Long Hatchet Poems

Death Watch

It was early morning.
The sun was barely above the high hills on the other side of the lake.
I was at the end of the dock slowly reeling in my line.
I could see fish jumping...

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Hannah, I haven't seen or heard you cry
not in the gray of winter day
or in the cold silence of our prisoner nights,
the others can hardly keep up with you on the marches
your face is changeless...

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June nineteenth one hundred and fifty nine years ago

The conclusion of the American Civil War commenced with the articles of surrender agreement of the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, at Appomattox Court House,...

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One day in early summer Murphy the Irishman came to town,
He rode upon a matted mule , his face was burnt and brown,
The corks that hung from his bushman's hat persuaded flies to keep away,
But...

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Driving with my best friend is the best. Music all the way up, singing like I'm in my own rock band, no worries, just free with life. Seeing an old abandoned house up the street.
 jenny...

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Yet Africa is
expected to fall in
line 
With speed and
alacrity 
Or be headed back to
Europe 
For much deserved
censure
And sanitization in
the heart
Of brutish Europe!
Have we not seen
them in action
At Treblinka and
Auschwitz, brother
With their atomic
bombs in Hiroshima
With their...

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Sometimes
When we have a loving relationship
Life gets in the way
The pressures of work money worries
Piles of unpaid bills
Not enough time for each other
The relationship erodes and folds
You try but you go separate ways

When we were...

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I've never seen a baby so merry as Martha...
They say March newborns are bellwethers for blissful Springs Mary...
Hannah, Haverhill has been a hard place to call home
I'm sorry about Elizabeth's hanging, 
Thomas has honored you...

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What say you naive with all your poultice,
                     foolish fervor to your reverie!?”
“Mark me damned...

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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...

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The snow lay thick; the snow lay flat
Upon my roof, a pitter pat
A reindeer or an alley cat?
Sure ain’t Santa… can’t be that

For midnight came and midnight went
So, clearly Santa wasn’t sent…
Who pitter patters as...

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Thorns and prickles dangle at the root of the tree and the temperature is shouting at a hundred and seventy degree; destiny is baking a global cake and you have to get your slice before...

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CHAPTER 8 Two Paths
 
North they travelled through the jungle 
Aiming to escape from forest
Seeking an itinerary 
Near the coast in open country 
 
So they climbed a wooded hilltop;
Han attained the top-most branches
Of a mighty towering ironwood
To survey the...

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CHAPTER 3c continued 


Till he happened to encounter 
A much stronger river hunter
Hideous Jurassic lizard
Pulled him down with no returning
 
Other crocodiles converging
Made straight lines like silver arrows
Churned and twisted in the water
Then the other three turned...

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But the mood of celebration
Lasted only for a short time 
Very few returned to thank them
Han and Matto found this puzzling 
 

Chapter 2 BLOOD MOON
 
Through the days and nights that followed 
Spread a...

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Centered in the irregular rectangle of the caves entrance the fire popped and danced as the snow fell lazily before the backdrop of pines.Softly the wind moaned above the tree line.Francis sat on their makeshift...

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CHAPTER 6 (e, continued)

Though without communication 
Spoken in symbolic language 
Their gorilla hosts perceived it
And made ready for the parting
 
In a solemn mood of sadness
All the hominids assembled
In the clearing in the jungle 
Where they had repulsed the...

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CHAPTER 6 b (continued...)


Glowing insects and night-crawlers
Shuffling on the ground below them
Moments later they were sleeping 
Near their hominid companions 
 
In our present day, gorillas
Tend to sleep near to ground level
But their Pleistocene forefathers
Nested...

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Chapter 3 THE RIVER continued (b)


Carefully they placed the children
In the small canoe amidships;
Pushing out into the current 
Han swam alongside to guide them
 
Kwona, as she stood and waited
On the shore now took the...

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CHAPTER 10b, Hiatus, continued

Till a pebble thrown by Matto
Struck the creature on its forehead 
And it hissed in indignation 
Slinking off into the darkness 
 
When the morning sun resurfaced 
In a spectral ocean sunrise...

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Did you even want to be found?
I took my shackles off and formed a search and rescue team 
But did you even want to be found?
You’ve been running all your life I think you’ve aced...

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(just in time for summer reading...
recounting emotionally disastrous campy turbulence)

Amidst a raft of fellow (Brandywine Valley
     Y.M.C.A) resident campers
     who, didst excitedly quiver
donning a "NON FAKE" lifejacket

...

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The human being
(also referred throughout history
as 'long pig' and 'hairless goat'
in the case of younger specimens)
Observing the anatomy and skeleton,
one can see that the human animal
after death young tender meat.

The large central pelvis and broad...

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.                   

               ...

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We three teachers were taking a painting class.
Mr.G, the teacher was new, fresh, nervous.
Asked us if we would please let him put our paintings into an art show.
Kitchia was reluctant, but Margo and I handed...

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