Long Stumble Poems

Today, catching sight of the mallards
crying over Lake Iware:
Must I too vanish into the clouds?
—Prince Otsu translation by Michael R. Burch  

This world—
to what may we compare it?
To autumn fields
lying darkening at dusk
illuminated by...

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Why do questions hope to end with answers
while answers seem to never end 
without yet more questions?

As a case in point...

How are the Case Studies of economic and political history
different than Einstein's Thought Experiments?

Wait a...

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Over the next two evenings after the Council had recessed, Seileach visited each of the Councilman who had voted to release Dyndoeth in an effort to assess their feelings about whether they were inclined to...

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Completing the Pattern
by Michael R. Burch

Walk with me now, among the transfixed dead
who kept life’s compact and who thus endure
harsh sentence here?among pink-petaled beds
and manicured green lawns. The sky’s azure,
pale blue once like their eyes,...

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~ I Just  Thank  You    ~
( Cinquain )



~O~


By  You 
All things are made 
Brand-new my sweet Father 
In Heaven. You bring each day, Love 
Light, Hope. 


As  I...

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When I was young, and adventure routine,
With excitement and newness still unforeseen
I was eager to spread my wings to the world
And seek more adventures as those wings unfurled

Within my long travels I happened to meet
Two...

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~ Love   Whispers ~
 ( Triryu )



 Pray  for  Love  Peace  now
 Love  always  comes from  the  Lord
 He  can  set  you...

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They had kept me imprisoned there for three full days,
In that sparse, solitary room, of scarce sunshine rays.

Having good food to eat, had never been a problem; 
They brought hot meals, but the problem was...

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Do you recognize me anymore?
Do you realize that my heart is sore?
Let me memorize your heart’s melody
Let me see right through your…melancholy…

Do you ever wave goodbye to yesterday?
Can’t bear the thought of you leaving me...

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Now the sun and the sand were treacherously hot
    and not a place for Man or a Beast.
As you must be audaciously quick to find a good spot
    or...

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Crumbled like dust and I began to stumble like ashes with a gust of wind – that’s what I felt before exchanging smiles and goodbyes…
Oblivious obviously…removing the plank from my own eyes of deep-inside-prideful lies
Memorably,...

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SONNET 1
                         MY CHRISTMAS WISH TO SANTA
    ...

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I was driving to Utah, because I had gotten a promotion;
And chose the scenic route, so as to put things in motion.

I had been traveling from Los Angeles, to Salt Lake City;
And the scenery along...

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I’m getting tracked down by nightfall
Hear me…hear me…out as I fall…
Hear my call; my heart’s pounding in appall 
I fall down – hear my pleas and answer my call
Don’t hang up on me at all!
I’m...

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I Stumble Upon My
Words – I’m
speechless
We were so far away
from each
other…I-I-I’m one
with
r-regret…f-feeling
incomplete…
I thought our love
was as worthless as
the debris…
You smoked me out
like a cigarette…and
y-you left me on the
filthy, messed-up
street…
I thought your kind
of “freedom” would
set us...

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I'm a very picky guy, getting involved 
With my quality quantity 
Oh oh look at how I have evolved
It's fantastic that it's reality 
It's not a fantasy alone
And God answered His phone
No longer on my...

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You stole away my lonely melody, Lord,
And made it harmony according to Your accord
I’d like to thank You with all of my heart as I make sound
My mind is trying to look forward to a...

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What if…

If fear did not guard and watch over me?
My seeds of shame and doubt
Would timidly venture out
And finally sprout,
But as they reached the light,
Like a vampire, would wither and die
Without the protection of night.
Or:...

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thermometer reads zero, a chilly breeze blows
  apple cores thrown, the blackbirds feed
  my multi-layered partner dons her wooly hat
  impatiently, she waits for me
  securing covid masks amidst my overcoat
...

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You, Mariana—deepest trench of my knowing  
   I call you by name not to possess it
but because it is the only prayer  
   I have ever known how to...

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When I'm gone...
You're gonna miss me over my dead body 
When I'm gone...
Till I'm gone...bye-bye, love...I guess I was your nobody and love everybody, but me...
When I finally belong 
You're gonna depart from me
When I...

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I
How long have I been doing this
Throwing my time & money
Into a hole
Filling up notebooks
Mining overheard conversation
For lines
Squeezing the sponge
Of my wine soaked
Mind
Into the bucket
Of poetry
And now here we are
Gulping down the
Lead tainted water
Like Romans
Romans
Forced...

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We use this word every day.
But only just a few of us really mean what we say.
What am I thankful for you ask?
Well, I'm telling you now this is going to be a very easy...

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Stimulating ideas pop into your head
You need a pen…you need a piece of lined paper and you gave it your best shot to pass the difficult test
It looks like you’re outtah luck…you received an F...

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when I met you, I was dying. for the very first time in my life, but certainly not the last- you made sure of that
when I met you I was dying. I hadn’t eaten in...

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