A Poem for Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, by Cheryl Corey The Society August 2, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 14 Comments . The Forgotten Earl He thought about the sonnets that he wrote; The time he spent composing metered lines Of rhyme, divided into quatrains. He Alone devised the scheme;—but Virgil’s books! If only there...
‘The End’s Hard Edge’: A Poem by Damian Robin The Society August 2, 2023 Culture, Poetry 7 Comments . The End’s Hard Edge The End Is Near, it always was, Its point is clearer now because Collapsed disturbance occupies With moaning cries and droning skies; So penetrate to higher things Remembering what...
‘One Law Away’ and Other Poetry by Warren Bonham The Society July 30, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 10 Comments . One Law Away Everyone can agree that we all disagree. __We don’t see what we see quite the same. We all think that we’re right so we can’t help but fight __and incite against those who we blame. It...
‘The Heavy Launch of the Siegfried Idyll‘: A Poem by Julian Woodruff The Society July 29, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Music, Poetry 18 Comments . The Heavy Launch of the Siegfried Idyll The landing offered just the space required for Wagner and the band that he had hired to play the idyl Cosima inspired, the mother of young Siegfried, whom he’d...
‘Learn Now, Learn Now Young Master’: A Poem by Gary Borck The Society July 29, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Readings 9 Comments . . Learn Now, Learn Now, Young Master ‘Learn now, learn now, young master; You soon will take your test. The books to learn are plenty; You need to do your best; No time to take a rest. Your marriage is...
‘Key West’ and Other Florida Poetry by Adam Sedia The Society July 28, 2023 Art, Beauty, Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Poetry 11 Comments . Key West Rum, reeling, raunchiness, and revelry, Palms, poincianas, palaces of old--- All lie behind; the Morro Castle’s hold Guards old Havana past the sparkling sea A half-day’s sail south from this...
‘Formulas for Failure’ and Other Poetry by Russel Winick The Society July 26, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Satire 17 Comments . Formulas for Failure I’ve seen too much of devastating failure, In almost every avenue of life. One might guess lack of skill the main derailer, But that’s not even close to what’s most rife. A bigger...
‘The Emperor’s New Chromosomes’ and Other Poems on Transgenderism by Brian Yapko The Society July 25, 2023 Alexandroid, Culture, Poetry, Satire 22 Comments . The Emperor's New Chromosomes The Emperor would be remade; He felt if he could be a maid He’d be more loved and find relief. His maleness brought him nought but grief. Two doctors showed up sharp as...
Three Poems on Sleep and Dreams, by Joshua C. Frank The Society July 24, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Villanelle 18 Comments . Back to Sleep In very early years, now far behind, When I returned to earth at midnight deep From nightmare scares within my frightened mind, My mother rocked and sang me back to sleep. I hid in bed from...
‘The Jeweler’s Deposition at the Coroner’s Inquest’: A Poem by Joseph S. Salemi The Society July 23, 2023 Culture, Poetry 30 Comments . The Jeweler’s Deposition at the Coroner’s Inquest I certainly will tell you what I can. I knew the family—watched her growing up. Take it for what it’s worth: I was her friend. She started with the...
‘On Lies and Liars’: A Double (Petrarchan) Sonnet by James A. Tweedie The Society July 23, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 21 Comments . On Lies and Liars A Double (Petrarchan) Sonnet . “You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with...
A Poem on the Late Ukrainian Writer Victoria Amelina, by Bruce Dale Wise The Society July 22, 2023 Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . King Dom’s Dream Kingdom “In death’s dream kingdom…” —T. S. Eliot, “The Hollow Me" Ukrainian Victoria Amelina has died from injuries along with others; it was dinnertime. It happened in the...
‘Poorer by the Day’: A Poem by Shaun C. Duncan The Society July 22, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire, Villanelle 14 Comments . Poorer by the Day a villanelle They pay in promises they will betray; A scam as cold and ancient as the sea. While those who work grow poorer by the day, Their masters mint fool’s gold to give away To...
Three Love Poems by Evan Mantyk The Society July 21, 2023 Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Satire 18 Comments . Sonnet I Our arms are leaves stretched out; our thoughts can bloom The grandest only when we crowd out those Who have been planted in a place of doom— Perhaps for something only Heaven knows. While...
‘Via Appia’ and Other Poems by Luca D’Anselmi The Society July 20, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Love Poems, Poetry, Satire 10 Comments . Via Appia Beneath the pines of Rome, the wrinkled sibyl will croak your future for eleven cents, and with her finger in the dust will scribble predictions of uncertain consequence. But go near, fix your eyes...
‘Good Friday, Revisiting Glamis’: A Poem by James Sale The Society July 18, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Shakespeare 17 Comments . Good Friday, Revisiting Glamis "Not in the legions Of horrid Hell can come a devil more damn'd In evils, to top Macbeth" ---Shakespeare The Dunblane massacre took place at Dunblane Primary School in...
‘It’s Dangerously Close to Too Late’: A Poem by Mark Stellinga The Society July 17, 2023 Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . It's Dangerously Close to Too Late Virtually stormed by countless disciples, __trolled by their merchants of Hate, We, who obligingly counter their tactics, __impassioned to join the debate, Must, with our...
‘Balderdash?’ A Poem on the Supernatural, by Peter Venable The Society July 16, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 10 Comments . Balderdash? What are these hidden, unseen things? Do angels, demons, float on wings? Such ghostly shapes the full moon brings! __Our modern minds dismiss. Who twists and turns a shooter’s mind? Who ties...
‘A Birthday Prayer’: A Birthday Poem by Jonathan Shoulta The Society July 16, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 4 Comments . A Birthday Prayer Dear God, a new year has begun, My thirty-fourth of blessèd life. You’ve given children, lovely wife, And lately, happy, newborn son. We have, by your munificence, Enough intelligence...
Excerpt from ‘Panchavati’ by Maithili Sharan Gupt, Translated by Paddy Raghunathan The Society July 15, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Translation 10 Comments . Panchavati, An Introduction by Maithili Sharan Gupt (1886-1964) translated by Paddy Raghunathan The full moon’s mesmerizing rays Appear to skim the lake and sand, As moonlight, fresh, diffuses...
A Poem on Japanese Suiseki Stones, by Margaret Coats The Society July 13, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Shape Poems 40 Comments . Suiseki Rainfall has stopped; it’s the best time for hunting a stone. Drizzle still dampens debris; Trees put forth roots unobtrusively; mosses have grown; Animals leaving their burrows run free— Sodden...
A Poem on Insomnia and Other Poetry by Lisa Majaj The Society July 13, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Triolet 17 Comments . Insomnia Kyrielle The stars above have gone to bed, their quilt of clouds a calming sweep as moonlight strokes their tossing heads: O lord have mercy, let me sleep! Here in this dark I lie awake. The cliff...
Two Poems on the Passing of Queen Elizabeth II, by Paul Martin Freeman The Society July 12, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 20 Comments . The Nation’s Heart The Nation’s heart has passed away, A loving grandmother to all. And now it’s for her son we pray Whom Charles the Third we’ll learn to call. But will he fill that vital...
‘Peace For Our Time’: A Poem in the Voice of Neville Chamberlain and Other Poetry by Brian Yapko The Society July 11, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Satire 39 Comments . Peace For Our Time "I believe it is peace for our time... Go home and get a nice quiet sleep." ---Neville Chamberlain “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile hoping it will eat him last.” ---Winston...
‘The Misologist’: A Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society July 9, 2023 Culture, Poetry 65 Comments . The Misologist “There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.” ---Socrates He reads the notion on the page. __It isn’t to his taste. It blazes fire that stokes his...
‘Putin’: A Poem on the Russian Leader, by Michael Vanyukov The Society July 6, 2023 Culture, Poetry, Satire 33 Comments . Putin That’s, I’m sure, a vampire: Gnaws on bones, bloody-lipped. —A. S. Pushkin. “Vurdalak,” Songs of Western Slavs (Это, верно, кости гложет Красногубый...
‘Independence Day?’: A Fourth of July Poem by Susan Jarvis Bryant The Society July 4, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Rondeau 43 Comments . Independence Day? a rondeau Some dared. Some died. With pluck and pride And guts and grit the brave defied Despotic rule. They stripped the foe Of dominance below a glow Of stars...
A Fourth of July Limerick by Paul A. Freeman The Society July 4, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Limerick, Poetry 8 Comments . Fourth of July Limerick Top left, there’s an oblong that’s blue; add in fifty stars, white in hue. To offset the stars are parallel bars, six white, seven red, straight and true. . . Paul A....
‘America Is Not the Same’: A Poem by Richard Lackman The Society July 3, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . America Is Not the Same America is not the same. __I do not recognize it. We all know who should bear the blame, __But still we analyze it. The teachers’ unions and the press _ All share part of the...
‘First Steps in a New World’: A Poem for a Grandfather, by Rafael Moras, Sr. The Society July 2, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 20 Comments . First Steps in a New World for Toribio Moras, age 14, Vera Cruz, Mexico, 1908 The young Castilian boy set sail, alone, and sought to build a life across the sea. Adrift, so far away, you had no throne, and...
‘La Campana’ and Other Poetry by Monika Cooper The Society June 30, 2023 Beauty, Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry 17 Comments . La Campana Ring, grandfather! And ring for liberty. The bell spoke once and, speaking, croaked and cracked. Our gazes bathed its iron in gold hazes As Hebrews treasured tablets their sin split. Its silent...
A Poem on Saint Margaret’s Gospels: ‘Miracle of the Book’ by Margaret Coats The Society June 29, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 31 Comments . Miracle of the Book Distance was short, but porters would be needed, And sacks were packed with small necessities. I wrapped the Gospel book and then proceeded Along the rowan-bordered road with ease. Only...
‘Incensed’ and Other Poetry by Mary Harwell Sayler The Society June 29, 2023 Culture, Haiku and Senryu, Poetry 12 Comments . Incensed For days, drawn draperies of fire, pinned close by dry pines, needled us with smells of smoke so thick it stung our eyes and burned our nose and made us run to see if flames arose from lightning...
‘Le Bal Des Ardents’: A Poem on the Ball of the Burning Men by Shaun C. Duncan The Society June 28, 2023 Blank Verse, Culture, Poetry 20 Comments . Le Bal Des Ardents for Joe Salemi On 28th January 1393 in Paris, Queen Isabeau of Bavaria, wife of the mad King Charles VI of France, held a ball which became the scene of a terrible tragedy when four...
Two Versions of Psalm 23 in Poetry, by Warren Bonham The Society June 27, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry, Satire 13 Comments . Psalm 23: King David’s Version When I was just a hungry sheep __and I was lonely, lost and scared, You somehow found me, fed me, led me, __showed me just how much You cared. When in the valley with its...
‘Pillar of Salt’: A Poem on Lot’s Wife by Brian Yapko The Society June 27, 2023 Culture, Poetry 23 Comments . Pillar of Salt “By the time Lot reached Zoar, the sun had risen over the land. Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah... Thus he overthrew those cities and the entire...
‘South Vietnam Warfare’: A Poem by Roy E. Peterson The Society June 26, 2023 Culture, Poetry 21 Comments . South Vietnam Warfare . Northern Jungle The rat-tat-tat of machine gun Split through the mist of morning sun. The sympathetic Montagnard Were blown apart from near to far. The boom of friendly howitzer Made...
‘Darkface at Dusk’: A Poem on Death by Martin Rizley The Society June 25, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 11 Comments . Darkface at Dusk "Death is swallowed up in victory" ---1 Cor. 15:4 At twilight, as I walked in solitude Along a country lane, unpaved and worn, Past gloomy fields, of springtime’s verdure shorn, My...
A Poem on San Francisco: ‘Even the 49ers Don’t Play There Anymore’ by James A. Tweedie The Society June 24, 2023 Culture, Poetry 13 Comments . Even the 49ers Don’t Play There Anymore Is San Francisco slip-sliding away? Old Navy, Nordstrom, Saks, the Gap, have all Closed stores—with Hilton in default—as they Abandon a once-thriving downtown...
‘Job’s Rant’ and Other Poetry by Cynthia Erlandson The Society June 24, 2023 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 16 Comments . Job’s Rant Job 3: 3-10 . May darkness and death’s shadow claim the day When I was sent to bear the curse of earth. May clouds blot out the night that gave me birth And drown it in the densest...