Long Fortitude Poems

WOMEN ...

Truly amaze me ... they possess the super-human
strength to birth a child - one of the most painful
and demanding physical and emotional feats of end-
urance known to our species - yet they have the
self-confidence...

Read More

I shall resolve to leave this
Place now...
And steadfastly search out,
Nestling between ridge and bluff
Amidst the folds of a foreign 
Land,
Several acres of unkempt ground
Fallow and rough;
Upon which stands...
Crumbled stone walls
With an exposed slate roof in
Some...

Read More

Deor's Lament

(Old English/Anglo-Saxon poem circa the 10th century AD)
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Weland endured the agony of exile:
an indomitable smith wracked by grief.
He suffered countless sorrows;
indeed, such sorrows were his bosom companions
in that frozen...

Read More

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...

Read More

"Kaleidoscope" 

They say another
wrote the story, not I.
that I, mere I,
having little experience, shy 
and far removed from 
such an alien world,
would not possess the knowledge
of such terrible and ruthless, lusty 
characters of strong will;...

Read More

After serving six long hard years at Methacton State penitentiary...

as mini reunion number 
XLV fast approaches 
Saturday, April 30th, 7:00 pm 
until 10:00 pm
at The Trappe Tavern, 416 West 
Main Street, Trappe, PA 19426
regarding graduating...

Read More

Drain away the pain that I feel
Drain away the rain that’s real 
Frozen in fire of your desire
Stay a while longer and admire
The healing rain that drains away the pain,
Nourishing the grains of His fruitful...

Read More

Angles of Mercy
By
Kevin L Fairbrother

There is not to many of us that can say that the owe their existence on this earth to a Native in a Foreign country, in my case I can say...

Read More

There was a noble sadness hiding in her eyes.
She wears a smile, though elements of insecurities
Trembled in its corners...
Dignity and suffering, combating
for the control of her expression.
Hiding the battle scars of her life; 
Intending to...

Read More

At a Crossroad  ** 

            Treading down the         I      ...

Read More

HEADSTONES AND CHATTELS 

‘Twas pure chance that I discovered
Just the other day,
A place passed 
Countless times,
Never had the thought of calling in,
Inner thoughts and misplaced fears
Oh there must have been countless other reasons
For one to...

Read More

Pittsburgh, hammertown, Chuck Knoll and his boys
established the best Superbowl Era dynasty
with the "Steel Curtain" defense and the "Blonde Bomber" Bradshaw,
a defense disciplined on shrapnel and elite ego,
"Mean Joe Greene" and Jack Lambert, a compulsive...

Read More

Eternal Father gave Father Christ the three-fold office of priest, prophet and king and will be called everlasting Father.
Father Christ, I believe
The Holy Trinity is in Father Christ
Father Christ I believe
Father Christ, You’re the Highest...

Read More

See, I've been wallowing in it for far too long
knee deep sunk in it even at times 
eyes too marred by melancholy to see the way out 
even as I gave in to the allure...

Read More

I posit picayune propensities prevail among pesky management

Most favored renter status imposed on us
i.e. meaning myself;
(one tarnished prince of Highland Manor)
and the missus, his princess consort
who must abide by rigorous writ
of tidiness, whereby
every flat surface...

Read More

Please change the subsequent pronouns if you are praying this alone, in groups or in the Church, thank you)
 
Lord, Father Christ, please have mercy on me/us
Lord Eternal God, please have mercy on me/us
Lord, Father...

Read More

Their mere weapon was their forbidden courage, hands barren with  no armaments, no ammunitions, marching towards the proud valley of death, dedication born from their sempiternal dreams of a free land. 

Their bare weapon...

Read More

Those rarer men I once fondly 
knew...                            ...

Read More

The date
July Twenty Eight
The year, 1914
The War which we feared 
It began, something we could not foresee
This date, still haunters me
To this very day
Those bewailing screams
And those traumatic scenes
Words to do not to justify 
The...

Read More

Day one; I leave the coast following the great black river.  Its meandering slow water sneaking slowly and silently past the ancient pines and hardwood trees gathered near its banks like a band of...

Read More

This is the final CANTO of Hell. I am going to publish the full translation as epub on AMAZON. It was a very hard work to find rhymes in english.

“Vexilla regis prodeunt inferni now
Toward us;...

Read More

As aspiration seeks to take its toll,
your mass flotilla salvaged sons of war.
‘Twas but a feat the angels will extol
though Satan’s army rallies at your door.
Your youthful fit have vowed to serve the Crown.
They muster...

Read More

It is time. Yes. It is time. Time for all time telling devices to climb up trees. The grandfather clocks can climb the oaks. The watches can climb the willows. The alarm clocks can climb...

Read More

Ohiopyle, Pennsylvania circa early 1970'S

(just in time for end of summer reading...
recounting emotionally disastrous campy turbulence)
intended food for thought indulgence. 

A boys' life aborted
miscarried golden opportunity
for adolescent romance to be courted.

Amidst a raft of fellow...

Read More

As I am writing this poem, my heart aches with sorrow.
Yet, a smile is on my face remembering you, knowing
that you loved me, wishing I could hug you tight and
bury my face on your shoulder...

Read More