Long Liqueur Poems

On the night before Christmas, alone in my house, 
Sorrow gnawed at my soul, like a ravenous mouse.
Entombed in my blankets, I struggled to sleep,
Ready to snap if I counted more sheep.

I rose at the...

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This was last Saturday night. We were at a rooftop party in downtown New Haven thrown by ‘DocHouse.’ Doc-House is kind of a frat-house, owned by Dr. Melon, where he and seven doctoral students live....

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This was only our second date...

A Black Tie Affair...

...Set against an incredible view,
vineyards, waterfalls,
a plentitude of flower beds,
all just outside a charming postcard Town.

This indeed was a serious event,
anyone  who was anyone...
and my date...were here.

A...

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1. Ripples in warm sunbeams dwell.
From a sandy cocoon I wake and stir.
A floater in the blue does knell,
A dot, a stain, a blackened blur.
Am I the only one who sees?
No, the beach is afoot...

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Early Poems XIV

Am I
by Michael R. Burch

Am I inconsequential;
do I matter not at all?
Am I just a snowflake,
to sparkle, then to fall?

Am I only chaff?
Of what use am I?
Am I just a feeble flame,
to flicker,...

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I’ve got it - woot! 
Well, we’ve (Lisa and I) have it. The Covid.
After living carefully serpentine lives - for the last half decade - we both have it.

Lisa started feeling punky Friday night, after...

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Martial Translations

Coq au vin (Cook or wine)
by Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

1.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but are you merely an éclair to the greedy?

2.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but are...

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I have no friends left, 
In this town,
Will you be my friend?
You, the little Prince
Living On the planet B 612?

Will you be my friend?
The robin
Gracefully singing
When I Walk?

I have no friend,
Will you be my friend?
You,...

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Everything seemed secure 
Inside the crystal palace safe and pure 
Welcoming the claret wine 
For a taste testing and dine 
This evening’s match 
Featuring best grapes from Burnley’s vineyard patch 
Such a glorious exhibition 
Sit...

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In light of good memory of how things were, a woman stands unguarded. 
Pleasantries, talents, and secretive skills.
 I offered to you a drink, allowing you in.
Thinking I had chosen carefully over 37 others. ...

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we were talking about the good ole days
and wondered how these people would remember us
we got on a conversation about food and
those special items we liked from our favorite
grandma's.
we came up with some new recipes...

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Time has passed by since I wrote
No awards received, not even a vote
Book shelves are filled with all the best sellers
Libraries kept mine down in their cellars. 

I tossed out the old glass oil lamp
It...

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Ah, Divine influence, it has come to many, so they say,
as to their nameless or named God’s they do pray.
The light came to Carroll, he said he could see,
for raised by a Vicar at Christ...

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8 cups of shredded cabbage
5 cups of chopped kale
4 cups of shredded cooked pork (pork roast)
15 peeled and parboiled potatoes( cooked about 20 minutes in salted water)
1 one quart can of peeled tomatoes(drained)
10 slices of...

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Just For The Moment

Follow me my friend, into a journey of our adolescent youth..
Two young girls giggling, holding hands.
Life’s dreamers through the sands of time. Can you see it? 
The joy of being young and...

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All French cakes are delicious, better
The “ Amandier” and its subtle nuts taste in the mouth,
The “Paris-Brest”, with its sweet praline cream,
Rum Baba, with its sweet taste of liqueur,

The “tarte aux fraises” and its sweet...

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- The reality perspectives
                               ...

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A few years ago,
In the depths of 
my deepest poverty,
I felt like having a drink,
But I had no money
or car,
So now I had to think

Then I remembered
in the basement,
Where my dad had
long ago started 
to...

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lights swirl ...

rhythms pound ...
cold Duplais Verte emulsifies in my square glass
tongue tingling, I swallow it in sips
woody, bitter licorice plucks my senses

the soft, dreamy warmth suffuses my blood, relaxing
and the flamingos start to dance
up-and-down,...

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Pour a shot for me, pour a shot for you.
Swallow down, so quick is the liqueur.
You recoil in pleasure, it tastes good.
Set it up again, time to put up another two.

You think about forgetting the...

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Interview with a Real Drinker.

A: “Sir, can you tell me, why do you drink?”
B: “So that I’m rendered unable to think!”
A: “Then, can you tell me, what do you drink?”
B: “Anything, friend!” (With a laugh...

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Woke to an empty bed
He wasn't there.
Overwhelmed by a cluttered kitchen
left from the night before
A freshly cut green pepper and lemon 
lying on the counter

He's asleep on the sofa
wrapped in the wine-colored robe I had...

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1 QUARTER TO 1/2 PACKET OF WHITE CHOCOLATE PUDDING
6 TABLESPOONS OF ALMOND LIQUEUR
2 CUP OF CREAM CHEESE
2 CUP OF MILD GOAT CHEESE
1 CUP OF SUGAR
4 TABLESPOONS OF VANILLA
1 AND 1/2 CUP OF DICED PECAN
5 EGG...

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Don't drink what is impure,
it may taste good, but it's a bad liqueur;
don't binge and indulge in sinful desires
when death is present and celebrates
the taking of another precious life:
abstain from the laughter and don't confer...

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“Are you falling in love with her..?”

But there he looked onward, without a single way of direction
With logical reasoning behind him, he could not fathom the thought
It was as if something so absurd had lied...

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