Long Manley Poems

Juvenilia: Early Poems XI

Myth
by Michael R. Burch

after the sprung rhythm of Dylan Thomas

Here the recalcitrant wind
sighs with grievance and remorse
over fields of wayward gorse
and thistle-throttled lanes.

And she is the myth of the scythed wheat
hewn and...

Read More

Radiance
by Michael R. Burch

for Dylan Thomas

The poet delves earth’s detritus—hard toil—
for raw-edged nouns, barbed verbs, vowels’ lush bouquet;
each syllable his pen excretes—dense soil,
dark images impacted, rooted clay.

The poet sees the sea but feels its meaning—
the...

Read More

These are poems about Dylan Thomas, as well as poems "for" and "after" Dylan Thomas. Dylan Thomas was one of my favorite poets from my early teens and has remained so over the years. I...

Read More

Myth, after Dylan Thomas
by Michael R. Burch

Here the recalcitrant wind
sighs with grievance and remorse
over fields of wayward gorse
and thistle-throttled lanes.

And she is the myth of the scythed wheat
hewn and sighing, complete,
waiting, lain in a low...

Read More

He reignited my creative passion when he reentered my life
His can sense to the core how I am feeling and asked me right away to be his wife

Though it's been 45 years we have known...

Read More

Frozen Soul Within Her Heart-  
	  She's Terrified to Feel  

Her shadowed past still haunts her-
each night as every light-
fades back into the darkness,
as ghostly beings rise.
She gave her heart to someone,
and...

Read More

BEING ABLE TO SEE 
MY OWN ENERGY, 
MY OWN FREQUENCY
FROM INSIDE OUT 
AND OUTSIDE IN
AT THE SAME TIME,
FELT AND SEEMED NORMAL.
I COULD FEEL THE ENERGY.
I WAS THE ENERGY.
I AM THE ENERGY, THE FREQUENCY.
I AM WHOLE,...

Read More

Poems about Poets VI

beMused
Michael R Burch

Perhaps at three
you'll come to tea,
to have a cuppa here?

You'll just stop in
to sip dry gin?
I only have a beer.

To name the greats:
Pope, Dryden, mates?
The whole world knows their names.

Discuss...

Read More

(1.) First poem
In Our Feasts, We Both Drank Lover's Wine
Second poets tribute series third poet Gerard Manley Hopkins

Blood that entices with its red-glow appeal
Its bright warmth into a wanton soul seeks
She that drove passion, ate...

Read More

In Our Feasts, We Both Drank Lover's Wine,
Second poets tribute series, third poet Gerard Manley Hopkins

Blood that entices with its red-glow appeal
Its bright warmth into a wanton soul seeks
She that drove passion, ate my youthful...

Read More

I visit the bug zapper on Tuesday
much to the radiology teams delight

I named it thus before meeting it formally
my comedic self puts up this type of dust

If you make fun of it enough
it can't cause...

Read More

Remember it just like yesterday 
'Twas the sixth of August, independence day
Manley called the election, Busta took the drive
New nation at UN assembly, Jamaica arrived
Topsy turvy, hurly burly, brick brack, nick nacks
All this wondorous excitement
Ever...

Read More

The mind is a womb
Copulate it
Let the semen of reason
Part the legs of its cervix
And you will see
When moth struggles before its born
The power of its dreams for flight
Words are eggs, you know
Virginal eggs,
I saw...

Read More

He danced on the decks of tossing ships, danced only for dimes
He danced to the lash and sound of whips, hip moving like dream
And when he reasoned, his words sublime brought heavenly climes
Dance from plantation...

Read More

My days in the streets of despair took me from scanty shanties
Intermittent through dreams drinking the syllables of books
Cast before my eyes, I was at the bottom of nooks and crannies
Hiding in barren valleys of...

Read More

Jamaica is our island’s name,
A land blessed with so much fame.
And for the part that our heroes  did play,
We pause to reflect and salute them today.
Nanny  of the Maroons was a heroine ,true...

Read More

I am recovering my mojo, though I have almost no hair
That damn Chemo stuff took it away, and one day it was not there

And it really did fall out in a matter of days
Almost comical...

Read More

My intellect is what helps me.
I can jump into the purely rational space and deal. 

But it's very lonely. 
I lived like that for years at a time. 

And, we sometimes love an idealized version of someone, the...

Read More

How is the dew that came
Before rain and sun's flame
Gone so fast
Is it because its wet
Was only enough for shrubs
And shrubs are easy to forget
Or is that no glory last
Where the sun scrubs
White the sinews...

Read More

You’re the reason why I write poetry.
Seeing beauty and promise in the mundane.
You are the music – reverberating gong.
When you smile, I have won the lottery.
I walk around grinning like the insane,
‘cause you put in...

Read More

It's rare that most would call me a hot head
I am usually the coolest cucumber instead
I have no tells, so their heads don't swell
and I don't get entangled to soon

But there is this tall lanky...

Read More

Turmoil and Transformation, beyond imagination
My first love, North Star, became my guiding light

He swept me to the shore, I was alone no more
Truly a one man in armor shining knight

Bumping shoulders and holding hands
a furtive...

Read More

Mi conflicted wid how fi vote 
It look like them politican yah will destroy anybody fi a vote. 
Mi look to the sky and wonder ... God, a yuh one cam show mi how fi...

Read More

The dance of falling in love

I did not believe in love at first sight
its illogical at best
but faced with how I felt that day
and your memories now to overlay
It's clear that love at first sight...

Read More

I will stay till the end 
I am that kind of friend
Your dark bitter days
where you navigate the maze

Life gives everyone strife
and the lumps and the bruises
and the causes we take up
and at times joyous...

Read More