Long Manicured Poems

“Son”...”say goodnight to grandpa”

Spurred by mother dearest 
as well as other politesse
drummed into her second born
fobbing blandishments as incentive
tumbled off fingers of prodigal son
tripped wordsmith to splutter forth
forthwith the following lines.

Back in the day 
quaint...

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Snapshots
by Michael R. Burch

Here I scrawl extravagant rainbows.
And there you go, skipping your way to school.
And here we are, drifting apart
like untethered balloons.

Here I am, creating "art,"
chanting in shadows,
pale as the crinoline moon,
ignoring your face.

There...

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Completing the Pattern
by Michael R. Burch

Walk with me now, among the transfixed dead
who kept life’s compact and who thus endure
harsh sentence here?among pink-petaled beds
and manicured green lawns. The sky’s azure,
pale blue once like their eyes,...

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Stan was feeling somewhat glum,nay even despairing,on Monday morning.
Mary had gone to work on her new folding 6 gear bicycle with own basket and an extra basket from Wells-next -the- Sea 1995
[the wicker basket now...

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A former friend of mine
tricked me into becoming
something I am not

The volunteer President
of our condo association,
a position I clearly cannot afford
midst trifling disassociations.

We were starting our Autumn tradition
of arguing about next year's budget
which typically continues
until...

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The victim list keeps growing

But no one really cares

The gristmill claims another one

Keep your hands in and don't stare

Hollywood is the golden land

The eternal silver screen

But many souls are lost here

A lot of greats or...

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What a beautiful filled garden with gorgeous colors,                           ...

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Dare to live your life to the fullest.  Take a chance for you
      create your own happiness for it is a decision.  Life
     ...

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Today August 29th, 2021 sluggishness dogs yours truly

Forecasting to thunderous applause
fast as greased lightning draws
upon futuristic atmospheric gewgaws
hot air emanates out these slackened jaws
spluttering courtesy indentured maws
armed with four footed tall paws
gesticulations resembling horizontal seesaws....

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By some quirky short circuit.
A drone mutated itself 
and became intelligent
.
As fate would have, 
The drone decided to take revenge. 
Chose Chill Bates as its target
The drone altered its algorithm 
and started re-programming.... its fellow...

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Though a Democrat, I play the devil's advocate...

after reading the article
(published in the July + August 2024
issue of Mother Jones)
titled Raging bull - Donald Trump's
pugilistic spokesman has taken
campaigning to a whole new level of low.

Beyond...

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More than 300,000 spirits awakened, and rose up that day,
Above the pristine manicured and landscaped grounds.
They ascended high enough to overlook the shameful acts
Being perpetrated on the Capital’s historic mounds.

July 24,2024:  two hundred rag-wrapped...

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“The Penelope Squad”



A line of bluebirds 
tittering on a line
swaying on the winds
like comedian pageboys 
having a good time
poop in the peg bucket
words wooden and sharp
fly off with frosty notes
dirt and sherry stains
imprinted on 
Penelope’s...

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Memorial Day – 2024... origin of holiday

Strong and brave men and women 
gave their level best
crème de la crème 
strongest and bravest
leaving grieving significant others 
with emotional agony 
within treasured chest
o'er the redoubt  
the...

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Before I understood how life 
was a weave of intricacies
My town was a wonderful world 
to serve my childish fantasies. 

I was a young and healthy lad
a source of mother’s pride and joy 
with sun...

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Cluttering above huddled rooftops
Of sprawling villages 
And shy provincial towns;
Rising sharply amidst swooping
Declinations;
Hesitating when gathering at the
Tangled woodland perimeters of
Outlying greenland bounds,
Jostled apex ridges detach among
Themselves...
When habitually roused from early
Mornings
Newly awakened sounds.

Electrical milk floats whir...

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The Psychiatrist


You make pleasant YouTube videos about things that you learned 
From books, countless courses, trainings
And what you heard from others.
And chiselled and smoothed your voice
So that it is as warm and pleasant
As synthesised music.
And...

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I’ve never put a candidate’s bumper sticker on my car before—
why not take sides—what are you waiting for?
Death puts a stop to daily low intensity warfare but in the meantime—
     ...

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"50 Words for Poe: Blue Skies"



She was dressed to kill
Hot like a blazing Australian Bushfire
She crackled with heat as she
sashayed through the entrance
like Summer towards him, 
Like she was painted in 
Gold Lame Mesh
Armour tight,...

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gardens are where we are:

  from "Eden" to "Gilgamesh", "Babylon" to "Gethsemane"
  from mountain to coast, town to country
  from wetlands to desert oasis, under the sea to the edge of ice
...

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I was a happy, fluent linguist, fruitfully helping revive endangered languages,
As colorful rainbows walk across the sky, in buttery hours, turned languorous.

I enjoyed doing practical fieldwork, and establishing useful literary programs,
As the honeysuckle sun loves...

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Nothing more than a pretty smile - repost

There she was chasing a rabbit 
with 1 am coffeecakes and weak tea
She didn’t notice I was watching
from the branches of an olive tree
A lone smile hidden amongst
swirling...

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            Placeholder Avatar meditates faithfully 
on the fashion of understanding, 
adjoining together
nothing and everything.

Golden Intuition spurs self driven vehicle 
by the starry means of
the...

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I took you for your final walk
On that crisp and sunny day
The blanket round your 
shoulders
To keep the chill at bay

We didn't talk the way we 
should
I filled the gaps with platitudes
Those precious moments lost
To...

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Eating Words

On my way to the gym to shape my well nourished body
I travel a whole Universe of madness from leafy suburbs
high walls electric fences barbed wire marble statues and
well manicured lawns a distasteful reminder...

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