Long Occluded Poems

The Tender Weight of Her Sighs
by Michael R. Burch

The tender weight of her sighs
lies heavily upon my heart;
apart from her, full of doubt,
without her presence to revolve around,
found wanting direction or course,
cursed with the thought...

Read More

Heat Lightening
by Michael R. Burch

Each night beneath the elms, we never knew
which lights beyond dark hills might stall, advance,
then lurch into strange headbeams tilted up
like searchlights seeking contact in the distance . . .

Quiescent unions...

Read More

Starlight and Moonlight II

These are poems about starlight and moonlight, moons and stars, dreams and visions, illuminations and intimations …




Deliver Us...
by Michael R. Burch 

for my mother, Christine Ena Burch

The night is dark and scary—
under...

Read More

LOVE POEMS IV by Michael R. Burch

These are love poems by Michael R. Burch: original poems and translations about love, passion, desire, lust, sex, dating, romance, relationships and marriage. 



She Was Very Strange, and Beautiful
by...

Read More

Sonnets XCVIII-CII

Willy Nilly
by Michael R. Burch

for the Demiurge aka Yahweh/Jehovah 

Isn’t it silly, Willy Nilly?
You made the stallion,
you made the filly,
and now they sleep
in the dark earth, stilly.
Isn’t it silly, Willy Nilly?

Isn’t it silly, Willy...

Read More

Scribal notions these, and oh so sorrowful,
But, despite their seeming poignance they are not additionally puissant, no. 
I have seem them, wrapped in warmed and moist leaves:
No, not the leaves as pages of books, as...

Read More

I knew what love is from my mom, my first sensation
Before I could grasp its meaning, I sensed that emotion
I enjoyed it in breadth and depth as a babe from my mom
She wiped away my...

Read More

Incongruent realities thru timeless mist,
Pursuant pleasures are truly missed…
Forever looking within horizons lost,
Endeavor endless of loves tossed…

Hearts broken between blackened veils,
Parts shattered leaving lachrymal trails…
Secluded symphonies were quietly playing,
Occluded occupants of sacrificial slaying…

Time displacing illusions...

Read More

Walking this path
Once populous
Now desolate
Ambushed
An unspeakable ambush
Now I'm travailing
Just inhaling and exhaling
Breathing
The precious breath of life
Spiritual bombs soon colluded 
Progression and motion momentarily occluded
Building a fortress amid blasts
Days and nights of praying and long fasts...

Read More

Grinding to a halt his jaws clenching and crunching

Tim had tried all treatments under the sun like 

pills and the couch hypnosis even osteo-cranial touches

But his resentments would not abate his vision collapsed

‘an eye for...

Read More

apologies to E. H.

"Blow, blow, ye western wind...  Christ, that my love were
in my arms and in my bed again"

Once she hated it, like Hemingway's Catherine 
hated rain, (I see myself dead in it)....

Read More

All is written by the same hand;
Our God is the same God,
Who is everything, 
Who is nothing.
Jesus and Buddha sought the same thing;
All major religions are the same
But different cultural aspects 
Make descriptions that are...

Read More

And the cemetery was thunderstruck,
so was I.
Cold, gray, March evening—
winds pushing the clouds
spewing slanting icy rain, 
with a low angry murmur.

From the traffic signal I saw you,
standing firm on the ground
your neck stretched upward,
looking directly...

Read More

The three hundred
shall perish again,
As history repeats
itself.
Although this time,
it may only be 297.
My mother was
possessed by the
God, Apollo,
On the 21st the new
Oracle of Delphi is
crowned.
And although the
prophet is blind,
it makes the
prediction no less
false,
the narrative no
less...

Read More

Into the snow white castle only tepid feet bound
Head mirror of quilted bed reflects a glimmering compound
Satin blanket spreads over each frozen mound
A blinding glare from the silted bed doth rebound
With each heavy step mist...

Read More

My most fervent hope is of the species that, 
It wonders most powerfully and unceasingly anent the security of 
These notebooks containing these selfsame poetic works;
And I hope also, that asleep and secured is how...

Read More

Everytime I bring up the subject

We get caught in the loop

perpetually

It is as if we are frozen in this amber forever

forced to relive the same argument 

time and time again

"How could you do this to...

Read More

Catch that love
When it glides gleefully like a rock dove
Doesn't it cover the desolate abyss
Or gives love to see our bliss?

It speaks, greatest of speakers
Words that beacon ingenuity to goal seekers
Healing wounds of gloom and...

Read More

The usual guide posts have become unreadable, 
Their stony font occluded as in an ancient riddle;
Glyphs without the Greek. 

The road is marked one way, no returning traffic,
Its service islands marked - MRI, CT, CAT...

Read More

Written: January 16, 2024
                _______________________________________

Always strive to trust your heart
With everything you do, 
Don't be afraid of what others may...

Read More

Blithe notes of Twilight's symphony alight
Into occluded abyss spindled cords take flight
Duller shades into harmonious bands unite
Grainy film spreads o'er recess a dank, dingy kite
Initiating eve's wake, ethereal blinds shut tight
Midnight's, chilling vigil stills darkened...

Read More

I believe, 
			therefore I breathe
			the collective id down at
			the mall.
			
			Salvation in the actions of
			our gridiron greats,
			our pro golfers,
			our game show cops,
			our East Village actors,
			our runway planes of even beauty
			that some how forgives me,
			bodes me on...

Read More

STAGE      FRIGHT


On this  far-stretching stage of fools, my role, my cue 
To trudge tired but glad to arrive -  and stumble upon you.

In  this  forest thick,...

Read More

There was a possibility of snow.
I looked out on a chilly white scene,
reflecting that extremes of weather are 
matched by extremes of political fronts.
	The season hangs its head 
		under a burden.

Out for a walk with...

Read More

Weaken pillars of the sky 
Underneath are captured lies
Truth cracks and splits apart 
Thus was buried a broken heart.
Life bleeds from empty love
Misery felt by a carefree shove.
Sky has fallen, no support of trust
What was...

Read More