Best Shirked Poems

How far do the ripples spread, when eventually we die 
Probably stay in the locality, level off, no major outcry
But let’s say we’re famous, suffering unexplained death 
The ripples keep expanding, growing further in breadth 

See the grotesque nature of spin, is to overplay a...

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Three men each grew a precious rose
They all had different thoughts
Of how to raise and nurture them
Of the outcomes that they sought.

The first man shirked all effort
Just plunged a hole within the soil
His rose grew, waned then wilted
It suffered from his lack of toil.

The second...

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One day I delivered a poem
one that seemed to be premature
so I swaddled her up
and set her aside
to grow 'til I felt reassured

How she yowled and howled for attention...
how she cried so piteously!
How she coughed and she sneezed
whimpered and wheezed
then threw up all over me!

Still...

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Embrace this torso decaying in the wardrobe I wake up those skeletons laying in the warzone 
I make up the rules as I go along you all know so get ready ya better be set like a fresh jelly freshly baked cake on the go...

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The red bucket in my bathroom 
suddenly one day broke. 
Day by day it deteriorated 
till it was revoked. 
I needed some plastic 
to melt for some work; 
the red bucket was chosen 
being already shirked. 
Little by little, in few days, 
the red bucket...

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It was an ordinary day,
when time she came our way.
So young and shy, with a lovely smile
I thought she’d stay for just awhile.

But ever since she cared for us
in everything she does.
She was hired so mom and dad could work.
She, no hard task ever shirked.

So...

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My life as I see it wasn’t easy, but I didn’t have it that rough,

I got my share of breaks, but it was virtually an uphill fight,

There were nights when the moon shirked its duties and the stars, too afraid to shine, left me in...

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Our
                                           water
 ...

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Waves and winds comfort me
 As I toss in fitful dreams.

 The universe covers my head,
 Sand gives my bones a humble bed

 Oh, how much I'll fill this spot,
 With all the memories I've got!

 And tell this place how much I care,
 Of...

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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 Michael R. Burch

for Harold Bloom

Come down, O, come down
from your...

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Guilty of life once lived in sections,
drastically making changes.
Concessions to new obsessions,
suffering identity exchanges.
Revision life's only pattern,
inborn self considered a sin.
Wherever did the facade end,
and my actual truth begin?
Mercurial soul.
Gale force wind on fire.
Searching recklessly.
Banishing true desire.
Stunted by fear.
Cut low by local society.
Angrily relating ashamed.
Depression...

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That summer your dad died 
and we brought your mom
to stay a few weeks 
‘til she moved to the nursing home 

we drove east to Saskatchewan
the huddles of family 
I’d never met 
softly recounting your father’s fading  
while Bessie washed dishes without a word...

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#FAREWELL, BROTHER
by
Hannah Rain

Lowering him down upon his curved back,
On silky blue sheets, all pleated and tacked,
A pillow they stuffed beneath his cold head,
And combed his gray hair, that once was bright red.

Then buttoning his tweed, colored dark blue,
They crossed his thin arms and tied his...

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The naked dancer was irked
Because the dark scar would sneak
From under her tutu but she shirked
Not her dance rountine, Kirk

The car she drove was a cranked risk
And a horror when the snake on rack did hide
The car will ask kinder for snake to sneak aside
So...

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?I thought that I would never see
Another macho man like me.
Ex-green Beret and Airborne Ranger,
Who never shirked in face of danger.	
But that ancient myth was soon dissolved,
When my wife asked me to get involved,
And accompany her, one fine day,
In search for her new negligee.

Now stout...

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