Long Monte Poems

Yet at this very moment the cathedral was crumbling
down upon the cries of foresaken refugees, 
the monastery's walls wobbling from war's wreckage, 
and as the black bursts billowed into sun drenched brutality
with the bodies of...

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Dopo lunghe vicende della vita
Mi ritrovai seduto su un divano       
Con un telecomando fra le dita.
When my life struggles were to their end
I found myself sitting on a sofa
Holding...

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The Cry Of Dolores

A popular priest in 1810, Spanish rule he spoke against
those who had overthrown the Spanish Viceroy José de Iturrigaray
A speech calling upon the people to protect in angst
Their King Ferdinand VII was...

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THE GREATEST GENERATION
by

JOHN M. ARRIBAS



Many Have Called Them the Greatest Generation
They Had Struggled and Survived, an Ugly Depression
It Was an Era of Hard Times and Simple Diversions
Like Bank Night, Singalongs  and Picnic Excursions
Band Concerts...

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 La Fête foraine de Scarborough (La Version complète)
 
      For the medieval English poet and Simon and Garfunkel 
-	In admiration -

Allez-vous à Scarborough fête foraine ?
(Sur la côte d'une...

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One angel placed upon the Spruce Christmas tree, 
“she is only a heart stop away”… that innocent girl Joycie. 
Dear lady Joyce started writing at the age of eighty, 
and so many wars and the...

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strife riven island corner, rough hewn by rival visitation
  vexed, looking in, looking out, on the edge of places to go
  thrang in thrall of other realms, banners furling, batons flung
  across...

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5/5/21

Woke up groggy
The waters were often choppy
From Del Monte 
Toward Milwaukee
To way beyond Nagasaki
And all across the Mojave
See me in person or hit me up on the Walkie-Talkie
Always been a real one, not no carbon...

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The bombers began to bleed
their heavy tears of death
from 20,000 feet above the breathless battlefield, 
B-17 Flying Fortress formations
moving with apocalyptic aplomb
the shadows of high metal crosses by the hundreds
rippling along the rugged roman earth
bringing...

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Zenith University   

I am a proud graduate  
of Zenith University,  
where the quality stays on  
until the little dot  
shrinks and goes away.  

I attended that fine institution  
with Tom and Jerry,  
Heckl, Jeckl, Mickey, Minnie,  
Da?y, Donald, Daisy,  
Huey, Dewey, Louie,  
Speedy, Wile E., Gumby, Pokey,  
Yogi, Boo Boo, Dino, Chucko,  
Hobo Kelley, Lassie, Bozo,  
Betty, Barney, Bam Bam Rubble, 
Wilma, Pebbles, Fred,  
Casper, Felix, Sheri? John,  
Gentle Ben, and Mr. Ed.     

Astro, Elroy,  
Judy, George, and Jane--  
Eddie Haskell, Wally Cleaver,  
Mom and Dad and Little Beaver.    

Favorite Martian--Flying Nun,  
James Arness--smoking gun, 
Spanky and Alfalfa,  
Larry, Moe, and Curly.

Tests consisted   
of posted patterns.
To see those,  
you had to get up early  
like Jack LaLanne and Buns of Steel, 
Captain Kangaroo.  

Mid-morning classes included  
Monte Hall (quite a deal), 
Bob the Barker (not the builder). 

Allen Ludden passed the words, ...

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These are the best sports poems by Michael R. Burch, Part III

For Jack Nicklaus, at the 1987 Open
by Michael R. Burch

When you were young
every putt was makeable
and every dream remarkable; 
the stars were unmistakable
you set...

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GONE with the JACKASS
SOMETHING JACKASS this WAY COMES
Of MICE AND JACKASSES
The GRAPES of JACKASS
MOBY JACKASS
JACKASS in the RYE
I KNOW WHY the JACKASS SINGS
The GREAT JACKASS
JACKASS of the FLYS
MEIN JACKASS
BRAVE NEW JACKASS
PORTRAIT of the ARTIST as...

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44FabelsofCharlaX 
44FabelsofCharlaX 
 
 
 eyeching 
 
CharlaXFabels 
 
Luck. 
 
Coins turn tails and heads it seems so strait forward today we learn the 
variables of luck. 
 It seems so simple tails or...

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The blue hour takes root ...

There is the dark wing of the steamer,
Which takes the open sea, and carries away its regrets,
Tiny passengers, waving handkerchiefs
And the seagulls passing and passing again.
Heavy rusty chains, in heaps...

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Ce sont de grosse perles tombées à l'envi du paradis,
Grain à grain, plus luisantes que tout superbe satin.
Leur fraîcheur et délicatesse proviennent du séraphin,
Qui dit: jamais ses qualités ne deviendront ni taries ni décaties.
Tant qu'il...

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I could write a poem of all the headlines, 
most influential people, and important events of the decade,
but instead, I’ll share with you some of my memories…
my first memories (when the decade ended, I was...

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These people, they’re not worth much,
They think they are more liquid than water,
They shine before those who envy them,
They wear beautiful expensive watches,
These people think they’re better than God,
Better Than hedgehogs, seagulls, trees,
But they don’t...

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and the taste of unknown fruits
the rough-skinned oblong bud
the smooth texture of the pyramidal shell?
now without a palate like a dead Pallas
or like all dead things
who did not absorb the taste of distant fruits
for example...

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 No Mickey, Minnie, or Goofy- no Jimmy The Cricket
                The spirit of Sodom is Gomorrah...what I see is plain...

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From morning to time day is done
Sunflower follows the sun
There is a brief nostalgia then fun
As around the sunflower children run

The poppy flowers are red
Like once on Monte Casino blood red
Poppies there are kind of...

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Les mots se heurtaient incapables de s’ordonner
Je ne me force pas oui je me force de m’exprimer 
Je sens ma main flétrie par un silence impérissable 
Est-il venu le temps de me venger ou d’extérioriser...

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La Fête foraine de Scarborough

    For the anonymous medieval poet

and Simon & Garfunkel - in admiration

                ...

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There's a fine line between fortune and fame 
I was riding with the Devil till my horse went lame 
I was all alone till loneliness came 
The Count of Monte Cristo must have felt the...

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A Reader Asks

Of the books that you’ve read
Which ones were the best?
Which ones caught your fancy?
Which ones passed your test?
Which ones made you laugh?
Which ones made you cry?
Which ones would you toss?
Which ones would you...

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Strangers and pilgrims on the earth
Not as famous as Mrs. Butterworth
Not as strong as Mr. Clean
Cannot sing like Jimmy Dean

Who am I? I ask myself
Feeling small as a Keebler Elf
Instant replay of my life
Shows I’m...

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