12 February 2024



today is

Lincoln’s birthday

as I recall

most years



uncongealed

from the

single

Presidents Day



and

yes

ten days from now

is Washington’s



Lincoln was

from Kentucky

as was I

though much taller

when he grew



much taller

about everything



adding that hat

for greater

height



he split rails

the kind for fences

I believe

maybe to be ready for

a fenced-in nation



he took us

through the worst

making mistakes

I’m sure



and losing children

maybe

tens of thousands

of these

whose names

might as well have been

Edward

William

Thomas who went by

Tad



the ones who died then

and the others

later on

as

a tragic legacy



and in two days we’ll celebrate

romantic love

which has me recall

the story of

how Lincoln first encountered

Mary Todd

saying he’d like to dance

with her

in the worst way

and then

proceeding to prove that



and she endured

poorly

as the war happened

and then

once it was over



she lost her family

viscerally

terribly



one child remained

as company

for her

remaining days



the President would turn

215 today

which means

he wouldn’t

but in remembrance

where his years

as in heritage

are eternal



he made mistakes

I’m sure

but he was whom

we needed

for splitting fences

in and of

themselves

the biggest

worst metaphors



barriers

having been made

by slavery

with other interests

from the states



that having been decided

in a sibling war

could turn out be

the U.S.A.

a single entity

imperfect

but so far indivisible

again



c l couch





photo by Ron Graham on Unsplash