One Thing Two Things
(I suppose not unlike One Fish Two Fish . . .)
Have I anything
To say
Today
I get
To this point
(sometimes starting there)
Near
What I think should be
An ending
For
The day
An end enough
To say
Here is something
Using eccentric pace
With
Access to metaphor
Something
That prose can say and often
Does
Say
And yet we have this way
The dance
Maybe
Straightforward or circuitous in
Intent
And
Form
Or both and all
Together
The sound
The shape like that music
Of
Rectangles on the page
And I think I say to you
This day
(and yet not new)
That
Love is good
When
Not bent or twisted
Which may come from an outside
Agenda
Demanding faith
And time
And money
Which eats away at
Time
Good faith
And
Devotion
Love to own and offer freely
And there should be health
In that
And so to healthy love
As a value
And approach
Maybe
With
The peacefulness of doves
The cleverness of
Serpents
(giving
snakes a chance)
Any can love and love well
Some things depending
I’m
Afraid
While the glass we see through darkly
Makes fidelity a challenge
(doable)
Makes love
The risky pleasure though no better quality
Of quantity in
Life
And the better
Open
Lasting things therein
Acquired
Fleshly
And abstract
And
So in this a
Pleasant day desired
For
You
The day and then
Romantic and-or reflective evening
As we please
While
Maybe dove-like and snake-like
In
And with the too often the imposing and
Suppressive world
The division faithful make
Like that
Spirit and flesh
Though they and with the world made
Good
C L Couch
Matthew 10:16
Photo by Sei on Unsplash
matters for prayer
(I should know there are always these to express)
sigh
so what do I have to say
if anything
right now
or in the hours to come
I give myself the day off as an
option
that some readers might not mind
the break to take
from
the entwinements
I could speak of God
for us
and I do pray for you
for us
although
I have no added insight at the moment
to the prayer
there is a wildfire
nearby
I mean
in my county
so I know the location
the forest I have driven through
and hiked in
and stayed
the place
of a human tragedy of note
(meaning it’s
marked)
from some decades ago
and while containment has been accomplished
the burning still goes there
and for
some days now
so that’s the occasion
looking for an occasion
and here’s
the spiritual part
a prayer
as
dear God
cover the firefighters and
other fighters and supporters
with care
to keep them
cool
(if possible)
and safe
(that by you is)
encourage those who had to leave
as they return
to face the changes
in damage
or simply facing the new way
things must be considered
now
not that we shouldn’t always be aware
of fragilities
and dangers
but
well
who does that all the time
no matter how exigent the living
cool
(if possible)
and safe
(that is)
please
and thank you
amen
so I said this and if you’d like to join
that would be gracious
and so
a prayer for you
and us
in that
dear God
please hear us when we speak to you
and you do
of course
but it is human to speak to you
the way we do
even the way we’re taught
grant calmness of night
and if that can’t be
so
then allow some source of calm within
that we might access
if only can a little
help us to be together
in the new day
together as in self-knit and then
joined with each other
the togetherness
in which
there’s greater hope that the day not only be
endurable
but also good to think about
to feel
and mostly to live through
peace
and union
and
our differences
amen
yes
I prayed this for you
for us
as with the other
c l couch
photo by Harrison Steen on Unsplash
[haiku]
ask at all of firsts
from nil gifts to open so
open Earth and us
[out now]
Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku
by Literary Revelations
I’m not so good at promoting myself, but my work is in this anthology. As I’ve mentioned before, I find haiku an arduous process. So I guess I will say for myself that I’m pleased to have my haiku selected for inclusion in this work.
The book is out now and available at Amazon and appears to have been well-received so far. I’m grateful to Literary Revelations for the publishing and more specifically to Gabrielle Marie Milton for all her art and effort.
The main title, I probably don’t need to say, is the theme for this gathering of haiku. Thank you—any, all of you—for your reading of my work generally and should you read what I’ve contributed in Tranquility.
I think as I’ve written earlier, ten years ago while I was recovering from surgery, my sister gave me a laptop and told me to write something. I decided then to try a blog, though I barely knew what one was.
Throughout my life, it seems that writing has been one thing I can do nearly anytime. Feeling well, feeling poorly. At peace or in great stress.
Who knows, maybe I’m getting somewhere on this path.
Christopher
C L Couch
image from Pixabay with thanks to shell_ghostcage
well wishing
(tossing coins)
I hope it is a good night
for you
if a dark night of the soul
a time with turmoil from confusion
or from fear
or from confusion’s fear
more hopefully
or maybe a time of easy rest through
the dark that could go
peacefully
to dawn
or whatever hour
serves
for rising as a new day
for you
however night goes
God is with you
with you
anyway
if
to think on our own failing
actions fixable
(they
are)
and sometimes lovable
from
endearing flaws
we are these wonderful mixtures
after all
are
we not
oh
and if working third shift
then I hope it’s
good rest for you by day
to have the hours
as
impulsive night
and night for all
its goodness
and its call to rest
to you
c l couch
photo by Luo JunHao on Unsplash
when I searched “sleep” and “night” and such for images, the searches came back with so many photos of cats—more than people, more than dogs—which says something about us, I imagine
[haiku of the funeral]
common the remains
of by world and word a pope
framed in love to earth
c l couch
photo by Nicolas Weldingh on Unsplash
of John 3:17
for God
did not send
the child of God
into
the world
to condemn the world
but that
through the child
the world
and all the world
might
be saved
for God so loved
c l couch
photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
the good season that lasts
the week after
time of discipleship
like being free of Pharaoh
free
now
of similar devils
new obligations based
on old beliefs
and
now
regeneration
not an easy life
in the spirit
old and new temptations
to parry
disillusionment as
after
last Friday
until the vigil moment
Sunday
which is maybe how sometimes
faith
appears
fast like a bird
settling like
rain
a life re-breathed
a new season that in temperate climes
speaks to changing colors
and
thermometer degrees
and while these quarters will continue
the life
in the spirit
we know
now
shall not have an end
as long as we’re inclined
and others
all of us go on
face the choice
to belong
adhere
and have renewed breath
in the new time
in the gathering that is church
only people
by
its Greek definition
and goodness the soft
yoke
the easy
weighted burden
which faith allows
maybe
hopes near all traditions
c l couch
first full week of the Easter season
photo by Julia Elliot on Unsplash
an announcement of a new book of poetry
Coming soon: Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku by Literary Revelations
Gabriela Marie Milton (editor)
The world is grim, and I continue to pray that each of us on this planet will have peace and light.
Amidst all these, Literary Revelations is preparing to release Tranquility: An Anthology of Haiku. May the book bring beauty and a moment of meditation and calm to the lives of those who read it.
This book is a book of poetry as well as a book of art.
As I wrote in the foreword to this book, “Each haiku redefines temporality as an axis mundi. Think about it.” Our relation with ourselves and divinity begins and ends in us. I hope the beauty of this book will make you think so.
--Gabriela
peace is elusive
though peace lives inside each so
access irony
clc—admittedly more about nature that is human (alone) rather than outside (too or first)
photo by Anton Sobotyak on Unsplash
birthday bard
born
or born
near this day
our lord’s year
1564
some educated
beyond
believed the local school
more so somehow
illuminated
aware of the world
where it is
where it was
who
and how
topical
which could be daring
writing about the father
of the kind
all sorts of guess
how he lived
except to know he was not
the starving artist
but
did well
poet
first
then actor
better-heeled
as poet
married
buried near the altar
for respect
and
perhaps some sort
of sponsorship
and
when dug up
to find all bones except
the head
as someone might have wondered
about Einstein
and
the brain
war
distant
near
love places and time
with something of forever
in each effort
magic
discovered
undiscovered countries
also
ethereal
tried as practical
the identity of one who could
compose
so much
and so penetrating
about us
peers
yes
and peerless
and
happy birthday
were you here
while we are here
yet
look forward to a part
with all
great dramas
in the legacy
of
the greatest play and art that
of eternity
c l couch
photo by Samuel Regan-Asante on Unsplash
“Stratford Station” (for translation)
Stratford, London, UK
clcouch123 
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