Long Nez Poems

Christ!
A warparty of 60 Shoshone warriors has just stampeded into the meadow
faces painted red and white for blood and death, all sorts of strange designs,
bows and arrows ready to fly on us, skull breaking cudgels...

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The Nez Perce Indians who lead lean lives on these knolls and river brooks
have a style of soul that sneaks into the songs of the sun
and plays on the prayers in the patience of their...

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We briefly meet the Mandan Chief Big White
in the village center where the animals are sacraficed,
couples wed, and disputes are dealt with,
he is a massive, and portly man
and is wearing a headdress that spreads to...

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Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego:
These may not be three names you know,
But have a seat and I will tell
How they survived a fiery hell
As servants of their God, Most High,
Praised no false gods, would rather die
Than bow...

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All we eat is elk meat, boiled elk, roasted elk, elk jerky
sometimes fried elk if we get bear or whale oil,
oh, and sometimes elk soup,
for four months we've subsisted exclusively on elk
except for occassional dog...

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Translation of Eric Mottram’s The Cat Sat on the Mat, La chatte s’est assise sur la natte by T. Wignesan

(Unless I’m sorely mistaken, this’s EM’s first published poem: Poetry Magazine/Poetry Foundation, Chicago, February 1959, pp....

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Part Two

A Prince may not bring dishonour to his kingdom
   In times of strive for the sake of Christendom;
If he seeks spurious honours to feather his nest
   And alienates a people...

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Fess up! You demonic influx of tolerance on the balcony of desire! 
A pang is felt in a faint smile of an orphan that awakens senses.
I speak the prescriptions of the heart, provoking and extravagant,
While...

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O' Salty tear, a mere clear drop that you are
You've emerged for a million different reasons
many of which only the shedder knows
for you've emerged in all seasons.

The season of sadness or reason of joy
the tears...

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With our Shoshone friends and escorts we are headed to the Nez Perce Trail,
an ancient path that joins the West to East, its late August
the pines smell spiced with emerald soul, wise and healthy,
its getting...

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Gangster
Poem
Lionel Derbyshire

Shooty shooty bang bang ####
Dark alley
" siete sulla mia terra ? .. 
* o ouais vous êtes une star .. bastard !
" andando a saltare in su Frenchie
* Oh yeah !! pas cher vienna
"...

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"Oh, hear me chiefs, for I am tired and with a sick and sad heart, and from where the sun now stands I will fight no more forever!" - Chief Joseph of the Nez Pierce

The...

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A failed American promise,
  Of freedom filled with hope.
To return to his homeland,
  Was the center of his scope.

A peaceful Idaho Nation,
  Signed a treaty with the U.S.
Being sent to a reservation,
...

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