Best Whoso Poems
Facing a street kid pleading for bread, I was gripped with mixed feelings, especially that I had in my possession purchased goods for our orphanage from a grocery with this label: “the good life you can afford.” Oh, the social worker in me could not escape being confronted with this question: “Why does a child have to beg for a basic necessity... when it can be afforded?” By God’s grace, I have settled myself with the answer while fulfilling my commitment.
emotions clashing
grieved midst reality angst~~~
still love* and care reign
* 1John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
April 17, 2021
2nd place, "Moments Of Reflections - Haibun" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Malabika Ray Choudhury; judged on 5/11/2021.
Wise are all those who heed the call of God,
"Repent, for the kingdom of God is near",
With the Gospel of peace, you must be shod,
Salvation is through Jesus Christ, oh hear!
Wise are all those who gain understanding,
Choose instruction instead of mere money,
More precious than red rubies enchanting
Is the taste of the Lord, He's like honey,
Wise are all those who fear God, hate evil,
By wisdom, kings reign and rulers make laws,
Whoso finds wisdom escapes the devil,
Whose clutches are sharp as a lion's jaws,
Wise are all those who listen and turn back
From worldly ways to Heaven's open gate,
Wisdom calls out, give ear to Master's track,
Be wise, choose life - Christ Jesus, the Way Straight.
13th January 2023
Me a bush stone curlew,
And this is my fond view—
There's none whoso like me
In all space, land and sea,
An if one does exist,
Bird it be, be it beast,
Reflection of mine is,
And oh dear, I love this--
A curlew of rare hue!
_____________________________
A bush stone curlew, a bird, spent hours staring at its own reflection as shown in a video that became instantly viral. The bird became instant star as well. Now, if this bird had a poetic bent of mind, it might have penned a little ditty like this.
Happenings, humour | 21.03.2017 |
Balmy by the looks so beguiling
A sudden feeling aroused by the essence so quest,
You simply smile by the au jus of your lips -
A solitaire awaited by the presence so lest,
Whoso you deserve – a solemnity within shone;
A panorama of thoughts, a swain to be, yours
A secret admirer.
Yenned for the day so longed
A fortune behold by the ephemeral so cadged,
You simply versed by the espy of your eyes -
A moribund velleity now braced by the apathy of days,
Whoso you deserve – a solemnity within shone;
A panorama of enamors, an amigo to be, yours
A secret admirer.
Faith for the beguile so au fait
A hollo minced by the depth so pulsated
You simply filched thy heart by the ires so true
A nascence of juvenile by the paroles of numb
Whoso you deserve – a solemnity within shone;
A panorama of wordses, a promise to be, yours
A secret admirer.
Who names a traitor? I will name a heart,
For hearts alone forsake the sought-for good.
The Captain Will surveys his seaman’s chart
To plot a course to guide his ark of wood.
Yet he forgets each sailor is a man.
‘Gin mortal foes a man be brave and strong.
Whoso is valiant, bid him join the van
To prove his manhood in the battle throng.
Yet, what fears that combatant beset,
Who, standing lone and single in the ring,
Beholds the trident and ensnaring net
Of him that is the ocean tempest’s king?
Aye, some outwitted Neptune’s rocks and ire,
Yet perishèd. What man resists the siren’s lyre?>
"and, as treason begins in the heart, before it appears in overt-acts, so he accused you as a traitor on that account, and therefore insisted you should be put to death" Jonathan Swift, Gulliver's Travels, Chapter VII
The American Revolution describes the process whereby one George was replaced by another
Though Jack has climbed his beanstalk,
Saint George his dragon slain,
Gulch-Mammon lives on happily
And myriad is his train
His belly is enormous,
Yet full it ne'er will be.
The moment luncheon's over,
It's time to start high-tea.
Gulch-Mammon's teeth are millstones
Whose grindings rarely cease.
His slightest indigestion
Is menace to our peace.
And every time he sneezes,
Things worsen, though they're bad,
And every time he belches,
The Richter Scale goes mad.
Perchance he bored with eating,
He starts to smoke and fume.
You'll always know his whereabouts.
Just watch out for his plume.
His home is just palatial,
For gold is everywhere.
His rest-room seat is golden,
A thing most choice and rare.
No one knows for certain,
The income that he draws.
Whatever you are making,
It's vastly more than yours.
There on his vast plantations,
Some kine are thin, some fat,
And many laws and statutes
Did little to change that.
Are Jack and George just sleeping,
Or are they in his pay?
Whoso may know the answer
Seems disinclined to say.
Welcome, Summer
by Geoffrey Chaucer
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Now welcome, Summer, with your sun so soft,
since you’ve banished Winter with her icy weather
and driven away her long nights’ frosts.
Saint Valentine, in the heavens aloft,
the songbirds sing your praises together!
Now welcome, Summer, with your sun so soft,
since you’ve banished Winter with her icy weather.
We have good cause to rejoice, not to scoff,
since love’s in the air, and also in the heather,
whenever we find such blissful warmth, together.
Now welcome, Summer, with your sun so soft,
since you’ve banished Winter with her icy weather
and driven away her long nights’ frosts.
Whoso List to Hunt
by Sir Thomas Wyatt
loose translation/interpretation/modernization by Michael R. Burch
Whoever longs to hunt, I know the deer;
but as for me, alas!, I may no more.
This vain pursuit has left me so bone-sore
I'm one of those who falters, at the rear.
Yet friend, how can I draw my anguished mind
away from the doe? Thus, as she flees before
me, fainting I follow. I must leave off, therefore,
since in a net I seek to hold the wind.
Whoever seeks her out, I relieve of any doubt,
that he, like me, must spend his time in vain.
For graven with diamonds, set in letters plain,
these words appear, her fair neck ringed about:
"Touch me not, for Caesar's I am,
And wild to hold, though I seem tame."
Brut
by Layamon, circa 1100 AD, an excerpt
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Now he stands on a hill overlooking the Avon,
seeing steel fishes girded with swords in the stream,
their swimming days done,
their scales a-gleam like gold-plated shields,
their fish-spines floating like shattered spears.
If you see a busker singing for tips, you're seeing someone carrying on an Anglo-Saxon tradition that goes back to the days of Beowulf …
He sits with his harp at his thane's feet,
Earning his hire, his rewards of rings,
Sweeping the strings with his skillful nail;
Hall-thanes smile at the sweet song he sings.
—"Fortunes of Men" loose translation by Michael R. Burch
Keywords/Tags: Chaucer, rondel, roundel, welcome, summer, sun, winter, weather, frost, songbirds, song, love, night, nights, ice, icy, heaven, heavens, sky, Wyatt, hunt, busker, thanes, Anglo-Saxon, Beowulf
Comforter indwells within us
He's the Holy Spirit
Convicting us of sins and thus
Of each dark demerit
When we disobey God
With untruth we are shod
Need to confess we're flawed
Hark the warning bells
Comforter indwells
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Comforter indwells believers
Do not quench His soft voice
Be not misled by deceivers
There is always a choice
Forsake dark desires' clutch
Give heed to God's soft touch
Confess, repent as such
Overcome sin spells
Comforter indwells
Form: Double Quietus
19th April 2022
And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. - 1 Samuel 22:15
And when He (the Comforter/ Holy Spirit) is come, He will reprove (convict) the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment. - John 16:8
He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy. - Proverbs 28:13
For Unseeking Seeker's "Soul Betrayal" Contest
The production of godly living
means to put filth and sin away
this is done by being meek
receive the implanted word to stay
Having this word for your souls good
so do what God’s words clearly says
but not just to hear these scriptures only
commit to do this in all your earthly days
Don’t be like that mirror man
looks at himself then does forget
what he has seen there pone wonders
deceiving himself of who he has met
The one who will fully persevere
who’s seen freedom’s law perfectly
will act on what’s been heard
to do God’s revealed will correctly
This is indeed the blessed child of God
receiving grace from their merciful Lord
(James 1:21-25
"Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of
naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted
word, which is able to save your souls.
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only,
deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer
of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth
himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth
what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into
the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein,
he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the
work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.")
June 29 Relationship to God Bible Meditations Based on Proverbs 29-31
Key Verse – Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.
LORD GOD, YOU ARE MY SAFETY KEEPER
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your wisdom
Thank You for establishing me in Your kingdom
With Your granted righteousness-freedom
So that I can engage in Your work without boredom.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your uprightness
Thank You for keeping me in Your ruling truthfulness
With Your life-changing faithfulness
So that I can delight engage in Your lovingkindness.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your correction
Thank You for imparting me doctrines Your instruction
With Your blessed instruction
So that I can follow Your heavenly direction.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your reign
Thank You for leading me toward servanthood-terrain
With Your kingly guidance of everlasting domain
So that I can rise from worldliness, worthlessly vain.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your teaching
Thank You for strengthening me along attitude-stretching
With Your sanctifying preaching
So that I can abide in Your virtues’ enriching.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your goodness-ways
Thank You for instilling in me new-creation rays
With Your bountiful provisions all the days
So that I can share Your grace of no delays.
Lord God, You are my safety Keeper by Your hand
Thank You for exhorting me to reach Your standard-demand
With Your encouragement for joyous stand
So that I can excel in Your praise while reaching the promised land.
June 29, 2023
July 23 Faith in God Bible Meditations Based on Proverbs 29-31
Key Verse – Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.
FAITH IN GOD WHO ENCLOSES US
IN HIS SECURED SAFETY
God encloses us in His secured safety with His love’s sovereignty
Upon His fortress of compassionate authority
Despite our fears challenging our faith’s capacity
To hide us in His haven of comforting surety.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His protection
Upon His shelter of caring function
Despite our worries exposing our faith’s reaction
To challenge us if we stay in His direction.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His light
Upon His illumination of revelation-delight
Despite our doubts trying our faith’s might
To drive us toward prayer and supplication-plight.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His wisdom
Upon His Word of powerful truth that grants genuine freedom
Despite our hypocrisy deceiving our faith’s boredom
To unmask us against blurred vision toward focus on His kingdom.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His wondrous ways
Upon His deeds of marvelous miraculous grace
Despite our carnality embarrassing our faith’s swaying pace
To bring us to His perfect will, winning along life’s race.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His greatness
Upon His supply of bountiful goodness
Despite our pride covering our faith’s weakness
To humble us before His majestic awesomeness.
God encloses us in His secured safety with His mercy
Upon His kindness of satisfaction-sufficiency
Despite our complaints questioning our faith’s persistency
To keep us draw nigh to Him while serving with devoted consistency.
July 23, 2025
Dear God, I thank You for Your compassion for my soul
That made me understand Your work in my Christian role
Teach me to give my best along kindness’ pole
By Your grace, upholding my divine stewardship goal.
With Your compassion in my life, being spiritually refined
I seek You first and abide in Your will wherein I’m truly inclined
Enable me to fulfill well the tasks that to me You’ve assigned
Along Your plan which for me You exclusively designed.
Compassion, You exemplified, Lord, is my earnest desire
To care for others who are in hopelessness-mire
Help me reach-out with faith's cheerfulness You require
Through Your mercies that do not retire and expire.
Keep Your compassion burning in my servant’s heart
As I do my orphanage duties daily with zest and zeal’s start
Taking care of special children, securing them from negligence-dart
Letting them feel Your love that can never depart.
*1John 3:17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
June 4, 2019
4th place, "COMPASSION" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Line Gauthier; judged on 6/12/2019.
Give all best while blest, passing the test with God’s zest!!!
Achieve
Believe!
Create
Do great!
Excel
Fight well!
God*… trust
Hope must!
Improve
Just move!
Keep right
Love light!
March on
Now yon!
Own work
Plus perk!
Quell doubt
Reach out!
Up glory’s crest, fight pride’s pest, share blessings with the rest!!!
*Proverbs 16:20 He that handleth a matter wisely shall find good:
and whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he.
January 25, 2024
4th place, "DARK Nursery Rhyme A-N-D Eye Rhyme" Poetry Writing Premiere Contest; Sponsored by Hilo Poet; judged on 3/2/2024
Myth may it be, or be it man's blind faith,
A rehearsal or else, a dance of death,
Life lives on edge, death at each passing breath.
A cosmic law, death is preordained fate
To welcome, kiss life on a fresh new date
For one more dance of destiny in wait!
Be it a fruit, flower, be it a fly,
Man, matter, none whoso can death defy,
Everything is destined one day to die.
Yet, for morbid phobia man stands alone
Far too scared of death, or of life unknown,
Not knowing, life comes, death-seed duly sown.
And Death, not just a balm to every pain,
End of every suffering, every strain,
Sunny rainbow, were it perchance to rain.
What dies is just raiment worn out and old,
Death delivers a new garment of gold,
God-given gift, death’s life in a fresh mould.
Let it what be, death's no devil so grim,
Nor a poet's pet theme, nor yet a dream
Snapped, but a golden chance to rise like cream.
So, wish me not well to live on for long,
Just wish me to write and compose my song
And await my new journey’s start-off dong.
__________________________________________
Musings | 07.02.2007, revised April 2023|Tercet
Poet's note: Should this be called a Terza Rima, or a Tercet?
Terza Rima is more of a part of a sonnet's sestet. Tercet is more generic, but not included in the list of poems here.
MODERN ENGLISH TRANSLATIONS OF MEDIEVAL ENGLISH POEMS
Inordinate Love
anonymous Middle English poem, circa 15th century
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
I shall say what inordinate love is:
The ferocity and singleness of mind,
An inextinguishable burning devoid of bliss,
A great hunger, too insatiable to decline,
A dulcet ill, an evil sweetness, blind,
A right wonderful, sugared, sweet error,
Without any rest, contrary to kind,
Without quiet, a riot of useless labor.
Unkindness Has Killed Me
anonymous Middle English poem, 15th century
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Grievous is my sorrow:
Both evening and morrow;
Unto myself alone
Thus do I moan,
That unkindness has killed me
And put me to this pain.
Alas! what remedy
That I cannot refrain?
The spring under a thorn
anonymous Middle English poem, circa 15th century
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
At a wellspring, under a thorn,
the remedy for an ill was born.
There stood beside a maid
Full of love bound,
And whoso seeks true love,
In her it will be found.
A lover left alone with his thoughts
anonymous Middle English poem, circa later 15th century
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch
Continuance
of remembrance,
without ending,
causes me penance
and great grievance,
for your parting.
You are so deeply
engraved in my heart,
God only knows
that always before me
I ever see you
in thoughts covert.
Though I do not explain
my woeful pain,
I bear it still,
although it seems vain
to speak against
Fortune’s will.
Keywords/Tags: Middle English, translation, Medieval English, love, mind, bliss, burning, hunger, desire, sorrow, pain, spring, lover, thoughts, heart