Long Scooting Poems

Salat Days
by Michael R. Burch 

(dedicated to my grandfather, Paul Ray Burch Sr.)

I remember how my grandfather used to pick poke salat ...
though first, usually, he’d stretch back in the front porch swing,
dangling his long...

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This morning, my yard was hopping
with squirrels and rabbits busily shopping
for pine needles, berries, and cones,
perfumes, oils, and sweet colognes,
to entice partners for this evening's bebopping.
The fox said to the wolf in a huff.
"We're making...

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Yesterday brought not a storm, 
But a suffocating stillness.
Everything stopped.  
My throat grew dry.  
My bones began to ache.  
The silent but constant rhythm of my little world seized.

Everything stopped.
Then in exactly...

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Password Paranoia

Hey, how did you do that?
Do what?
Open that can?
I used the can opener.
I KNOW, but where did you put in the password?
What password?
The CAN OPENER password!
I stare at my 4-year-old grandchild, who is scowling...

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These are poems about war and defenses.



Defenses
by Michael R. Burch

Beyond the silhouettes of trees
stark, naked and defenseless
there stand long rows of sentinels:
these pert white picket fences.

Now whom they guard and how they guard,
the good Lord...

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EPIGRAMS IV

Improve yourself by others' writings, attaining freely what they purchased at the expense of experience.
—Socrates, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Are mayflies missed by mountains? Do stars
applaud the glowworm’s stellar mimicry?
?Michael R. Burch

I didn’t...

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These are poems about shadows, poems about darkness, poems about shades in the form of ghosts and spirits...



Shadows
by Michael R. Burch

Alone again as evening falls,
I join gaunt shadows and we crawl
up and down my room's...

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Dream Song of the Thunders
Chippewa saying
translation by Michael R. Burch

Sometimes I bemoan my “plight”
when all the while
the wind bears me across the immense sky.


What is life?
The flash of a firefly.
The breath of the winter buffalo.
The...

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Crazy Horse's Naming Vision
by Michael R. Burch

Earthbound,
and yet I now fly
through these clouds that are aimlessly drifting...
so high
that no sound
echoing by
below where the mountains are lifting
the sky
can be heard.

Like a bird,
but not meek,
like a hawk...

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Mayan Poetry Translations

The Receiving of the Flower
excerpt from an ancient Mayan love poem
translation by Michael R. Burch

Let us sing overflowing with joy
as we observe the Receiving of the Flower.
The lovely maidens beam;
their hearts leap in...

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“Where are you going?” Teddy asked, breaking in our conversation,
between Bulldog, ‘Newy’ and myself and noticed with his observation,
that the words of Phillip Island had been mentioned by us three,
so he gathered that we’re fishing,...

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Who is living alive inside of you? 
Do you even really want to know?
Have you ever spoken to the one that is always speaking to you?
Are you stacking all of your priorities with any proper...

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And I can just see him there by the wind chimes chiming their morning song smiling at us
outside along with the orange juice and apple, and apple butter set up beside the grits
and raisin toast...

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Our forest habitat
gusts breezes
across our skins,
as darkness slowly turns
toward bright sky light.

My son
who cannot walk
nor speak his name
talks vociferously forth and with
and adding as this morning breeze
together part of Her embrace,
playful tickles
across his advocating happy...

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Garbled sounds of familiar yet compassionate love.
Surrounded by warmth and tender melodies as if warbled by a dove...
Soft beating sounds and liquids a flowing 'round and 'round,
Gentle movements, percussion's harmonizing soothing sound...

Breaking daylight unfamiliar sounds...

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Winter is approaching.
 I feel it in my floorboards; in my baseboards;
in every nook and cranny.
I wait to be filled again at this time of Thanksgiving, and
As I wait, sounds of the past linger in...

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THE SQUIRREL EPISODE

First off…I don’t hate squirrels…they have a kind of rodent charm…
although they monopolize the bird feeder…I do not wish them any harm.

Squirrels and I we are all creatures on this planet…in our yard...

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Move over Matilda… Waltz with Galinda.
There’s a new Aussie bush ballad in town! Introducing Waltzing Galinda — a cheeky, heartwarming tribute to Aussie folklore, with a twist! Starring a mischievous quokka, a sparkly snail named...

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It always started with smiles welcome greetings confirming pick up times, to the walk towards the building, into the building into an apartment pretty well lit. The couch to the left, the room straight ahead...

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Scrubbing dishes in a cold kitchen,
on a tabletop rats nibble
through a leather bible cover. 
She turns,
a lock of sweat matted hair over one eye,
shakes a red knuckle at a wailing child
sat on the floor by...

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blackbirds in the rain
walking among the fallen leaves
under the old mango tree
with dripping leaves
bathing the grass below
blackbirds diligently lifting 
the rain soaked fallen leaves
peering underneath for insects
and worms
flushed out 
by the drizzling rain
pausing to gulp...

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What is that? My comrade asked. I ignored her. She is not my friend.
No, really, she said scooting my way. The rest of the class smiled on whim.
The teacher had them on mute, so they...

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The extremely lithe, lively, light-hearted Lilybelle me is a ballerina with a twenty-eight inch waist, and six foot legs who wakes me up sometimes dancing and twirling, leaping, and landing.  She is light on...

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Deep in the village, far from city's charm and gleam,
Primitive childhood days, with toys of mud we’d dream,
Swinging on tall tree branches, our airplanes up the skyways,
Butt scooting down the anthills, our high-end cars on...

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The Stars

     It sings "twinkle twinkle little star" over and over again as it flickers on and off like a lightbulb.
     I look up and see the stars. 
They aren't stars but suns. 
    ...

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