Martial Epigrams

You ask me why I've sent you no new verses?
There might be reverses.
—Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You ask me to recite my poems to you?
I know how you'll "recite" them, if I do.
—Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You ask me why I choose to live elsewhere?
You're not there.
—Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You ask me why I love fresh country air?
You're not befouling it there.
—Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

You never wrote a poem,
yet criticize mine?
Stop abusing me or write something fine
of your own!
—Martial, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

He starts everything but finishes nothing;
thus I suspect there's no end to his *******.
—Martial, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

You alone own prime land, dandy!
Gold, money, the finest porcelain—you alone!
The best wines of the most famous vintages—you alone!
Discrimination and wit—you alone!
You have it all—who can deny that you alone are set for life?
But everyone has had your wife—
she is never alone!
—Martial, loose translation by Michael R. Burch

You dine in great magnificence
while offering guests a pittance.
Sextus, did you invite
friends to dinner tonight
to impress us with your enormous appetite?
—Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Coq au vin
by Martial, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

1.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but are you merely an éclair to the greedy?

2.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but are you **** Amaro to the greedy?

Amaro is an after-dinner liqueur thought to aid the digestion after a large meal.

3.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but are you an aperitif to the greedy?

4.
Hosts always invite you to dinner, Phoebe,
but they’re pimps to the seedy.

Ad cenam invitant omnes te, Phoebe, cinaedi.
mentula quem pascit, non, ****, purus **** est.

Keywords/Tags: Martial, translation, Latin, epigram, verse, recite, wit, discrimination, country, air, dandy, wine, wife, dinner, appetite

The Board
by Michael R. Burch

Accessible rhyme is never good.
The penalty is understood:
soft titters from dark board rooms where
the businessmen paste on their hair
and, Colonel Klinks, defend the Muse
with reprimands of Dr. Seuss.

The best book of the age sold two,
or three, or four (but not to you),
strange copies of the ones before,
misreadings that delight the board.
They sit and clap; their revenues
fall trillions short of Mother Goose.

Keywords/Tags: poetry, accessible, rhyme, traditional, muse, Seuss, Mother Goose, misreadings, discrimination, prejudice, revenues, sales, copies

Where to start,
don’t know where to begin,
coronavirus has the whole globe scared,
trying to stay balanced as the world spins,

and I don’t drink but pour me some gin,
I’m way down going rounds all in,
want to help the planet don’t know how to save it,
praying for redemption,

black white old young,
discrimination is an illusion woman or man,
truth so bright it hurts the eyes,
in the sun soul got a tan,

where are you at,
before we check out let’s check in,
suicide not an option so what’s the plan b,
pen in my hand is a lethal weapon,

no Danny Glover or Mel Gibson,
just a car with no roof firing pistons,
and if Death was at my door last night,
I didn’t notice and missed Him,

feels like it’s all about to end,
forget a lover I just need a friend,
because I’m not feeling ****** these days,
heck I don’t know if I’m feeling anything,

this is an Ode To Those That Know,
or at least to those that still show,
some sort of emotional intelligence,
anyways whatever hello from the other side it’s time to go,

but to where is the question,
as you sit there staring at this screen,
self isolation world in tribulation,
please let me know if you know what I mean,

where to start,
don’t know where to begin,
coronavirus has the whole globe scared,
trying to stay balanced as the world spins…

∆ LaLux ∆

3/20

I'm a newbie at work,
Help I always seek.
Good thing my seat mate is a tenure,
Though a 'lil bit immature.

One day, one day, I was supposed to tell the truth,
The truth that I am a bisexual,
'coz we are talking 'bout gays
then she randomly said,
"If i'll get the chance i'll have them killed"
I kept quiet the whole shift.
Thought about -How I am supposed to stay in an environment like this?
That my seat mate is a homophobe and I do not know who else is.

"Yo, for my anger settle,
Man give me a treble !    
Wait, i've got to mingle      
So, give me a single    
in fact, i'll take a double    
cos' this may start trouble !"    
    
All These DOUBLE STANDARDS ...    
Are Getting Me ANGERED ... !!!!    
      
From Lawrence To Walker ...    
To ... Christopher Alder ...  
      
It Seems Some English People ...    
CAN'T Deal With The Evil .. !!!    
That LURKS In Their House ... !!!    
When They Get ... FOUND OUT ... !!!!!!!    
      
We Blacks Should SHUT MOUTHS And NOT Speak About ...    
The Way We Get Treated In Some English Towns ... !!!!    
      
Or Speak of Our LOSSES Because of White Bosses ...    
Who've Got EVERY RIGHT ... !?!    
To DISMISS Our Plight of Fighting For Lives ...    
When Police SHINE THEIR LIGHTS ... !!!!!    
      
Or KEEP Us ..."In The Dark" ... ?    
About .... MONKEY CHANTS .... !!!    
    
While Black Soldiers DIE On Police Station Floors ... !!!    
They'd Rather Deny How We're Treated Like ****** ... !!!    
    
AND ... Left On ALL FOURS ...    
While THEY Have A LAUGH In Stations And Courts ... !!!!!    
      
The Standards They Have DON'T Add Up Like Math ... !?!    
They'd Rather NOT HEAR About The .... " Veneers " ...    
Behind Cover Ups That ... EXPOSES STUFF ...    
      
About Just How LOW Their Standards Can Go ... !!!!!    
Excuses EXCUSES And YES ... MORE EXCUSES ... !!!?!!!    
Are What They Provide To Cover Their LOOSENESS ... !!!    
      
"All people do wrong !"  
    
Is Their NEW ... " HOT SONG " ... !!!  
      
ALL THIS While ... " Trayvons' " ...    
Are LOST Due To Shots From ... Zimmerman Bods' ... !!!!!!!!!!!!    
      
"Of course we should *****' !    
Let's erase those chapters !"    
      
See I'm Down With The Man ...    
....... " Lilian Thuram " ......    
      
So Take The Stance THAT ...  
DOUBLE STANDARDS Land In The Laps of CLANS ...    
Who Stand Next To Racists In Various Places ... !!!!!!    
      
But WON'T Get In The Faces ...    
of Those Who Spread HATRED ... !!?!!    
      
I Wonder Sometimes Whether They Recognise ...    
Or Take Time To THINK ... About ANYTHING ......    
BEYOND .................................... Their Kin .... ?!!!?    
      
It's CLEAR Most DON'T ... !!!!!    
And WON'T Rock The Boat ...    
When Within Their Folk ...    
      
They Hear Subtle Jokes ...    
That EXPOSE Attitudes With Racist Styled Views ... !!!!!    
      
How Many Make FEUDS Within Their Own Crews ... ?    
It Seems There Aren't Many Who TRULY Are READY ...    
To REALLY Say Something They'd Rather Do NOTHING ... !!!  
      
And Be YES ... COMPLICIT ...    
With Those Who ARE ... RACIST ... !!!!!  
      
But Are QUICK To Run Lines ...      
And Wanna Start Fights With Blacks Who AREN'T SHY ...    
To Speak On Their Crimes And Bring Them To LIGHT ... !!!!!    
      
The Question Is .... WHY .... ???    
      
Their Standards Seem ....... " DOUBLED " ... !?!    
When Their Feathers Get ... " RUFFLED " ... !!!!    
      
It's CLEAR They Get ... " TROUBLED " ... !!!    
And Just ... WILL NOT BE HUMBLED ...    
      
I've Said It Before ... I'll Say It AGAIN ... !!!    
      
It's Like Mos' Def' Said ...    
      
"When they do it well, It's seen as success !    
When we do it well, It's seen as SUSPECT !"    
      
But Who Are ... " SUSPECT " ... ?!?    
When Their Standards Are CHECKED ... !?!  
  
It's Time To INSPECT And Let ME Cut The Deck ... !!!    
I Ain't From Wu Tang But Know About KLANS ...    
And IGNORANT Gangs Who STILL Take The Stance ...      
      
That ...      
      
Immigrants Cause Their Country's Downfall ... !!!  
      
So Let's DOUBLE CHECK And Get This CORRECT ...    
When They Move Around Across DIFFERENT Towns ...    
      
On YES ... FOREIGN Grounds ...    
      
Does Their Migration ... ?    
Or ......... IMMIGRATION ...    
Make For ... BETTER Nations ... ?!?    
When How They Get Stationed ...    
Seems To Bear ... NO RELATION ... ?!?    
To ... Living In SQUALOR ... ?!?    
And BEGGING For DOLLARS ...    
Or BEGGING For POUNDS ... !?!    
      
That's REALLY NOT HOW They Seem To Get Down ... !?!    
Do They FEAR POLICE When They Walk The Streets ... ?    
Upon FOREIGN Shores Or Live Like The ... POOR ... ?!?    
      
Their Standards STAY HIGH ... !!!    
Wherever They .......... " LIE " ...........    
Of Course I Meant ... " LAY " ... !!!    
      
But In The ... U.K.      
Immigrants AREN'T OKAY ... !!!    
And Should YES .......................................... PLAY AWAY .......    
      
UNLESS They Will Play In Ways That Display ....    
A Wish To CONFORM And NOT Kick Up A Storm ... !!!    
When How They Are Treated Is ... RACISM Born ... !!!!!!!!!!    
      
I DOUBLE UP My Standards So That They Stay HIGH ... !!!    
And WILL NOT Have HANDLERS Decide How I Ride .... !!!    
      
And DON'T KEEP ******* Types ...    
Standing .... By My Side ... !!!    
    
And DON'T Hide Behind Lies ...    
Or ....... IGNORANT Pride ... !!!!!!!!    
      
Cos' It's Now CLEAR TO ME ... !!!    
Some FORGET Their Manners ...    
And Seem To Be HAMPERED ... ?!?    
      
When It Comes To Them SEEING ...    
      
How They ... "HOLD" ...    
      
.... " DOUBLE STANDARDS " ....

it never favors one over the other
regardless of skin colors --
white, yellow, brown or black
  
not even the most discriminating eye
can find any bone
to pick with

A badge of great honor
We wear it with pride,
They say it’s an insult
But we’ll let that one slide.

A boomer’s a doer
A person with Pep,
Marching alone
To their own special step.

The children of Giants
Who lived through a war
Instilling in us
The passion to soar.

They call us great bores
Whose opinions don’t count,
Incongruous has-beens
Our words they discount.

Little they know
It’s a wheel that does turn,
With each generation
Another to spurn.

Suffice it to add
We’re fine in our skin,
Whatever is said
They’ll still be our kin.

Millennials are brash
They message and tweet,
But most just innocuous,
In-fact rather sweet.

They look at their parents
The way we did ours,
With fresh consternation
Like brief summer showers.

When all’s said and done
For boomers like us,
There’s nothing more pleasing
Than life without fuss.

Is it Such A Crime To Speak Your Mind … ?    
      
Because ….      
It Seems To Be If You're NOT WHITE ... !!!    
      
I Hear This Said So MANY Times … !!!      
      
"Virge, you scare folks with words you rhyme !"      
      
And That's NO JOKE But Words I Quote ...      
Are NOT  The Type To Start A Fight … !!!      
      
But May UNSETTLE Those Who … " Settle " ...      
To Hide Behind A … "LIE FILLED Life" … !!!      
      
Can Someone DEFINE Why It's …. " Such A Crime " …. ?      
To Criticise ... Political Types …. !?!      
      
In Times Like THESE FREEDOM of SPEECH ...      
Is NEEDED …  Just Like Poetry … !!!      
      
If We're To Ease Pain And Misery … !!!      
And Crimes of More FATAL DESIGNS … !!!!!      
      
MURDERS ... RAPES Crimes Based On Race …      
And Crimes Inclined To Keep The Masses ... "Blind" ... !!!      
Like Those In Folds Who Make Mistakes …      
Do THEY Pay A Toll For CASH THEY TAKE … ?!?      
      
MISTAKES … THEY SAY That Pay For Homes … ?!?      
      
"It was merely a loan, from a chap I know !      
No more questions now, i've got to go !"      
      
"A chap you know, can't we know his name ?"      
      
"Are you insane, is it such a crime      
for you to find, that friends of mine,      
help out in times of financial strain ?"    
      
"Of course not sir, but don't divert, what is his name,      
and did he donate to your friends campaign ?      
Need I ask you again, the question is what is his name ?      
Let me make it plain, are you quite sure he hasn't bought,      
A Peerage, and is now a lord ?"      
      
"I will not answer any more !      
What do you take, politicians for ?      
Anyone would think, our dealings stink !"      
      
"Well, no more than a poor street ***** !    
Is it such a crime to want to know more ?"    
      
Could This Be Why Government Guidelines ...      
Are Trying To Stem ... Peoples' Questions ... !?!      
      
If Free Speech ENDS What'll Happen To THEM … ???      
And ALL THEIR Pre-Planned Arguments … ?!?      
      
It Seems That THEY Will Carry On …      
Airing Views Even If They're WRONG … !?!      
      
Isn't That A Crime It Would Seem NOT … !?!      
So How Can It Be A CRIME To Speak Your Mind ... ?!?      
ESPECIALLY When You're PROVEN RIGHT … !!!      
      
I Find This ATTITUDE At …. " Poetry Nights " …. ?!?      
      
if You Speak About Your Life That Seems To Be FINE …    
Or Express FRUSTRATION At The State of The NATION … !!!      
Through Words You Write ….      
If You Are WHITE And They Make Folks SMILE ... !!!      
      
But If You're BLACK And Make ATTACKS …      
On RACISTS ... Or On Western Plans …      
You're Treated Like An ….. ALIEN …… !!!!!      
It MUST BE A Crime To Be A BLACK MAN ... !???!      
      
ESPECIALLY When You Have A MIND …      
Inclined To WRITE Poetic Rhymes That Spread Insight … !!!    
      
"But, SOME BLACKS DO !"      
      
"Well, if that's true, let me ask you who ?      
Mr. Zephaniah, okay, that's one !      
But, he's spent time inside prison !"      
I'm talking about a black without,      
a history of dodgy deeds !"      
      
I Think You'll Find THAT MAN Is ME … !!!      
NO Prison Time Has Big Virge SEEN … !!!      
      
But May Well Do For Words I Speak …      
Even When My Record's … CLEAN … !!?!!      
      
Well …. Clean ENOUGH … !!!      
      
I HAVE BEEN Cuffed ... !!!!!      
For Slapping A Girl For DISRESPECTING MY MUM … !!!!!      
      
And ….. " Driving Drunk " ……      
But Both Misdemeanours Were Just The ONCE … !!!!!      
And Like Benjamin ... Were When I Was YOUNG … !!!!!      
      
But The Point I'm Trying To Make …      
Is … Black Americans Are Deemed To Be GREAT … !!!!!      
For Taking A STANCE AGAINST Racial HATE … !!!!!      
      
WHICH English Black Can Make The Claim THAT …      
They've Gained RESPECT For … Taking THAT STANCE … !?!      
      
What Does That Say About Those Who CLAIM … !!!      
      
THAT …….      
      
"Blacks are treated just the same,      
as every other race on, English Shores !"      
      
"Are THEY QUITE SURE ?!!!? "      
      
I'm NO Malcolm X But DO HAVE A Cause … !!!      
My Cause DEPLORES These Government Laws … !!!      
      
Cos' If You're Black And POOR …      
You're Gonna ... SUFFER For SURE … !!!!!      
      
Even If You're NOT …      
Police Now Plot To Shoot You Down … !!!!!      
Or Question You ... Even If They Doubt … ?      
      
THAT You ARE THAT Drug Dealer … !?!      
OR The ONE Who STOLE That Car … !!!!!      
      
Laws They PASS Are Now PURE FARCE … !!!!      
It Seems They've Moved But …. NOT TOO FAR …. !!!!!!!      
AWAY From Keeping Us ……….. Apart ……….      
      
Ask Yourself WHY Are They Inclined ... ?      
To RESTRICT Those Who EXPOSE LIES … ?!?      
      
Creatively ...  Or Otherwise …      
Through Simply Saying What's IN Their Mind … !?!      
      
PLEASE Ask Yourself WHY … ?      
      
..... " Is It Such A Crime ? " ......