Best Poems Written by Michael Grugan

Below are the all-time best Michael Grugan poems as chosen by PoetrySoup members

View ALL Michael Grugan Poems

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

Sword of Roses

What, then, is Love but a sword of roses
Which cleaves poor waiting hearts
And thusly drunk with the blood of saints
Exults in its own dissipation?

And mine, a soul it so jagged gashed,
A scarred and wilted husk
Which once had songs to Heaven sung
Yet now but gasps with the fetid breath of dying things...

Oh soft Night's tapestry:meadows, fields, 
The courtyards of the Moon!
Now but brittle corpses endraped in silken mask,
Their board and banquet but sullen Death
Mocking of Light, fair Hope, and fond Embrace...

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007


Details | Michael Grugan Poem

Believe Not Tomorrow

Believe not tomorrow, the Dawn's fragrant lies,
Nor Love's fickle promise which heavenward flies
On gilded wings soon fallen to death
As songs which hearts sung gasp piteous breath.

O, sweetest poems my ear did assail
From lutes plied by angels 'pon shimmering vale
Which nebulous, floated nowhere save in Dream,
As my soul kisses gallows in wretched scream/

Now I walk midst the graves and envy the peace
Of slumber well-gained, and long for release
From the heart's empty exile, long laden with chains,
To sleep! Repose! beneath midnight rains...

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

Seppuku

Stately pines in Night's crimson Deep
Whisper a rustling song...
Gleaming steel, and warriors two
Beneath the weeping moon
With eyes a'dew and locked, embrace
The poetry of Death...

Alas the final shuddering as flesh
Gives home to sword,
"Tis done, 'tis done! Love's wage is paid-
The body's struggling dignity...
Upright no more, in blood awash,
Yet even then that silent reaching-
Grasping for his "Other,"
With heart a'twain and sorely cleaved,
He gasps that name which was his soul,
Beloved! See my troth!

The forest bows to reverence,
But nay, the thing's not done...
As flashing drops a pristine blade
In firmest grip of youth-strong hands,
And honor's deed's discharged...

Silence now, in clouded clamour,
As nary a sound escapes,
Save the gentle meeting of a 
Fallen tear upon a leaf at the "Other's" feet...

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2008

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

Apart, Apart, In Ever-Dream

I come from Dawn to Night's long mile
Whose boyhood heard the songs of brooks
And mourned the sparrow's falling,
And Hope, those days did lift my wings
As lone I strode the gardened fields 
Of honied labyrinth...
Apart, apart! In Ever-Dream,
My bliss found full at giants feet-
Enthralled, bewitched at Sky's orations
Or what forests deep did tell...
And now the Day's long-bearded trek
But to endless shade proceeds...

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

Shadows

Shadows of the night...
The forest sleeps.
An April breeze bestirs me:
It is you.

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2008


Details | Michael Grugan Poem

To a Young Man At Life's Portal-Ded.B.D.

May you grace the shores of Eternity
And upon Life's waiting seas 
Cast a dreadnought...

May sunstruck vistas embrace you
As their son and brother
As the beautiful doings of your soul
Surpass that glorious portraiture...

For in your deep and brooding eyes
Is the promise of Tomorrow,
And all the dreams and hopes
Of a thosand generations
Dance within them.

I believe in that...I believe in you.

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

What Fathoms Boast

Splen'drous verse in silent tongue-
The arias of the night,
Their strains a'sail 'pon saddened seas
In dulcet tones of yearning
To this lonely dance some comfort bring...
For what fathoms boasts the myst'ried Deep
That Love has not the greater?
What fragrance speaks Spring's choicest bloom
That Longing's not the more?

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2008

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

For Alcibiades

Once when of this dark world wearied
And I had all its passions queried
Upon the sound of the Reeper's cry
I wished there'd been a "you and I..."

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

No Blessed Slumber Given

Thou Death! To me no subtle thing
But of common visage, known,
Unto my days so well betrothed!
Yet in its clutches not Mercy's scythe
But cursed quill
Which no surcease permits-
And granting not that blessed peace
Does letless rage and torment, sting and prod
'Til e'en poor Tantalus would hold his lot
And not mine, for it, dare barter;
For Hades very countenance more fair a thing beheld
Than promised Dawns deferred,
Each alighting hope but a moment's sigh
By Hell's cruel breath consumed
'Til naught but cinders adorns my path
And Love, sweet corpse, its darksong warbles...

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2007

Details | Michael Grugan Poem

'pon Sailing Clouds a Throne

Sailing clouds ply Nights azure seas
Like brooding wraiths.
By one alone is my heart engloved.
The Beautiful Dawn.

Copyright © Michael Grugan | Year Posted 2008

123
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Reflection on the Important Things

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter
Hide Ad