A Poem on Gaslighting and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society May 30, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 19 Comments . Gaslighted Our friendship limped along for thirty years. I can’t say why. The scornful views you’d share Instilled resentment, anger, even...
‘Bach’s Amazing Journey’ and Other Bach Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society May 16, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Music, Poetry 33 Comments . Bach's Amazing Journey In the autumn of 1705, when Johann Sebastian Bach was 20, he set out to travel over 275 miles (each way) on foot from...
‘On Binge-Reading Sylvia Plath’: An Expanded Sonnet by Brian Yapko The Society May 2, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 46 Comments . On Binge-Reading Sylvia Plath Verdammte mirror-bee-eyes stare at you As you describe in depth colossal pain. You say too much: your tormented...
‘Historical Negation’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society April 18, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 27 Comments . Historical Negation A pen works wonders. Just ink in, scratch out. Rewrite what people learn about the past. Repeat false facts, promote a...
‘How Great Thou Art’: An Easter Ballade by Brian Yapko The Society April 9, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . How Great Thou Art __An Easter Ballade . It’s Easter. I can hear the choir sing. The gospels have been prayed upon and read And now I cheer the...
A Poem for Passover: ‘The Pillar of Fire’ by Brian Yapko The Society April 5, 2023 Culture, Poetry 31 Comments . The Pillar of Fire from Exodus 13: 19-29 A giant, flaming pillar bars our way; The sea yawns open for the Hebrew tribes Permitting them to flee;...
A Poem on the Transgender Roman Emperor Elagabalus, by Brian Yapko The Society April 4, 2023 Culture, Poetry 32 Comments . Elagabalus Consults His Soothsayer You must, Soothsayer, probe into Rome’s mind And speak of any hidden threats you find. Your Emperor commands...
‘How to Write Contemporary Poetry’ and ‘Brush Up Your Shakespeare’ by Brian Yapko The Society March 21, 2023 Culture, Education, Humor, Pantoum, Poetry, Satire, Shakespeare 35 Comments . How to Write Contemporary Poetry a pantoum in free verse composition keep letters lower case. dump classical tradition then cite the...
‘Farinelli’: A Poem on the Famous Castrato by Brian Yapko The Society March 7, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 82 Comments . Farinelli A thousand thanks, Martini, for your visit. Bologna is a town of balladeers. You’ll love it! Now I wonder, how long is it Since we both...
A Poem on the Covid Lab Leak, by Brian Yapko The Society February 27, 2023 Covid-19, Culture, Poetry, Satire 58 Comments . Born in a Wuhan Lab Newsflash: U.S. Energy Department says it was probably a lab leak. Those men in suits and labcoats thought it worth The lives...
‘Through the Eyes of Angels’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society February 21, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 32 Comments . Through the Eyes of Angels Look down upon the Earth as angels might! See seas as insignificant as ponds, Each desert a mere sandbox. From this...
‘Ageless’: A Valentine’s Day Poem by Brian Yapko The Society February 14, 2023 Culture, Love Poems, Poetry 28 Comments . Ageless Not in the golden mists of memory Nor in the colder mists of future years Shall I find love as true as yours for me--- A love so fair it...
‘The Villainy of Icicles’ by Brian Yapko The Society February 7, 2023 Humor, Poetry 24 Comments . The Villainy of Icicles That sword of Damocles! That glacial Iago! A prism forged of ice, sharp and aloof; An icicle out of Doctor...
A Poem on Estrangement from Conservative Parents, by Brian Yapko The Society February 5, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau Redoublé 27 Comments . A House Divided Against Itself A rondeau redoublé inspired by Dennis Prager's piece here. In troubled times this will take place: A war of...
‘Greta’s Smorgasbord of Hate’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society January 18, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 61 Comments . Greta's Smorgasbord of Hate I love the pretty trees, the trees love me! They make me dance and sing, they make me shout And sulk and give loud...
‘Mourning Louis XVI’ by Brian Yapko The Society January 8, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 25 Comments . Mourning Louis XVI We must not say in public that we mourn--- Sit still, Brigitte, and listen to your père! If we disclose our grief we court the...
‘St. Joseph’s Hymn of Praise’ and Other Christmas Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society December 25, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 27 Comments . St. Joseph's Hymn of Praise Matthew 2: 10-15: “And when the Magi were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream,...
‘Sister Thérèse Scatters Flowers’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society December 11, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 22 Comments . Sister Thérèse Scatters Flowers Soeur Madèleine has brought me this bouquet--- Vermillion, scarlet, each rose bright and pretty. She’s kind...
‘Somewhere in Time’ by Brian Yapko The Society November 27, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Science 32 Comments . Somewhere in Time . Tuesday, August 13, In the Year of Our Lord 1895 Dear Wells, despite your sober apprehension, I’m grateful that you’ve...
‘A Thanksgiving Offering’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society November 24, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 24 Comments . A Thanksgiving Offering We offer thanks to You who made this Earth The sun and stars, for health and love and mirth. For granting us the sacred...
On the Islamic Palestinians’ Recent Terror Attack: ‘Just Say It’ by Brian Yapko The Society November 23, 2022 Culture, Poetry 35 Comments . Just Say It Two bombs exploded in Jerusalem Today. A boy of just 15 is dead--- A Jewish student on his way to school. And 18 more were wounded, all...
‘Lullaby of New Mexico, Part Two’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society November 13, 2022 Beauty, Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry, Rondeau 34 Comments . Lullaby of New Mexico, Part Two Part One can be read here. Duerme Papi---Dad, it’s time to rest. I smooth your blanket here at Desert Sage And...
A Poem of Frankenstein: ‘The Modern Prometheus’ by Brian Yapko The Society October 30, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 39 Comments . The Modern Prometheus Grrrr! Linden trees with falling leaves infest These ancient mountains. Crimson-faced they scream Like mobs in Transylvanian...
‘When Orpheus Looked Back’ by Brian Yapko The Society October 21, 2022 Beauty, Poetry 38 Comments . When Orpheus Looked Back I find no peace. I lean upon this stone As wine-dark waves crash on the Grecian shore, My voice and lyre silent as the...
‘The Good Samaritan’ by Brian Yapko The Society October 7, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 37 Comments . The Good Samaritan Scene: The road between Jerusalem and Jericho. It is now three days since a good Samaritan has left an injured robbery victim...
‘What I Learned from Tolkien’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society September 23, 2022 Beauty, Poetry 32 Comments . What I Learned from Tolkien The darkness comes and all seems bleak and wrong, My calm is rent, right burdens can’t be borne And Evil holds an...
‘Drunk on Compassion’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society September 9, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Villanelle 48 Comments . Drunk on Compassion How good it feels to open up your heart And groove on how compassionate you are! You advertise your causes on your car And list...
‘Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society September 2, 2022 Culture, Music, Poetry 20 Comments . Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition Although this mad world’s headed for perdition, Don’t cower or wring hands with misery. Spines...
‘Not the Third Reich… Yet’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society August 25, 2022 Culture, Poetry 34 Comments . Not the Third Reich... Yet It makes me burn to hear the left berate Good policy and leaders they dislike With claims the U.S. is a fascist...
‘Lullaby of New Mexico’ by Brian Yapko The Society August 11, 2022 Beauty, Blank Verse, Poetry 33 Comments . Lullaby of New Mexico Duerme mijo---sleep my weary child As we drive south upon the interstate. My side-eye checks on you, my tired you. My...
‘Cordelia’s Choice’ by Brian Yapko The Society July 28, 2022 Beauty, Poetry, Shakespeare 18 Comments . Cordelia's Choice Ye gods, what should I do with such ill news? My father, once the king, is now insane And stripped of dignity. What must I...
‘In the First Degree’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society July 14, 2022 Culture, Poetry, Rondeau 13 Comments . In the First Degree Had the bullet’s trajectory veered half a foot to the right, It might not have extinguished the life of this innocent...
‘A Ballade on Being Commissioned’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society July 1, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 32 Comments . A Ballade on Being Commissioned Twixt Florence and the Holy See Of every artist you could hire You thought it meet to torture me. You gave no...
‘In Praise of Bollywood’ by Brian Yapko The Society June 16, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Humor, Poetry 20 Comments . In Praise of Bollywood To India! To visit from afar... My journey there would be a dream fulfilled. To visit Delhi, Agra, Bangalore, To ride an...
‘A Tribune to Mrs. Malaprop’ by Brian Yapko The Society June 7, 2022 Humor, Poetry 28 Comments . A Tribune to Mrs. Malaprop My fellow poets, lend me your arrears! Of arms and divan I sing. Let’s have three cheers For Mrs. Malaprop, that dole...
‘Where Your Treasure Is’ and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society May 25, 2022 Beauty, Blank Verse, Culture, Epic, Humor, Poetry 20 Comments . Where Your Treasure Is “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and...
In Response to the ‘In This House’ Sign: A Poem by Brian Yapko The Society May 11, 2022 Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry, Readings 31 Comments . Read by Susan Jarvis Bryant . In This House... In this house... We value science so much we accept that male and female chromosomes exist and...
‘In Honor of Birthing Person’s Day’ by Brian Yapko The Society May 8, 2022 Culture, Humor, Poetry 40 Comments . In Honor of Birthing Person's Day In gratitude and thanks I bless the one Who gave me life, who sacrificed each breath; Whose love unbounded warmed...
‘Apollo’s Lament’ by Brian Yapko The Society April 30, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Ekphrastic, Poetry 31 Comments . Apollo’s Lament He pounds his naked chest and looks for bones Suspecting that the bay tree is a sham. At last he falls upon his knees and...
‘Sunrise at the Hollywood Bowl’ by Brian Yapko The Society April 17, 2022 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 14 Comments . Sunrise at the Hollywood Bowl A sleepy son, a father who mourned still. Their first time greeting Easter since she died. When illness came, Anne...
