Long Paddled Poems

Where art thou anonymous benefactor...to offer me succor?

Ah... methinks legal tender 
could be a boon to help me bolster 
mein kampf with necessary material equipage,
which prospect to acquire essential 
commodities sabotaged 
at the altar of...

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The Sandless Sand Castle

Let me tell you about my eldest brother.

I am: the "Scram!", the "Beat it!", the "What you looking at?!", and the "Turn around and watch the movie!", younger brother. As you can...

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Raisin gave the globe a tap to make it slowly spin
“Rum,” she said, “it’s quite a big wide world we’re living in.”
Rum looked up from lapping milk and wiped some from his face,
“Use your nose...

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Poems about Children VI

Playmates
by Michael R. Burch

WHEN you were my playmate and I was yours,
we spent endless hours with simple toys,
and the sorrows and cares of our indentured days
were uncomprehended . . . far, far...

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A Hallows Eve of trick or treating, elaborate costumes, candy eating,
       Lantern’s dimming upon nightfall, locked doors marks next year’s meeting.

My recalling of my day and for the next...

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I finished work at noon on Friday and headed home to pack
Put my gear in the trunk and put my canoe on the roof rack
Headed out down the freeway and got off at exit seven
The...

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She stares at the paper not a word comes to write
Surrounded by peace on a dark rainy night.
Like the page in her notebook her mind remains clear.
Not a word to be written, her pen she...

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Once upon a time in the lands from the north, south, east to west    
Navigating on the cold white sands formed of sugar and ice       ...

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A Perfect Day to Learn 

We took our late lunch in a wooden cabin at the foot of the mountain where exotic foods in sumptuous meal were served. I enjoyed immensely the fried fish and...

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Where art thou anonymous benefactor...to offer me succor?

Castaway stranded on figurative 
deserted island pitted with absolute 
zero salvation, sole recourse 
finds scant consolation with prayer 
lifetime atheist draws futile faith 
within himself grudgingly accepting

feeble accomplishments...

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These were letters written in tablets of blood
We wrote the pains of yesterday today wittily 
On this seaside of swaying embargo of tablets

She was the song swept in pity and cruelty 
Daring the concubines that...

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Return, my love! Let’s flee the gates to leave our scornful town, 
And roam outside in deepest woods where Nature wears her crown!
Beside the river stands unmoved, as many years ago, 
The ruined castle’s narrow...

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Chapter 1 THE FISHERMAN

At the dawn of humankind in
Africa's great land of sunlight
This adventure of survival 
Of a family's arduous journey 
 
One of exile and betrayal
And of hopeful brave endurance 
Happened long before all...

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Shivering shimmers of scars passed out of my scarlet, scarred past. My ginger demons engulfed the fermented pain as I watched my regal orchid—the fussiest, sacred damsel who jitterbugs as an exiled seraph. Her candlelight...

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CHAPTER 11b The Island Kingdom, continued...

In an ocean-going vessel
Now this group of island warriors 
Journeyed on an expedition 
From the island to the mainland 

Han could sense a strength of purpose 
And a loyalty between...

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Chapter 3 THE RIVER continued (b)


Carefully they placed the children
In the small canoe amidships;
Pushing out into the current 
Han swam alongside to guide them
 
Kwona, as she stood and waited
On the shore now took the...

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It was back about 1803,
there stood a small cabin near to the sea,
where a widow lived by the name of Joanne,
who could not grieve for the death of her man,
since six years back he’d vanished...

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Once upon a time there lived a boy called Musa,
who lived in an Island called Pemba. He loved
going fishing and long journeys into the deep,
blue ocean with his uncle, Kassim.

For centuries stories went round the...

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The rivers are racing with a glee of free morning stampede today
carrying the currency of silted centuries and the cool silk of the wind's summer saga,
within my heart I feel the rambunctious rush of wanderlust
this...

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When I looked in to her eyes,
In it I saw a prospect of a paradise.
A paradise whose entry was not 
contingent on my righteousness.
My days of startling agony, still battled my
hope of finding true love.
Like...

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PROLOGUE
Biographies are for men who have a need to cry
To spell out what we remember is to subtract all
We forget, for knowing then nothing knew, a lie
Conjured by history, there's no a priori here at...

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My mind was relieved when my treasure was found
A matey retrieved it by scouting around
The pirate ship captain made sure that I knew
That me and my booty could stay with the crew

To all the dear...

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A beacon of light...from a lighthouse in the ocean...
                      An unfortunate group of sailors...

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I am the greatest adventurer the world will ever know,
Just take my hand and off we'll go.
I have been to the mines of Moira,
To the very center of paranoia.
I have been to London and France,
I...

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Back on the river, forward into the howl of the unknown, 
for three days Sergeant Floyd has been crippled by excruciating pain in his abdomen, 
as the only man here trained in internal medical matters...

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