Long Impede Poems

These are early poems of mine, written as a high school student in the 10th grade. 

as Time walked by
by Michael R. Burch

yesterday i dreamed of us again,
when
the air, like honey,
trickled through cushioning grasses,
softly flowing,...

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Near Sainthood
by Mirza Ghalib
translation by Kanu V. Prajapati and Michael R. Burch

On the subject of mystic philosophy, Ghalib,
your words might have seemed deeply profound
and we might have pronounced you a saint...
if only we hadn't found
you...

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In moments of weakness; I look up to you. thinking of the off chance that your situation is better than mine. Now, you must understand that this is only a moment. None the less, it...

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In Marshside Lea, there stood a tree, old in trunk and bough
'Twas long ago, this tale, although, it may still stand there now
And in its shade, the young sheep played as often did young lambs
Whilst...

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(or swing sets and monkey bars)

A pitch perfect spring day
such as today April 8th, 2022
within quaint hamlet 
of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
in close proximity within mind's eye
to Lake Wobegon, Minnesota
finds me reminiscing...

When, scads of light years ago
(half...

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or The Mysterious Lost Love Quest
 

The old man dusted himself off and quickly started on his merry way
 this his last port was where his desperate soul sought to forever stay
Decades of sailing ships...

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The delegation arrives in a procession of handsome, barbaric lineage
rugged in animal accoutrements and subdued in the presence of the future's skin,
the women, fine in wild beauty are bejeweled in beads, white and blues
that accent...

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Opening 
Fourth street and the divide meet 
Near the stream where it's waters Impede 
Five metres walk from the wooden bridge 
A little further away from the deserted car park 
Underneath the third tree with...

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No Lossers Are Left

No losers are left;
Seems like Trump has found them all;
Exist on his staff.

Jim Horn

How is that for a Horn Haiku for you
to read through like all poets would
want to do?


President was not...

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*** ENDURING ***

(A Part Two about my recent illness, following “Lunacy Loo Flies.”

Fear
Stepped into the holes of my weakness
To impede my pace to recovery, 
Absorbing the basic radiant light —

My going forth walk had previously...

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A new command would counter their attack
to stay the storm that harkens at your door.
‘Twould be a feat that stunned the iron pack
for nothing dared defy the wolves before. 
And though his pack could see...

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In sorrow weeping upon your own bed 
I watch you now in sadness despairing 
Upon the pillow of pain lies your head 
Lost in the grief your temple is bearing 

My heart is light and...

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Placed Second in: 
This or That, Vol. 23 Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh


                      ...

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Slowly and stately
they shuffle along the ice
Oblivious and orderly
they move from the sea into the frozen wilderness
Moving with uncanny precision
along the widest king's highway on earth
None to impede their path
as the cycle of permanent darkness...

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When I was only two bricks and a ticky high I wrote my first ever treatise

Three blind mice unbeknown to me highly philosophical not just to please

The Gods of poetry duty bound on their quest...

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Angel of mercy please intercede

Weakest most lame specimen
among human breed
control of my life I willingly concede
wordless son of a gun fires off 
following capricious poetic deed 
done dirt cheap while 
traveling highway to hell
the speed...

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Suspended in perpetual animation
There is a light at the end of the tunnel
From hours of travel though inches gained
Spewed forth from the bowels of existence I stand
Before me lies the road

Like a pond turned solid...

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Age is a verb for opening the door
Into a judgement of the satisfaction
You’ve found in life, by its opportunities
Beckoning betterment and relationship

I agree that perhaps we could’ve loved more
But you find community in your elderly...

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These are my modern English translations of sonnets by the French poet Stephane Mallarme.

The Tomb of Edgar Poe
by Stéphane Mallarmé
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Transformed into himself by Death, at last,
the Bard unsheathed his Art’s...

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Part IV: FORGIVENESS

“Rabii! Rabii! Rabii!
What suppose you of this woman?
Caught right in the act of sin
Our society's outcasts such
She must be thrashed to the non-living
So demands the laws of the land
Rabii! Rabii! Rabii!
Grant us your...

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THESE ARE OPEN(organic) VERSES using spaces&breaks without grammatical symbols, the ' open' relies upon 'the one breath limitation' (intuitive cadence)& so inherently requires the 'reader' (reciter) to input and respond thus making this enigmatic form...

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before many of us chose to walk on a sanctified journey in life
we were always frustrated, discombobulated and looking for a fight
the kind of fight that was fueled by jealousy, pettiness, anger and/or greed
but now...

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It's no secret that good leadership is essential in life 
For if you're not properly lead you may experience stress and strife 
Good leaders are needed to show us how to do things right 
Good...

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Madness exuded like the 
war cries of epic battles
and sagas' past,
the myth of man and 
the passionate woman.
As the eruption
began to procure its
preparations, Prince Alarumdives,
a moment with the King,
solace, questioning divinity.
"My father, what troubles 
plague...

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A cosmic clash of epic force
Split Tiamet like brittle thread
Nibiru hugged its distant course
Propelling moons to gnaw and shred

Kingu marveled at what was formed
Asteroids shed from that vast orb
The watery giant was transformed
Leveling as third...

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