Long Piping Poems

* This poem was written for a contest originally, but was used by Professor Anne-Marie Thornton of Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, to teach her WAR POETRY class in the spring semester of 2017. My...

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Her small angelic face ...

Once a place where broad smiles bloomed like butterflies on marigolds,
is streaked with the furrows that countless tears have etched into the
layers of dust and dirt and explosive residue that now...

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Thou, O king, hast made a decree, 
that every man that shall hear the
sound of the cornet, flute, harp,
sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, 
and all kinds of musick, shall fall
down and worship the golden image:
And whoso...

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VIII

In the minds fixed eye I see five newly discovered graves,              
Headless lions sat atop an impregnable "Triumphal Gate";   ...

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Winter Weary
A rhyme that sends a winters “chill’.
With snow, not knowing where to start.
But as he’s had some time to “chill”. 
A fellow with a changing heart.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~...

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I know of a river of more than average 
Sorts...
Meandering, when not dallying to maunder,
Between many differing contours 
And unruly contorts;
Where a privileged youth once
Happily sought -
Pursuing about his passions
In the traditional methods 
By which...

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*Image of The Nativity by Pixabay.

MOST BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS POEM

(Pre The Epiphany)

THE WORLD VERSION:

Twelve Drummers Drumming.
Eleven Pipers Piping. 
Ten Lords A-Leaping.
Nine Ladies Dancing.
Eight Maids A-milking.
Seven Swans A-swimming.
Six Geese A-laying.
Five Golden Rings.
Four Calling Birds.
Three French Hens. 
Two...

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Pop (corn) Music


Introduction

It’s time to dance, time to tango
There’s a Canadian on the banjo
When he sees the guitar strings
Jack’s mirth grows soaring wings;
As he scans the rhapsody drums
While busy the Banjo he strums!


He strums with...

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The waters trickling under the
crossing bridge grows ever dormant

And on the one and only discernable
route into this village languishing beneath
there is a old rickety swinging sign that says

" Welcome to Eden "

We trust you enjoy...

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Schvitzing for more'n sixty hours without electricity
(visit https://www.aol.com/?ncid=
crosssellusaolc00000003 - for further details)

Courtesy rare derecho
killed four people
nearly forty eight hours ago
power outage affected more than
half a million people
in mid-Atlantic states.

Residents in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania
(the poet's hometown)
smack dab...

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It stands on the edge of civilization,
fed by a ghost town road
A starving artery leading into the desert
Only desperadoes and Death Valley aficionados
pass through this lonely stretch of land
But there's a diner sitting at this...

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Human tastes vary and so are the desperate cravings to capture the best in human ambition,
A more desperate thirst for fame, riches and for power can be a low, vulgar bitter taste,
I admire the spirit...

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The slash that is the roll of clouds
                           ...

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THE PIPER                                 ...

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This is the house built “right”.

This is the greed bred in the seed 
of the foundation of the house built “right”.

This is the arrogant and pervasively resonant 
that's born of the greed  bred in...

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~ (~) About a teaspoon it takes me in the morning-coffee-that-is. (~) ~


~ (~) Cream more, sugar, a little-less, though truly I still do prefer my cup fresh brewed... its 
superb when piping hot you...

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Most of my classes suck (by that I mean they’re difficult). English is ok - especially the writing. I’d never want to major in English Literature though. It’s one of the hardest majors at Yale....

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ODE TO COFFEE

Published Hill Rag, Eskimo Pie, Coffee with Underwood 

Mistress of sacred love
Sacred lady of desire

You start my day
Setting my heart on fire
With your dark delicious brew

And throughout the day
Whenever the mean old blues...

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THE COLOR OF THE WIND WHICH IS WEDDED TO WINTER’S MUSE AND 
                      ...

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While writing about the History of Jazz Music in verse , I got the idea for composing this 
fictitious poem ! I hope the readers will like it ! 


     ...

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The heavens brush by her fingertips
as she reaches for the sky
but her feet stay nailed to the ground
when she stretches past those pearly gates
catching a shooting star in one hand
while grabbing Orion’s belt with her...

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Toasty mornings with teakettles whistling bring to mind Danish days on Marata’s 
horse farm, ponies prancing in the unusually warm sunlight, and new fangled 
sparkling silver water fountains. Mirada, Karen and Laura’s Mom hosted Bob,...

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I tied ole paint at the old cowboy’s shack.  He’d been in the crib mucking stalls, haying a little and shucking corn.
I observed him at his chores from the porch as the day kept...

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THE COLOR OF THE WIND WHICH IS WEDDED TO WINTER’S MUSE AND 
                      ...

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"Possums on the Run - Part 3"


Collecting cut 
silver blue grass
carries garbage bags
green-ant bites, no siree,
this aint fun.
Stand guard, he’s the 
lawn mower Pope 
(she laughs)
on his ever vigilant run.

Look on him with sadness
Look on...

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