Long Pavilion Poems

Poems about Butterflies and Bees



Flight
by Michael R. Burch

It is the nature of loveliness to vanish
as butterfly wings, batting against nothingness
seek transcendence...



Album
by Michael R. Burch

I caress them—trapped in brittle cellophane—
and I see how young they were,...

Read More

Chinese Poets: English Translations

These are modern English translations of poems by some of the greatest Chinese poets of all time, including Du Fu, Huang O, Li Bai, Li Ching-jau, Li Qingzhao, Po Chu-I, Tzu Yeh,...

Read More

I shan't try and be witty an engage in the norm 
peeking through such pain my eyes see dim 
as crushing temporal lesion push against 
soft tissue endings pounding my optic nerves 
from my forehead...

Read More

UNQUOTABLE QUOTES: XLVII - Tongue Twisters

If you want to « have » your cake and « eat » it at one and the same time, simple enough, just split it into two equal parts like...

Read More

The birth of a kid is just an adventure
Which has its start about nine months before 
After an instant of joy or of  venture,

When seed of man is reaching up its score
In the twisty...

Read More

.Now here's a short story of Lou,
Who spent a whole day at the zoo.
And while he was there,
He met a fine pair,
Of friendly and beautiful gnus.

Next he went to the camel enclosure,
Where one, made the...

Read More

Showering white light illuminates 
  Bright-Moon Bay;
   In the overlooking Moon-Inviting Pavilion,
 Li Bai had raised his twinkling, rich amber
Coloured wineglass
    To invite the same reticent Moon.  ...

Read More

Across the ridges, flats and ranges, in print, on radio and stages,
you may hear this tale wherever you may go.
Sometimes a stranger may confide, about that famous ride,
in the rodeo at Mildura's annual show.

For a...

Read More

My child dry your eyes!!  My Children self rest he the Lord made darkness his secret place and placed his Pavillion in the dark and in the light Father in Jesus Christ's Power and...

Read More

gardens are where we are:

  from "Eden" to "Gilgamesh", "Babylon" to "Gethsemane"
  from mountain to coast, town to country
  from wetlands to desert oasis, under the sea to the edge of ice
...

Read More

Chinese Translations III

Quiet Night Thoughts
by Li Bai aka Li Po
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Moonlight illuminates my bed
as frost brightens the ground.
Lifting my eyes, the moon allures.
Lowering my eyes, I long for home.


Lines from Laolao...

Read More

Five miles of neatly spaced suckered palm planted 
Bustling promenade,
Not withstanding a provincial cafe-culture 
Of restaurants and exciting little bars,
Enhance upon regal elegance of the crammed hotels
Regency period style facades;
Their fashionable shadows slowly lifting and...

Read More

Sitting underneath this pavilion, thinking....

Of how I have beheld the shadows of darkness' scorching face

Sweeping across the skies of all of life, trying its very best

To encase them, within its sorrows of sorrow!

Some people say...

Read More

Part Two

Do you remember your run-up to the crease
      your Lindwall-delivery dragging the clasping flannel round hobbled boots
your anger
           ...

Read More

Chinese translations Li Bai

These are my modern English translations of Chinese poems by Li Bai, who was also known as Li Po.



Zazen on Ching-t’ing Mountain
by Li Bai
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Now the birds have...

Read More

In the green Adirondack foothills lies
the haven of our old summer camp,
once a place of adventure and outdoor joy,
and the loud cries of precocious scamps,
their energy you never could tamp,
scurrying ’round on small, rapid feet,
leaping...

Read More

Guys I would like to share my FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
                         ...

Read More

tread on! move on! in this life’s caravan,
unending trail of life from dusk to dawn!
pass skeletons in sand from days of yore,
sand has blown over, past footprints are gone

man with limp walks to meet destiny’s...

Read More

Remember the days of
                   yesteryear
when family ties were
         ...

Read More

I was crying last night because I understood, 
Everything that Gordon Aikman said and postulated, 
It was mega, a long-awaited viewing, was food, 
As I could relate to the things that he had tested.

The BBC...

Read More

~~~~~~~~~


Evening skyline
Glow of last light;
Dark shadows creep

~~~~~~~~~


Green moss
Zen garden stones;
Calmness charms

~~~~~~~~~


Antique shoppe
Old proprietor;
Living antique

~~~~~~~~~


Cemetery visit
Angel statues stand
Guardians of death

~~~~~~~~~


Newspaper vendor
Hazards early rain;
Prompt delivery

~~~~~~~~~


World news broadcast
So many conflicts;
Violent humanity

~~~~~~~~~


Children's playground
Noisy little people;
Fun screams and shouts

~~~~~~~~~


Empty taxi...

Read More

Seth S. Gidley

1832-1916

I will never forget the rain that winter,
And the landslide that still stains my grave.
An evil cursed wind it was, 
Lacerating the drenched cliffs 
And descending gullies of Rubio Canyon,
With wailing sheets of...

Read More

One particular chestnut tree
To me
Is not only full of beauty
It is full of majesty 

When I was a child
Like every child little wild
The chestnut tree
Was already tall enough second floor window to see
From not even...

Read More

Zion is a Kingdom Paradigm
Zion is an ideal Paradise
A City with foundations whose Architect is Judah’s Lion
A City encased in an awesomely inspiring Pavilion

Babel is built in a shallow Drain
Zion is built on a rocky...

Read More

I always wanted two slices of ice cube pie
“You only get one”, was the standard reply.
I don’t know why I did
But since I was a kid
It was my favorite treat on the Fourth of July.

The...

Read More