Long Wines Poems

“Sophisticated lady” gropes the table at her bedside, blindly taking random swipes to kill the morning scream 
That shatters little privacies she shares with no one else, and steals, with full impunity, her one recurring...

Read More

“Sophisticated lady” gropes the table at her bedside, blindly taking random swipes to kill the morning scream 
That shatters little privacies she shares with no one else, and steals, with full impunity, her one recurring...

Read More

Evolution Not God

It is the case that there is no God,
He does not exist, he is not the one,
He is not there, he’s not everyone’s invisible puppet,
It is not personal, he is not the Son.

Evolution...

Read More

Masalembo
2016 © Fleetwood


Blue-green ocean tipped with whitecaps rolling toward the shore
Plane is humming with the pilot talking about life and your ride is there parked on the hill for easy starting next to the palm...

Read More

THE LAST THOUGHTS OF A FALLEN CHAMPION

This one time I know I was  caught below the belt
No doubt I got it wrong and I'm far from my best
My last chilling and coin now I've...

Read More

Ah the lovely seasdie
Ah the lovely seaside

Childhood scents
Salt air, Salty bitter memories

Jacques had turned just seven
He dreamed to walk along the seashore
He dreamed to see the seagulls sore overhead
He most of all dreamed to leave...

Read More

See them opening the doors to welcome you to the shore. See them opening the door, they are asking you for more. Get your business in line and make way for the divine, open up...

Read More

The bones of winter cracked the ice black, coal black night.
A hoary wind spits frost crystals that dazzle and blur the sight.
Boney fingers of bare deciduous wood, scratch against the eaves
as the stranger's tread crackles...

Read More

I see your tears,and it breaks me apart~I wanna reach across the moon to get inside your heart

 I see the scar's he's left and it tears my soul up inside It makes me want...

Read More

I'm not sure Shem
the Lord said he was sad,
he told me that a long time ago
the angels had done something terrible
that they had compromised their divine command
for carnal caprice, that their offspring had become offensive,...

Read More

OCTOBER TALE
Go south and follow the sun’s traverse
As it heads t’ward Capricorn
When days and nights are in equipoise
And slight chills happily born

Go beyond the wide stream where Siegfried roved
Past the dark forest’s sylvan span
You then...

Read More

with midnight dreams we dance
unyielding, i stir unwilling to awaken
incessantly seeking
You

like virgin wings of the monarch, your shape gently unfolds
i clutch the edges of slumber
aware in my wakening you will be gone
Again

you have come before,...

Read More

It is time for the game 
With the team the world knows the name 
This year New York State was invited to the feast
When the Bills were chosen as the sacrifice for the statement of...

Read More

When the Earth was in danger     3/8
Prelude   (For Prelude please see part 2)

Then the most beautiful Urvashi* was called, from the heavenly court of Indira*,
To perform a unique dance,...

Read More

(1.) First poem
In Our Feasts, We Both Drank Lover's Wine
Second poets tribute series third poet Gerard Manley Hopkins

Blood that entices with its red-glow appeal
Its bright warmth into a wanton soul seeks
She that drove passion, ate...

Read More

snuggled up to the gentle fire
under the moon and stars 
he rests his head
and nestles into
a long lingering
swig of whiskey 
that drifts his mind
on the night breeze
like the billowy puff
slowly eclipsing
the moon 
a sparkling stream...

Read More

Martial epigram translations

Epitaph for the Child Erotion
by Marcus Valerius Martial
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Lie lightly on her, grass and dew...
So little weight she placed on you.

I created the translation above after the Nashville Covenant...

Read More

The house was full
Of Gods and deities
The curtain call was soon
The water vasos were poured
And became the finest of wines
The bread multiplied
The baker you see
Was a part time magician
The fishermen all relaxed
As I saw fish...

Read More

He often told the story of him
raising tulips for wine.
He bragged about his collection
of stored wines which were
labeled"Nectar to the Gods"
He came into Samothrace to
find friends: people to
support his affords: as he wished
to build a...

Read More

In Our Feasts, We Both Drank Lover's Wine,
Second poets tribute series, third poet Gerard Manley Hopkins

Blood that entices with its red-glow appeal
Its bright warmth into a wanton soul seeks
She that drove passion, ate my youthful...

Read More

*"A SECOND CHANCE TO LIFE"* 

He stared at death eye ball to eyeballs
With subtle glance as he tried to take him away
Whispering his routine rituals as he drag the soul of his body
He lay still,...

Read More

Love is an enchantment, a passion, but most of all a mystery.
  No one knows how it starts or where it will end
 But, once you've been stung by its infectious delight
  You...

Read More

I walked in and was hit by the familiar smell of fear and disinfectant 
then wrapped my sweater tighter from the cold and discomfort. 
I glanced fleetingly into desperate, tearful eyes
bruised egos, painful cries and...

Read More

Like a present long waited for that is sealed
I’m in and out of love and don’t know how to feel
Although my love life has come to a yield
Now is the time to harvest the fresh...

Read More

returning home was quite different 
than i'd imagined i mean i expected
the waving flags the gentle smiles 
warm handshakes familiar family 

friends totally unaware 
just how much of a stranger
i was to myself we shared...

Read More