Long Parachute Poems

"Who Put Luebella down the Wych Elm?"

There are rumours
about me, some 
come seeking me
with their geiger counters
and ouji boards
with their heart 
shaped planchettes

unanswered questions
in the woods, crackling
within the sounds of leaves
invisible dead things speaking 
underfoot...

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Salve
by Michael R. Burch

for the victims and survivors of 9-11

The world is unsalvageable ...
but as we lie here
in bed
stricken to the heart by love
despite war’s
flickering images,

sometimes we still touch,

laughing, amazed,
that our flesh
does not despair
of love
as...

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Thanksgiving, 1971,
a parachute pilgrim approaches Northwest Flight 305
as Dan Cooper, anonymous businessman,  anarchist airborne, 
black suit, black sunglasses, a black tie
and a black briefcase broaching black motives,
Portland to Seattle, prison or criminal pantheon, 
before...

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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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Captain kuni-lemel graduate strikes again - updated

Steely Dan sing queen (me)
outdid himself on sixtieth anniversary 
after Grahame Wood 
determined to meet 
the evolving needs of the community 
opened the first Wawa Food Market 
in Folsom,...

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Number forty seven - White House occupant against all odds...

regarding President elect 
Donald John Trump.

As a cruel joke to self,
I imagined myself as a Republican
for that one glorious day
voting for the candidate
who clinched the nomination
as...

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The Silence In Me
I have been on this road several times, and I have been contemplating 
the movement of the clouds, the direction of the trees, and the depth of the sea. The heart of...

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Slowly creeping out of winter 
Would it ever be the same 
If I showed up at your door 
Out of breath, out of line 
With a million excuses behind my manic behavior?
A video diary full...

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I refused to pick up this pen and vent the words etched in my mind
An invisible ball to float upon my thoughts like a sing a long as each letter forms a sentence I prolonged...

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(Brian Johnston speaks to Lora Colon)  

Getting older don't you wonder 
What your life is all about? 
Wages earned don't leap to haunt me 
Like my dreams of fighting trout - 
Lightning flash and...

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Serrated swathes of overwhelming savage gusts without compassion,
directionless dilatory daydreamer that  I am  ostensibly vulnerable,
to the serendipitous intrusion at a wispy sapphire cloud flaccid noon,
the minimal load  burdensome midpoint idle tranquil saunter,
meteorological...

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They crept upon our shores eating away the inner core
They crept upon our shore knocking on our barricade doors
Tall stout men with peevish eyes and strange looks on their white faces
Invade our quarters looking for...

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Oh look here— behold a dandelion woman
the original wild flower!
I go where I want to go
I grow where I want to grow —
don't matter if   y o u   say no

dandelion wine...

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The great poets begged for muse and not for moments stolen.
We lesser mortals cup in hand beg, not for attentions’ span nor
cause to celebrate, but Time; a worthy goal.
Seconds spent pondering half-held slow bled moments
shuffling...

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I board the midnight train because no one had an extra room to spear
I reserved an overnight seat that will take me into the deep
I didn’t know where I was going and all I needed...

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Free association comprises ratiocination...

Bonafide catatonic doggedness,
nevertheless this stubborn stoic poet writ
afore and another feeble effort courtesy
exhaustive mental effort
he brewed den - brought about divine visit
analogously to solve mystery pinpointing
within suspense unveiling whodunnit.

Whereat your true
plane vanilla...

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Free association comprises ratiocination...

Bonafide catatonic doggedness,
nevertheless this stubborn stoic poet writ
afore and another feeble effort courtesy
exhaustive mental effort
he brewed den - brought about divine visit
analogously to solve mystery pinpointing
within suspense unveiling whodunnit.

Whereat your true
plane vanilla...

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What wonders awaits you out there, the world is bright without fear, the morning and the evening will become one and the heavens will sing a wonderful song.

The birds will play the flute and the...

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They sit for hours in the room going around in circles, jaws moving up and down their faces and tongue lashing out around the place. They have a special look on their face with the...

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The skipper had sailed quite a few storms and survived

Strong as a cross hanging over an apocalypse’s altar he

Had weathered all seasons and crossed heaven and hell

Tempted his fate and good fortune at times but...

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Edna Morris lived in the town of Shadow Fells, in rich green, hilly country,
With doting parents and sister Violet, plucking fruit from their plum tree.

Pretty Edna was twelve years old, but she and Violet played...

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Sunday cockcrow nascent promulgate aural essays reveal,
laissez-faire luscious lustrous buoyant  raptures,
radio behemoth prompt to that untamed erudite fantasist,
me the one possessing rippled rampant penchant,
for titanic exploit extraordinaire beyond dimension heftiness,
 a stimulant patently innocuous...

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Come and open the space around me and set my spirit free; come and open the space around and let me breathe some dignity; courage has a cookbook and wisdom has the recipe to make...

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I went around the boarder of Canada and London
I found groups of dogs like they were my own

I’ll start with my mother’s pet at home
No other than Jumbo, the finest of all, now alone

Jumbo was...

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Captain kuni-lemel graduate strikes again

Even when iron not red hot, 
I implement non customary quarks 
regarding foreigner rather cold as ice
namely delinquent outsize credit card debt 
mandates yours truly, 
a cheesy survivor who rem: members...

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