Long Contortions Poems

Gran glared at the general. ‘So tell me where we’re at
What’s a chicken got to do with me and Nitro Cat?’
‘That chicken,’ said the general, ‘has laid a special egg
It’s got a micro chip in...

Read More

For old Star-Gazer Master Khayyam – a name like Shakespeare’s for « some » other giants - Part One

                ...

Read More

Perpetual Quandries of Dischord

Permanent irreversible Attatchment disorder
A lemonade stand at the Mexican Border
A traumatised disorganised old lady hoarder
The incriminating evidence on an old tape recorder 

Elements of discontent shivering through a crowd 
Firmaments of promises...

Read More

An anticlimactic sexual event...

with Barb Black née Beebee
to help set the ghost
of little Willy Brandt free
(a non German, but germane fellow  
courtesy Craigslist classified
personals of mine invitee
she replied, I took liberty
to Google her first...

Read More

The range in its majesty gives way to open thoughts of the wild things in taming, I have eaten hard pan and dust as my regular meal to be had.

I to the constant trail beaten...

Read More

Saturday, Saturday
'Why'd you do this to me'
was my first question, my first reaction
a reflex to point myself the victim
point myself an inquiry I had no response for
I wanted once to see her
to know her face...

Read More

Unquotabe quotes: Dancers - XXIII

Dance like Cassius Clay, Sting like Muhammad Ali.
The dancing Dervish’s ethereal trip makes the Sufi’s Qawwali breathlessness sound like the radio-astral waves dashing on the beaches of their consciousness.
The only unlicensed...

Read More

Poems for Poets VIII


Fireflies
thinking to illuminate the darkness?
Poets!
—Michael R. Burch


BeMused
by Michael R. Burch

You will find in her hair
a fragrance more severe
than camphor.

You will find in her dress
no hint of a sweet
distractedness.

You will find in her...

Read More

POEMS ABOUT POOL SHARKS

Shark
by Michael R. Burch

They are all unknowable,
these rough pale men—
haunting dim pool rooms like shadows,
propped up on bar stools like scarecrows,
nodding and sagging in the fraying light...

I am not of them,
as I...

Read More

POEMS FOR POETS X

US Verse, after Auden
by Michael R. Burch

“Let the living creature lie,
Mortal, guilty, but to me
The entirely beautiful.”

Verse has small value in our Unisphere,
nor is it fit for windy revelation.
It cannot legislate less...

Read More

he took the paintball on one sunken cheek

it hurt to be lopsided but the anger subsided

          the umpire declared the shot out of bounds

  ...

Read More

I’m just having a good laugh while I still can dude before life takes its heavy grip

Until the community of clowns in disguise tie my tongue to their altar of reason

You think of a genius...

Read More

~The Greatest Show from Hell~


A circus quietly drifted through our town,

causing everyone here to curse the ground–

where they toiled to set~up their ghastly show.

They passed the town, demonic eyes aglow—

 

~*~

†

 

No jugglers, tight ropes...

Read More

Squalidness—Squabbling squeamishly;
Scrutinizing stigmatized scandalization, substantially scarce
Sprightliness...skeptically surrendering
Shamefully—Scolded sardonically;
Snarling splenetically, severing sensibility, scowlingly simmering
Strenuously...sought survival
Sparring—Sinister sisters;
Seductively swiveling soreness, sarcastically snared, swirling
Storms...sporadically striking
Slowly—Sacrificing stories;
Scorching slanderous subversiveness, suffering suffocation
Senselessly...smoldering serendipity
Sinfully—Silent stranger;
Sneaking skillfully staring
Presumptuously—Pursuing pretentiousness;
Promises protruding pithiness,
Potential problems...penetrating
Frantically—Forsaken fantasizes...

Read More

The heat soaked day drags on: each daisy sweltering
every buttercup melting into the dry ground,
a golden oozing of petals. I watch them through the window knowing
that I could not be ready, this I that’s still...

Read More

Because She Craved the Very Best
by Michael R. Burch
 
Because she craved the very best,
he took her East, he took her West;
he took her where there were no wars
and brought her bright bouquets of stars,
the...

Read More

They channelized the news
the quick zapped flash of fact undeniably
taking the opportunity by storm
by the contortions of varsity
they proclaimed so devoutly
the new acceptable norm
of an already butchered normality

And who with applause
with the legalized blurb
of an...

Read More

‘We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are’
                      ...

Read More

Sexy Love

Some say that love is when our rivers join on cotton sheets in mounting passion
                   ...

Read More

When King David was old they covered him in clothes, but he got no heat,
So they sought for him a pretty girl who was innocent and sweet.

Let her stand before you lord and in your...

Read More

Beyond from Walls of Sleep

Deep dormant eyes forever weep
Keep hells behind upon walls of sleep
Dancing demons in rituals necromancing
Glancing of gates admits infernos entrancing
Damned words resonating of souls scammed
Programmed lips through evil’s command
Hellion hypnotic of...

Read More

Darkness, embedding my soul, pilfering my heart,
What power is this power, this power you have over my entire existence,
Kisses, empty kisses, poor over my face and lips,
How will I ever know my dear if you...

Read More

Importance of the Alternative Perspective 

Contortions of my sentient being
Distortions of my inclinations to dream 
Proportions of truth deciphering what it all means
Abortions of opinion as things are not always as they seem 

Embellishments of...

Read More

When should I awake?
But when should I get some sleep?
Within my mind I’ll make
Contortions of my excuse
When should I resist?
My hatred likes to breathe
Why do I assist?
Been dying for far too long

Here it comes and...

Read More

Existential fear abandoned for the sake of delusion

Nuclear freeze in her heart of alchemy’s shivers 

Veiled shadows dancing to the echo of silence

Intemperance sounding choral confusion of fate 

Rosemary scents a bunch of renegade petals...

Read More