Long Sixteenth Poems

I Have Labored Sore
anonymous medieval lyric (circa the fifteenth century)
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I have labored sore / and suffered death, 
so now I rest / and catch my breath.
But I shall come /...

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This is one excited kid and one PROUD father...



I took my son to the lumberyard last Tuesday afternoon. The day itself, though toasty, was the best in quite some time.
And when we’d finished shopping -...

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As Lumi left the two, they strolled slowly along the cobbled streets and the mood changed from jovial to serious.  DynDoeth's voice lowered to just above a whisper,
     “Joulupukki, I...

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Ford's Theater, April 15th, 1865...
Petersen House, Washington, D.C.

I admit to own a passion
for the Civil War in general,
and the life and death of
the sixteenth president in particular
between a hard spot of whiskey
and draughts of arrack;
nonetheless...

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Existentialism emancipation proclamation manumission...

Flourishes amidst freedom 
once invisible (alice in) chains shucked
when soul no longer kept linkedin 
to jane's addiction 
with corporeal duty, entity, fealty... 
while formerly shed body electric 
gendered as former googly eyed...

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Awaiting a growth spurt that never happened

When a boy,
I wanted to be as tall as my father
(he passed away October seventh
two thousand and twenty
linkedin to congestive heart failure),
who stood at his prime
about six feet and...

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Deciphering crossword puzzles, cryptograms and scrabblegrams once favorite pastimes

Livingsocial at 324 Level Road
circa post high school graduation
found yours truly voluntarily holed up
for an inordinate amount of time
within familiar four walls of his bedroom.

He preferred solitude versus
interacting...

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It has often been said that empires come and go
And from the beginning of time that has been so
Empires ruled with terror and an iron fist
Taking brutal action against those, who tried to resist.

On the...

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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...

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It was the darkest night I had been
through since I became one with the 
streets
And no matter what corner I 
squeezed into
every nerve in me got chilled
Maybe this was what they meant by 
the
apocalypse
Or maybe...

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How Wiccans acquired a bad rep is not clear.
Misogynist bullies afraid of these women’s light,
A young teen with an ugly heart of jealous fear,
Might point a finger under cover of night.
But in Salem Massachusetts, hysteria...

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Petersen House, Washington, D.C.  

(i admit to own a passion for the Civil War in general, 
and the life and death of 
the sixteenth president in particular).

between a hard spot of whiskey 
 ...

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The glory of America, now heats up 
   with agitation poised to strike on the brink 
sans legislation incites humiliation, 
    which goads desecration fete accompli chink 
  ...

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Against communist Vietnam a war was waged 
For almost twenty years fierce fighting raged 
The French came first then the U. S. arrived
Communism had grown and it had thrived.

Most American soldiers served with distinction
Carrying out...

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Dump Trump – a lump n prowl lot terror re: hot

The tattered glory of America, now heats up
with agitation poised to strike on brink
arty choked Jerusalem legislation incites humiliation,
which goads desecration fete accompli chink
in armor...

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The glory of America, now heats up 
   with agitation poised to strike on the brink 
sans legislation incites humiliation, 
    which goads desecration as fete accompli chink 
 ...

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Sara tiptoes across
The kitchen floor
To get some heat
She opens the oven door

Sheets in the window
Sara calls them curtains
Mind weary, Soul hurtin'
Sara

Sara lives by the train tracks
At Sixteenth and O
Her Mama calls it a shack
But to...

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In a closed door speech Saturday April 10th, 2021,
thus far, he accumulated $85 million so far.
*     *     *     *    ...

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History contends that on that score
hing hot summer at 6:00 pm June sixteenth 
in the year 666 after the Devonian era, 
two lovers - a Mister Belmont Me 

and Missy Bryn Mawr Hu felt the...

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When I exchange phones, I have to leave my new phone and my old phone in the Sprint store for about four hours, because this is how long it takes to upload my 1734 phone...

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Favorite Carolyn Devonshire Poem

History Rising from the Sea

Treasure from the sea
Golden doubloon
Sixteenth century artifact
By ancestors hewn

Earth's history lays buried
Beneath five oceans
As undersea tremors
Create violent commotions

Freeing from Spanish galleons
Precious metals, gemstones,
To greet early beachcombers
History on loan

Memories...

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Once upon a time,
In a secluded, distant kingdom,
There lived a beautiful princess
Who spent her days carefree,
If not slightly impassive,
Exploring the palace gardens and
Dancing nimbly around the courtyards,
More often than not accompanied by her ladies-in-waiting,
The youngest...

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Louis the Fifteenth, king of France,
Adored Madame du Barry.
His royal ardor was not bound
To the person he did marry.

His paramour was hard to please.
The king brooded day and night
On what act of loving kindness
Might appease...

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Trixie Light Wing, the lovely, lithe,16-year-old light-worker faerie,
 was the first one awake in the prairie on this fine Spring morn.
She effortlessly dusted the grasses, the dandelions, the daffodils, 
and the pink hydrangeas with pixie...

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Overdosing (rather binge reading) thesaurus...

Imagine if ye will
earlier one blustery February sixteenth
two thousand twenty one,
yours truly experienced atypical thrill
perusing pages of heavily laden word book
marking where I leave off reading
courtesy no frills inked quill
(sold to...

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