Long Orphaned Poems

If God
is good
half the Bible
is libel.
-Michael R. Burch

*

Willy Nilly
Michael R. Burch

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...

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These are translations of some of the oldest Japanese waka, which evolved into tanka, renga and haiku. 

While you decline to cry,
high on the mountainside
a single stalk of plumegrass wilts.
—O no Yasumaro (circa 711), translation...

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if you have taken the time to browse through this eclectic collection of self-indulgent foolishness, I hope you’ve been entertained by the quirkiness of its content, or at the very least, annoyed by the pervasiveness...

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   Hypocrites sucking off the silicone tit 
of the antichrist spirit.
Man infestation from the pit of 
deliriot.
In hallowed halls of discord, whispers echo,
the chorus of the damned proletariat,
a venom, seeping...

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The Spaniel

A Spaniel that uses its head 
Can tell when its owner’s unfed 
So instead of a duck
That is down on its luck 
Will deliver a pizza instead
 
The Afghan Hound

The Afghan’s a dog groomer’s...

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This is a Crown of Sonnets I wrote about one of my favorite books and movies (the version in 1943 with Liz Taylor, who was only 11 had a small role, Joan Fontaine and Orson...

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I killed my friend,
I never wanted,
Do not see me cruel,
I did it for love.
We both ran naked
Under this influential shower.
No one uncoupled his lips
Against this faint madness,
We were indebted,
Either had to earn the prize.


It was...

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Brains and guts orbit the soul—
that polar star searing in the marrow of being.

I was born somewhere between Einstein’s neurons
Ginsburg beat poetry, the birth of rock and roll, revolution marches,
and the calloused hands of a...

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The ask of cultures. 
Dutch to Portugal, do you think colonisation of fruit and lands and their inhabitants was the fairest exchange of our tactics of the strategy to wrestles of communication. They decided the...

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St Anthony's orphanage was founded some thirty years ago
For homeless and orphaned children, by a priest Father Angelo
Every child was made welcome; race and religion mattered not
And every Christmas Father Angelo ensured presents they all...

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Troop ships loading, crowded docks
Mums and sisters waving off
Go with keepsakes, golden locks
Some men hug while many doff

Eric, soldier single stands
Beryl, lonesome widow cares
Many kissing holding hands
Eric stands and Beryl dares

Bump the soldier, make excuse
Apologizing...

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Once upon this time
I was listening to the Christian Fathers
retell traditional stories
of God's election and predestination.

Predestination
is like being born into royalty,
power,
privileges of humane Earth's regenerative grace.

Election is more democratic.
Selection based on God's vote for mercy,
apparently,
because...

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My parents had both passed and I felt orphaned, alone --
Although I was married and lived hours away with a family of my own.
And today was a day I had dreaded for months
Silently traveling the...

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Mama – Translation of Kevin Gilbert’s « Mum » by T. Wignesan

Kevin Gilbert (July 10, 1933 – April 1, 1993) - father of Irish-English ancestry, mother an aboriginal from New South Wales - was orphaned...

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Written words
Lines and verses
Poetry
Fragments of an author's soul
Frozen ink on paper
Entombed emotions
Imprisoned ideas
Trapped thoughts
Sentient silhouettes
Paper phantoms
Paper ghosts

School during a civil war
In six easy steps
A place of learning and reason
A propaganda soup cauldron
A refuge of normality...

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wobbling
   earth
      Phoebus
          slipover
               &
...

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Unquotable quotes: Witch-Doctors and Tribal Headmen – XXV (Part Two)

Which Asian “King” would crown himself “Emperor” during an elaborate theatrical ceremony while facing and exhorting the ruins of his Illustrious Ancestor’s capital?
Which commoner army captain...

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   Aided by the wind, 
entities take flight like prismatic colors- 
talismanning chanced direction 
"of watering misfit eye", 
looking for a new place 
to touchdown...

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They dragged my mother away
kicking and screaming
arms outstretched towards
my little sister
who lay dying on the ground
her lips parched
her eyes sunken
her wasted arms reaching out
“Myreik (Mother), don’t leave me!”
 
My father pulled my mother away 
the...

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Filthy and foul I found you, 
garnished in grime, 
drenched in dust,
polluted in your own putrid blood,
orphaned, alone, helpless.
Pity overtook me to love, 
to cleanse you of your stench, 
to let you live.

As you came...

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IF EVER I HAD A COUNTRY : LXXVI

IF ever I had a Country with or without any " Wood " in the aching aping Film Industry
And if ever (you know the refrain by now) I...

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Sharon
by Michael R. Burch, circa age 15

apologies to Byron

I.

Flamingo-minted, pink, pink cheeks,
dark hair streaked with a lisp of dawnlight;
I have seen your shadow creep
through eerie webs spun out of twilight...

And I have longed to kiss...

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Poems from "the GAUD poems" and "the ur poems"...


& GAUD said, “Let there be LIGHT VERSE
to illuminate the ‘nature’ of my Curse!”
—michael r. burch


reverse the Curse
with LIGHT VERSE!
recant the cant
with an illuminating chant,
etc.
—michael r. burch

Can...

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   "A crescent dahlia floats, birthed in decay ~
            midst emerald ferns,
    where scars dance upon henna leaflets,
 ...

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THE ur POEMS


& GAUD said, “Let there be LIGHT VERSE
to illuminate the ‘nature’ of my Curse!”
—michael r. burch


grave request
by michael r. burch

come to ur doom
in Tombstone;

the stars stark and chill
over Boot Hill

care nothing for ur...

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