love

These are poems about dogs and doggerel about dogs...

Dog Daze
by Michael R. Burch

Sweet Oz is a soulful snuggler;
he really is one of the best.
Sometimes in bed
he snuggles my head,
though mostly he plops on my chest.

I think Oz was made to love
from the first ray of light to the dark,
but his great love for me
is exceeded (oh gee!)
by his Truly Great Passion: to Bark.

Epitaph for a Lambkin
by Michael R. Burch

for Melody, the prettiest, sweetest and fluffiest dog ever

 In the quiet chambers, where the soul resides, There lies a sacred wisdom, where true knowledge hides. Beyond the realms of logic, beyond the mind's vast art, There blooms a deeper knowing, the knowledge of the heart. It whispers in the silence, in the spaces in between, In moments soft and tender, in visions deeply seen. It's felt in every heartbeat, in the rhythm of life's song, A truth that's pure and timeless, where hearts forever long. This knowledge needs no language, no words to understand, It's written in the actions, in the touch of a loving hand.

These are English translations of Urdu poems by Ahmad Faraz.

The Eager Traveler
by Ahmad Faraz
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Even in the torture chamber, I was the lucky one;
When each lottery was over, unaccountably I had won.

And even the mightiest rivers found accessible refuge in me;
Though I was called an arid desert, I turned out to be the sea.

And how sweetly I remember you, oh, my wild, delectable love—
Like the purest white blossoms, on talented branches above.

Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was one of the most famous Urdu poets. In fact, his reputation is such that he has been called "the Poet of the East." His name is often spelled Faiz Ahmad Faiz in English. These are my modern English translations of Urdu poems by Faiz Ahmed Faiz.

Last Night
by Faiz Ahmed Faiz
loose translation by Michael R. Burch

Last night, your memory stole into my heart—
as spring sweeps uninvited into barren gardens,
as morning breezes reinvigorate dormant deserts,
as a patient suddenly feels better, for no apparent reason …

Of the chiming bells of the Angelus
Of the flowers once pretty and strong, on the lawn
Oh! Autumn, you are a very superb season!

Let's talk about the petals and sepals fallen from the sky
Where the trees are stunned and almost undressed
And the astonished birds which have fallen from the clouds
Oh! Autumn, I love your wondrous and natural smile.

Completamente
Exiliado de mis deseos
Apasionadamente
Te sigo con mis ojos.

Mujer de un paraíso presuntuoso
El mundo te mira
Porque eres diferente.

Amorosamente
Mi corazón ha cruzado el himen de tu cielo
Conscientemente
Has mirado desde arriba las chispas de mi fuego.

Carrément
Éloigné de mes vœux
Passionnément
Je te suis des yeux.

Femme d’un paradis présomptueux
Tout le monde qui te regarde
Parce que tu prends tes gardes.

Amoureusement
Mon cœur a traversé le voile de tes cieux
Consciemment
Tu as toisé les étincelles de mon feu.

Tu es jolie comme un diamant précieux
Comme une fleur d’un printemps pas encore vieux
Oh ! Qui suis-je pour viser un sourire si délicieux ?

Completely
Exiled from my wishes
Passionately
I follow you with my eyes.

Woman of a presumptuous paradise
Everyone is staring at you
Because you take your guard.

Lovingly
My heart has crossed the hymen of your skies
Consciously
You have looked down on the sparks of my fire.

You are pretty like a precious diamond
Like a flower of a spring not yet old
Oh! Who am I to aim for such a delicious smile?

These heretical poems on the subjects of God, religion and Christianity explain why I “left” the Religious Right.

If one screams below,
what the hell is "Above"?
—Michael R. Burch

Religion is regarded by fools as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful. — Seneca, loose translation/interpretation by Michael R. Burch

Bible Libel
by Michael R. Burch

If God
is good,
half the Bible
is libel.

These are love poems by Michael R. Burch: original poems and translations about love, passion, desire, sex, flirting, dating and marriage. On an amusing note, my steamy Sappho and Baudelaire translations have become popular with the pros ― porn stars and escort services!

Preposterous Eros
by Michael R. Burch

“Preposterous Eros” – Patricia Falanga

Preposterous Eros shot me in
the buttocks, with a Devilish grin,
spent all my money in a rush
then left my heart effete pink mush.