that I closed them so often,

I know you'll take care of my soul.

 

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

I want you to have fun like crazy,

I want you to laugh

I want you to dance

After you see me to the grave.

 

As you can see, this one is in a bit more dramatic note than the previous one, as the guy in the story is not only dying as he sings, but he’s also been dying a little each time he closed his eyes on his wife’s love affair.

 

3. Song Of Old Lovers (Chanson des Vieux Amants – Jacques Brel, 1967)

 

This is another great musical poem written and composed by Jacques Brel, featuring a brilliant piano arrangement by Gerard Jouannest. The lyrics depict the “tender war” represented by the twenty year marriage of Jacques Brel and his wife Therese.

 

4. My Feelings For You Have Become Too Much

This is a nice song, illustrating a poem about the breakup sorrow of a girl who confesses “I love him but I let him go”.

 

 

“I’m gonna spend my whole life trying To keep love from dying” That’s a learning we could surely use more in our lives, couldn’t we?

 

5. Words Don’t Come Easy

 

 

This is another hit from the 80s, many of us probably still remember.

 

6. Bad Romance – Lady Gaga

 

 

Bad romance is always a source of tears. How do you like Lady Gaga? Is she cool or kitch? She seems to be on the wave right now.

 

7. Never Let You Go – Justin Bieber

 

 

This song is not too much of a tear starter, but when seeing a 12 years old boy like Justin Bieber singing “baby, know for sure that I’ll never let you go”, we can only foresee a flood of tears. How many of us didn’t let go of the “love of my life” from the age of 12?

 

8. Mirabeau Bridge – Guillaumme Apollinaire

 

The originally French language poem has its special charm which is difficult to translate if you aren’t a poet yourself. I’m not a poet, but I hope I was able to pass some of the emotion to you with this English translation:

 

The Seine flows under Mirabeau bridge,

Taking our past love with it.

It must be reminding me

That joy always follows sorrow

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Hand in hand, let’s stay face to face

While under

The bridge of our joint arms passes

With eternal regrets the lazy wave.

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Love drifts away like this running water

Love drifts away

How slow our life is

And how violent our hope

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

Days pass, weeks pass

Neither past time

Nor past love ever return

Under Mirabeau bridge the Seine flows.

 

Night falls a bell tolls

Days go away I stay.

 

9. With Every Single Day (In fiecare zi – Romulus Vulpescu)

 

With every single day we disregard

The birds, the love and the forgiving sea

Not realizing that we do, in fact,

Replace them with a desert of dismay.

 

Just fooled into the comfort of a dream

Which we dismiss with just one hesitation

We linger in our circle without seam

Denying our eyes the contemplation

 

We roll up in our sheets without joy,

A loneliness in two, cowardice fixes,

Whispering to each other words of lie

Which turn to dross our worn and common kisses.

 

Eventually we find ourselves too hollow

With an impermissibly low and sad ideal,

Too skeptical, too lonely, too desert

To see that love is here and still real.

 

With every single day we disregard

The birds, the love and the forgiving sea

Not realizing that we do, in fact,

Replace them with a desert of dismay.

 

After reading this poem you may want to relax a little and listen to an awesome musical interpretation by Tudor Gheorghe, Romanian folk music artist, poet and actor. Lyrics are not in English, but you already know what the poem is about, don’t you?

 

 

 

10. Nobody Deserves Your Tears

“Nobody deserves your tears, but whoever deserves them will not make you cry.” - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This quote includes an unspoken poem. It doesn’t have to rhyme to make us think of how many times we cry for people that don’t deserve our tears. What a waste, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s not a waste. Like rain is needed for the rainbow to come out, a little crying may be needed to help happiness show up afterwards.

 

The list of sad and beautiful poems could go on forever. I’m actually inviting you to add your contribution, if you feel like it. What is your favorite tear shedding poem?

Children love plush toys, but did you know that they have an adult following as well? Adults love to collect them and make them too! Some of the more popular plush toys are monster dolls. They are really so easy to make. Here are some ideas and instructions for making plush toy monster dolls yourself.
 

Plush Toys Pattern
One option is to go the traditional route and find a pattern for making plush toys in a sewing or craft store or online. This will give you the templates and all directions required to make plush toys. All the guess work is already done.
 

Another option, which is more appealing in a variety of ways, is to make your own pattern. Draw up a design yourself or, if you have a child in the house, have he or she draw a monster person for you. Take that drawing and enlarge it using a photocopier.
 

Cut out the design, making one piece for the body and head and a separate piece for an arm and a separate piece for a leg. You should have 3 pieces of your pattern. Tip: You will probably want to make any arms or legs a lot thicker than you may think so it is easier to construct.
 

Fabric or Felt
If you are new to sewing, making plush toys is much easier to do if making them in felt. You will not need to worry about turning the wrong sides together, sewing and then flipping it right side out. Making plush toys from felt allows you to sew on the outside, with a seam allowance, and not worry about fraying like you would using fabric. There are many color options available in felt and you can get good texture from this material. You may even be able to find limited patterned felt available as well.
 

Using fabric for plush toys is more professional looking in the quality. You will also find that there is much more selection available in the way of colors, patterns and texture.
Another option is to use a combination of felt and fabric. You may find that using felt for hair is a quick and easy way to do it on plush toy.
 

Construction
Putting your plush toys together can be a little tricky. First take your fabric and fold it in two. Lay the body/head pattern piece down on the fabric in a place that will not cause too much fabric waste. i.e. an edge. Pin the pattern down to the fabric and cut it out.
 

Then take the arm pattern piece and cut out 4 of these pieces. You will need to cut out 2 first and then move the arm piece over and cut out 2 more. Do the same for the leg pattern piece. You will end up with 2 pieces of fabric for the body, 4 arms and 4 legs.
 

Take off the paper pattern pieces and pin the 2 fabric pieces together, making sure the right sides face together. You will see the right side once it is sewn and turned out.
 

Make the legs and arms first. Sew all around the edges of the legs and arms, but leave about 1/2" seam allowance all along the edges. Also, make sure you leave a space big enough to turn it right side out.
 

Turn the fabric arms and legs right side out. You may need to use a knitting needle to help poke out any arms and legs that are too skinny. Using fibre fill, stuff the arms and legs.
 

Take the body piece and carefully place the arms and legs in position, but have the actual arms and legs inserted in between the two body pieces. Pin all along the edges.
At a sewing machine, sew around the edges of your body/head piece (with the legs and arms inside). Be sure and leave about 1/2" all the way around the edges. Also, make sure you leave an opening so that you can turn it right side out when you are finished.
 

Turn the plush toys right side out and now you are ready to stuff! Fill the monster doll with fibre fill and using a needle and thread, close the opening by sewing it by hand.
 

Embellishing Plush Toys
There are so many things you can do to decorate or embellish your plush toys.
 

Face - Make a face for your plush toys using embroidery thread and a needle. You can also simply sew buttons on or paint a face if you prefer.
Hair - Using pieces of yarn, sew some hair onto your plush toy. Alternatively, you could cut out strips of felt and glue or sew it into place as hair.
Clothing - You can make clothing for your plush toys or maybe even find some around in your children's stash.
Accessories - It is fun when plush toys come with accessories. Make eyeglasses by twisting wire into the appropriate shape, make a handbag out of a fabric pouch and ribbon, tie ribbon in the hair, add beads for earrings, make a hat, make felt shoes, knit or crochet a scarf, etc.
 

When making your own plush toys, you will come to realize that this is an addictive hobby. Even if your first one is not perfect, with practice your handmade plush toys will be wonderful and such fun! Think of all the gifts you could make for friends or loved ones! It would be such a great gag gift to make them in the likeness of the person who is receiving it! Make a little tag with a story about your monster doll to go along with the gift. And don't forget to name them! 

The Nikon D5000 digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) is a great choice for persons looking at the variety of digital cameras available on the market. While the existing information can seem overwhelming, this one camera features ease of use making it a great choice for beginners and a professional quality that makes it remarkable for advanced photographers or long-term Nikon camera owners. The technology that comes with this camera is featured on its higher end counterparts, but the price point will not break budget with the camera coming in at under $650 in most markets.

It features an in-camera retouch system, built-in automatic flash, seven levels of brightness for adjustment on its full color LCD monitor, rechargeable li-ion EN-EL9a batteries, and allows the consumers to shoot movie clips. The 12.3 mega pixel quality of this camera guarantees crystal clear photos. So, whether the photo is wallet size or poster size it will not lack clarity and depth. The LCD screen is adjustable and can be flipped and angled. This will allow its user to reduce annoying glares or produce a quality self-portrait. The Nikon D5000 also has a 170-degree wide-viewing angle. This assures you will fit more into your picture. This is especially essential for are taking landscape photos or wide shots, especially group photos or those you’re more apt to take on vacation.

Its built-in image sensor cleaning means you have more time to take your photos and spend less time cleaning the lens. It will observe the dust particles your eyes may miss and keep your photos particle free. No lag time between continuous shots (up to four frames per second). Though this may not be an issue if you are shooting a non-moving subject, for persons that cannot or will not sit for portraits or just capturing a moving subject this means your camera will not pause like many digital cameras and you'll be less apt to miss a shot.

The nineteen scene modes seem endless and are quite handy. With the regulars such as portrait, you'll be able to get a clear picture of the nearby subject or with landscape a sharper picture at a wider view. This camera also features scene settings such as food, night landscape, and sports. So whatever your mode or mood, it has you covered.

The Nikon D5000 makes the job of taking pictures no hassle. The automatic features will minimize mistakes. With the numerous capabilities, you won't miss the moments that matter.

The Nikon D3000 is an entry-level SLR, especially suited ofr beginner photo enthusiasts, however, it has all the bells and whistles that many of the more higher-priced SLRs would have. Another great aspect of this camera as well as other SLRs is the price, over the last couple of years the prices of these cameras has fallen quite substantially then in years' past when they were all well over a $1000 and more.

One of the greater aspects of this particular kind of camera is that you are not only buing one camera but a whole slew of lenses as well, cause these such cameras allow you to change out lenses on the cameras' body at will, so you are not stuck with just one particular kind of lens but have many to choose from.

The Nikon D3000 comes with a 10.2 megapixel DX-format CCD APS-C image sensor, Active D-Lighting and an AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 VR lens for $599 you may be able to find a better deal if you keep shopping around.

Even though this camera is a DSLR, it still comes with many automatic features as well as the famous NIKON Guide which will walk you through setting up the camera all the way to helping you take your very first shot.

Some of the cooler features of the NIKON D3000 are:

The Guide Mode being the most distinctive, it walks any photographer, beginner or advanced, on how to help setup the camerea for any shot that is to be taken, step-by-step.

Some of the other nicer features, 230,000 dot 3in LCD screen, 3 frames per second shooting to catch all those moving shots. D-Lighting to help with shots for shots in both shadows and highlights. ISO from 100-1600 with a HI1 setting that expands the setting to 3200.

The D3000 is made of hard plastic and has the classic NIKON look throughout the body of the camera.

As for the Menus and Modes on the camera:

Playback, Shooting, Setup, Retouch and Recent Settings menus.

If you want to get into the shooting settings quickly simply press the Information Display button which looks like a magnifying glass with a plus sign in the middle of it and by pressing the Info Display button you can change the white balance, metering, AF Mode, flash mode and exposure compensation along with other camera settings.

Here are the shooting modes that the DSLR 3000 offers:

Programmed Auto, Shutter-Priority Auto, Aperture-Priority Auto, Manual, Portrait, Landscape, Child, Close Up, Sports and Night Portrait, these will allow you to get all the shots you could ever possible want or need with this camera.