Long Livelong Poems

An Excelente Balade of Charitie (“An Excellent Ballad of Charity”)
by Thomas Chatterton, age 17
modernization/translation by Michael R. Burch

As wroten bie the goode Prieste
Thomas Rowley 1464

In Virgynë the swelt'ring sun grew keen,
Then hot upon the meadows...

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I was a diligent safety engineer, modifying the hazardous work practices,
Like the thrilling festive celebrations, when you open up pretty packages!

I took my work very seriously, and my motto had long been safety first,
Like waiting...

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Put away childish things
yet keep the childlike wonder.
Though dreams be rent asunder
our wishes still have wings.

Put away childish speech
but not the constant queries
that question rooted theories
which reason cannot reach.

Put away childish ken,
though artless ways of...

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Lake Eliza
Out by poor old  Lake Elisa lived a moody ancient miser.
Who bemoaned his fate throughout the livelong day.
lived further west than Isa out where the heat and flies are.
So he plotted as he...

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New stars are born from those that die
as pearly revenants on high
to occupy the vaulted sky
stelliferous to earthly eye.

When Sun shall lose its healing glow
that shines upon our world below
as star which turns a further...

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Complex harmony

What matters is that some souls are loyal to the mind,
not falling into years and holding youth by image saint.
Echoes of wisdom by candle’s bright,
orchestrated shades between the gentle light.
Freedom of the noted speech...

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every hopeful carnally bracketed thought
tries to jack in to the endorphin symphony
or make the mountains rise same thing
your brain the one manufactured by all those dents
has long been a mad scientist's laboratory
you are free to...

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Going through its ambiance, (on) with open thoughts,
Past scenes so serene, and picturesque (in situ passed).
A house, its windows just ajar to the tactile winsome breeze
That taste of zest & adventure infused; with distilled memory’s,...

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IF YOU PULL A LONG FACE : VII

(Thoughts on a fast-receding fearful Me-Too Year)

IF you pull a long face
And you can't make it go away try as you may
No use putting on a pretty smile...

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Peter Popper's Poem-Popper 
  played and popped out poems
     all the livelong day

But one not-so-pleasant day
  Peter Popper's Poem-Popper
stopped producing poetry
  What did Peter Popper plan to do

He...

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At times I wish I could pray
  All day.
Start before seven,
And finish after eleven.
  I can't of course.
  No one can.

At times I wish I could study the Holy Books
Without giving the...

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I’ll go a ridin’ no more through blue stem or chaparral,
Just lead my horse to pastures of green.
I’ll watch those rose ruby suns ease on past the ol’ corral—
Think back on the things I’ve done...

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I wrote this one after watching the miniseries “The Pacific.”

THE BURBS AREN’T SCARY AT ALL

Scarier the skeletons sitting in the suburbs
or the ones being dug out of graves…
the ones in the foxhole,
that you must brave.
It’s...

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*
Month of spring,where nature laugh,a new life bloom from the dovecote
AT beneath of fountain,where brook sing with every youthful note
Helpless,naked,piping loud ,the baby flap it wings so care free
Merry were they,sharing the song from each...

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The nature has been unruly
Where we laid our chimneys
Pandemonium whirling in the air
The accents terrible was heard
The hatched to the woeful time
Manifest the obscure birds
The clamouring livelong through nature 
The earth is peculiar on the...

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IF YOU PULL A LONG FACE

If you pull a long face
Just because you had a bad day
That’s alright you won’t lose face
Everyone’s beset some hapless day

If you pull a long face
Day by day come what...

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Gabbie
With no thought of sweet romance,
All alone and couldn’t dance,
When I met a lady sweet along the way,
She was strong and healthy too,
Came one day to see me Blue,
And pinned me, I just couldn’t get...

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The tale of Sad Sack Sammy,
So the story goes.
A walking, talking, whiner,
Suffering his woes.

He never ever smiled,
Had nothing good to say.
He whimpered like a sissy,
All the livelong day.

His mood would always swing,
At home or when...

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As far as this mind can remember
The tales I was told where of a fair maiden
Living in the shadows of despair and pain
Longing for a new life over the jealous hills
    ...

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...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas

A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

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...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas

A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

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...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas

A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

Read More

...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas

A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

Read More

...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas



A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

Read More

...a sonnet for R.S. Thomas

A shaft of straw lodged loosely 'twixt his teeth,
a shifty glance from here to everywhere,
he toils the livelong day 'tween farm and heath,
a sullen youth with wild and shaggy hair.
The elements...

Read More