Long 1970s Poems

Juvenilia: Early Poems XII

Because You Came to Me
by Michael R. Burch

for Beth

Because you came to me with sweet compassion
and kissed my furrowed brow and smoothed my hair,
I do not love you after any fashion,
but wildly,...

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If you run into first smart 1970s feminist to become President Elect Hillary,
please relay this message,
if you would remain so kind
and thoughtful of our regenerative nurturing selves,
cooperating together.

I appreciate and applaud your ability to nurture...

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I grew up and out on a four family-owned,
and cooperatively-organized,
extended matriarchal farm.

Four interdependent 1940s through 1970s patriarchally managed businesses,
without substantial questions about who should wear pants,
yet with a surprising matriarchal cooperative understory.

The boxers outnumbered the...

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You were an Afghan, Farid Khan by name,
A name less known to the world today.
You ran away from home,
Because your own step-mother plotted against you.
Now you were runaway-Khan!

You chose to be a knight-errant,
Soon became a...

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an early 1970s piece -


The sun was close to down as I would drive the dusty road. 
I knew that this was going to be my last delivery load.

My mind began to wander as the...

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another 1970s piece --


An old, inebriated man came stumbling from the bar.
I watched as he collapsed beside the front door of his car.

He used the handle on the door to struggle to his feet,
Then turned...

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In the late 1970s, I was going home on a Friday evening,
and needed a little more fuel in my truck, 
enough to get back to work on Monday morning.
I had $3 on me, pulled into...

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Eric Clapton (born March 30, 1945, in Ripley, Surrey, England)
British guitarist who influenced rock.
Later became a famous singer-songwriter.
Clapton was born to a teen mom and a Canadian WWII soldier in England.
His grandparents mostly raised him.
He...

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Writing yet another note to my straight white CongressMan,
asking him to Please, Do Panic
about all this fear-based non-legislation
undemocratic fascist 
nationalistic Win/Lose evolutionary corrupt
democratic devolution
going on around
and within us,

I'm wearing a white 1970s vintage Tshirt
from Castro...

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I saw one journey end and another begin
I saw my world changed and in a spin 

I saw another end - the end of the band
I saw John and Yoko hand in hand

I saw commandos...

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Valid, raw water is crucial for all faint life to a loader,
Stanley Meyer, Inventor of the 1970s Water Power Motor,
Rather than oil or gas, alive water might be properly used,
Cutting and cleaning may be done...

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Arcola circa late 1960's early 1970's...
easy to conjure this idyllic June 8th, 2020

Envision bucolic Currier
and Ives rendered landscape,
or canvas painted
courtesy gifted late Thomas Kinkade
(or substitute favorite creative soul)
how aforementioned illustrious artists drape
mesmerized amateur and/or

art appreciation...

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When playtime was over my tiny hands tediously picked up Tyco toys, a fistful of three at a time. "Atta girl," my dad would encourage. This daunting task was heroically spared when his master hands...

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After considering all this I can only come to one conclusion, there can only be one all knowing all powerfull God.'  For instance if we consider the Gospel of Matthew chapter 22 verse 13,...

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(just in time for summer reading...
recounting emotionally disastrous campy turbulence)

Amidst a raft of fellow (Brandywine Valley
     Y.M.C.A) resident campers
     who, didst excitedly quiver
donning a "NON FAKE" lifejacket

...

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Take This Stinking Keyboard And Shove It
(Tribute to Johnny Paycheck)


Take this stinking keyboard and shove it
I ain't awritin' here no damn more.
Gone is my inspiration, O' how I loved it
damn it flew right out the...

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I was talking to this sexy 
girl on the net ( I cannot tell you her name )
I’ve seen her picture on facebook 
A pic that will make you sweat.

We were talking naughty pics
Don’t ask,...

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It looks like all of the elderly couples have been in love with each other since they were
real-life teenagers, even before the ones who were born in the 1980s existed, even me.
This type of teenage...

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The 1970s were the grooviest years for all of the teenage lovebirds-turned-married adults.
Young love has still been among all of the then-teen couples since the day disco music was
born. It seems that when two young...

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Children as young as three years old,
    Killed for not doing as they’re told,
    Forced to forget their culture bold,
What a tragedy to unfold!

Two hundred fifteen, that ain’t less,
...

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I'm Not in Love? Or I'm Not in Love? Or I'm Not in Love? 
(A very sweet song, do you remember it from the late 1970s 10CC?)
It appears that we can never distinguish between
'The Beat'...

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Systemic trauma
may be a more inclusive
and challenging
way of saying:

Systemic racism, homophobia, sexism, ableism, discrimination, prejudice, bigotry,
avoiding fear
then anger aggressively approaching
fear avoiding...
unspiraling anti-communication systems
of trauma,
StraightWhiteMale privileged
drama.

Systemic trauma
may become more profound
and disabling
with Decrepit OldAge
replacing Dancing Wise Elders

Rooted...

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I
If your national and ethnic loyalties cannot understand other views of YOU, how are u better than Putin & his supporters?

Study ethnoi, ethnicity, nationalism ... And European wars (numerous) even under the Church - plus...

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If I said "you had a beautiful body" don't hide,
   I never lied though I may have tried
please  "would you hold it against me,"
  I coulda been your  "Love Machine"...

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The winters here in northern Alabama are pretty mild
unlike the ones up on Long Island when I was a child
were "lucky" to see a couple of inches here each winter
and if we don't we try...

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