to my cybernetic and my fleshly family
my computer's burning up
as with fever
meaning there's no fire
far as I know
except maybe
on the inside
as happens
signaled by devices
on our foreheads
or elsewhere
the machine is old
I guess
in the way
machines like this
get old
though my senses
as a hobbit
and a Luddite
get confused
but last night
like the theatre after hours
my machine
went dark
in something like
an impulse toward survival
I imagine
it came back
and might endure
in spates
of time
and functionality
perhaps
in the mean time
(like the theatre)
I might have to go dark
myself
here
and also there
not that the world won't change
because of all
good things that might be
happening
because of you
thank you
be well
following seas
I'll be in touch
as I can
(not may
this time
depending on my own
battery life)
until with
a new device
I guess
then
returning shall be more or less
indefinite
not undefinite
like certain questions
that some of our work
intentionally
proposes
Christopher
photo by CHUTTERSNAP on Unsplash
(and blue's my favorite color, sigh)
Pen Pal
It’s a bright day
Here
If it sticks
It will the first one
That we’ve had
In a while
I’m tired
Slept poorly
I had coffee with friends
Last night
Which most likely
Kept me up
Though it was good
Coffee
And how is it
Where you are
Just now
More importantly
How are you
I’d
Like to know
More important
Than
The weather
Without doubt
Though
You know
The weather
Has been an easy
Entry
(and
entre nous)
Into conversation
Except
Maybe
Anymore
With changing climate
Then
Who knows
Who’s affected
By
What happens
Climatic
Anymore
So would you
Mind
Telling me
How you are doing
And how safe
In any way
You are
Just now
Sincerely yours
C L Couch
Photo by NOAA on Unsplash
it is Wear Red Day
locally
it is a “Heart” day
I am told
(with all the viewers)
wear red
remember
who’s researching
how to live with
all the troubles
that might happen
to this muscle
also
standing
(symbolizing)
for so much
National Wear Red Day
especially for women
who tend to go unidentified
as victims
of heart trouble
the day
this day
is also the centennial
of the American Heart Association
so much research
so much funding
for research
and also teaching
learning how often
this might happen to women
inside women
(yes
inside men
and don’t I know)
but the symptoms
can go differently
so differently
and she
and those for she
should know
identify
and react so fast
when these might happen
to her
red day
we are red
today
and red means oxygen
which all bodies
should take in
to nourish all our parts
with freedom
though when impeded
we need
red help
the symbol
raising money
and awareness
and our hopes
starting here
with her
with him
then to the world
with all the hearts
heart-lives
out there
out here
c l couch
(and, yes, it’s been the time for Imbolc and Candlemas and Saint Brigid and the groundhog did not see his (Phil’s) shadow—and these mean more than we may know for how we observe and take part in our seasons and also all our days
but women suffer from not only heart disease but from lack of awareness of symptoms and then what to do
while heart disease kills all of us more than any other reason such as cancer or crime)
photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash
prismatic day
what if racial
were delightful
what if I
delighted
found deep pleasure
meeting you
or passing you
and
exhaling
with deep pleasure
such an
interesting world
I know
I know
this nation
for example
started in
a backward
human way
since owning people
is reverse
of what God wanted
what God made
if only
in Africa and Europe
and then here
we had
I don’t know
let it go the other way
reasonably
let Blacks own whites
upon the block
at auction-time
and in the fallow
fields
needing crops
I know
I know
those made
and make
an even Biblical
argument for ownership
maybe for skin color
too
and white-righteousness
but I think we could
we could
agree
agree
that in the present context
of the way we live
today
today
such major points
made of minor insinuations
are wrong
at least wrong-headed
and frankly
evil
to have practiced
and to practice
now
I don’t know
call me a lover
I have had
my encounters
as have you
if you have
the world is the world
I guess
and we should take it
as it is
but never
never
leave it there
the unjust parts
the evil parts
the sinful
we have long ways to go
long ways
before we like each other
in the meeting of each other
superficially
then there’s the depth
of skin
beneath the skin
to plumb
in our knowing
of each other
there are the other differences
too
that cause disruption
disequality
disliking
so far to hating
ultra-hating
in some parts of us
here and there
(and sometimes there
is huge)
while these are the very things
for liking
for the difference
for how we are
and we contribute
differently
so much a fearful world
and there are fear-mongers
who profit
from the fear
who delight
wickedly
from the control
the very thing that’s good
turned bad
for perception
for agenda
hiding behind
(not underneath)
the skin
also
the skin of things
so much fear
so much fear
and fear turns into hatred
turns into anger
turns into righteous crime
as rationale
for hurting
for robbing
and for stealing
and a plan
an expectation
to get away with it
for righteousness
God
is righteous
we
are not
and in my doctrine
God as Christ
had to die for this
to open up our
pretended righteousness
to life anew
having surrendered that
while in your doctrine
God is also good
and God is
great
or there is no God
and still you wouldn’t justify
the taking
and the killing
for another’s difference
which could
and should
add to yours
meaning there is reason
as well as doctrine
for the liking
of each other
out of
foundational love
in the creation
and the molecules
of everything
which makes love deep
and practical
and liking
at least good for style
and really so much more
for meeting
and transaction
in the world
so shall
we give the world a chance
maybe as is
as well as it should be
colorful
shapeful
a myriad like prisms
in spectrographs
a miracle
perhaps
but a real delight
as in the taste of
good food
and good company
though there is
the matter of need
though there is
the matter of need
and shall we say
that matters
for deliberation
more importantly
for practice
it could make for
a separate economy
if need
here’s an economy for need
here’s the economy
for money
stocks
commodities
and bonds
the need is filled
on its own
with those devoted to that
the rest might be
for profit
as it is
(though I’d prefer
less life-sucking
if not less
murderous)
so that
we have a world
that might drink and eat
have shelter
and the chance for learning
which would make us
better
less war-like
having less need
for war
an argument
for economy
and peace
and the meeting of each other
in better forums
and
to say the least
more promising
you know
I have been sorry
say I’m sorry
every day
and in sorry
there might be change
maybe stepping toward
contrition
repentance
compassion
(then)
and empathy
like listening
like listening
there are skills
to learn
and a world to see
or without seeing
hear
and more than senses
have some feeling
for a world
that is our world
really
without destroying it
our world
c l couch
today begins Black History Month (the inspiration)
photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash
let’s say a year
a year
let’s say a year
a year of peace on Earth
to try
then come back
in a year
to talk about
how it went
how it goes
we might learn
say
that war
is bad for the economy
though the bullet-
and missile-
manufacturers
might disagree
we mean learn
that keeping up
our homes
is better
when our homes
are actually
up
we might enjoy
green spaces
beneath unimpeded
blue
or we might
work so very hard
on the other things
that worry
us
(like wool)
and sometimes destroy us
parts of us
all of us
we might make safer airplanes
and what goes
on the road
we might go
on the roads ourselves
to seek a peaceful journey
match the tone
of the time
set down what we
hear and see and smell and taste
and touch
set something down
to share
via the summit
later
we might learn
that we like this state
and that we like
this place
this way
we might go for
another year
or let explode
all things behind the barriers
that could explode
explode
and go to war
in small
destroying ways
like infiltrating
toadstools
or have an armageddon
between nations
letting in
militias
and weaponed gangs
as well
and fight officially
or with a sense
of random
‘til it all be done
except
it’s never done
or
as was said
we could go for
a second year
of peace
and in that time
upbuild
the rest
but for now
how about
a year
let’s go for a year
c l couch
photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash
Hi,
Above is a headline for a link plus an excerpt for a poem of mine published recently in Edge of Humanity Magazine. I find their works creative and timely. There is text and other artwork featured. A feast of media, as it were (as it is).
I am grateful to Joelcy Kay, Editor and Curator of Edge of Humanity Magazine. The home page for the magazine is at www.edgeofhumanity.com.
Thanks so much for looking and for reading. I hope each of you is having a fine Tuesday (or fine Wednesday soon in other parts).
Christopher
disseasonability
an easy winter
brutal summer
heat
in exchange for
the snow
fair exchange?
there is romance
in the snow
yes
and peril, too
but do we forget
(speaking in January)
that
there is danger
in the high heat,
too
not to mention
polar ice shelves
sliding into
sea
exposing land
which is interesting
though
in fact
we are losing our cool
so to say
and for real
the Earth is heating
and we need
the heat
and shall we forget
we need the cold
as well
sorry
we’re not halfway
keep talking winter
in the northern world
at least
and maybe ask
down south
how the summer’s
doing
c l couch
photo by Liana S on Unsplash
for once
(please or is it pleas)
if God
then God
come down
not only from the Christmas tree
but from every tall place
we cannot reach
or only with precarity
and up from every
deep dark place
we can imagine
not to mention woeful places
we cannot
and from left
or from the right
and then from the inside
where our own spirits
reside
with or without alliances
from the spirit
that moves everywhere
and with our will
might live
within us
God come from every place
every point
we measure
and beyond
and realize
please
for once
a real form
that we can see
from which we hear the voice
that we could taste
and close enough to smell
even to touch
with or without piercing points
for remembrance
or for proof
and be here for a while
we could have coffee
with or without
an armageddon
after
c l couch
photo by NASA Hubble Space Telescope on Unsplash
“Christ Climbed Down” is a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, which I thought of when writing about God climbing ("come down")
yesterday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, and so the following is for this day and any day we remember something larger than ourselves that still involves our responsibility in happiness or sadness to enact
day of remembrance
yesterday was for remembrance
each day is for remembrance
and recall
together
with poppies
or monuments of angles
the ceremonies we create
over what has happened
so we might remember
and not
as Santayana says
doom ourselves
to repetition
of the dire
and destructive
take it slowly on these days
don’t rush to something else
the prophet margin
will remain
in the margins
a call of justice
that is heard
might mediate
with all the other worldly matters
all our loves
the good things
the distracting things
that sometimes we must order
like new things
especially through
our days of remembrance
c l couch
photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash
clcouch123 
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