Long Spade Poems

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...

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Ali's Song
by Michael R. Burch
for Muhammad Ali

They say that gold don’t tarnish. It ain’t so.
They say it has a wild, unearthly glow.
A man can be more beautiful, more wild.
I flung their medal to the river,...

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[If you’re a glutton for punishment, you
Can find ‘Mad Molly Shaw’ using the poems
Tag at top of screen]
              ****

Mad Molly Shaw wasn’t...

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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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Burn
by Michael R. Burch

for Trump

Sunbathe,
ozone baby,
till your parched skin cracks
in the white-hot flash
of radiation.

Incantation
from your pale parched lips
shall not avail;
you made this hell.
Now burn.

Keywords/Tags: burn, earth, environment, fire, future, nature, natural, planet,  climate, pollution,...

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A Coffee Merchant was the first man to find,
The corpse as he started off on his daily grind!
What he saw filtered through, so he had grounds
To send for the Police, to investigate what he'd found!

He’d...

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A field day shoe fit for Mother Goose
  
Fruitless effort squeezing figurative juice
Pandora called triggering 
helter skelter to get loose
necessitating Bullwinkle J. Moose
to usher at yours truly 
(an aspiring wordsmith) vamoose!

Hey diddle diddle the...

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Going for a drive then? What now? Yes.

Conglomeration of Mr and Mrs Mooses were sitting near the central reservation on the dual carriage way. They had ordered some fruit, wine, beer, and some milky cream...

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Mother Goose would find her tail feathers ruffled 

Hey diddle diddle 
the cat and the fiddle
when off to see 
a crooked man and woman,
whilst cowards jumped 
over moo ving little
pair of mismatched muggles,
who both walked...

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Open Plea

Lord, please forgive me, but the devil constantly tempts me. You gave me a body full of life, but at times, my soul feels empty. 


These demons are relentless. Life's a  and a...

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Wouldn't it be wonderful to wake up one morning
To find you were still a child
So much energy jumping up and down upon your bed
So many wonders and thoughts swirling through your bed
No responsibilities
Just fun and...

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Darkness swells from the depth of the sea,
waves crashes against waves,
the mad sea roars and vomits vengeance, 
it belches and yawns at the sound of her name.

They have been drifting for many days,
entranced with panic,...

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I had for long been impoverished, as is often the case with writers,
Though I worked most diligently, at times even pulling all-nighters.

Rosy dreams kept me going, although times were frequently rough,
As black night fuels its...

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Conceived in manic sorrow,
proclaiming herself left
with self-righteous Hollowness,
the less assertive Queen of Hearts:

I'm good between either of these two black kings
and those two black jacks behind, 
either one,
no matter to me

Between a spade for digging...

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Upon the precipice of an abyss

I stand able, eager, & ready to jump
impossible mission to swallow lump
muscles primed analogous to pump
prayer for soft landing on mine rump
bereft this johnny come lately trump
petting and donning shock...

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My universe revolves
Relaxation – Meditation - Reflection

I have thought- in the throes of perception, 
as I lay in the soothing arms of meditation – 
travelling through spaces of, and in reflection
as I drift in and...

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1. MORNING HAS BROKEN 
The men, in lines, tramp two by two,
forgetting all the women who
indulged them through a night of tricks
(their lips designed with crimson sticks,
their eyes a wild mascara mix)

and think instead on...

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Note: If you haven’t please check out part 1 and 2 
before reading this. It will make more sense that way Thanks.

"May I?" she asked motioning to my dog-eared notepad as a child might
asking for...

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“Several Queens in  mythology, history, nature , games are recognised as special since  ancient Era and has become famous gaining popularity.” - Poet.


    QUEEN

     So many...

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Ali’s Song
by Michael R. Burch

They say that gold don’t tarnish. It ain’t so.
They say it has a wild, unearthly glow.
A man can be more beautiful, more wild.
I flung their medal to the river, child.
I flung...

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By Elton Camp

It would just be the end
If by words we do offend.

There’s the devil to be paid
If we call a spade a spade.

“Vertically challenged” means short.
“Horizontally challenged,” a fat sort.

“Nondiscretionary fragrance” means we stink.
“Living...

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Good King Wenceslas again
On the feast of Stephen
Saw the snow spread white and plain
Deep and crisp and even.
Afar a snowy hump in sight
Attracted his attention
Could it be that something might
Need royal intervention?

"Hither, page, and stand...

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“Let’s Ban War”

Have your ever thought
About banning war?
How much better we
All would be
If we just banned war?

So much more we could do.
We could buy food
And clothe the poor.

We could chase butterflies
Around in a Zoo.
Look at...

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"May I?" she asked motioning to my dog-eared notepad as a child might
asking for a cookie expecting to be told it would spoil her dinner
I took another swallow, my hand instinctively moved to the book...

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A city of neighborhoods, 
                              ...

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