Long Turk Poems

State of the Art (III)

These are my "ars poetica" poems: the ones about the art and craft of writing poetry in a modern world that doesn't always recognize the artists or their work. 



Come Down
by...

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Poems about Poems IV

The Toast
by Michael R. Burch

For longings warmed by tepid suns
(brief lusts that animated clay),
for passions wilted at the bud
and skies grown desolate and gray,
for stars that fell from tinseled heights
and mountains bleak...

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Turkish Poetry Translations II

Çanakkale Sehitlerine
"For the Çanakkale Martyrs"
by Mehmet Akif Ersoy
loose English translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Was there ever anything like the Bosphorus war??
The earth’s mightiest armies pressing Marmara,
Forcing entry between her mountain passes
To a...

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Mehmet Akif Ersoy: Modern English Translations of Turkish Poems

Mehmet Âkif Ersoy (1873-1936) was a Turkish poet, author, writer, academic, member of parliament, and the composer of the Turkish National Anthem.



Snapshot
by Mehmet Akif Ersoy
loose English translation/interpretation...

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Global pride! Greatest story-theme worldwide! Oceanic!
Voyage liner - Atlantic! British cruise ship! Titanic!
Born in the yard of Harland and Wolf! Floated to venture!
Who did ever dream of a deadliest wreck- adventure?

Christened after Titans of the...

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Or catching up with the holidays… They’re a great family treat, for all to see…

In the summer Dragon catches lightening bugs, and thinks they promise us fireworks.
In the fall Dragon catches Lady Bugs in the...

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A tramp steamer plies an ocean of fog. 
The Chief Bos’n makes a note in the log while the helmsman 
Strains to see beyond the wheel. 
The ship’s Captain leaves the bridge with a groan....

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I saw a man die who took a stance
I saw he just wanted to give peace a chance

I saw the boycotts and the embargoes
I saw trafficking in human cargos

I saw hedge funds, junk bonds, oil...

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Poems about Poets VI

beMused
Michael R Burch

Perhaps at three
you'll come to tea,
to have a cuppa here?

You'll just stop in
to sip dry gin?
I only have a beer.

To name the greats:
Pope, Dryden, mates?
The whole world knows their names.

Discuss...

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Yahya Kemal Beyatli translations

Yahya Kemal Beyatli (1884-1958) was a Turkish poet, editor, columnist and historian, as well as a politician and diplomat. Born born Ahmet Âgâh, he wrote under the pen names Agâh Kemal, Esrar,...

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The Australian Light Horse had rode all night
And the troopers were all spoiling for a fight
For they remembered mates lose on the fatal shore
When the Turks defeated the Gallipoli Invasion flaw

But Chauvel wanted to wait...

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For this Turk Turku is a 1-horse
city but he has got to have horse
sense. He will not be as happy as a peacock in Turkey.
Hindi, the Turk word for turkey, is how we'll call this...

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Ben Sana Mecburum
by Attila Ilhan
translation by Nurgul Yayman and Michael R. Burch

You are indispensable; how can you not know
that you’re like nails riveting my brain?
I see your eyes as ever-expanding dimensions.
You are indispensable; how can...

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“Now listen to Nanny, while the nurse gives you a shot.
I’ll tie your hands fast, so you can’t throw a swing.
Potion injected will tend to burn hot.
Like and consider all people. And now go into...

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2016 Motor City Open Champion

It has to happened, this day has to come...
When a low ranking player defied the odds as they come..

In a place called the Motor City, showcasing a world squash tournament...
All the...

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It is amazing yet so true  about top notched sports stars... 
There is always a time when they're the undisputed stars...

They'll be top seeded in all the major tournaments they entered in...
And unsurprisingly and...

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TURK TATIL MIZAH 





FOREST GUMP

Did you hear about old Forest Gump
Went up to do a parachute jump
Gave the rip cord a jerk
Found out it didn't work
Hit the ground with one hell of a thump...

JED

In the...

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There are people who smoke their coffee, eat cigarettes, snort beer and throwaway food. Are they ill in the head? Their life tapping out a story. Unknown realities straight out of a comic book. See...

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The Escape from the Turkish Slavery
(Ukrainian historic folk song)

There broke into the Tartar sprites,
And they captured my daughter, nice,
Marusyna, my daughter, dear,
I remained with one son in fear.
And there came others- my son was enslaved,
And...

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3/23/17


Skilled like James T. Kirk
Fred Durst
And William Randolph Hearst

Putting in work
And occasionally going berserk
In and out of dirt

For all that it's worth
Respect the universe
And Earth
Regardless of if times keep getting worse

Is there such a thing...

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A Poem Of WW1 
ANZAC Day 
25th April 2018

Let’s have at Johnny Turk
Winston Churchill said, 
We’ll secure the Dardanelles,
Keep our Russian trade fed.
His words so casually uttered 
May have had to be eaten
Johnny Turk was...

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I felt a bit like Humbert, or John Proctor, 
an ageing vulture drawn to fresh young flesh. 
She was a pretty, witty Turkish doctor 
(so, not exactly plundering the creche!) 

She seemed to like me,...

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Enea is Pope! (1)
                               ...

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The house is boiled cabbage
goose fat, gizzard stew, and beets.
Windows steam and simmer,
you can write your name on the glass
winter or summer.

If you can live among rutabaga
or borscht; if pickled eggs haunt your palate
then this...

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The Ruba’iyat of Créteil Lake – Part Thirty

While the Mullah versed in the Hadith and fiqh harangued his flock
All over the milling crowds outside plastic cups did hands lock
By four even before the dazzling Cyclop-eye...

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