Long Dignified Poems

World War II Poems and Holocaust Poems V - Ber Horvitz, Yitzkhak Viner, Franta Bass

Der Himmel
"The Heavens"
by Ber Horvitz
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

These skies
are leaden, heavy, gray...
I long for a pair
of deep blue eyes....

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- 2016 -

- JANUARY -

A freezing cold evening

Where the stars shining bright

With frost blade flanks

From mouth and nose steam

In the clear silence

White untrodden snows

Nature's frozen pulse

Sleep like a little baby

One gracious moon

After the night the...

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Here he stands, Edwardian vogue, sometimes with his spats, 
sometimes with his brogues below his dungarees. With rounded collar points and tie, and jacket donned below this flying suit, his waste is tied with simple...

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Nelson Mandela, crossed my spirited mind today, a visionary legend of peace, love, equality, and unity of all people.

As a prevailer of great affliction, he was like a Greek God fighting for the—"Common man!”

I had...

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La Charte des Droits de l’Homme pour les Aborigènes - Translation of Oodgeroo Noonuccal's Aboriginal Charter of Rights by T. Wignesan


Nous avons besoin de l’espoir, pas de racisme,
La fraternité, pas d’ostracisme
Du progrès pour les Noirs,...

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Two days passed without event before the ceremony to re-inter Joulupukki's parents began.  Because of where it was being held, the number of elves to participate had to be limited.  With the last...

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"Years” and “Distance”, phantoms of the dark that do their evil
in the quietude of the everyday, coming and going without so
much as a footprint or a whisper, and taking the most valuable
possessions of the heart,...

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A society
culture
religion
humane species
forgetting,
or more likely under-valuing,
how to regeneratively suffer loss
may never have learned to face our universal fear of death
as a badge of permaculturing respect,
dignity through suffering sacred absence
where once we knew nondual co-arising relational...

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Plant the seeds you wish to reap.
I have planted my seed in the soil of my people.
I have no home, no earthly land,
I have no food sometimes, sometimes,
I must find the white spot in my...

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Remorseless sweaty palms

despite being prescribed glycopyrrolate.

Though the angst riddled psyche of mine crafted youth, long since receded, ebbed in the past, infringement, impingement, and indecent wracking wrath of mental illness, that even as a middle...

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My heart failed a few times again today, but each time it came back to life.
This is no time for poets and philosophers.
***
It is strange that in such a short time a person can come...

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Imagine,
for the two thousand and twentieth time,
Yang is hierarchical upside power hungry
from above,
authorized to prey on those yins below,
however resiliently they may pray.

Yang grows politically overpowering strengths
of an autonomously omnipotent god,
pejoratively associated with patriarchy,
and ethologically...

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slang..
up-dogged = when you chip in to keep a conversation trend going
fit = gorgeous
buje = unexplainable glamor
football minute = a minute, that with time-outs, that lasts a half an hour.
crute = cute but cringy
women's-rights =...

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I was a solemn person by nature, so my demeanor was always dignified,
Like the somber moon of nighttide, that sees vaguest dreams magnified.

Oh, I enjoyed having a good time, only I showed it in different...

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The True Story Of Ariel

You know the story 'bout Ariel
The one that’s on the Disney cereal
Who came to the happy soppy ending
With the prince and herself winding up kissing?

Well, it’s about time you knew the...

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they disturb, deep behind my sleeping eyes
  ......
  retune my tautened strings, replay my frets
  vignette movies spin reels of dreams discovering
  fresh slants on shadowy delight
  the foreboding, ominous,...

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Romance Day And Night

How the Romans played their moonlit dreams
splashing out near viaducts of love I can only
wonder same as with knights in shining armour
or rather without when the Ages seemed dark
and oriental spices called...

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Who's vision are you unfolding for whom?

Are you aware you carry a basket of bread
on your head
and still beg at every door? (Rumi)

You love healthy nature.
Like bread, Earth's nature feeds you
and, like yeast, absorbs you,
is...

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Dear Mother, 

Happy Birthday, Mom. 
All your children are here today..
to celebrate your exemplary life! 
What a turbulent but amazing journey it was, Mommy! 

You grew up in a beautiful lush tea-garden,
entwined by luxuriant greenery, foliage and flowers, 
on top of...

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Peggy Cahill divine heavenly lady

Saint Vincent dePaul Food Pantry 
at Saint Mary's Parish
in Spring Mount blessed,
graced, and praised
courtesy grateful recipient,
he who crafts these words.

Acknowledgement forthcoming today
June 11th, 2022
Matthew Scott Harris
expresses gratitude concerning largesse
regarding quite a...

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Der Abschied (“The Parting”)
by Bertolt Brecht
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We embrace;
my fingers trace
rich cloth
while yours encounter only moth-
eaten fabric.
A quick hug:
you were invited to the gay soiree
while the minions of the "law" relentlessly pursue...

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Acknowledgement forthcoming today February 8th, 2022

Matthew and Abby Harris
express gratitude concerning largesse
regarding quite a few bags of comestibles
plus two twenty five dollar gift cards
applicable at Giant supermarket.

After myself and the missus
(courtesy friendly youngish gal)
beckoned, motioned, and...

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I was in second grade when I started comparing myself to other girls.
I asked myself, “why am i not her?” “why are my thighs bigger?” “why can’t i have her blonde hair that seems to...

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Honey Bear,
I would like to say goodbye
and would appreciate your reply.

Where are you going?

I am going to sing farewell
before my minute hand wears out.

Already,
yet I hoped you might first learn
to dance hello.

Yes, so I too...

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6.

                                  ...

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