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