Long Buttoned Poems

I was wiping the dust off an old snow globe in the upstairs attic, when a mop of honey-blonde hair suddenly appeared through the wooden flooring.
     "I thought I'd find you...

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An Excelente Balade of Charitie (“An Excellent Ballad of Charity”)
by Thomas Chatterton, age 17
modernization/translation by Michael R. Burch

As wroten bie the goode Prieste
Thomas Rowley 1464

In Virgynë the swelt'ring sun grew keen,
Then hot upon the meadows...

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Please help yarn hexed door neighbor...

Yours truly pinned down by invisible 
vestiges of coronavirus and
getting attacked from angry plague 
of buttons, plus huge spools of yarn
grossly mistook me for human sock 
to seal and line...

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Unquotable Quotes VIIIL : SEXUAL HARASSMENT* - the feminist kind

(*”aggressive pressure or intimidation”: Is it really “any different” in most cases in the act, judging by Hollywood standards?)

STOP: ARREST ALL GIRLS
 - standing with legs...

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Black Iraqi Woman
Written by Faleeha Hassan
Translated from the Arabic by William Hutchins
Shortly before my father died, he whispered to me longingly: “Daughter, treasure this, because it authenticates your heritage to our kinsfolk!” When I accepted...

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As I hover over the darkened room, I wonder how I have gotten here. Did I die, was I 
dead? That was the only explanation I could think of for my disembodiedment. But 
concentration was...

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A mirror never reveals  
fallen secrets sewn with soulful sequins;  
time unmutes raven melodies within,  
tawny tunes of truth~
   I once spoke in colorful dialects.  
Now, I trust just...

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He walks towards her in a cold winter’s day
with his buttoned-down shirt and expensive blue jeans.
He doesn’t waste time as he whispers to her:
“You have the most beautiful eyes that I’ve ever seen.”

And it doesn’t...

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As they began the long ride to the ranch,
his father asked,”Are you all done with that stuff?
’Cause there’s problems at home, even for a man
setting things right is gonna’ be tough."

Luther just nodded to show...

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Recess 1


Third grade
Ms. Greene
Handed me tightly wrapped Chinese candy 
And Starburst occasionally

A little girl
Fresh out of Haiti
Bullied
Teased, punched and kicked
Scared and scarred
Yet well mannered 

Blue she wore “going on a date?
Ms. Greene giggles and smiled

In...

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(A white space. One door is labelled ''arrive'' another ''depart'' a white bed in the centre labelled ''stay''. In the bed are two women sleeping back to back, with the sheet pulled up high. A...

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This revolutionary fella followed by 
Adams family patriarch,giving rise 
twin heir (plain lee gifted "Renaissance 
Man") Jeff force'n without hemming 

and hawing, subsequently conceding 
nexus (nor horse drawn Lexus) of Colonial 
power to Madison, thence...

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No dear
Make the date for the tea
Friday at three
For the moon will be
At the windows
At the wee hours
And it will be the full moons
We will pick up as much as we choose
With the scarlet spoon

Monday...

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There's a jolly little cafe where a chestnut tree once grew, 
They serve hot bubbling tea and buttered toast,   
Where the waiter wears a waistcoat which is buttoned up askew  
And the...

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The blind leading the blind, what is seen is how its heard
the thoughts that make the story are lost behind the words
do you see it as you view it, or take a deeper look 
do...

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Would you march in haste 

A mountains tapering side

Or defy the abyss of an oceans

Infuriated tide,

And to exist for I only

When affairs volunteer so rough

Then I’d believe it’s true to state

That this is surely LOVE…………………

...

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WHAT MEN WANT

I went for a walk, tripped and bumped my head,
I got up, buttoned my coat, it was freezing cold, 
Began snowing outside I was told
Walking in the mall, in my head,
Heard, two men...

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Life is never a planned ride
      on a magical carpet,
that awakens jasmine
dreams lost in the brisk air.
We weave our own 
zest of zephyr, 
to tailor-stitch a tapestry;
   ...

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                   ~Cinderella Memories~

Young, self-confident, all...

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I was standing in my dining room, drinking a cup of coffee, staring out the window the other day.  Across the street is the school bus stop, so for a brief time, each morning...

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Inside worn and weathered walls,
Nobles and commoners
Gather and share 
In the field of rosiness.
Together, they are
Composed, well organized.
Each one partaking in blind optimism.
Knowing truly, that
The odds prevail.

Uneasy
My eyes penetrate
The bleached and waxen folds
Of my buttoned-up,...

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The water fluttered under the glass boiling in envy of itself
Marching to the sleek inner coating along the candid sphere like a band of drums ready for war
bubbling in heavy camaraderie the steam spoke a...

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I wear a white buttoned shirt
And my friends call me four eyes
But I don't care, just slowly walk away
And give 'em my gang sign

Don't bother with my appearance
Cause I'm the king of the chess team
Most...

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sausages mash and peas

Slowly climb the leaning tree and learn about leaves
Count them
Count the corners
The points
The colours
And when you have completed this climb back down but quickly this time
For this is a process of professionalism...

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I see you hipsters in rustic coffee shops with pictures of Marlyn Monroe and contemporary art, 
the girl in all black with a black beret to make her look more avant-garde and red colored hair...

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