Long Toms Poems

Radiance
by Michael R. Burch

for Dylan Thomas

The poet delves earth’s detritus—hard toil—
for raw-edged nouns, barbed verbs, vowels’ lush bouquet;
each syllable his pen excretes—dense soil,
dark images impacted, rooted clay.

The poet sees the sea but feels its meaning—
the...

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These are poems about Dylan Thomas, as well as poems "for" and "after" Dylan Thomas. Dylan Thomas was one of my favorite poets from my early teens and has remained so over the years. I...

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Myth, after Dylan Thomas
by Michael R. Burch

Here the recalcitrant wind
sighs with grievance and remorse
over fields of wayward gorse
and thistle-throttled lanes.

And she is the myth of the scythed wheat
hewn and sighing, complete,
waiting, lain in a low...

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Unquotable quotes: Tale-Carriers, Gossip-Mongers, Courrier-Pigeon Caretakers, Smoke-Signal Puffers and Tom-Tom Thumpers – XXVI

Could there be such things as political shenanigans or inter-continental warfares, even catastrophes, natural disasters, tsunamis, irruptions, conflagrations, inundations, landslides, typhoons, tornadoes, hurricanes,...

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"Sick Art"



I walk the streets
still and quiet
I do not lie
I do not betray
what the heart belies
pickled kidneys 

I am a ghost
of my former self

ears lent to hear 
the sweet music
of the sounds so fraught
caught up...

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I’ve Been So Lucky in Life! (1&2)
(Only Raped 5 Times Metaphorically)

Poem’s Introduction
My poetry has always been about transparency. It’s about letting go of an effort to be liked by others, and allowing others to gravitate...

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One morning early a Dad and his son Tom went for a walk in the country, they journeyed
through the still mist looking for flowers for the boy's Mom, but they did not see many.
Just then...

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He didn’t really meet Sally as such, more she met him. He was walking down the High street when she tapped him on the shoulder. I’m in a real hurry, but your brother Tom says...

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In the Last days of January 2016 father Antony was wondering where he could find a person or persons who would be able to clear the badly overgrown Church garden He had inherited just two...

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Kids of today, we here them say, no respect, what do you expect
Always hanging around on the streets, doing nothing and nothing to do
Is it their fault in this decaying society or should the blame...

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It was promising to be a cloudy grey day if things held up' still what can you expect in England in Janruary Tom reasoned, he was already considering how far behind he might be in...

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                               parallel lives

  ...

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Unquotabe quotes: Dancers - XXIII

Dance like Cassius Clay, Sting like Muhammad Ali.
The dancing Dervish’s ethereal trip makes the Sufi’s Qawwali breathlessness sound like the radio-astral waves dashing on the beaches of their consciousness.
The only unlicensed...

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"50 Words for Poe: Rasputin"



The Rat was buried in the Pet Cemetery
His name was Rasputin

She had been fond of him for some time
feeding him morsels 
every now and again
tickling his whiskers occasionally -
until he decided...

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dark matter(s)
by Michael R. Burch

the matter is dark, despairful, alarming:
ur Creator is hardly prince charming!

yes, ur “Great I Am”
created blake’s lamb

but He also created the tyger
and what about trump and rod steiger? 


The Echoless Green
by...

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Here, at The Restaurant at the End of the Universe, 

Poetrysoup is on the menu! 

And to save our sacred website, perhaps the world ...

We must entertain and enter vague conspicuous contests 
With a true...

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King Ptolemy the Second (cont.)

Sleek of line for speedy sailing 
It was rugged in construction 
Several layers of well cured timber
Lined the hull and bridge and gunwales 
 
There were four great masts with mainsails
Han...

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Being in the mind of a savage.

All I know is how to act ferociously.
Manipulating the minds of the weak, fearful, and the victims.
Beating them into submissive.
Emasculating the strongest, just to see him break.
Dismiss him of...

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You continue to play the game and looking for someone to blame
You continue to play the game when everything around you is so lame
The days are sprinting by with a profound message from the anxious...

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Newtonian physics say what goes up must come down
sorry not in the camp of horn tootin, high falutin clowns
justice serves only to rebuke you, not too astute of you
when youre bragging of genetics, a sword...

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In the iron grey days of the 1950's change changed everything, good or bad,
Tom, who was the local coal-man for this area, a hard man of steel but kind,
He tried to speak but no words...

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In the iron grey days of the 1950's change changed everything, good or bad,
Tom, who was the local coal-man for this area, a hard man of steel but kind,
He tried to speak but no words...

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In our wigwams we hear tom-toms
Like hearts beating out a greeting;
Seasons in tune with thirteen moons.

In the moon of red grass.
Let the white man come.
There is room enough for all.

In the moon of green grass.
Let...

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Lady at the desk.. Hello this is wabc radio caller.'  hello i would like to speak on the station to Tom-morrow, what would you like to say?  I just want someone to understand...

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An Overview

When Villonia Beebe was a baby of three
She got it in her head to trim the Christmas tree.
She lit all the pretty candles,
Tossed the matchstick away,
Sister, brother, dad, and mother
Never saw Christmas Day.

Nine years...

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