The Pain of Love

The Pain of Love
by Michael R. Burch 
 
for T. M.
 
The pain of love is this:
the parting after the kiss;
 
the train steaming from the station
whistling abnegation;
 
each interstate’s bleak white bar
that vanishes under your car;
 
every hour and flower and friend
that cannot be saved in the end;
 
dear things of immeasurable cost ...
now all irretrievably lost.
 
Note: The title “The Pain of Love” was suggested by an interview with Little Richard, then eighty years old, in Rolling Stone. He said someone should create a song called “The Pain of Love.” I have always found the departure platforms of railway stations and the vanishing broken white bars of highway dividing lines depressing.

###

Styx
by Michael R. Burch

Black waters, deep and dark and still . . .
all men have passed this way, or will.

I wrote the poem above as a teenager in high school. The lines started out as part of a longer poem, but I thought these were the two best lines and decided to let them stand alone on the principle that "discretion is the better part of valor."

###

Departed
by Michael R. Burch

Already, I miss you,
though your parting kiss is still warm on my lips.

Now the floor is not strewn with your stockings and slips
and the dishes are all stacked away.

You left me today ...
and each word left unspoken now whispers regrets.

###

Dawn
by Michael R. Burch

for Beth, Laura, and all good mothers

Bring your peculiar strength
to the strange nightmarish fray:
wrap up your cherished ones
in the golden light of day.

Amen

Originally published by The Lyric

###

Disconcerted
by Michael R. Burch

Meg, my sweet,
fresh as a daisy,
when I’m with you
my heart beats like crazy
& my future gets hazy ...

###

The Children of Gaza songs VI-IX

VI. In the Shelter

Mother: 
Hush my darling, please don’t cry. 
The bombs will stop dropping, by and by. 
Hush, I'll sing you a lullaby…

Child: 
Mama, I know that I’m safe in your arms. 
Your sweet love protects me from all harms, 
but still I fear the sirens’ alarms!

Mother: 
Hush now my darling, don’t say a word. 
My love will protect you, whatever you heard. 
Hush now…

Child: 
But what about pappa, you loved him too.

Mother: My love will protect you. 
My love will protect you!

Child: 
I know that you love me, but pappa is gone!

Mother: 
Your pappa’s in heaven, where nothing goes wrong. 
Come, rest at my breast and I’ll sing you a song.

Child: 
But pappa was strong, and now he’s not here.

Mother: 
He’s where he must be, and yet ever-near. 
Now we both must be strong; there's nothing to fear.

Child: 
The bombs are still falling! Will this night never end?

Mother: 
The deep darkness hides us; the night is our friend. 
Hush, I'll sing you a lullaby.

Child: 
Yes, mama, I'm sure you are right. 
We will be safe under cover of night. 
[spoken] But what is that sound? 
[screamed] Mama! I am fri(ghtened)….!

VII. Frail Envelope of Flesh

Frail envelope of flesh, 
lying on the surgeon's table 
with anguished eyes like your mother's eyes 
and a heartbeat weak, unstable…

Frail crucible of dust, 
brief flower come to this?
your tiny hand in your mother's hand 
for a last bewildered kiss…

Brief mayfly of a child, 
to live five artless years… 
Now your mother's lips seal up your lips 
from the Deluge of her tears…

VIII. Among the Angels

Child: 
There is peace where I am now, 
I reside in a heavenly land 
that rests safe in the palm 
of a loving Being’s hand;
where the butterfly finds shelter 
and the white dove glides to rest 
in the bright and shining sands 
of those shores all men call Blessed.

Mother: 
My darling, how I long to touch your face, 
to see your smile, to hear your laughter’s grace. 
Great Allah, hear my plea. 
Return my child to me.

Child: 
My darling mother, here beyond the stars 
where I now live, 
I see and feel your tears, 
but here is peace and joy, and no more pain. 
Here is where I will remain.

Mother: 
My darling, do not leave me here alone! 
Come back to me! 
Why did you turn to stone? 
Great Allah, hear my plea. 
Please send my child back to me...

Child: 
Dear mother, to your wonderful love I bow. 
But I can't return... 
I am among the Angels now. 
Do not worry about me. 
Here is where I long to be.

Mother: 
My darling, it is as if I hear your voice consoling me. 
Oh, can this be your choice? 
Great Allah, hear my plea. 
Impart wisdom to me.

Child:
Dear mother, I was born of your great love, 
a gentle spirit... 
I died a slaughtered dove, 
that I might bring this message from the stars: 
it is time to end earth’s wars.

Remember?in both Bible and Koran 
how many times each precious word is used?
“Mercy. Compassion. Justice.” 
Let each man, each woman live by the Law
that rules both below and above: 
reject all hate and embrace Love.

IX. Epilogue: I have a dream

I have a dream...
that one day all the world 
will see me as I am: 
a small child, lonely and afraid, 
a small child, lonely and afraid.

Look at me... I am flesh... 
I laugh, I bleed, I cry. 
Look at me; I dare you 
to look me in the eye 
and tell me and my mother 
how I deserve to die.

I only ask to live 
in a world where things are fair; 
I only ask for love 
in a world where people share, 
I only ask for love 
in a world where people share.

Oh, I have a dream... 
that one day all the world 
will see me as I am: 
a small child, lonely and afraid, 
a small child, lonely and afraid.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2019



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 1/8/2020 6:19:00 AM
You've touched a soft spot with this one, Michael. Sad goodbyes are hard to bear. I just had one at an airport. How keen of you to recognize things most people never think about...such as highway lines. I'm always sad and left to wonder who owned the single shoe, seemingly abandoned on the side of a road.
Login to Reply
Burch Avatar
Michael Burch
Date: 1/8/2020 12:10:00 PM
I think poets are sensitive to such things, then the question becomes how to communicate one's feelings. I feel the same way about single shoes, so we may be long-lost twins!
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter