Long Whine Poems

Sonnets XLII-LI

Distances
by Michael R. Burch

Moonbeams on water?
the reflected light
of a halcyon star
now drowning in night...
So your memories are.

Footprints on beaches
now flooding with water;
the small, broken ribcage
of some primitive slaughter...
So near, yet so far.



A Surfeit of...

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Salat Days
by Michael R. Burch 

(dedicated to my grandfather, Paul Ray Burch Sr.)

I remember how my grandfather used to pick poke salat ...
though first, usually, he’d stretch back in the front porch swing,
dangling his long...

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MODERN SONNETS I

I prefer the original definition of the sonnet as a “little song” of indeterminate form and length. These modern sonnets vary from more-or-less traditional to free verse.


Maker, Fakir, Curer
by Michael R. Burch

A poem...

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Upon this date he spoke no more of the preceding moments, 
Tearing and hurling insult upon insult
In several directions, his tongue whipped and scorched me,
And he waited relentlessly to see the spark in my eyes...

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Unquotable quotes: The Janitor, Gardienne, Landlady, Housekeeper, Portero, the Sereno and the Hausgast – XXXI  Part One

Be they so named or not in these here parts, visions of shrieking furies with Gorgon heads and...

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 After graduating from UF, in the early '80s I wrote the book, lyrics and score for a musical adaptation of Moliere's farce Le Malade Imaginaire ("The Imaginary Invalid") and have decided to post five...

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Two, perhaps three miles out to sea, beyond the reef to Zapatillas,
Bocas’ dual sand-edged footprint jewels with jungle centre trees, 
Francesco’s outboard boat heads out to Caribbean’s deeper blue.

Where sun burns softer gringo skin, but...

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This is, as indicated, the final THIRD of this fairly lengthy poem. Due to Poetry Soup's file-size limitations, this piece had to be posted in 3 parts. 
   The 1st and 2nd thirds...

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LOVE POEMS IV by Michael R. Burch

These are love poems by Michael R. Burch: original poems and translations about love, passion, desire, lust, sex, dating, romance, relationships and marriage. 



She Was Very Strange, and Beautiful
by...

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It is so hard to let go of love,
lovingly.

It sharks, 
unpeels more gut more quickly
than reel or reeler ever lost
in all those years of lazy inches
in and out:
casting,
winding in and playing out,
hardly fishing, rarely catching
anything
from...

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He stood and aimlessly watched the parade of patrons and volunteers that wandered daily past his kennel.  All so familiar, so ordinary.  Just like every other day he mused.  Nothing new. ...

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This is, as indicated, the 1st THIRD of this lengthy poem. The 2nd and final thirds had to be posted separately due to Poetry Soup's file-size limitations. No other way I could manage to make...

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Within the frame a sepia scene
a dusty porch   a rickety chair   
the fabric of your dusky face creased
with ceaseless sunbaked woes
your old pair of getaway feet gives 
a different walk of...

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These Limericks were written by many different PS poets who are all remaining anonymous.  If you would like to add one of your own and remain anonymous send it to my soup mail. Enjoy!

Roses...

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Yet there in the mist is the stories tusk
There full of the hidden secrets of men
The men and fairies who are full of lusk
They do hide them away here in the glen
Here they are hidden...

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Thankfulness: the opposite of complaining
This isn’t going to come easily, it will take a little training
It’s the concept of being content with all that we own
And being grateful for all the love that God has...

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“Wha’da-ya’ s’pose he’s thinkin’ about,” I heard a nurse inquire, “he sits there almost every day just gazin’ at the pond?”
“Hard to say,” a laundry gal replied, “but chances are...if you could, somehow, read his...

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This poem was inspired by one of my all time favorite motion picture classics, particularly the 1939 (the 1st) edition, in good old black ad white... 
 
NOTE: This is part 1 of a 2...

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Politics and Poetry – is hate really the answer

Why write a poem of hate about Trump
He’s been there just over a week
Though Hilary Clinton the people did dump
It still matters not what they seek

He cussed...

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Clarence Goddard, Harvey Bell, Virgil Barnes and I met for coffee every day for close to forty years.
I was a school janitor...Virgil was a farmer...Harvey ran the lumber yard, and... Clarence managed Sears.

We always met...

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The table is old and worn
nicks and scratches 
its red plastic tablecloth left over from a forgotten Christmas
its holiday pattern worn and forlorn
many a Thanksgiving dinner was hosted
the plump turkey as dry as yesterday

many wars...

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When life was a song, respect was expected;                           ...

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Memories Of Youth And Nature, Were A True Blast
In collaboration with Robert Lindley

Beautiful dawn a Nature walk would do one good
Across the flower filled pond, into the woods
With hearty breakfast, soul could be truly blessed
This...

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Dave the host gives his TV audience his best gigantic I-am-Dave Smile.  “Today’s topic is guns.  Do you love them? Do you have them? Do we need more?  Do we absolutely love...

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Darius was the Medo-Persian king,
Which means he was in charge of everything.
One hundred twenty satraps gave account,
So he would have an up-to-date amount;
All this so that he might not suffer loss.

‘Since that’s a lot of...

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