Long Quixotic Poems

Currents
by Michael R. Burch

How can I write and not be true
to the rhythm that wells within?
How can the ocean not be blue,
not buck with the clapboard slap of tide,
the clockwork shock of wave on rock,
the...

Read More

Vacuum
by Michael R. Burch

Over hushed quadrants
forever landlocked in snow,
time’s senseless winds blow...

leaving odd relics of lives half-revealed,
if still mostly concealed...
such are the things we are unable to know

that once intrigued us so.

Come then, let us...

Read More

State of the Art (IV)

These are my "ars poetica" poems about the art and craft of writing poetry. 



Hearthside
by Michael R. Burch

“When you are old and grey and full of sleep...”  — W. ...

Read More

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...

Read More

Excerpt from “fake” encomium given years ago... 
at Lake Wobegone High School (my alma mater), 

and recently discovered ridiculous rough draft
amidst plethora of junk emails
while practice reading some lines 
regarding Midsummer Night's Dream 
upcoming performance.

Arch...

Read More

By George (burning hard), I Shaw tried to playwright

offers his unsolicited tidbits 
as scene courtesy 
the following virtually 
staged philosophical insight.

Arch back like 
a professional ballet dancer 
to stand out from other pedestrian applicants 
seeking...

Read More

Existential crisis still encompasses mein kampf Valentine's day 2022

The following lines written disjointed fashion
attempting to mimic strategically 
moving pieces erratically on chessboard
ideally yielding ultimate resultant checkmate
opposing men captured for the queen to use.

Jurassic throwback terrible...

Read More

Easter as interpreted by one...

rebated, rebelled, rebirthed, rebooted, 
and rebuked courtesy 
one ill shod Unitarian atheist,
who means NOT to affect
any sacrilegious fallout
nor offend devoutly religious 
man, woman, or child,
when the most important 
Christian holiday notated,...

Read More

In glamor-light of sunset
a new crowd of cumulus clouds arrive
and revive a sepia sky-scene—
unworldly woolgatherers gather
spinning fantasy fluff into quixotic yarns
of debutantes dancing with honeymoon hunger;
their dewy eyes blurred by the sawdust of stardust

pseudo-princess-pleasure-seekers
—drama daring...

Read More

Circa February 12th, 2122 ~ 10:30 PM

Equals twenty one thirty 22:30 military time
future time traveler looks back one century ago,
oceanic waterways overladen with green slime,
yours truly attempted crafting id est feeble rhyme
far from madding crowd,...

Read More

Most mind boggling mysterious mortal

Mystification prevails stupefying yours truly
befuddled, he blindly stumbles along rocky
pathway illusory impediments strewn helter
skelter intangible obstructions hinder access
psychological barricades effective impasse

detains, deters, detours manhood maturation
manumission manifestation materialization
linkedin, when permanent submission arises
beckoning...

Read More

Mark my word...
Das führer Donald Trump will return with a vengeance

Trump wracked up an impressive 
$122.00 million war chest
accumulating $82.00 million
merely proffering impish grin
between January and June of 2021;
now he sets his sites and will...

Read More

Antics Of A Buzzfeed Ding Housefly...

Non random, but (based on my very
     far out, flimsy laughably 
     amateurish thinking)
     faux feigned aye
firmly believe,...

Read More

In history one can read of an earlier time,
When poetry and lyrics written in rhyme,
Were commonplace.  A travelling band
Of troubadours would wander the land,
Writing and singing, to bestow delights
On ladies, peasants, and errant knights.

Their...

Read More

I was an experienced astronomer, with bright eyes ever turned to the stars,
As the mysterious, intelligent aliens, might in their turn, be looking to ours.

Space had always held fascination for me, with wonders of worlds...

Read More

Lima describe how yours truly went Peru zing...

thru truckloads of his personal communiqués broadcast
(methinks quite some years ago) across world wide web,
but now still smarting from selfishness, I feel quite aghast.

Yes practically every word
needs be...

Read More

One liar said to the other liar,
“That’s some shaky vanilla truth,
I heard you done cold call sold.
With these lying eyes, do I scream with glee ... 
you left girl honesty 
hanging altar jilted at that...

Read More

So, love is good for you?
Not too traumatic?

In a foreplay
Win-Win kind of way,
yes.

Now what?

Maybe some music and stretching?

How about another dance?

Sacred MotherEarth,
you wear me out.

I thought that was your idea.

Well, yes,
now that you are so...

Read More

Daily at the mercy of anticipatory anxiety, hence...

illogical and irrational obsessive compulsive
exhausting rituals linkedin
with cognitive dissonance
(essentially unfounded worry
birthed courtesy far fetched circumstances)
exacts significant mental expense,
which logically and rationally
makes perfect figurative cents
nevertheless offers assigned therapist
Renee Cardone...

Read More

I was a questing, experienced astronaut, on the way to languid, red Mars,
The huge, white sun was my companion, and unobstructed views of stars.

I was enjoying the continuous, pleasant journey, like the driving vacation,
As you...

Read More

Finally to Burn: Icarus, Resurrected
by Michael R. Burch

Athena takes me
sometimes by the hand

and we go levitating
through strange Dreamlands

where Apollo sleeps
in his dark forgetting

and Passion seems
like a wise bloodletting

and all I remember
upon awaking

is: to Love sometimes
is...

Read More

(alternate title – A bona 
er fide dog day afternoon delight).

A mere half dozen vowels 
constitute the English language 
    Ta-ra-ra Boom-de-ay
Consonants comprise majority
  
(sans remaining twenty) 
   ...

Read More

(Tidbit of trivia: associated with 
businessman from Troy, New York, 
Samuel Wilson, known affectionately 
as “Uncle Sam” Wilson. The barrels 
of beef that he supplied the army 
during  War of 1812 were stamped 
“U.S.”...

Read More

Arcola circa late 1960's early 1970's...
easy to conjure this idyllic June 8th, 2020

Envision bucolic Currier
and Ives rendered landscape,
or canvas painted
courtesy gifted late Thomas Kinkade
(or substitute favorite creative soul)
how aforementioned illustrious artists drape
mesmerized amateur and/or

art appreciation...

Read More

Each single morning on my way to work
I fantasize what happens in New York
If I were to spend a long weekend there.
I'd ask you out of the blue, not despair.

Once passionate lovers, can we be...

Read More