Long Leukemia Poems

Sonnets XXV-XXXII

Archaischer Torso Apollos (“Archaic Torso of Apollo”)
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

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Sonnets X-XVI


Archaischer Torso Apollos (“Archaic Torso of Apollo”)
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

Read More

Come, You
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

This was Rilke’s last poem, written ten days before his death. He died open-eyed in the arms of his doctor on December 29, 1926, in the...

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Archaischer Torso Apollos ("Archaic Torso of Apollo")
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch 

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

Read More

my presence was needed
the announcement echoed thru hospital halls
which meant the medical team assembled
but that kind of expertise
was not why i was called
my lot in this equation, a signature
i was in another room in a...

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Come, You
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Come, you--the last one I acknowledge; return--
incurable pain searing this physical mesh.
As I burned in the spirit once, so now I burn
with you; meanwhile, you consume...

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Emily of three years
Leukemia eating her soul
Her bald head, made her smile wider
Please mummy do not cry
I will hug you even after I die

Tommy of five years
Bone cancer eating his limbs
Unable to walk, this beautiful...

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Our older sister, Lynn Ellen Dubarry.  Has an aggressive form of Leukemia. She has been transferred to Swedish Hospital's Edmonds Washington, USA. Hospice/comfort care. She is on their 8th floor.  I have requested...

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This has more similarities to a story than a poem.

November 2010 - I was in second grade when I started feeling drowsy and weak. I would come home with unexplained bruises, and neither me nor...

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A Musician's Tale 

Today a little online piece of news strikes a chord deep within me…
After reading, I thought to myself, “This news is interesting yet rather depressing to me..”

This article was about a very...

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Eileen was born 80 1/2 years ago
on the first day of winter on the ground a bit of snow
with a twinkle in her eyes and a healthy glow
having both outer and inner beauty to bestow,

Second...

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In a past life I must have killed a priest, 
 or could it be that on flesh i did feast?
Maybe I brutally raped a God ordained nun.
 Because in this life I am being...

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This poem was inspired by Mrs. Dianne McGee’s post earlier on Face Book.


It was the very first day of school 
In Mrs. Thompson’s 5th. Grade class 
An untruth came from inside her 
That probably wouldn’t...

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I have a horrible secret my 13-year-old best friend confided to me one day at school.
We were between class, and we had two minutes to sprint to our next class, as per the rule.
In opposite...

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Cancer... one of the only six-letter words that I cannot hear or talk about without the rush of memories flooding back to me, or a tear coming to my eye.
It is a beautiful thing.
Yes, it...

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After chewing shoe leather they called steak, 
in the Pencey cafeteria, 
Mal, Ackley, and I enjoyed a winter afternoon on campus, 
on the bus, and in a restaurant.
We walked across a puffy white quilt 
as...

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Movie: Untamed Heart

"AN UNTAMED HEART HAPPENED TO BE 
MY BELOVED'S WEAKNESS"


A first date is so full of lingering whispers and sweet romances,
AN UNTAMED HEART can beat faster given many wonderful chances-
He held my hand gently...

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We are so different

I am smart, you are less so
I am a man, you are a woman
I am trump, you are poor
I am beautiful, you live in a sewer
I have castles, you’re lucky to have...

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In Nursing School

In nursing school they have us learn all the proper medical words,
Because in Greek and Latin we defecate, but we never make turds,
And what's worse than learning about all these dreadful diseases
Is forgetting...

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Charlie. I worked with Charlie for 14 years. He was a little older than me, did the same job. Sure had the "highs and lows" - he must have been manic-depressive or bipolar or something....

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I discovered on All Poetry's Christian Corner:
We have a Canadian brother, who has been
put in jail, for simply practicing his faith!

There is a person who has tested positive for
COVID-19. There is a close friend of...

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Today's true tom tale;

Today was Dr. day at the clinic
I ended up the day quite a cynic
I'd been awake three days,
With a toothache and pain that slays
My jagged teeth cutting up my tongue
And the promise...

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Susan 
	Susan Hayes is the awkward high school freshman. Susan has a problem. Not like any other problem that an ordinary teenager has in high school. Rather, Susan has a disease that shortens her life.	
The...

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Little sweet Lucy..four years..so small. 
Her pink teddy bear.. and her Barbie doll. 
Pushed strollers of fun. ..in traipse of malls. 
Then a Topsy turvy evil.. stifles her a thrall. 

She cries, " Where are...

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I knew of a beautiful angel; Kayla Lynn was her name
A precious gift from heaven; irreplaceable she became
Silky blonde hair in ringlets; eyes as blue as an oceans view
Kayla embraced life as always; while others...

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