Long Crocus Poems

Lady’s Favor
by Michael R. Burch

May
spring
fling
her riotous petals
devil-
may-care
into the air,
ignoring the lethal
nettles
and may
May
cry gleeful-
ly Hooray!
as the abundance
settles,
till a sudden June
swoon
leave us out of tune,
torn,
when the last rose is left
inconsolably bereft,
rudely shorn
of every device but her thorn.


The...

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Winter
by Michael R. Burch

The rose of love's bright promise
lies torn by her own thorn;
her scent was sweet
but at her feet
the pallid aphids mourn.

The lilac of devotion
has felt the winter hoar
and shed her dress;
companionless,
she shivers—nude, forlorn.

Published...

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Sonnets LII-LX

The Endeavors of Lips
by Michael R. Burch

How sweet the endeavors of lips: to speak
of the heights of those pleasures which left us weak
in love’s strangely lit beds, where the cold springs creak:
for there is...

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LOVE POEMS V

These are love poems by Michael R. Burch, about life, the dream of love, virtue, a first kiss, a first crush, the birth of a first relationship, the joy of a first love...

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Our Year Of Months (January - July)

1. Intro

Divided into months is our Earth year;
fixed firm in space to meet with climate change,
relation with our Sun makes it so clear
we will be blessed with seasons that...

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Cascading off the winter chill
leaving warmth wherever it traces
the edge of the daffodil, tulip or crocus
spring shines its brilliant rays across
the windowpane that mirrors the friendly praise
coloring the seals with such sweet appeal 

lavender lilacs...

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I figured this wouldn’t be read because of its length, so why not just post it and get it over with

Love is my ocean 

~

Placed on a mantle, the ship torn and tattered
Its bottle long...

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The year has finally yawned and turned       
Upon a half-revealed shoulder.
A vibrancy, intrinsic to a reemerging 
Enforcement of the strengthening light, 
In its deliberate and unconcerned   ...

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Cascading off the winter chill
leaving warmth wherever it traces
the edge of the daffodil, tulip or crocus
spring shines its brilliant rays across
the windowpane that mirrors the friendly praise
coloring the seals with such sweet appeal 

lavender lilacs...

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It is an unseasonable March day.
My kitchen blinds are drawn against morning sun,
their slender slats like new skin protecting the body's vital organs;
eyelids before this rose-covered tablecloth as though the blooms
are the pale larvae of...

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A walk in wonderland.
    Sun kissed shades of green.
        Ferns as delicate as Chantilly lace.
          ...

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In the middle ages
these roughed and scuffed decades
between newborn crocus snow-melt-nursed and
dried hydrangea blooms sepia-skinned and papery thin
I earned the right to wear sapphires
and burn my mademoiselle mistakes with wisdom-fires

it took me a while to...

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A Vain Word
by Michael R. Burch
 
Oleanders at dawn preen extravagant whorls
as I read in leaves’ Sanskrit brief moments remaining
till sunset implodes, till the moon strands grey pearls
under moss-stubbled oaks, full of whispers, complaining
to the...

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“Everybody duck, everybody run, and everybody hide. Quickly now. Hurry. IT is happening now. All run run run” In haste the message spoke. Radiating booming voice from the tissue box placed in the middle of...

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Spring — a life anew

Prodding rays of warming glow,
sunshine.
Crusted ice and snow
slowly melting into trickling drops. 
First to bloom
a crocus blue, a tulip tries to rise.

How long the wait
and freezing rain
chilled the weary bones.
Heat up...

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Written: February 14, 2025 for Contest by Edward Ibeh

“Quote: Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!
Edgar Allan Poe”

             ...

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The earth slips into a deep sleep
all beneath its surface now dormant
sleepy animals curled up in their dens
soon to fall into the sleep of hibernation
all now slowed down awaiting the snows
trees now denude of their...

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You are the white fence
the blown horn
the fiercest fight
a green pasture at dawn
you are the creek smell ...moss and black-brown peat
glint of light off the trash barrel that blinds the evil driver who hits the...

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Death
kills not despair
emotion found in Hell
nor does it kill wrath
against life imperfect
kills driver's chance 
instead
to turn wheel
to gratitude gear
before bodyless 
descent
down 
slippery slope
of no return
all stays static
in Hell
no need for change
in boring hell
only the perfect...

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Waking moments with the strong aroma of coffee percolating throughout the house, I arise.
Drifting through the morning mists, I find my way to the kitchen where the hearth-fire
embers, still warm from the night, glow orange...

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Oh Lord please tell me what Isaiah meant 

That “the wilderness and the dry land shall be glad;

the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus?” 

I look out at the full moon in the...

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Ride, ride, ride thou figure from the East
In thy curse hath many a mother wept
On thy brow the furrows of distant steppes
Yield unto a steely mask of doom
Destruction follows in thy path and yet
Methinks I...

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Post-January, February's clear
to shape into another winter month.
More times than not, with snow days we adhere.
Through days of February, we confront
a winter wonderland, a gift to see,
with hills and valleys swirled in white displays.
Ice skating,...

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Amassed in flamboyant Azalea blooms when my garden is free of the cold.
Bird of Paradise, dressed in purple and orange,  wear their colors so bold.
Crocus bloom when the mounds of snow finally melt and...

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Angels - 12/28/21  This is a true story experienced by the poet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Angel in a Whirlwind

Storm of the decade descends upon the day
Torrents of howling rainfall flood the streets
Banshee winds whip trees, waves upon the...

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