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Twilight Narrative

(x = space)

x

x

Twilight Narrative

x

Long dream this morning

The kind when I wake

Then fall asleep again

About Bill

We took a trip together

Which we had never done

Some kind of blazing thing

A celebration of

The Midwest

Though we knew each other

In school

In the East

x

I got mad

And sad

Because I wanted to talk

With Bill about something

Happening to me

That I didn’t like my life

In Harrisburg

Wanting to say so

Wanting encouragement

Even advice

And he’d said nothing

x

I challenged him on that

A while later

(long dream)

And we got nowhere with it

We could perform

But we could not talk

Not for real

x

I woke up, realizing that

Bill would not go on another

Trip with me

And that was doubly frustrating

Mad

And sad

And then I remembered

That Bill

Had died

A brief while ago

x

My college roommate gone

With earthly friendship

Following

And I am sad

And sad

And sad

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Pawel Czerwinski on Unsplash

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Bill liked root beer, Dad’s; root beer is brown and dreams are wavy

x

5

devotional rant

(x = space)

x

x

devotional rant

x

i hear the cat upstairs

my brother dies from cancer

floods kill people

in the South

the Russian war goes on

and there are fires elsewhere

made by us

weapons

and-or

mania

x

there must be reasons for these

and there are

that might be the easy part

will

and stakes for will

this is not for training

this is real

i should say

i don’t know

how all this might apply

to what’s next

what’s coming

x

for now

the harder part

is having what we have

and turning victory

from unshapen shapes

of loss

the lathe of heaven

she writes,

refining all that’s here

x

and yet outside the story

(the story teaches)

we have

what we have

and must make do

and should do better

we should win

not over each other

but over demons

on the earth,

ones that are

ones we make

x

we know better

our skill is better

we can help each other

so much better

some do

the rest ought

to do

x

we have the instruments

play on

war on

peace on

x

c l couch

x

x

note

The Lathe of Heaven by Ursula K. Le Guin

x

Photo by Austrian National Library on Unsplash

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1

Treading Dawn

(x = space)

x

x

Treading Dawn

x

First I think upon

The violet sail

Then the dragon’s head

That sees

Where we are going

But keeps its secrets

Then to notice that

The ship is moving

In the picture

Feel the air

Taste the air

It tastes of salt

Pure crystals from Narnia

Or a zone of it

Or the unbounded sea

x

It’s wet

I’m wet

And there it is

The last allowance

The rooms fills

We leave the world

To go to this one

However attached

Unattached

(its own)

To fall upon the deck

Or into the water

The kindly crew will help

Though there have

Been enemies

Fallen from outside

x

How might I prove

Intent?

Salute somehow?

That will not be enough

With the ship

We undulate

Upon the sea

While they make up their minds

My pockets empty

No weapons

(that might help)

I’ll sit here

On the melodious wooden deck

A while

While they decide

And should this be the start

Of another chapter

Either way

x

C L Couch

x

x

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader by C. S. Lewis, third chronicle of Narnia

x

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash

The frigate Shtandart in calm weather.

Rīga, Латвия

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2

Postcard at the Center

(x = space)

x

x

Postcard at the Center

(wishing you were here)

x

I am up early

The sun has yet

To shine

Or try through clouds

If that’s what happens

It’s going to be

A warmish winter day

Not that the climate’s warming

Or anything

x

The trees outside

Will look black against

The morning light behind them

The cars will pass by

Below,

Somehow magically muffled

By a Sunday morning

Eventually,

It will be time for church

For churchgoers

x

No comment

But some coffee

That was necessary

And gratified I had the fixings

For a gift

And for the time

x

That’s all

The card ran out of space

Above

I’m writing on the air beside

That might be sent

As well

Through something like the ether

If not cardboard

x

C L Couch

x

with gratitude for Carrie Fisher

x

x

Photo by Matt Hardy on Unsplash

Sydney Opera House

x

1

to an unknown god

(x = space)

x

x

to an unknown god

(acts 17:22-23)

x

the cars hiss outside

like snakes complaining

we had a storm

another might be coming

aren’t we always

in between

we can sleep

only through so much

and then must wake

if only to the aftermath

but then in earnest weather

we’d have been up

to take care of things

before the blow

the pounding of the fists

and stentor breathing

of an angry god

who cannot forgive

our not knowing its name

x

c l couch

x

x

photo by raychel sanner on unsplash

gathering storm over kansas.

x

note (c. f. earlier notes)

the computer’s back, I guess; if so, I’m thankful (thankful for the nonce, anyway)

merry eve before the eve

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0

Late Cancer

(x = space)

x

x

Late Cancer

(diagnosed, lived out)

x

My brother

Might have to be moved

Again

He is frustrated

Wants to be home

Before he wanted to be

Elsewhere

But elsewhere isn’t working out

I understand

The purpose of a medical setting

Is not to settle in

But to leave

When well

Stay is contraindicated

Home

As it cannot be managed

Still remains the prize

x

He’s in pain

Palliation only goes so far

Before the pain

Folds in again

He’s also frightened

I would be

I am in contemplation

Though these are his days

And shall the cancer

Diagnosed too late

A year ago

Take him to another home

Prepared

At last

To last

x

But there’s today’s pain

I don’t know how to wish

The pain to go away

Without invoking

The scary, heavenly alternative

But prayers aren’t magic

We aren’t dealing with a genie

Waiting to misstep

Our hopes

In misspoken entreaties

Heal my brother

Still

Is every prayer’s day

That might make nothing happen

‘Til the pain-releasing thing

Must happen

Tragically for us remaining

For him who suffers

Most of all

x

It is late December

I agree it is a magic season

How much amazing

Might be borrowed

From days

Of extra stars and circles

Green and all the other colors

Only for him

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Kalle Kortelainen on Unsplash

[photographer’s narrative]

A crisp afternoon around 3pm in Dalsjöfors, Sweden these incredible snowflakes appeared on the hood of our car. You can almost hear the crisp snow creaking under the soles of the winter boots by just looking at them. Pure natural magic.

Dalsjöfors, Sweden

x

3

Grow Up, No, Grow Up

(x = space)

x

x

Grow Up, No, Grow Up

x

I wanted to be a normal child

And still

Qualify somehow

For Neverland

Or to ride a dragon

Unnegotiated

x

Something that’s quotidian

And wild

For an hour or so

A panic in a closet

‘Til the back is found

And open into

Covered branches,

Snowy trees

That beckon like

Fantastic men and women

And I shall have a part

In their next chapter

x

C L Couch

x

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Photo by Andrea De Santis on Unsplash

Night View of the Dragon Bridge

Da Nang, Vietnam

x

1

Take It Outside

(x = space)

x

x

Take It Outside

x

Here it’s raining

There might be

Snow and sleet around

This is a strange place

For weather

x

I’m used to weather

From the west

Occasionally, from north

Or south

Because Canada or the tropics

Has something to say

To us

x

Here and now

It comes from all directions

I mean it

All the winds

In all their courses

Everything that’s brought with them

Or left here in stillness

When they’ve gone

Or turned away

As if we could conjure

As is conjured, somehow

Rain from anywhere

The denseness in the air

Anything

The comes

And we oblige

By working through it

Who can change it?

Well, I think we better

Not this

From all directions

In our days

Eccentric seasons

But overall

x

Experts

Not deny-ers

Who have no expertise

But go for easy

Ignorance

But experts say

The world has changed

And so has living here

Everywhere

For all

x

Don’t trust science?

Go outside

And move around

Through currents

In the water

Overland

And in the air

See broken ice

Too much

And drowning islands

New channels

We have lived without

x

Take back the Northwest Passage

Keep it blocked

With righteous cold

x

Right now feel the heat

You can

It should be cool

Where is the cool?

Maybe the ozone hole

Is taking it

x

But if it’s not conspiracy

It isn’t

Not this way

Then we may say

That we have done this

And should fix it

Which doesn’t have to be extraordinary

Not perforce

And unsure seeding clouds

Or oceans

Or burning what

We don’t like

(also bears a chance)

Or firing beams

Or changing the base chemistry

Of anything

x

We simply stop

Doing certain things

And use what we know

What Earth has taught us

To fix things

Replant, feed again

In everything

Let it grow

Let Earth grow

The goodness in four elements

And if there’s

A fifth element

(you know)

Maybe it’s

Our exchange

Stupidity for sense

The right to cool

Our rightly angered children

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Javier Miranda on Unsplash

x

0

good night, irene

(x = space)

x

x

good night, irene

(weave away)

x

i don’t know who

irene is

maybe she

spends time

with missus calabash

or to whomever

carol tugs her ear

(maybe

we know)

x

we’re running

a little late

he says each time

on radio

how does he not know?

why doesn’t the network

correct him if

he’s always late?

x

because

saying goodbye

is hard to do

creative

and all these people tried

x

they credit us

with understanding

and a reminder that

some things

even everyday

are new

x

or not

say goodbye however you mean it

there is no cliché

nothing trite

in the next heartbeat

or the word

that comes from there

x

good night, irene

(lead belly

it’s okay to laugh

i think he must

from time

to time)

let’s see you on the flip side

side b

where it’s wonderful

you hear it

when the artists say

they sing

(in side b songs)

hello

x

c l couch

x

x

photo by mick haupt on unsplash

x

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