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"mockingbirds" poems
The Aces check their sleeves, Hearts rippling across the breeze. The Queen arises Slowly, Torn dress ripped at the knees. The Jack saw his fill And quickly took his leave. Stood trembling in a doorway, Mind struggling to believe... The King was an alcoholic, It was widely known to be so, Each eve he would sit solemn, Wine in hand and sword on show, Clapping to the Jokers' japes As he danced and sang About love and fate. But how was the King to know? Not two rooms away His wife had lain, With a smile and a ***** Creating a cuckold and a fool... The Jack had had enough And promptly marched To the throne room. Armed with only knowledge, Unleashes inevitable typhoon. The winds will rise, This house shall succumb, Imploding inwards Till the house is done. And all that remains Among ash and decay, Broken hearts and broken spades, Is the Jokers last laugh. A mockingbirds call as daylight fades.
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May 21, 2013
May 21, 2013 at 8:12 PM UTC
House of Cards
There's a place for me in a field of Bluebonnets under a Pecan Tree, with Texas Longhorn lowing to passerbys, and mockingbirds flitting about cloudless, grand skies.
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Mar 12, 2013
Mar 12, 2013 at 12:40 AM UTC
Somewhere in Texas
pulling back the covers dimming the lights an owl calls from the holly tree just outside of my window the garden below has grown beyond my control weeds sprout vines tangle in the summer squirrels gnaw on the green holly berries littering the courtyard with half-eaten haws in the spring mockingbirds gorge on the bright red fruit their florid songs celebrating light sky life sun leaf air closing my eyes I think back through the decades to when I planted the tree it was a time of hope a time when we dared dream of a world without mortal enemies when you could imagine shaded islands of calm hidden coves immune to rancor now look at us heads down lost hurtling stumbling under a trance we have turned on one other distracted by those who grab wealth and power under the cover of night confused by the constant trumpeting and alarms blind to what we share we retreat into the darkness of our fears Tom Spencer © 2018
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Oct 12, 2018
Oct 12, 2018 at 7:50 AM UTC
pulling back the covers
*Story.. Stories I have a story to tell It's a tragic one as usual* A day goes by. Silence reigns and birds cuckoo While this happens.. Two people sit under a tree Using it as a rendezvous For usual meetings They met... Once... In ten days They enjoyed it I helped another person and he tried to help me I did a better job of helping him that's what I think.. Anyways, once they met they enjoyed it they would talk together and climb a tree Play with a dog, which was a golden retriever They are big! It was a lot of fun Often playing Videogames like.. Mario kart..? That was a day and it happened on an occasional basis when both of them could spare some time from their daily time consuming life ---------------------------------------------------------------- One day however A bright sunny day A sunday afternoon filled with birds flying about nearly the end of the school year It was all going by wonderfully We had met another time because you called me and told me to help you out and just to relieve the stress that the school year had put on us We climbed a tree with a rope on it it was pretty tall about 10 feet high I remember talking about self harm.. ..and ways to **** oneself and I gave up climbing and jumped off the rope 6 feet straight down on my back/ankles It hurt like batshit crazy but i told you I managed through it then later when talking to our friends I let it slip I told her about my failed attempt I was really depressed after that It actually FAILED! Well, now more people knew about it and these rumors spread fast as you would know I was still fine with school just.. I  became more depressed My grades were fine I was nearly at the end of the year nearly there. nearly And then I realized that Mockingbirds are similar to humans they don't talk much at the time of crisis but they remember it, and pass it onwards They don't lie. Mockingbirds dont lie
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Nov 1, 2013
Nov 1, 2013 at 8:13 PM UTC
Mockingbirds don't lie
*Story.. Stories I have a story to tell It's a tragic one as usual* A day goes by. Silence reigns and birds cuckoo While this happens.. Two people sit under a tree Using it as a rendezvous For usual meetings They met... Once... In ten days They enjoyed it I helped another person and he tried to help me I did a better job of helping him that's what I think.. Anyways, once they met they enjoyed it they would talk together and climb a tree Play with a dog, which was a golden retriever They are big! It was a lot of fun Often playing Videogames like.. Mario kart..? That was a day and it happened on an occasional basis when both of them could spare some time from their daily time consuming life ---------------------------------------------------------------- One day however A bright sunny day A sunday afternoon filled with birds flying about nearly the end of the school year It was all going by wonderfully We had met another time because you called me and told me to help you out and just to relieve the stress that the school year had put on us We climbed a tree with a rope on it it was pretty tall about 10 feet high I remember talking about self harm.. ..and ways to **** oneself and I gave up climbing and jumped off the rope 6 feet straight down on my back/ankles It hurt like batshit crazy but i told you I managed through it then later when talking to our friends I let it slip I told her about my failed attempt I was really depressed after that It actually FAILED! Well, now more people knew about it and these rumors spread fast as you would know I was still fine with school just.. I  became more depressed My grades were fine I was nearly at the end of the year nearly there. nearly And then I realized that Mockingbirds are similar to humans they don't talk much at the time of crisis but they remember it, and pass it onwards They don't lie. Mockingbirds dont lie
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Listen to the slivering  paths of the Autumn breeze The coming velvety skies drenched in ink reflecting silver stars Wave goodbyes to the elusive flawed brown stone with pensive eyes A heart will gasp years ahead for callousness past shown now in tears Remember those golden sunsets for now woeful days are never azure Watery eyes and wrinkled mask lament a time you could have shared A King's ransom at your feet twined with an  honest heart assured Hear the whisperings of the mockingbirds and muted cold choruses Rainbow starlights betrays pots of gold hidden never to be found Maidens dance retro and the harpist pluck for painters with brushes By sunkissed shores blends of contrasts joyous in customary ponds Smiles pure from honeyed caves same when as waxed spears plunges Save me a place in the delights of Troy and tell Helen to send a sound Bring me home to peace and love, rescue me from lions in golden cages [email protected].
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Sep 18, 2018
Sep 18, 2018 at 11:09 PM UTC
Always Clear Skies and Minds.....
Vague meanings to their words, Do I hear Mockingbirds? Maybe understand their gist? Help me see, Through the mist. Make a comment, Do no harm, Feels good to spread some charm. Suddenly I've tripped a detonator, an Explosion of indignant words, Come flying out. Now mistakes, can be made, But let's tell it straight, People set, Vague incendiary device's.
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Jul 26, 2025
Jul 26, 2025 at 12:17 PM UTC
Vague incendiary device
Lazy me. Still in last night's Rust Never Sleeps T and boxers. Unshaven. Hair pointed in cardinal directions while blue sky frowns down upon me for smokin' up its air. Mockingbirds playing the guess me game again. Bluebird splashes in the bath giving me a subtle hint. Mr. Cardinal and Blue Grosbeak compliment each other on their choice of colors. Yellow and Orange daylilies compete in their own beauty pageant while hibiscus shares her flowers with bees. Humminbird humming a happy song. My sweet mutt Daisy is embarrassed to be sitting out here beside me. Time to go in and let nature bask again. r ~ 6/15/14
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Jun 15, 2014
Jun 15, 2014 at 4:47 PM UTC
Nature Mocks Me
Black Texas dirt With Grandfather Trees That the sun shines through In dust moted streaks…and Ponds and Creeks That I use stones To cross with Big Sometimes slippery Gray stones… Covered in moss… with Bluebonnets Sharing space with frogs And trailing ivy And bee hives in logs And butterflies That flutter by And vie For attention With hungry hummingbirds And COUNTRY Mockingbirds That can’t DO Car alarm… Perhaps a summer cabin Or even Working farm House With wrap-around porch Flanked by Four O’Clocks Shielded by Climbing Roses Guarded by Morning Glories Shading two big dogs With cold wet noses Pressed to my face That wake me And shake me Back to this reality… Which is oh so far from My mind’s dream place And I’m somewhat dismayed… But it’s still okay… Cuz there’s Nothing wrong with dreaming… Nothing wrong with dreaming…
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Jan 19, 2012
Jan 19, 2012 at 8:09 AM UTC
Nothing Wrong With Dreaming
the mockingbird is four yards in front of me. it is 5:47pm. it is just barely December, but already my heart has frozen. i am no longer able to turn the great wheel of the stars. i am but a fragile stem on a withered rose. the old grandfather of winter has come to live in my heart. night has wearied my bones. the mockingbird is perched low on a cushion of oak moss. he is taunting his feathers the way mockingbirds do. he is basking in the sun. he is wearing a beautiful coat of indulgence. he is twitching his tail and quickly bobbing his neck. he is deflecting and dodging and eating flies out of the air. i decided to take aim. i have no rhyme or reason. i have a slingshot. i flex the rubberband once for tension and twice for luck. the bird sees no evil intent in me, nor i in it. i place a single devil's eye marble into a warm leather home. mr. mockingbird is surely mocking me.
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Dec 3, 2011
Dec 3, 2011 at 12:17 AM UTC
mr. mockingbird
my eyes opened to find the thin lizard dawn gleaming after the gutter drank its' fill of the moon last night the tambourine buried in my lungs still vibrating like these walls papered with cheap roses last night i found comfort the only way i know how in situations like this beside a girl wearing a pretty ribbon twisted around her waist pomegranate lipstick wet clay & tragic glitter smeared across her eyelids we spent the night roped together by half-removed clothing & my fingers third knuckle deep counting the pulse of the heart of the universe while the wild fox barked on the hill outside & the mockingbirds played riffs in the lilac bushes her ******* ran tight around her shins & she sputtered the dark lyricism of bees twisting her tongue backwards around itself in my ear our bare bellies slapped together as my tongue found her tooth enamel & the trees formed a tight center loop to harness the sky for us & i held my breath waiting for her to breathe first i can feel her chest & plump **** now quietly throbbing against the tight young flesh of my back but when i roll over & see her eyes darting green like a thin ocean laser avoiding my dynamic gaze & her pouty mouth emitting a pink yawn i can tell she's unhappy & ashamed of me i tried to run my fingers through the butterscotch tumbleweed of her hair but she just popped her gum & sent me high stepping through the soft warm mud & chest high cattails of her driveway callow under the clouds stuck like gnats to the fly paper sky
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Oct 8, 2015
Oct 8, 2015 at 3:58 PM UTC
butterscotch tumbleweed
my eyes opened to find the thin lizard dawn gleaming after the gutter drank its' fill of the moon last night the tambourine buried in my lungs still vibrating like these walls papered with cheap roses last night i found comfort the only way i know how in situations like this beside a girl wearing a pretty ribbon twisted around her waist pomegranate lipstick wet clay & tragic glitter smeared across her eyelids we spent the night roped together by half-removed clothing & my fingers third knuckle deep counting the pulse of the heart of the universe while the wild fox barked on the hill outside & the mockingbirds played riffs in the lilac bushes her ******* ran tight around her shins & she sputtered the dark lyricism of bees twisting her tongue backwards around itself in my ear our bare bellies slapped together as my tongue found her tooth enamel & the trees formed a tight center loop to harness the sky for us & i held my breath waiting for her to breathe first i can feel her chest & plump **** now quietly throbbing against the tight young flesh of my back but when i roll over & see her eyes darting green like a thin ocean laser avoiding my dynamic gaze & her pouty mouth emitting a pink yawn i can tell she's unhappy & ashamed of me i tried to run my fingers through the butterscotch tumbleweed of her hair but she just popped her gum & sent me high stepping through the soft warm mud & chest high cattails of her driveway callow under the clouds stuck like gnats to the fly paper sky
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74
hymn to Apollo by Michael R. Burch something of sunshine attracted my i as it lazed on the afternoon sky, golden, splashed on the easel of god; what, i thought, could this elfin stuff be, to, phantomlike, flit through tall trees on fall days, such as these? and the breeze whispered a dirge to the vanishing light; enchoired with the evening, it sang; its voice enchantedly rang chanting “Night!” . . . till all the bright light retired, expired. This poem appeared in my high school literary journal, the Lantern, so it was written by age 18, but probably around age 16 or 17. That was my "cummings" period. Keywords/Tags: sun, god, sunshine, Apollo, elfin, phantom, ghostly, magical, enchanted, bright, light, brilliant, sky, golden Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion
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Mar 29, 2020
Mar 29, 2020 at 4:20 AM UTC
hymn to Apollo
hymn to Apollo by Michael R. Burch something of sunshine attracted my i as it lazed on the afternoon sky, golden, splashed on the easel of god; what, i thought, could this elfin stuff be, to, phantomlike, flit through tall trees on fall days, such as these? and the breeze whispered a dirge to the vanishing light; enchoired with the evening, it sang; its voice enchantedly rang chanting “Night!” . . . till all the bright light retired, expired. This poem appeared in my high school literary journal, the Lantern, so it was written by age 18, but probably around age 16 or 17. That was my "cummings" period. Keywords/Tags: sun, god, sunshine, Apollo, elfin, phantom, ghostly, magical, enchanted, bright, light, brilliant, sky, golden Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion
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She is salty lipped ocean throat Warm morning fog Mixing with her overcast I want to place my head on her treasure chest Listen to her wet ruby cascade and thump A metronome for people who dance lightly She is a mildly ******** mermaid Born with the deformity of legs We were all born a little bit broken I tell her I know you’re a body of water I want to drown in When home feels like it’s so much bigger than these four walls But not much stronger than the skin I’m in So here’s to jumping off cliffs With the hope to land a little painfully So evolution might give me the wings I was meant to be born with She walks like a riptide Often risks drowning in the off chance Nature might be kind enough to understand What it really means to have sea legs This is for the soft shelled crab Who was tired of the heaviness of home For the mockingbirds who never studied music So they copy sound Sometimes really annoying sound But they hear the beauty regardless For the Dumbo Octopus Who clearly watched too much classic Disney The beluga whale who can crane its neck When its sonar song of home is not enough To know their kids are coming back to them For the penguins Who are fine being flightless Because they’d much rather swim They didn’t think it was stupid When they wished they could be different And she is the ocean Hips sway like a high tide approaching Hiding sirens’ secrets Skeletons in her closet Lovers who have lost And drown in her pitch black She wears the water like a second skin Smiles like the wind is pressing back her cheeks She chokes on sea water Drowns a little With the hope that this place might feel more like home Sometimes home is the hardest place to get to But there’s nothing wrong with going home
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May 11, 2012
May 11, 2012 at 3:19 PM UTC
When She Was The Ocean
She is salty lipped ocean throat Warm morning fog Mixing with her overcast I want to place my head on her treasure chest Listen to her wet ruby cascade and thump A metronome for people who dance lightly She is a mildly ******** mermaid Born with the deformity of legs We were all born a little bit broken I tell her I know you’re a body of water I want to drown in When home feels like it’s so much bigger than these four walls But not much stronger than the skin I’m in So here’s to jumping off cliffs With the hope to land a little painfully So evolution might give me the wings I was meant to be born with She walks like a riptide Often risks drowning in the off chance Nature might be kind enough to understand What it really means to have sea legs This is for the soft shelled crab Who was tired of the heaviness of home For the mockingbirds who never studied music So they copy sound Sometimes really annoying sound But they hear the beauty regardless For the Dumbo Octopus Who clearly watched too much classic Disney The beluga whale who can crane its neck When its sonar song of home is not enough To know their kids are coming back to them For the penguins Who are fine being flightless Because they’d much rather swim They didn’t think it was stupid When they wished they could be different And she is the ocean Hips sway like a high tide approaching Hiding sirens’ secrets Skeletons in her closet Lovers who have lost And drown in her pitch black She wears the water like a second skin Smiles like the wind is pressing back her cheeks She chokes on sea water Drowns a little With the hope that this place might feel more like home Sometimes home is the hardest place to get to But there’s nothing wrong with going home
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49
Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchanted, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion, Romance, First Love, Dark, Dreams
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Feb 23, 2020
Feb 23, 2020 at 12:31 AM UTC
Moon Lake
Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchanted, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion, Romance, First Love, Dark, Dreams
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Circe by Michael R. Burch She spoke and her words were like a ringing echo dying or like smoke rising and drifting while the earth below is spinning. She awoke with a cry from a dream that had no ending, without hope or strength to rise, into hopelessness descending. And an ache in her heart toward that dream, retreating, left a wake of small waves in circles never completing. Originally published by Romantics Quarterly Keywords/Tags: Circe, enigma, enigmatic, enchantress, siren, enchanted, witch, goddess, magic, Ulysses, pigs, sty Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion
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Mar 28, 2020
Mar 28, 2020 at 4:47 AM UTC
Circe
Circe by Michael R. Burch She spoke and her words were like a ringing echo dying or like smoke rising and drifting while the earth below is spinning. She awoke with a cry from a dream that had no ending, without hope or strength to rise, into hopelessness descending. And an ache in her heart toward that dream, retreating, left a wake of small waves in circles never completing. Originally published by Romantics Quarterly Keywords/Tags: Circe, enigma, enigmatic, enchantress, siren, enchanted, witch, goddess, magic, Ulysses, pigs, sty Moon Lake by Michael R. Burch Starlit recorder of summer nights, what magic spell bewitches you? They say that all lovers love first in the dark... Is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Starry-eyed seer of all that appears and all that has appeared— What sights have you seen? What dreams have you dreamed? What rhetoric have you heard? Is love an oration, or is it a word? Have you heard? Have you heard? Have you heard? I believe I wrote this poem in my late teens, during my “Romantic Period.” Tomb Lake by Michael R. Burch Go down to the valley where mockingbirds cry, alone, ever lonely . . . yes, go down to die. And dream in your dying you never shall wake. Go down to the valley; go down to Tomb Lake. Tomb Lake is a cauldron of souls such as yours — mad souls without meaning, frail souls without force. Tomb Lake is a graveyard reserved for the dead. They lie in her shallows and sleep in her bed. I believe this poem and "Moon Lake" were companion poems, written around my senior year in high school, in 1976. In addition to having similar titles, they had similar "staircase" indention styles. According to my notes, I modified "Moon Lake" two years later in 1978, at which time the poem was substantially finished. I then modified "Tomb Lake" in 1981, but must have forgotten about it, because I don't show that I ever submitted the poem for publication or did anything with it for more than 40 years. Keywords/Tags: Moon, Lake, Lakes, Water, Reflection, Reflections, Image, Imagery, Mirror, Magic, Magician, Seer, Prophet, Shaman, Spell, Spells, Enchantment, Sorcery, Bewitchment, Bewilderment, Incantation, Rhapsody, Love Talk, Love Potion
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Everyday I am born to gods relaying lineage through winged messengers. ****** radiance enkindles immaculate retinas in solar flares and picturesque mornings' idolatry. Tones entrancing, blue jays or northwest mockingbirds, their range of majestic differences eluding attentive innocence, elation ebbs to pain's perpetual flow, streaming hypno-suggestive claims finding me inexorable to beliefs I've not died. Impassioned voices usher me through, by mid-day I've learned to speak their tongues, strange hisses and twisting trebles an attempted appeasement for conforming to continued cyclical living, instinct selection seeking final detention, rebirth a trapped evolutionary trait. Dreading each twilight, coping through whichever maiden may allow my musings to conform to her form for the night, overlapping until I am but a shadow dominated by her presence, her brilliance illuminating every scar of the side perpetually left to the dark, enlightenment held in the warmth of her touch until she too falls beneath the horizon. Sun setting upon this silhouette and whispering tomorrow in stagnant sleep speak, settling to sacrifice's sufficience. I fear this rest. Gleaning premise from barbaric genealogy qualitated as residual spatial pandemic, leaving this life cycle reduced to just one more death.
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Oct 21, 2012
Oct 21, 2012 at 9:17 PM UTC
Bird Songs
Lest the gamers forget the petals doused with blood, Slayers bequeath their chine. The guidance of wisdom is deemed for crud, The sparkle of existence lay bare on the line. Mockingbirds lost their techniques, Before dipping their feathers in grizzling red. Their sentiments shut along their broken beaks, Symphonies out of tune, Recorded grünes are that of the dead. Long lasted the gloom of winter, As if protected by a permanent warrant. The only bids are that of a sprinter, Losing his soul for a bribe, or the steams of the first torrent How loathsome becometh the living, in a world rotten and vile, Even I don't guarantee forgiving For that, I'll set my sail and be gone for a while
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Feb 25, 2015
Feb 25, 2015 at 12:12 AM UTC
A peek before the birth
The day was good, the sun shining, a breeze winding around the pines. Two mockingbirds were playing guess me. Cumuli loitered above ground shadows with cats jumping from one to the other in a game that only they understood. I felt the stirring of precipitate motion on my cheek as a shadow passed by whispersing the words of an old song by Townes about going down to see Kathleen. I never meant for it to rain. r ~ 5/7/14
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May 7, 2014
May 7, 2014 at 2:36 PM UTC
I never meant for it to rain
^¡^ everyone has a voice here every note will flow some of us are nightingales some of us are crows some of us are magpies collecting shiny things some of us canaries which in the coalmine sing some of us are larks singing in the copse some of us are ravens gathered 'round a corpse some are Laughing ******* who scream to beat the band some of us are ostrich with our heads in sand some of us can "Twitter" how we love our "tweets"! some of us are silly coots with funny orange feet! some of us are toucan with beaks that are outgrown some of us are parrots with a beak that's not our own some of us are robins hopping on the lawn some of us are lovely angelic, graceful swans some of us are mockingbirds yes, you could fit that bill some are birds with feathers which make a lovely quill some of us are peacocks great beauties, but a bore some of us are hawks which o'r deep canyons soar some of us are eagles symbols of our call I welcome you to birdland where we are poets ALL SoulSurvivor (C) 2/4/2016
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Feb 4, 2016
Feb 4, 2016 at 11:45 AM UTC
birdland
If I had a mix tape It would be thirty one hours long Get the cassettes ready Poetry was something I chose and we're going steady Sometimes I draw details out tediously but sometimes I like to get with the program already They say Rap is Poetry But I didn't compare my work to the McDonalds bathroom floors The disrespect towards women, money and drugs It's a dog but it's not as cute as a Pug Someone end this concert, pull the plug We used to have a standard and kept it snug But even the Snails are laughing We're too slow to realize That were accepting bile with our eyes And we're encouraging it Why? I have a mixtape But I'm no legend But neither are they I just hope my influence is here to stay Because as the clock arm sways I get older another day And I want to be sincere in a way That will dramatically improve your day I hope you feel the warmth of my heart hotter than May Because it burns for you And we don't need to pull out the other thirty mixtapes because I only need one Let the repugnant trends come undone I'm a song that's been left unsung But that's okay Because I want you to sing it It will be more resplendent than the harmony of the Mockingbirds And it tunes out the geese That make me act the opposite of PeeWee Reese And pull out a shotgun Ernset Hemingway was relatable in that way
0
Apr 8, 2015
Apr 8, 2015 at 3:17 AM UTC
Thirty-One Mixtapes
I'm a United States citizen, Fifth generation, And I might be sent back to Mexico. Because in the here of the now The people stand at the crest Of the paper moon, Its almost eclipsed Because Obama was Never more than words. So we look for anything, We are thirsting for something, And the Trump card falls Into place, he's full of **** But he's full of **** in Full public. See we know the establiment Needs to be dis- established Because they sing like mockingbirds To another mockingbird, And Hillary the woman Is still a politician: Oh the patriot, Damned fool. He still believes In America! And why cry the democracy? Why poetise the political? And the patriot said- Because I am what I am, For love of country, Freedom of my freedom, I am the people, We are the voice, And America once had a dream.
0
Mar 16, 2016
Mar 16, 2016 at 7:05 PM UTC
The Patriot
Daisy *** patchwork dress, lalala I baked you cherry pie while you chatted a wizard hope it kept warm in the oven. Dear, the contents partner our cheeks a good-natured face, freckled of breadcrumbs at each of six circadian meals to come by day. Everything is rosy in this hobbit hole – flowers, and mouths, and food laugh all in sync. I reckon when you digest we shall scamper off to our twin bed. Lalala I sing, and lalala you sing, raccoons are so close above the wooden beams that I know their supper is dandelion stalks. Tucked in, this is what is christened a perfect fit your foot the extent of my head and kissing at my toes, their lady stubble. (You, the skilled shoemaker who will not tolerate me hiding in pelt moccasins) If the moon arises, we do not see: lalala, mockingbirds sing the garden to sleep but the vegetation dances like a dwarf’s beard, though blonde somehow saturating ginger for a reading nightlight bellies full of sweet cakes and dinner number four. You kiss me our Eskimo way, then as halflings I whisper about the ariel orchard today (Rosemary, red-cheeks, lalala) afore first breakfast.
0
Apr 25, 2013
Apr 25, 2013 at 12:44 AM UTC
in the shire
Summer singing madly Over empty lot The still grass Stands near alone Before the final crew comes With trucks and blueprints and concrete To slap together rent fortune For the white cadillac man. Summer swinging madly Over empty lot The post oaks Hesitate along lot edge, Wait to see what happens To the few brave mesquite: Better to stand on edges And wait Than venture To vulnerable heart Of empty lot. Summer winging madly Over empty lot The birds wing madly over Rarely dropping To the grass for seeds; They sit upon the postoaks At the edge And keep a watchful eye Upon the road. All wing madly to the edge: Grackles, swifts, and doves, The mockingbirds, all Save one persistent meadowlark Without a mate That sings each morning From the wire, One silly songster That loneliness has blinded And brought to chime Its idyll Summer song Over empty lot. Summer singing madly Over empty lot.
0
Sep 24, 2011
Sep 24, 2011 at 10:11 PM UTC
Empty Lot
>¡< ^¡^             ^¡^ >¡< Mourning doves         lament the dawn The air is filled            with clucking song Mockingbirds         sing sweet and high Pigeons reach                   to touch the sky Gamble Quail              swoop low to ground Cactus wrens          make chuckling sounds Desert Thrashers                 go "tsk, tsk, TSK!" Flickers pound                   the satellite discs Feathered finches           search the stones Light as clouds                   with hollow bones I wake up            to symphonic calls Desert birds...                    I love them ALL! SøułSurvivør (C) 6/11/2016
0
Jun 11, 2017
Jun 11, 2017 at 11:03 AM UTC
Desert Bird Morning
We are not pens, ourselves, red ink is not inside of us. But we do have sensitive blood that is discolored, same as that utensil. Difference is: it poisons us, gives us rashes and thoughts that we are not worthy to have. It wrecks our minds with ancient tools that were once unaccepted. Silly poppies can not Ruin us like that. I know what can. The things that worry us, teenagers and babies, parents and pedophiles; Cease your worries. I pity you, teens. "It is fun, it is fun." I know I know. But is it worth the risk? Cease your worries parents. You don't need to stalk your own children. They learn from their mistakes. They cry for a while and then get stronger. Like I did, why I kept my mouth shut for so long, I was better. Until you began to read. I couldn't go to you specifically for that reason, Tightening your hold on me, mother. I am already a prisoner in my own mind. I don't need another warden. A century long breakthrough gave me something,an understanding that not all children accept Their parents. I don't feel at home there. It is not one. Just a house that I stay in, people I live with. They are family, by blood only. ****** ink: my savior. My hero, love, is you. You inspired me to digitalize, write with graphite. But I am still contaminated, mind wandering, History repeating, sounds piercing, a test is too much when I did not study. Help me. The trials this has put me through are unfair. Give me my pen to sign a contract, but I Poison myself instead. Only okay after after a needle enters my streams and takes it out. A mechanical vampire, I prefer you to bit me instead of metal fangs. And now I dream. . . . . . Or maybe I am not. We have lived as such long enough. But, still, Write about it. Tell me how you feel. But be careful not to poison yourself. I have experience with that. The pen has a hidden blade. It cuts you with every word you Lay in front of you. May I be a word? Scratch my love into your skin? I will not intoxicate you as it would. I will give you something else entirely. But my dream ends. Reality steps on me and takes my breath from me, I am suffocating in this Hellhole. Give me a firehouse so I can put it out and drink away my parched lips. They need to be soft so I can speak, but first... I need to Sew my lips shut. If they are dry, they will rip and open. We don't want that. Keep them shut, don't tear open and bleed; you would give ink poison to Mockingbirds if you do. They mock me, copy me. They tell me they are jealous. But why? They don't know they've been poisoned. It is a cycle. Everyone will die of it in the end.
0
Nov 7, 2013
Nov 7, 2013 at 3:23 PM UTC
Ink Poison
We are not pens, ourselves, red ink is not inside of us. But we do have sensitive blood that is discolored, same as that utensil. Difference is: it poisons us, gives us rashes and thoughts that we are not worthy to have. It wrecks our minds with ancient tools that were once unaccepted. Silly poppies can not Ruin us like that. I know what can. The things that worry us, teenagers and babies, parents and pedophiles; Cease your worries. I pity you, teens. "It is fun, it is fun." I know I know. But is it worth the risk? Cease your worries parents. You don't need to stalk your own children. They learn from their mistakes. They cry for a while and then get stronger. Like I did, why I kept my mouth shut for so long, I was better. Until you began to read. I couldn't go to you specifically for that reason, Tightening your hold on me, mother. I am already a prisoner in my own mind. I don't need another warden. A century long breakthrough gave me something,an understanding that not all children accept Their parents. I don't feel at home there. It is not one. Just a house that I stay in, people I live with. They are family, by blood only. ****** ink: my savior. My hero, love, is you. You inspired me to digitalize, write with graphite. But I am still contaminated, mind wandering, History repeating, sounds piercing, a test is too much when I did not study. Help me. The trials this has put me through are unfair. Give me my pen to sign a contract, but I Poison myself instead. Only okay after after a needle enters my streams and takes it out. A mechanical vampire, I prefer you to bit me instead of metal fangs. And now I dream. . . . . . Or maybe I am not. We have lived as such long enough. But, still, Write about it. Tell me how you feel. But be careful not to poison yourself. I have experience with that. The pen has a hidden blade. It cuts you with every word you Lay in front of you. May I be a word? Scratch my love into your skin? I will not intoxicate you as it would. I will give you something else entirely. But my dream ends. Reality steps on me and takes my breath from me, I am suffocating in this Hellhole. Give me a firehouse so I can put it out and drink away my parched lips. They need to be soft so I can speak, but first... I need to Sew my lips shut. If they are dry, they will rip and open. We don't want that. Keep them shut, don't tear open and bleed; you would give ink poison to Mockingbirds if you do. They mock me, copy me. They tell me they are jealous. But why? They don't know they've been poisoned. It is a cycle. Everyone will die of it in the end.
Continue reading...
40
When did the world drive you mad You angel, caveman, protégé Surrounded by cardboard and insensitivity Who told you your worth was determined By riding above your painted tires? **** the mockingbirds Stay in your beautiful garbage world Surfs ablaze, ocean waves swallow the buildings And Bennie brought the jets, gliding in armored cars Did you open your tequila factory up there? I'll make sure to ask the tour guide Or get a road map, when I get there (Your head met your hands in a way only you could understand)
0
Nov 19, 2011
Nov 19, 2011 at 7:41 PM UTC
Painted Tires