the eye of the tiger is,
the eye of a vengeance
the eye of the tiger is,
the eye of a clash tiger
the eye of the tiger is,
the lure of a tiger
the eye of the tiger is,

the lure of a vengeance
vengeance is a lure of a vengeance
vengeance is a lure of a tiger
resolution is a lure of resolution
resolution is a lure of a tiger
a tiger resolution is a tiger lure of resolution
a tiger resolution is a tiger beauty

a tiger resolution is a tiger vengeance
beauty is the beholder of beauty
beauty is the beholder of a tiger

These are free verse poems I have written over the last half century, and also a few rhyming poems about free verse.

Reason Without Rhyme
by Michael R. Burch

I used to be averse
to free verse,
but now I admit
YOUR rhyming is WORSE!

But alas, in the end,
it’s all the same:
all verse is unpaid
and a crying shame.

***

The AI Poets
by Michael R. Burch

The computer-poets stand hushed
except for the faint hum
of their efficient fans,

check yourself fool
check your judgement
check yourself by judging yourself
pride yourself by judging yourself
pride yourself by judging your judgement
respect yourself is by judging yourself
respect your pride is by judging your pride

to fool yourself is to check yourself
to fool yourself is to respect yourself
respect is to honor yourself
to honor yourself is to honor your respect
judgement is a pride of honor
judgement is a pride of checking yourself
to fool yourself is to pride yourself

a fool check himself
a fool fool himself

you talk the talk can,
you walk the walk
talk is a manner’s talk of manner
you talk the manner can you walk the manner
a man’s manner is a man’s moral
you talk the moral can you walk the moral
talking is a cheap moral

talking is a cheap manner
moral is a cheap talk
moral is a cheap manner
talking is cheap,walking is highly
talking is cheap,walking is highly walking
talking is highly talking
talking is highly a manner of talking

talking highly is talking cheap
talking highly is walking the walk
cheap is highly a cheap talk

These are my modern English translations of poems by Voltaire, one of the world's most prolific, best and most influential writers. Voltaire, born François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), was an amazingly prolific writer who produced works in nearly every literary genre, including poems, plays, novels and novellas, satires, parodies, essays, histories, Bible criticism, and even early science fiction!

Peace Prayer
by Michael R. Burch

Be calm.
Be still.
Be silent, content.

Be one with the buffalo cropping the grass to a safer height.

Seek the composure of the great depths, barely moved by exterior storms.

Lift your face to the dawning light; feel how it warms.

And be calm.
Be still.
Be silent, content.

Published by Hibiscus (India), Ethos Literary Journal, The Peacemaker, Lullabies Behind My Eyelids, The Episcopal Church of St. Matthew (San Mateo, CA) and Mad Hatter

Vera Pavlova English Poetry Translations

These are the best sports poems by Michael R. Burch ...

The Locker
by Michael R. Burch

All the dull hollow clamor has died
       and what was contained,  
                   removed,
                   reproved
         adulation or sentiment,
   left with the pungent darkness

These are prose poems and experimental poems.

Prose Poem: The Trouble with Poets
by Michael R. Burch

This morning the neighborhood girls were helping their mothers with chores, but one odd little girl went out picking roses by herself, looking very small and lonely. Suddenly the odd one refused to pick roses anymore because it occurred to her that being plucked might “hurt” them. Now she just sits beside the bushes, rocking gently back and forth, weeping and consoling the vegetation!

This is a poem inspired by an Irish cousin of mine who was a bit of a "wild child" in her youth. 

Erin
by Michael R. Burch