Long Humpback Poems

What is the difference between a digger, a forklift truck, a spoon, and a toaster? None. Bread slices can be carried by forklifts and bread can be dug by a digger particularly if ground. The...

Read More

LIGHT VERSE AND NONSENSE VERSE III

The Humpback
by Michael R. Burch

The humpback is a gullet
equipped with snarky fins.
It has a winning smile:
and when it SMILES, it wins
as miles and miles of herring
excite its fearsome grins.
So beware,...

Read More

Chapter 12d (The Fireflower cont.)

As they held their breath and waited 
For a flame to catch the fire flowers 
Finally a smoky ribbon
Drifted upwards from the petals
 
Gradually the flowers smouldered
And a filmy smoke ascended
With an aromatic odour
As...

Read More

Chapter 13d

Yet at length he reawakened 
As if in another lifetime 
Han discerned a sound and movement 
Stiffly rose to look about him

And he saw his precious Matto
Crouching near him in the vessel!
That was now...

Read More

Ch. 13 b (The whale, cont.)

Now the sardine hunt developed 
As they glimpsed beneath the surface 
Flashing rays of gold and silver
Of the dolphins and the swordfish 
 
That converged with blue-fin tuna
To the swarming sardine banquet 
Then not fifty...

Read More

STAR TREK REVIEW

Star Trek 2: Kirk has a grand battle with a villain from the original series.  Spock
dies saving the ship and his body is deposited on the Genesis Planet where an
experimental technology creates...

Read More

Written: September 12, 2023
Ocean Poetry Contest                             ...

Read More

I wave vaguely toward a boat in the distance, but
can't think of what I would say if they invited me on board.
"That seems excessive kindness," I say, but a voice laughs in my head,
"Yeah, but...

Read More

Entering the doorway through my heart
Following the nuance of space
Allowing expansion ~ mystery ~ and curiosity
To guide me into realms of spiritual awakening
Journeying through moments in time

Filled with opportunities
To appreciate and cherish
To express gratitude
To be...

Read More

I remember gazing upon
 the ocean from my lanai
on the Kona mountainside
Watching the cruise ships
gliding through the dark 
Into Kailua Bay at the 
Same time every morning
always clad in their bright jewel
necklaces that lit up...

Read More

Wistful Accursed Penniless Fate...God Dime Mitt!
(neither defamation, nor blasphemy meant, sans Title)

Despite ingestion of
     anti anxiety medications
     ferocious hellish onslaught
     pummels me aback
finds...

Read More

(Inveniam viam)

Far beyond these eerie things, where limits have no scales
Fish are replacing gills, with turbine aerated tails 
Sea level’s losing all meaning, for the humpback whales 
Ships piggyback them, harpoons syphon wind from their...

Read More

A back flipping coconut is very very amusing at a ball but ball pits are moving around so one must surely wear wellingtons or a pair of anglers' waders when jumping across such multicoloured curves....

Read More

It’s 5pm and sunny in Ohio, 40 degrees
and dropping,
by dusk it will be grey turning to red
then black.

Where is the oyster shell now?
The heavenly picture
of a pale spume-tickled .
An unmarried Tudor lady
applies more cosmetic beeswax
to...

Read More

Humpback beauties call to their young
Communicating to calves so precious 
Don't be so immediately audacious
You can wander, just don't go too long

Blubberous parents are there to keep them close
For companionship, warmth and learning 
Send each...

Read More

(All right you scallywags of questionable seaworthiness, we begin with an up-tempo step-liveliness.)

Send him aloft, high into the crow's nest,
He'll keep watch with his keen young sight.
Let me out, the wind is a-freshenin',
Roll me up...

Read More

The Curach (currach) is a traditional Irish boat made from animal skins / hides (now canvass). The hides vibrate when a whale sings.

 
           ...

Read More

The highlight of my Alaskan vacation was a singular
unexpected breach of a humpback whale.

                     ...

Read More

You can return to earth for two days they said, 
but not in that worn out body.
I knew that; and I was glad; it was almost blind, 
and had a touch of dementia any way.
You...

Read More

Life is so different in the islands

Slow moving beauty beyond just the earth

Wailing  waves climb like a roller coaster, pleading for surfers

On the North Shore, time is irrelevant



Love is easy on Turtle Bay…Now that he...

Read More

Here inspiration is free
a miracle is born, the blind can see
the salty smell in the air, a picture of tranquillity
a fresh dive to experience lasting memory 
season after season to find a reason with family
here...

Read More

Based on my consulting this year’s almanac    
June 30th being the best possible day for a BBQ out back
I sent out invitations to everyone, I didn’t hold back

There was the lumberjack, the...

Read More

Singers
I wanted to be a singer of popular tunes, but I didn’t have 
The voice for it, sounded like humpback a whale’s mating 
call  it was said; how would they know I swam with...

Read More

Dreams On The High Seas

I dare reach my dreams on the high seas
Calm sea sweet is the night air
High tide with the heightening of the full moon
Wearing its payne’s gray watercolor skies
Laced with glimmering constellation...

Read More

Pink and sallow lemonade, marmalade and tangerine…
Explodes the Alaskan expanse - a slice of apple pie.
Apt U.S.A. hurray!  My fanfare-fire flowers are serene.
Listen closely to the swoosh, the Sitka sunset in the sky.

Soothing to...

Read More