Long Resisted Poems

Sonnets XXV-XXXII

Archaischer Torso Apollos (“Archaic Torso of Apollo”)
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

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Sonnets X-XVI


Archaischer Torso Apollos (“Archaic Torso of Apollo”)
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

Read More

Come, You
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

This was Rilke’s last poem, written ten days before his death. He died open-eyed in the arms of his doctor on December 29, 1926, in the...

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Rosalia - The Evil Black Witch of the Harz

Prologue
This is a rather grim epic poetic tale of Rosalia, a 16th century German witch who terrorized villages, destroyed the lives and corrupted the souls of many...

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Punishing for revenge,
could this occur to natural systems
without capacity to imagine alternative futures?

Punishing others for their defiant behavior,
actions and words stronger than ignorantly ignoring,
bolder than merely angry with Other 
and our defenseless selves

But how much...

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Archaischer Torso Apollos ("Archaic Torso of Apollo")
by Rainer Maria Rilke
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch 

We cannot know the beheaded god
nor his eyes' forfeited visions. But still
the figure's trunk glows with the strange vitality
of a...

Read More

POTD 24TH Feb 2025

A Wish Upon A Star – Video Lyrics by Michael Tor

DESCRIPTION

A romantic ballad of longing and serendipity, captures the emotions of a lonely soldier in “Wish Upon A Star” as he wanders...

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Ma,
Why do I need to apostrophize you? Why did you flew away into the celestial regions so earlier? Is it because you are from a land where ‘twenty is plenty’ for women? And hence, ignoring...

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Rosalia - The Evil Black Witch of the Harz, Part Six

Archangel Gabriel and His Force of Heavenly Angels
Upon seeing the radiant, almost blinding light as it lit up even the darkest corners of the forested...

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Somewhere in the night, in the fearless night
I do need Your help with Your might honestly
I need Your utmost delight right now tonight
To fight the grandest fight over flight in glee

PTSD is hard to manage...

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Since my early teens until I reached about 45,
I had pursued my life's dream of working fulltime
in the Gospel Ministry.  There were many aspects
whereby such a dream could express itself and be
fulfilled.  For...

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The Ending at Wounded Knee

This is what happened:
Two worlds collided,
The elder one died.

Pony soldiers and Indian police,
Trigger happy and jumping at shadows,
Killed Sitting Bull at Pine Ridge;
     His horse pawed the...

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I can clearly sense your utter despair of Der Matratzengruft*
As you valiantly carried on your poetic works to the very end.
This did not change your literary accomplishments well-known,
And your courage through the misery and morphine*...

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Broken Disciple

My pilgrims journey started out strong
9 years and a decade later my story and song 
Have turned into a heartless cycle
May I share about a broken disciple?

Took up my yoke and followed thee
‘Twas an...

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Every morning
When I glance into the mirror
I look deep inside
Deeper than my subtly-thinning hair
Deeper than my raven beard
Deeper than my mocha complexion
Laden with marks
Of life's wear and tear 
And high cheek bones
I see multitudes
From across...

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Author’s Note:
'Christmas in July', which is also known as Yulefest or Yuletide in Australia. July is generally the coldest month of winter, so celebrations emulate the atmosphere of the northern hemisphere winter. So that means...

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When Christmas comes, we hope for rebirth of truth and love, man for man,
from the story spoken time after time to children who hear other (hate) words 
and wonder if it's true that Jesus Christ...

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My mind says no but my heart says yes
Is an old timely excuse, I must confess 
But I now finally understand why one uses this
To explain their perfidy while they remain in bliss 
I try...

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1.

On the 27th day of April in 
Nineteen Ninety-Four,

Freedom was won, at long last.

The battles were many, the foe 
brutal,

Apartheid tore our southern tip 
of the continent of Africa apart,

it’s notions of racial-superiority,

its religious fundamentalism,

its...

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I enjoyed an almost idyllic childhood. This was marred only at the age of ten by my circumcision, a cruel and primitive custom among my otherwise enlightened people. In my grandmother’s hut, I was held...

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She was not a virgin
But with beauty, she did reign
She was already married
But she arose to be adored
She was a widow 
Her beauty and pride did glow
Borne already two children
But with second love, she was...

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Hundreds quizzed and all perplexed
Not even one understood
for my answer to their only question
who is your source?

Nonetheless iam not afraid and
dared to think beyond the surreal truth
But to tell the truth of truth; when
my positron...

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I was sitting there when I saw 
you looking my way. All I could 
do was blush and turn away. 
When I turned to look upon 
you, you had disapeared. I 
turned the other way...

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Come, You
by Rainer Maria Rilke
translation by Michael R. Burch

Come, you—the last one I acknowledge; return—
incurable pain searing this physical mesh.
As I burned in the spirit once, so now I burn
with you; meanwhile, you consume my...

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He reigned down through the centuries,
and every human knew his name,
Emperor Guiscard the Deathless,
from Quebec this great figure came.

Arising in chaotic times
in the twenty-first century,
when cultures were falling apart
as we grew our technology.

When the whole...

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