Long Roster Poems

State of the Art (III)

These are my "ars poetica" poems: the ones about the art and craft of writing poetry in a modern world that doesn't always recognize the artists or their work. 



Come Down
by...

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Poems about Poems IV

The Toast
by Michael R. Burch

For longings warmed by tepid suns
(brief lusts that animated clay),
for passions wilted at the bud
and skies grown desolate and gray,
for stars that fell from tinseled heights
and mountains bleak...

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Medieval Poems

How Long the Night
anonymous Middle English lyric, circa early 13th century AD
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

It is pleasant, indeed, while the summer lasts
with the mild pheasants' song ...
but now I feel the northern...

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Rondels, Roundels and Rondeaux

These are poetic forms similar to villanelles, with refrains (repeated lines) and sometimes double refrains.



Rondel: Merciles Beaute ("Merciless Beauty")
by Geoffrey Chaucer
loose translation/interpretation Michael R. Burch

Your eyes slay me suddenly;
their beauty I cannot...

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"That also has a steep drop off the far side of Home Sweet Hell" said my soulless guide as he pointed in the direction of the nearby screams. 
I could see what resembled silhouettes or...

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A a 	big A little a
                   What words start with the letter A
    ...

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June 12th 2017 TRANSITION revisited and revised today 4/2/2021

While scrolling over outdated docs
(i.e. namely OpenOffice documents)
derrière seated upon hard backed chair,
yours truly came upon following poem
to share with anonymous readers,
whereby slight modifications 
got made to...

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I have slept but I have not slept
I have not slept but I have slept
For the first time in two years
I slept without a word of care
No codes, no crossroads
No railroads, no shiploads
No lizards no...

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Fifty years, boy and man, I’ve been a Sooners fan;
And watched thousands of recruits try to make my Sooners Team.
Often, I’ve enviously wondered what it must be like
To be a touted Sooners recruit, living out...

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Noise ,Noise, Noise
Bickering and ''whoremongering''
Dirty money for campaigning
repudiation and gallivanting
mudslinging and maligning
Brainwashing and false promises

How did you get on this bloodstained road 
Who advice you to  follow Uncle Pan's  path
A path that is...

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I have been trying to pen this verse for the past two weeks but
Someone was standing in my way and my mind went astray
Can’t you see that it is a brand new day?
Winter has subsided...

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ITS ALWAYS THE MONEY
by
JOHN M. ARRIBAS


It’s always the money I’m saddened to say
Put your hand in someone’s pocket its time to pay
When it’s not the money, it’s a crusade
Or revenge for a crime that was...

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Opening Day with a Little Delay

Take me out to the ball game
 Of balls and strikes - bloopers and perfect games; 
 Basket catches, ERA’S, country hardball;
 Foul balls, the pick off, intentional walk, the...

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I'm the topic of discussion, a lot of me is functioned
Off of the asumption that I've probably been punching
Things to harm by beating it, the gossip is percussion
But the anger pulls me in and I've...

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The most pregnant event that occurred...
in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
recorded July sixth nineteen sixty
upon birth of she who doggedly 
pursued me to the ends of the earth
and what not take no as an answer.

Unbeknownst to yours truly
a...

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Times and Protests

Times and protests are troubling
All of our problems started doubling
In minds Trumps seeds are planted
With him as President are disenchanter
White House water has stopped bubbling.

For hours at poles we waited
Can this election be invalidated
Due...

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Voting without aggravation...

Otherwise known as
absentee ballot/ mail-in ballot
if ye read no further... please exercise
opportunity to cast ballot
obviously freedom to choose,
but take serious stock of human bondage
(desperately calling out
for their Maugham me)
regarding: economy, integrity, monetary, xyz...

Anyway,...

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Pick me, pick me, you beg and plead
You think that you just what he need
Today, you in the game, yea!
Today you get to play and that totally made your day
But you don't love the game,...

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This is Africa.
Where people are being judge by their past,
And our hearts are painted with black.
Youths are cuddled up in early relationship,
And their lives are like the speed of an airship.
Parents are not respected anymore,
And...

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Dry Facts Can Perform Juicy Acts

In the EFL community
all around the world
it’s an undeniable 
and unpleasant reality that
no matter how well-motivated
you and your students are
no matter how real and acute 
the need for learning
a language...

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I was looking at God's blue veil 		                           ...

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Northside of Chi-Town is full of emotion.
In the ‘45 Series Cubs and Tigers are battling.
Sianis buys two tickets to show his devotion.
Is booted ‘cause his billy goat won’t stop bahbling.
He curses the Cubbies and causes...

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Unblinking reflexive opinions lean
     indubitably, favorably and certifiably
     with minimal pandering soliciting
     uber voodoo yawping woos

socially quintessentially obviously markedly
    ...

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An Obscenity Trial
by Michael R. Burch
 
The defendant was a poet held in many iron restraints
against whom several critics cited numerous complaints.
They accused him of trying to reach the "common crowd,"
and they said his poems...

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Three Roundels by Geoffrey Chaucer

I. Merciles Beaute ("Merciless Beauty")
by Geoffrey Chaucer
translation by Michael R. Burch

Your eyes slay me suddenly;
their beauty I cannot sustain,
they wound me so, through my heart keen.

Unless your words heal me hastily,
my...

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