Long Levi Poems

World War II Poems and Holocaust Poems - IV - Primo Levi

Shema
by Primo Levi
translation by Michael R. Burch

You who live secure
in your comfortable houses, 
who return each evening to find
warm food, 
welcoming faces...

consider whether this...

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Sipping cherry limeade, driving in the car parade, 
we're cruising in the Lone Star state.
Didn't want a bucket seat; the thing it couldn't beat, 
was sitting up close to your date.
One hand on the wheel...

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Sinai Campaign, 1967

“Operation Focus” sees Israeli jets streaking, 1
Attacking Arab fighter jets and air force bases, 2
Thus attaining dominance over Middle Eastern skies,
While IDF ground divisions launch into action. 3

Israeli tanks (Pattons, Shermans, and Centurions)
Blitzkrieg...

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The first anniversary since being pelted...

with pistachio shells April 3rd, 2021
sitting in the exact same chair
yours truly sat three hundred 
and sixty five days ago. 

Watermelons, grapefruits, oranges...
lobbed at yours truly ruled out,
hence the missus...

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Pelted with pistachio shells April 3rd, 2021

Watermelons, grapefruits, oranges...
lobbed at yours truly ruled out,
hence the missus dreamt up bright idea
to enfilade me courtesy pistachio shells.

Rather than just hurl one at a time,
(she who unwittingly helped...

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*Image of The Nativity by Pixabay.

MOST BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS POEM

(Pre The Epiphany)

THE WORLD VERSION:

Twelve Drummers Drumming.
Eleven Pipers Piping. 
Ten Lords A-Leaping.
Nine Ladies Dancing.
Eight Maids A-milking.
Seven Swans A-swimming.
Six Geese A-laying.
Five Golden Rings.
Four Calling Birds.
Three French Hens. 
Two...

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The Lamb and the 144,000 chapter fourteen

Than I looked, and there before me was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion,
and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on
their foreheads. ...

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Derek and Eric said I'm Generic, 
a weird name but I'll wear it,
I'm cool, it's epic, Generic's so original 
like the South Park ginger kid,
"gingers have souls bluur".
 
MC Generic the genius generates 
with DJ...

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He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches.
To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna.  I will also
give him a white stone with...

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Hebrews 7:1-7

Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest for God the Most High. He met Abraham when Abraham was coming back after defeating the kings. That day Melchizedek blessed him. Then Abraham gave...

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II.
Now Reg was good at pressing flesh,
always had a gift for the gab,
in twenty minutes the locals
treated him like the best friend they had.

He bought some drinks, but not too much,
did not want to raise...

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The Dogs we called Family

Tara came first and then there was Ben,
When both of them died we said never again.
Then Sam the runner, got killed in the street,
Prince came and went quick, we didn't know...

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Buna
by Primo Levi
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Mangled feet, cursed earth,
the long interminable line in the gray morning
as Buna smokes corpses through industrious chimneys...

Another gray day like every other day awaits us.

The terrible whistle shrilly...

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We are living in the middle, you and I,
between butterfly beginnings - ethereal endings.
Despite Natural Law, I'm persuaded to pause;
if possible, dear, let chrysalis continue ...
Timothy Levi Hicks

Living in the Middle

Rules of life restrict us...

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Dear Lady Liberty get down with the modern times,
Are we not the land of freedom, let the new rheum
Fill your scents, and let us all rock on!
The world is spinning with a harder edge beat,...

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February 20 Relationship to God Bible Meditations Based on Deuteronomy 10-14

Key Verse – Deuteronomy 10:9 Wherefore Levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy...

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A dusky sky becomes night as I lay here in bed. The
thoughts are Endless, as they run through my head.
I dream of sweeter days, oh, where did time go?
I want to get it back and...

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This Bumptious Poet ©

Once again dear reader,
     aye strive to regale ye
with in apropos prate,
     (nee inane) vain
null gibberish in order to suss stain
mine infamous reputation
 ...

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Shema ("Listen")
by Primo Levi
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You who live secure
in your comfortable homes,
who return each evening to find
warm food and a hearty welcome ...

Consider: is this a "man"
who slogs through the mud,
who knows...

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February 10 Scripture Meditations Based on Deuteronomy 21-25

Key Verse – Deuteronomy 21:5 And the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them the LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto him, and...

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Brothers Levi, Jordan, Matthews, Joe and Jedden, 
You were sheer shocked as did Sister Hussein
That even this day we can still adjure, argue, advocate,
And advance active activism for the rule of law stolen,
As did Dr...

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(By the time of the shooting of
"The Misfits", the Miller-Monroe
marriage was in deep trouble.
The Pansy is Montgomery Clift,
The Tusker is John Huston.)

After the Fall

It started as a mental exercise. 
I wondered if an East-Side Jew...

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I really should'a read the fine print

When Evil came calling
On a fine sunny day
I was caught full napping
Didn't know what to say.

The dapper gentleman
With a Van Dyke set fine
Spoke in dulcet tones
Like sweet and mellow...

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Alarm Clock
-Levis Hutchins,the inventor

On a birds eye survey you had seen buildings, horses, wagons on a flat yard.

In central vision you had seen the street of Hampshire before you
had seen their walls in front of...

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On the first day of Christmas,
my eldest brother Reuben said to me:
“Let us all serve Jesus Christ only”

On the second day of Christmas,
my older sibling Simeon said to me:
“To the LORD, let us send our...

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