grace

from heaven to grace
from heaven to speaking grace
speak is speaking grace
speak is speaking the lord of grace
jesus is a lord of grace
speaking grace is speaking the lord of grace
grace is speaking grace

a son is a son of grace
a son is a son of the lord
jesus is a son of grace
jesus is a son of the lord
a son of grace is a son of a lord
heaven is a founding grace
a son of grace is a son of a founding grace

These are Christmas poems by Michael R. Burch. Some are darker Christmas poems and heretical Christmas poems. 

The First Christmas
by Michael R. Burch

’Twas in a land so long ago . . .
the lambs lay blanketed in snow
and little children everywhere
sat and watched warm embers glow
and dreamed (of what, we do not know).

And THEN—a star appeared on high,
The brightest man had ever seen!
It made the children whisper low
in puzzled awe (what did it mean?).
It made the wooly lambkins cry.

These are my modern English translations of epigrams by Euripides. 

Love distills the eyes’ desires, love bewitches the heart with its grace.—Euripides, translation by Michael R. Burch

Fools call wisdom foolishness.—Euripides, translation by Michael R. Burch

One true friend is worth ten thousand kin.—Euripides, translation by Michael R. Burch

Not to speak one’s mind is slavery.—Euripides, translation by Michael R. Burch

I would rather die standing than kneel, a slave.—Euripides, translation by Michael R. Burch

These are my modern English translations of poems by the Russian poet Alexander Pushkin.

I Loved You
by Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin
loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

I loved you ... perhaps I love you still ...
perhaps for a while such emotions may remain.
But please don’t let my feelings trouble you;
I do not wish to cause you further pain.

long live the queen
her robe so long indeed 
it took a long time to make

your highness my queen
how high her seat only 
the high minded can fit

her majesty my queen
my cap fell off my head in prostration 
oh i didn't mean to be funny

please my queen
my knees wear out my trousers 
i only beg for my right

how beautiful the queen is
could it be mockery? 
even if, you cant tell her to her face
it's worse than treachery

my queen wears a diamond
she may know the price but not the value