The Celtic Cross at Isle Grosse

The Celtic Cross at Île Grosse
by Michael R. Burch

“I actually visited the island and walked across those mass graves [of 30,000 Irish men, women and children], and I played a little tune on me whistle. I found it very peaceful, and there was relief there.” – Paddy Maloney of The Chieftains

There was relief there,
and release,
on Île Grosse
in the spreading gorse
and the cry of the wild geese . . .

Christmas Poems

These are Christmas poems by Michael R. Burch. Some are darker Christmas poems and heretical Christmas poems. 

The First Christmas
by Michael R. Burch

’Twas in a land so long ago . . .
the lambs lay blanketed in snow
and little children everywhere
sat and watched warm embers glow
and dreamed (of what, we do not know).

And THEN—a star appeared on high,
The brightest man had ever seen!
It made the children whisper low
in puzzled awe (what did it mean?).
It made the wooly lambkins cry.

Poems about God and Religion II

These are poems about God, Jesus Christ, the Bible, the Christian religion, and religion in general. 

Enough!
by Michael R. Burch

It’s not that I don’t want to die;
I shall be glad to go.
Enough of diabetes pie,
and eating sickly crow!
Enough of win and place and show.
Enough of endless woe!

Enough of suffering and vice!
I’ve said it once;
I’ll say it twice:
I shall be glad to go.

EPIGRAMS ABOUT GOD, RELIGION, THE BIBLE AND CHRISTIANITY

These are epigrams I have written over the years about God, religion, the Bible and Christianity. The first epigram is the first poem I remember writing as a boy. 

Bible Libel
by Michael R. Burch

If God
is good,
half the Bible
is libel.

I wrote the epigram above sometime between age eleven and thirteen, after having read the Bible from cover to cover and wondering how anyone could possibly consider the biblical "god" to be "good."

Heretical Poems

These are heretical poems beginning with the first poem that I can remember writing, "Bible Libel," which I composed sometime between the ages of eleven and thirteen.

Bible Libel
by Michael R. Burch

If God
is good,
half the Bible
is libel.

Published by Boloji (India), Nexus Myanmar (Burma), Kalemati (Iran), Pride Magazine, Brief Poems, Idle Hearts, AZquotes (Top 17 Very Witty Quotes), QuoteStats (the #12 Functional Family  Quote), and numerous other quotation websites

Resurrected

Came to the grave, my shattered heart
Yet aching, did not wish to see
The bruises, wounds that tore apart
My everlasting Majesty. 

Thy mouth that spoke of courage, peace
And promises to always be, 
Did utter cries of agony! 
That horrid day of tragedy! 

Mockery did echo loud, 
"If thou be king, then save thyself!" 
Wished my soul that to that crowd
Thy glory would reveal itself. 

Yet here You lay in linen, bound
I walk up to the door to see
My Master, nowhere to be found! 
A cruel act of thievery. 

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