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clcouch123

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clcouch123

In conversation, I prefer Christopher. My mom named me after Christopher Robin, after all. In writing, I use “C L Couch” (or, more simply, “c l couch”) because the form is genderless and also frankly easier to use. I have awful writer’s cramp. I am an educator more or less retired, more or less due to disability. At present, I live in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania (USA). My writing here I mean to be occasional and also devotional. Either or both. The banner and profile photographs are by my friend and peer Debra Danielson. More of Debbie’s work to be enjoyed is at debradanielson.org. Thanks to each of you and both and all for coming to my blog.

Christmas 12

(x = space)

x

x

Christmas 12

(or What You Will)

x

They’re drumming loudest

Of all

Not like Buddy Rich

More like Sousa

x

Twelfth day

Twelfth night

The vigil for Epiphany

A holy time

We have a different kind

Of pageant, here

x

Not that it’s unholy

And it’s intentioned—it’s

Insane

I should say it

I have to watch it

And to hear it

And there’s the cleaning up

Each day

And after?

x

Fish and Wildlife

Are here

And I’ve contacted agents

For the talent

And even though

We’re here

And Julian is there

Maybe she is right,

And

After many sighs

Some resolution

All shall be well

x

As for you, true love,

Please

Please

I don’t know

Please go away?

Wait, you’re responsible for this

I think I liked the pipers

They may stay awhile

So I may hear them

Better

And if they behave,

Some of the birds

May stay

For show

To accompany

(sorry, FWS

please come back tomorrow

or stay

for the concert)

x

And, love,

I don’t know if you may stay

I do know

Our relationship needs some work

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Melvin Darrell on Unsplash

x

I wrote something for each verse but did not post them all.  There were days when other things were more pressing or distracting.  I do have the entire series.

Shakespeare took the title of his play from this brief season, anticipating Epiphany, a time of discovery.

Thank you.  Let love be true.

x

1

Christmas 11

(x = space)

x

x

Christmas 11

x

Goodness!

Aren’t two enough

Or so

For “The Stars and Stripes Forever”?

x

I should sell tickets

Well, hand them out

So all close by

Might share in the cacophony

Sorry, the melodious

Cacophony

x

Eleven of them piping

Well, the lords and ladies

Have something

To dance to

Now

Dick Clark

With respect

Bandstand

Top ten

Water music selections

Or something

x

Well, they sound practiced

They could have been

Plumbers,

Which given the state of things

Could work out

Fine

x

One more

(twelve more)

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Azka Rayhansyah on Unsplash

x

4

Christmas 10

(x = space)

x

x

Christmas 10

x

Look at that,

Lords leaping

We had to take this

Outside

The neighbors may look over

Though they rarely do

Unless they do

And how did I know that

They were lords?

It was on the dance cards

They provided

x

The ladies wouldn’t like it:

There was one lord too many

No, wait,

It is a lord to be frustrated

By a dearth of one

x

Though it’s only counting,

Everything’s confused

These ten thus-far

Days

Is it any wonder

From the wonders?

x

Sigh,

I left them leaping

To go inside to ponder

Eleven

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash

x

2

Familiarize

(x = space)

x

x

Familiarize

x

It’s my brother’s birthday

I have brothers

I have a sister

So do you

We’re in this together

What did Franklin say,

We hang together

Or we or each hang

Separately

x

That may sound crass

I may

A side-swipe at togetherness

I wish there were more

x

I wish there were more

Friendliness

Maybe in the Midwest

Or the South

You know

x

You know

The easy kind of

Hi, how-are-you kind

x

And for a moment

We mean it

Then move on

As if we all were brothers

And a sister

x

Our people

One by one

A crowd

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Ravi Sharma on Unsplash

Street of Delhi, India.

Chandni Chowk, New Delhi, Delhi, India

x

2

5783

(x = space)

x

x

5783

x

On this numbered

Christmas day

There is a new year

Counting as we do

By Gregory

Of course

It’s not new year

Yet

(or maybe before)

In other places

Other traditions

Counting

Whoever has a lunar year

Whoever numbers

Seasons

The Christian Orthodox

In a couple of weeks

Or so

x

We

(dominating

west and north

and much of

east and south)

Being we

Might say

We have an atomic clock

And we prefer the sun

For clocks

That has lasted for a while

And

Will last

On our own

Until the Martian landings

Not only by machines

But by people

With machines

x

When we shall have

Two clocks

On walls

In ships

On wrists

Intentional for

Arean negotiation

And for fashion

We start our chronicles

By keeping double time

That yes means fast

For Mars

Is a smaller planet

Get there

Get it fast

We need new years

On new Earths

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash

All that’s missing is Homer Simpson sleeping in a chair with a box of pink donuts nearby. This is the control panel of the first nuclear power plant ever built. I love the retro 1950s style, dials, buttons, and lights. This is a free museum located in a remote part of Idaho, that’s only open to the public for a few months each summer.

x

0

Christmas 7

(x = space)

x

x

Christmas 7

x

1

I didn’t use

An Advent calendar this year

But of another kind,

That of the Twelve Days of Christmas

With each day a piece of chocolate

Behind the door

We didn’t have chocolate calendars

Ours were all paper,

Which was fine

We had other sources of chocolate

And sugar overall during

The holidays

x

Counting this way

And each day a treat

From Godiva

I’m finding this

A very grown-up

Practice

And it’s tasty

x

Yesterday

I saw in a movie

What looked typical

For an Advent calendar

Except that behind the door

There were two chocolate pieces

Now!

Isn’t that like Christmas?

Each day to share a treat

Moment of pleasure in

Giving and receiving

x

We were seven;

We would have fought over that,

Which wouldn’t help at all

The cause of Christmas

Paper was enough for us

It was negotiable

The pictures were pretty

x

2

Now on this seventh day,

My love,

There are swans that are swimming

So there must be water

Is it my pond

You have the use of

Or did you bring a set of barrels

Or a tub?

x

You know that swans are nasty creatures

(like the geese)

Beauty to behold

From a distance

Awkward to watch take off

Or land;

Maybe that’s where their disposition

Comes from,

From vanity

That’s thwarted

Humility mandated

Every day

x

They are not quiet

They hiss

The swansong thus

A sad and inaccurate metaphor

I’m sure there’s a story

We can look it up

There is the story

Of the white swan of the black

That bifurcates

The human spirit

And the soul

x

But these days are an entertainment,

Yes?

And when will it become

Entertaining,

My true love?

There’s water, feathers, disordination, and bird

Droppings

Let’s move to a field

With a barn to rent

For the next

And then the rest

And then (to pun)

I’ll need to rest

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Raphael Nast on Unsplash

x

2

Christmas 6

(x = space)

x

x

Christmas 6

x

Geese

And they are laying

How did you work that out?

At least we could sell the eggs

To service all the critters

By now and forthcoming

x

Geese don’t like us much

They honk when they’re annoyed

And they’re annoyed a lot

So am I with you,

True love,

And this relentless

Stratagem

That somehow you perceive

As courting

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Eric Brehm on Unsplash

x

0

Morning’s Delta Light

(x = space)

x

x

Morning’s Delta Light

x

Judgment light

As morning sunlight

Without shadow

On the blanket;

The light is warm

In a purifying way

x

The light is yellow due to the

Sun’s agency:

On another world

What color might be

Informing the inhabitants?

x

It’s good;

The light is living

Adding deltas

To the chemistry of

xxxxxReactions

xxxxxChange

xxxxxGrowth

x

A preference for cloudy days

Should not impede

What must also come someday

In sun

(with shadows)

To assess

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by OC Gonzalez on Unsplash

Day’s like this.

Santa Barbara, United States

[looking east toward mountains]

x

2

A Living Season

(x = space)

x

x

A Living Season

x

Food and water

Bread and wine

For mass

And other celebrations

After

x

Liturgically,

We note salvation all the time

Symbolism’s good

The real things

Are better

When they meet our needs

To lift the worldwide press

Off a crushing world

(metaphor again

they teach)

Are better

x

Symbolic food

Give actual food

Safe water in the present

Wine to seal the deal

For those who allow

As in that crass (unclassed) and useful way

We might worship

And also act in the world

x

Give money from a distance

Distribute packages

Place clean rims of containers

Upon parched, maybe dying lips

When everything’s all right

We’re fit

To talk about the rest

Negotiate

For healthy people

x

All this would make a season

Health is good for the economy

Living without

The need to bury

‘Til the righteous time

Worked into the primal design

And a pattern

For humanity

x

That make us better

People for the moon and Mars

Keeping us whole

At home

A home to have

And to return to

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Rebecca Matthews on Unsplash

My husband and I have begun a few new ventures after getting back to ‘normal’ from the house fire we suffered in Feb. this year. I now make handcrafted soap, and he bakes bread and cookies. Our new neighbors love us, as they get to enjoy the fruits of our labors!

x

2

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