Poetry

. Elemental, My Dear Slight air and purging fire, the first my thought, the other my desire. ---Shakespeare, "Sonnet 45" I am of air and fire wrought, though I am drawn to water like a dowsing rod. Carousing...

. Passer Mortuus Est, from Carmen 3 by Catullus (84-54 B.C.)| Translated from Latin by R.W. Rhodes My baby's favored fledgling dropped and died,and caused us both to weep; and when we cried,each Venus and...

. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCmLSOndstY . CREDITSPoetry: Robert FrostAudio/Visual Work: Society of Classical PoetsVoice-Over: S.A. ToddPhoto: "Yellow Forest" by Eflon (used under creative Commons...

. The Biden Oil Refrain As President, on his first day, He closed old Keystone down, Then shut off Arctic drilling, Forty-thousand jobs left town. He cancelled key oil leases, Barred new highly needed...

. The Gusting Winds The gusting winds, they blow, it seems, more bleakly this December; They bite my cheeks and chill my bones and freeze my aging flesh. As I ascend this windblown hill at sunset, I...

100 Days of Dante Poetry Contest Sponsored by the Calvin Center for Faith & Writing with the Society of Classical Poets . . Introduction 100 Days of Dante is a collaborative resource aimed at educating...

. A Shot in the Dark   "The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: I'm from the Government, and I'm here to help. " ---Ronald Reagan The experts push experimental science, Big...

. The lights went off, for long enough, And in the darkness things got rough, All four quarters gushing red— Some bloody politician's dead, We liked him once, yes, very much, And wanted to have four of...

. Listening to Bach While the World Falls Apart for Adrianna, Paul, and Beth I Sight isn’t needed---the continuous cracking of all The pillars supporting civilization, is audible. Thunderous crumbling of...

. Where Is God? Along life’s way Problems arise. Some seen before--- Some do surprise. “Why Lord, to me Comes now this pain? Let this cup pass--- Be gone life’s rain!” “What purpose true These...

. Ruby’s House to the memory of Ruby Elaine Seal Rizley (1896-1978) You knew it when you woke up in the morning and you heard The sound of pigeons cooing just outside the windowpane, And opening your eyes,...

. On Mark Twain's Birthday He piloted a Mississippi steamboat, Then panned for gold and sailed around the world. He authored tales of rogues and slavery’s stain But now is damned for all the things he...

. A Silenced Voice Cried Out  dedicated to Peng Shuai A voice cried out decrying her assault, Courageously to light the way for truth Against one high up preying on her youth— A Vice Premier accused of this...

. Allentown Nights Sometimes the nights were full of evil there. Relentless searchers drove the block most nights, While novices in bushes would prepare As Lady Scarface told them of their rights— Just how...

. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxBbaZHU3qk . Audio/Visual Work: Society of Classical Poets Voice-Over: Evan Mantyk Photo: Hans Permana, “Meal time!” (used under creative Commons License CC BY-NC...

. CDC: Urgent Directive Dillard “Sparky” Barker Is a Doc at CDC. It seems he’s done a study That is sad for you and me. “Accidental deaths are At an all-time scary high. And just because we care We...

. Four Thousand Four Hundred  Miles The shiny willows waved in yellow bloom Inland beyond the spit of dirty sand Where you and I stood, wishing we could zoom Due east and pace that other treasured land Across...

. Many years ago I gave a talk at a scholarly conference at Queens College, C.U.N.Y. My section of the conference was dedicated to contemporary translation, and the bulk of the papers presented were deadly...

. Guilty Thoughts I Through idle thoughts alone if no-one knows, We cannot hurt someone who never will Find out. No victim: none could ever spill The beans. Can we do any harm to those Among our foes we...

. My Raven My Raven is a different bird. I guess he learned a different word Than Poe’s that uttered “Nevermore.” My Raven tells me, “Furthermore.” “Alright” I said “what do you want? Why did...

. A Song of Thanksgiving The pilgrims long ago faced strong __Attacks on their beliefs, And found a land they could command __Where faith would find relief. They journeyed long but still faced...

. Honest to God a rondeau I do not know why Sarah died; I only know her parents cried Such tears as only parents shed When infant children die in bed— A grief they did not try to hide. At birth a tumor deep...

. Permanent Power Plan Scene: While Joe Biden is taking notes, the Statue of Liberty appears and gives him ideas. STATUE OF LIBERTYGive me your tired, your poor,Your huddled masses yearning to breathe...

. Making Asses A meditation on pop star Demi Lovato’s expounding on her newfound sexuality in an interview on "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast (28 March 2021). Are pop stars making asses of themselvesBy...

. First and Foremost We’re human first and foremost: kith and kin. So never judge on looks and looks alone. We’re made of more than just our shade of skin. We’re flesh and blood. We’re brothers to the...

. Three Perspectives from Samos Poet’s note:  The Greek island of Samos, in the region of Ionia, was the reputed birthplace of the goddess Hera, and the scene of her marriage to Zeus.  It was also the...

. Reality—Plan B If you don’t like the world the way it is, And think that “he” should be the same as “she,” And “hers” be interchangeable with “his,” Then come up with a new...

. A Knot of Ought Nots A bright blue canoe atop of Mount Crumble, canoes can be tippy; down it might tumble —ought not to be there! The cat in galoshes and plaid underwear eating fish tacos in Dad’s...

. Don’t Tread on Me For Kyle Rittenhouse, acquitted on November 19, the feast day of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, patroness of the falsely accused. Two enemies you faced down in a fight: Canaille of leftist...

. Circles It seems to me that living comes in circles, That nothing, even this, is ever new, That all that we create is a stale rhyme, A now that cannot cover marks of then. It seems to me that every extant...

. Who’s the Villain Now? My poems drip with vitriol and gall,Each stanza driving home a heartfelt curse—A side-effect of drinking alcohol Incessantly.  I lack the wherewithalTo temper my intemperate...

. The sunlight is raising A glow from the east For dawn-dappled grazing By somnolent beasts; The flight of a parrot To glistening seeds; And down from her garret, With predatory needs, Arrives a brown...

. On the Question of Enes Kanter How do heroes take a stand above the skyline? How face off sharp machinery that spades the earth, Converting humans into demons by the roots— Machines that grind distinctive...

. I. The Blacksmith God Forges Scenes on Achilles’ Shield after Homer’s Iliad Book 18 The hammer strikes! And glowing sparks fly out As Earth takes shape and then the flowing seas, The sun, the moon, the...

. One Miracle After Another A misty morning greeted by the sun Whose dappled rays arouse the drowsing Earth; The grandeur in the web a spider’s spun; A mother’s tearful joy for a safe birth; The giddy...

. Old? Hell No! in a thick British accent __It's bin three years an’ a day, __Since the Mrs. passed away, I still see ‘er face afore me smilin’ kindly. __For a while I wasn’t right, __I’d awake most...

. We went to a gender reveal. And we had an exceptional meal. __But the host was forlorn __when she unhusked her corn. It was pink instead of blue-teal. Her emotions were on full display. They should have...

. Below is an excerpt from a Crisis Magazine article "Reading Poetry Will Save the World" by Auguste Meyrat, published November 13, 2021. (The article was passed to me by poet Joe Tessitore.) . For those who...

. Racial Idiocy My son was on a city team,__Where two kids caught my eye:Stefon---warm and articulate,__And Marcus---risk deemed high. I thought that I’d invite them to__My law firm for a day,And offer---if...

. You are invited to a reading of exquisite poetry and conversations with the poets. This reading is part of a quarterly series of online poetry readings planned for 2021-2022. . Date & Time Sunday...