Long Torchlight Poems

The Dance of Salome
Herod bellowed out the night's festive orders..
"Bring the torches, bring the tables..
more wine, that we may rejoice,  
for tonight we revel in kindred friendship."
Herod strolled onto the terrace, nearly stumbled in...

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Recluse by dint of circumstance

Proud anonymous troglodytes 
forerunners of mine
confronted threats less horrific
than forty fifth commander in chief
of United States of America.

He/him (matted hair, ratty, scrawny, 
and tetchy ugly villain)   
scurried into dark...

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We'd laid old George to rest the week before,
at ninety-one he now rejoined his wife,
no heirs to his estate, so one thing more
to do, and that's clear where he'd spent his life.
Downstairs had been quite...

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I
we’ve built you bridges that will lead you to tomorrow
the pieces of these skimpy mind of yours has been repaired 
down in the sea of knowledge have we made roses for you
love at large and...

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Chapter 14b (King Ptolemy the Second)

With a travel bag to carry
Their belongings and essentials
And they rode by wheel-borne carriage 
On the road down to the harbour 
 
There they stepped aboard the vessel
That would take...

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Heretic condemned to burn at stake
reprieve eleventh hour granted clemency
commuted death penalty
criminal sentenced solitary isolation
rat infested dungeon ultimate punishment
doled out after protracted proceedings
courtesy amazing graceful puffed dragon
unwittingly delivered merciful respite.

Cowled ascetic busied himself
exotic gaseous/ liquified...

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That night, I looked at the glorious moon
And chose, on the spur of the moment
To leave all that I was accustomed to
I would go, there, wherever my feet took me
I set out, with only a...

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Pride goeth before a fall,
It shall be said, long after.

How well the phrase fits this Argive king,
Come far across the wine-dark seas
In his gleaming ships of war
To rape the wealth of other men's homes
All for...

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One winter eve I walked out with my dog,
The way was dark, unlit by moon and stars,
My flickering torchlight failing in the fog,
To pick out tree roots,crevices and rocks,
To cause a stumble, and a muffled...

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He/him (ratty, scrawny, 
and tetchy ugly villain)   
scurried into dark recesses of hermitage
averse to cavort, frolic, inure himself
into the duplicitous schemes
capitalized, glorified, popularized

courtesy vanity of Homo sapiens
lest imp of the pervert 
already sacrificed...

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Footsteps in the Snow


In the cold grip of winter’s night it is the season of nature’s rest. All is not at peace in this time of rest for the forest. All does not sleep.

The call...

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"Beyond lychgate lies future death" she says,
cucumbered eyes slid back under cauliflower sky,
brimming smithereens of harkening demons.

Been in saddle some time since torchlight began,
a child's silent castle ago. Chaos-times cut alleyways
through rose-lettered circles, reads trashy...

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I never possessed time.
Time that I would call my own.
You see, amidst a broken heart.
I had heard a friend cry.
She said her own heart had been broken.
So I listened, counselled and wiped away her tears.
There...

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Of all the flamin’ rotten luck I said alighting from me van;
kicked the wheel holding the flat to upset our touring plan.
We’re miles away from anywhere as I rummage through our gear,   
for...

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When you are gone!

1. Never once believe in the idea of having my eyes set on a certain someone's heart.

It sounded ridiculous and mythical,

Like the story of Wind Breaker and the bald man from Alabama,...

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I stared enrapt and enamored as twilight took hold,
mesmerized as the meadow shimmered in gold.
Dusk dimmed and gave way to the moon,
as she took her throne on this ebon night.
I was enchanted by movements that...

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Each summer brings festivity 
To the Emerald City by the sea,
A Torchlight Parade in diversity
Of folks who live in harmony.

The people line the streets and cheer 
As the Chinese dragons writhe and rear
Their heads from...

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Drink at the table of men the wine
Tapped from the palm tree so divine
Release the ashimu inside of you
Let your body vibrate to the secret rhythm of Odu
Egu the gallant one in the land
Vibrating furiously...

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Studious at the desk, disinclination to speak,
Solid state of matter, I find impossible to pique,
Engrossed in esoteric lingo, but all in his mind,
Nonsensical gibberish, of language undefined,
 
Attempting to engage, shows no interest in me,
This...

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Seven leagues to market and the hills are steep.
Baby is so tired now, she mustn’t fall asleep.
Shepherds in the pasture guard their master’s sheep.
Baby is so tired now, she mustn’t fall asleep.

Village women gossip as...

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Sitting round the
campfire
the men told each
other tales
as the night went on
each one
became more
elaborate by turn

Tales of whoopers
that got away
a few night time bed
stories
of this and that
very lush ladies
they swopped some
hunting stories

As the fire started
to die...

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Fantasy 2-22-24  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Parade

At midnight dawn my mind escapes parting the stars
Making my way to a summerland torchlight parade
Where grand marshals of zebra fish 
Lead the festival from fiery snow drifts of spun clouds
Making way...

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One pitch black night I was driving home and was ready for my bed
My usual route was closed for repairs so I took the minor road instead
I was just approaching the old derelict mill that...

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the cloud wants to wrap her around
but cant find
wake her up

stars are gone
there is no sun
still the moon is hiding
wake her up

there are no layers.....there are no grounds
starless nights have made no sounds
still the moon...

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A STUDY IN VIOLET

This treasure house of objets d’art
Littered with plots and storylines
A room encrusted with jewels of history
Inviolate – and undisturbed.

Over there, a military tunic
Blue – and in such fine condition.
Pale lapels perhaps too...

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