Early Poems XXI
These are my early poems, or juvenilia.
Stars
by Michael R. Burch, age 22
Though night has come,
I'm not alone,
for stars appear
—fierce, faint and far—
to dance until they disappear.
They reappear
as clouds roll by
in stormy billows
past bent willows;
sometimes they almost seem to sigh.
And time rolls on,
on past the willows,
on past the stormclouds as they billow,
on to the stars
so faint and far,
on to the stars
so faint and far.
All the young sailors
by Michael R. Burch, age 20
All the young sailors
follow the sea
leaving their lovers
to live and be free,
to brave violent tempests
to ride out wild storms
to dream of new lovers
seductive and warm
to drink until sunset
then stretch out at dawn
in the dew of emotions
they don't understand
to follow the sunlight
to flee from the rain
to live out their longings
though often in pain
to dream of the children
they never shall see
while bucking the waves
of an unending sea
till, racked by harsh coughing
his lungs almost gone
straining to catch one last glimpse of the sun
the last of the sailors finally succumbs
for all the young sailors
die young.
Again and Again and Again
by Michael R. Burch, age 20
Your voice is bluer than midnight’s bluest,
deepest, darkest shade of the sky,
so sing me a lullaby
as soft as the softest kitten’s sighs.
And your lips are warmer than August’s warmest,
calmest, clearest, sun-drenched day,
so kiss me with kisses that cannot help
but take my breath away.
Your hair is softer than autumn’s softest,
lightest, evenest evening rain,
so veil me with tresses, ah!, able
to ease my every pain.
Your smile is brighter than morning’s
brightest, barest carnation,
so smile for me; say that you love me
again and again and again.
Alice, an Excerpt
by Michael R. Burch, age 15
There were nights when we would wander together
the banks of a lake cast in strange monotones
where once I had wandered before,
lost and alone.
And along the moonlit banks we strolled
the silver waterfalls recoiled
to, screaming, die upon the folds
of tranquil waters far below.
For tranquil waters fed below
on melting ice and crumbling stone.
The nights we spent beside that lake
we spent there with the stately drake,
the graceful swan, the grotesque eel,
close to the sound of a waterfall's peal,
close to the sound of a lake's midnight meal.
[see the full poem]
Early Poems, juvenilia, college, star, stars, night, time, dance, clouds, storm clouds, storms, willows, tree, trees, alone, loneliness
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