Forest Fire Fantasy ---a trenta-sei The smoke from summer fires filled the air, A lightning storm had been the...

  Where the Ground Gives Way Once I took your face into my hand, and sunlight showed the tears within...

  Two-Tier Keir: Being a Short Account of a Trickster He sought to be in politics--- _Self-virtued Dalai Lama. Instead,...

  Canzone of Parting   I There are secluded places in the wild Where the breeze settles, like a weary...

  What Happened to the Ayatollah?   I The Ayatollah’s disappeared: It’s just as all his friends have feared; But...

  An Excerpt Get up and amble through the city of the massacre, then lock your eyes, and, with your...

  A Very Early Taste of Poetry by Joseph S. Salemi The earliest and most important steps in attaining literacy...

  Murder at the Stocker Mansion A Poetic Noir Whodunit   ---San Francisco. 1948. 1. Prologue The Stocker mansion sits...

  Barabbas They named their chosen one and set him free. They picked a thug who reeked of others’ blood....

  Out of the Box Round and round the mulberry bush The monkey chased the weasel. The monkey thought ‘twas...

  To the Captive Sun You set now, levitating low, Just deigning lazily to throw Your gently flaming, scarlet glow...

  The Birthday of a Bride A woman, when she enters into labor on the day She brings at last...

  The Precious Blood The blood of Jesus bought me from the hands Of foes for whom I scorned divine...

  Stabat Mater Dolorosa by Jacopone da Todi (1228-1306) translated by Morrison Handley-Schachler In the hour of crucifixion, Mourning and...

  The Lip Surely before I have felt as though heaven _were pressed to my lips such as this, Yet...

  Who Do You Think You Are? You don’t know me, nor do you know my friend. You’re ignorant of...

In partnership with the White House's Freedom 250 initiative. Submit Email a poem in celebration of America's 250th Anniversary to...

  Unexploited Providence “Why am I here?” I was afraid to ask, While walking—half asleep—this land of wonders. So, stumbling...

  What We Learn From Breaking Waves Those who climb the furthest up the shore Are not the waves that...

  Pigeonholed The box they shove her in is small and dark. It skews all views and leaves her little...

  A Dear John Letter to Chaucer, in the Style of Chaucer Dear Geoff, I took the pilgrim’s springtime jaunt...

  Interdisciplinary Indiscipline A lifetime ago, back in seventh-grade band, “The Bullwhip” had all us kids pledge to expand Our...

  Leicester Square Concert —A true story. Note: Leicester is pronounced “Lester” I traveled to an intel brief _Convened in...

  By the Waters of Babylon All faces are foreign here, all streets unknown, and even the sun seems like...

  How Septuagenarian’s Cope Past seventy. Age does prevail. _The day is growing dim. I’ve managed through life’s calms and...

  The Antipope Gives Military Advice Aircraft should always be vehicles of peace, never of war! No one should fear...

  Replication and Cessation Your parents had four children, grand-kids eight. But as for great-grandchildren, they’ll have none. How could...

  Upon Meeting a Crane ---at the Wilmington VA Medical Center I met a crane; the crane met me beside...

  https://youtu.be/G9FpJcfCcGw     Back or Bottom? “Your back or bottom?” Dowdy grabbed the switch, a riding whip, from off...

  Remains No-one saw them tumble empty down the fathoms, somersaulting gently on their way, at random caught and wafted...

  Re-shifting in Reverse Alas, I fear the world has fallen prey To well-conceived and ill-intended evil; An armageddon; shattered...

  The Face At night, surreptitiously, it emerges out of the TV screen, or when the light bulb's put to...

  The Teahouse Garden A place where you can leave your cares behind And have a restful, meditative mind; A...

  Snow Foe I’m rather certain snow falls for a reason, Like adding charm to wintertime’s cold season. But after...

  Fireship ---August 7, 1588. The English Channel. Since William’s conquest England has not faced Such danger of defeat---so dire...

  Morning Glory The mornings are a challenge for the old man. Get up. Get dressed. Get the dogs out....

  Tinian Tucked into the corner of the sea, Birthed in fire, volcanic history, A stepping stone across the ocean...

  Prayer (5:00 a.m.) Some stubborn pain (the world… the past…) Is peeking through the cracks, and all I want...

  Damon and Pythias The two spoke number lore with every breath, Disciples of Pythagoras and friends, But one was...

  The Throne at Knossos Kings, nations, empires, tongues have passed, Through fourscore centuries, but you last, _Carved from immortal...