Long Bream Poems

So many people and the various sores
Intoxicated in such a way my eyes,
That wanted open to crying their doors.

But Virgil told : “What for you look this guise?
Why now your sight is so carefully brought
Down...

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Stood I there, that last day,
On an iron bridge...
An aqueduct by design,
Where, looking dreamily out over
The Ernes Lower Lough,
My compressed shadow 
Momentarily paused -
To contently recline:
Amidst coy Junes radiant beams 
of sweet benign!
All was stilled,...

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These are modern English translations of Chinese poems of The Shijing or Shi Jing ("Book of Songs" or "Book of Odes")

Shijing Ode #4: “JIU MU”
ancient Chinese rhyming poem (c. 1200-600 BC)
loose translation by Michael R....

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Judy Leigh was addicted with a food fixation.
Gorging on fruit, veggies, and any crustacean.
She wanted to stop and yelled, "Damnation!
My overeating is causing me such frustration!"

While grudgingly doing her morning chores,
Judy acquired the bad habit...

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Another long weekend’s upon us and we’re ready, set to go,
To get amongst the bream again, along the river Tambo.
Our adrenaline is rushing and we’re really bloody keen,
To celebrate with fishing while, we’re toasting to...

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Let’s sail away to Acapella,
A celebrity haunt owned by Penn and Teller.
I shall act as your prince, you’ll be Cinderella
When we’re sat on a beach in Acapella.

It’s not as sexy as Cannes or as dowdy...

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Water lapping at edge of the boat beneath the silence of the sky
Swaying branches of mopane trees and fish eagles cry
Wind of changing seasons and melting palates of hue
in the blood red sunset glow and...

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Do you remember the grapevine? Do you?
Do you remember the deer that stole from it?
Do you remember the stream that fed it?
Do you remember the dove that overhead flew?
I can't recall any of it--
I don't...

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Heavily laden boats, rectangular sails billowing 
    Under seas of low cloud, braving the fierce Yangtze;                ...

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Like apples falling from trees, people like 
us aren’t supposed to travel very far. Born 
into penitentieries. The last brick laid 
generations ago. Solitary confinement. 
Four Walls, uncomfortable bed, and a 
mind that wont stop. Trading...

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A Cyclops was chatting briefly to a triceratops on the A9. Travelling to a cooked conference. The deepening road arched in anticipation of wheels. Wow. The heightened awareness of ninety million snails parachuting from above...

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Jump out of bed for breakfast, the time is 3 am
Knock on Uncles window, have a quick cold feed with him
Gather up the rods and gear, sinkers floats and line
Looking up into the sky, cloudless...

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A phone call was all that’s needed and the message it was clear;
“Get your bum away from home and bring your family here.
And don’t forget your fishing rods; the bream are on the bite.
I know...

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Elongated dazzling radiance cast abeam
sensational blinding brilliance
thru eyelids cast agleam
buoyed upon soundcloud airstream
entire corporeal complex edifice

rocked upon gently
shimmering weightless as moon beam
metaphorically floats yours truly
autonomic kickstarting process
since... flagellation enabled conception
circulating, distributing, enervating...

dna chromosomal genetic
data packets...

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I've got a dish of killifish
I wish to eat that silly fish
Baked, or fried in peanut oil
Roasted, dried, or let to boil.

Make me a star-gazy pie
Take me to the Catfish Fry
Lead me to the China...

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and its the bing bang boing but not bong ok nor beng or bung
A chicken diner stream is a recipe of combined cream but crossing a work surface is often best using traffic lights, zebra...

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Surreal nature encapsulates the scene spread out in front of my unbelieving eyes. Years ago this was the center hub of activity in the rural community. Forgotten way of life as people congregate in crowded...

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The Ruba’iyat of Créteil Lake - Part Nine

Staring sun perches on Créteil hillock hump and dazzles lake
Waves slop through tingling streaks of furrowed light dance 
         ...

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.
the old grist mill leans
nestled in the rocky bank
red fall leaves surreal  

The swift red stained creek that energized the mill's wheel still runs over ancient rocks on its course to the mighty sea....

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Part II



“I walk a decrepit graveyard alone, in mists stirred by contrast winds
As a storm brews, I am grateful that I know in my heart he's alive 
Skies bream with promise of torrent rain and...

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Just a little tyke
When on the hearth~strike
Then blaze

Warmth flowed throughout like
Happiness 'pon trike
Young days

When you were godlike
I'd feel dreamlike
A phase

Let me paraphrase
It's not hollandaise
Just dreams

Down by waterways
Where God I could praise
Fish teem 

As 'pon stream...

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Since I Was Five 

 Life was cruel, 
Neglect and ridicule, 
Home and school, 
I lived by the rule 
That I was miniscule 
And became a fool. 

I tried to hide 
Somewhere outside, 
Vast and...

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Come here you little Tinca
Come here towards my net
Come here you little Tinca 
You're a new PB I bet.

Ive fed you worms and maggots
Caught Roach and Bream its true
But as nice as it is to...

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There was I in my early twenties
sitting bored on a Sunday afternoon
mu mum suggested, get a hobby
but being a loner was well out of tune

My mind was blank till mum said
learn guitar, my son, well...

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I love Africa, my beautiful Africa
I can roam in the bushes
I can run up the mountains
Down the valleys
Across the plains
Or get lost in the forests
Or the caves
I can soak the sun
On the sand at the...

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