Long Luis Poems

“Concrete Hearts, the Deep End Keys and the Miniaturist's Poetry of Sleep”

Following the Babel paths,
where footprints progress
like rough-hewn braille,
temptation shows itself well deep
to be turned and touched,
substantially labyrinth

The Open 
is lead  
further in, and...

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"Angel Eyes" 

that dark angel
standing in the corner
observing the shadows of man 
pass him by -

he has angel eyes

that shine high beam
bright bushfires that light 
the entire transparent 
padded room parade

dance cards lit 
he’s biding...

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“Some Other Poet, White Iris”

When I look in the mirror what do I see?
I question existential questions and fiction, 
my eyes are the eyes of another staring back at me,
perceived through the glassy tear film...

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Grab Bag Poems and Epigrams

POEMS

Less Heroic Couplets: Dark Cloud, Silver Lining, Dupes
from “Love in the Time of the Coronavirus”
by Michael R. Burch

Every corona has a silver lining:
I’m too far away to hear your whining,
and despite...

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 If I went barefoot for a lifetime,  
shoes would be pointless.  
Toes ate board, concrete, grassland, shoreline.  
Me, Tarzan to pedicurist! 
~
 was poor but didn’t own it.   
~
Text-book...

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Epigrams VII

A question that sometimes drives me hazy: 
am I or are the others crazy?
—Albert Einstein, poetic interpretation by Michael R. Burch


The Whole of Wit
by Michael R. Burch

for and after Richard Moore

If brevity is the...

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I could not forget the day I left my old hometown of Saint Louis (San Luis, Baguio City). Every eye was staring at me like I stole their vital organs. My brother and mother were...

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I have a child;
I have some children;
And though I didn't 
Didn't co create them;
Always be there when they cry;
My children have beautiful eyes;

I choose to honor;
You to should honor;
No, not the negative behavior;
Just continually LOVE...

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Don Jose wondered why men whispered low
not knowing they discussed his daughter fair.

"I'll talk to Miguel when we get to Luis Ore, Segundo.
He can persuade his brother to make Margarita marry me. Don Miguel
and I...

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Were they mad crazed drunk or on drugs
As they desecrated a place most holy Ooh
Were they conceited or just plain diabolic
As they committed an abominable act Ooh

The Holy of Holies why they did not respect
Were...

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The canny hitman wears many faces
His smiling face he calls democracy
Were you to hear him chanting..
You would be forgiven to believe
Freedoms.. rights, democracy..
He utters and funds yet.. SEE
Do you SEE your fallen statesman
Your struggling economy..
Your...

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We adults must come through, united;
We the watchers of others children, must step up to the challenge;
For all we do;
we must do, choose
Everyone is every one
Your child we share
We need to care
Tho! I didn't co-create...

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The quiet in the house is a different kind of quiet now.
Not the hush of sleep, or the stillness before a game.
It’s a heavy blanket, smothering the corners where her laughter used to bloom,
where her...

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Fire, the flames of all my desires.
Heat, the sensation that makes me 
weak.
Emotions, my missions to keep 
discreet.
The more he knows, the easier my 
guard faces defeat.
Weakness, the tremble that 
unsteady's my feet.
Strength, is my...

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Taped to the door’s plexiglass pane, a portrait
Of a Savior with ardent heart burning
Sunlight invades with the turning of hinges
Untethering the hospitality of Tony, the lone waiter
His Brazilian arms are swinging doors, open to embrace
He...

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No doubt there are some folks who will scoff at the concept I propose,
But I think God chose courageous leaders when times of adversity arose.
He's done a pretty good job of selecting people who acted...

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The neighbourhood is strange
There is little or no lighting
He had it already mapped
He had in mind all the routes

He steps out into the night
It's the middle of the night
He heads towards the pub

Unpredictable things happen
Inside...

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Of Laurius' Rancho San Luis Ore,
a distant place, Don Jose now spoke.

"Margarita now speaks of traveling to Luis Ore tomorrow, Don Huerra."
"Is that true? it seems I've arrived at a most auspicious time. Perhaps you'll...

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A Partisan Heart, Translation of Carlos Bousono’s poem : Corazon partidario

				for my Brother Luis

My heart, you know well
is not with him who triumphs or with one who entertains such 
aspirations as with the sworn-in trader,
who...

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Attempt I shall, to convey of my journeys to my sacred special safe place. A great form of meditation. For me personally, I choose to close my eyes and imagine my back up against a...

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Our Ancestors fought to the death,
Just so we can live a brighter day,
So before you light up that blunt of meth,
Think about what you’re giving away,
It was a glad day in history when Obama rose...

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A poem to close your eyes 


 "I close my eyes and see a flock of birds. The vision lasts a second, or perhaps less; I am not sure how many birds I saw. Was...

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Griga Christmas cheer
By Lawrence M. Nunez

Christmas in Griga was a special day
We celebrated in a special way
It was never about a gift or a toy
But rather happiness and joy
The toys were good for only a...

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Ode to Spain, Translation of Carlos Bousono’s poem : Oda a Espana

					(before the Civil War)

(Alejandro Duque Amusco draws attention - in his selection of Carlos Bousono’s poems – to 
the fact that José Luis Cano...

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She had the allure of an angel
Her name could have been Azzura
Fires lit up upon my beholding her

Warm not cold very warm-hearted
Not snobbish but so ever social
But not to me Allone Azzura why

Love served on...

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