2024

To the Dark Towers Came

The news said
that
a private plane
had hit
one of the towers
of
the World Trade Center.
I felt awful for
the pilot
and the passenger.

I had to get to school.

I listened
to the radio
on the way. The news
was
still confused.

I got
to school and walked from
the car to the building
where
the classroom was. I
entered
the room to find
the TV on,
everyone staring. Then
I found out
what happened,
that
the towers were gone, one
tower then
the other.
The planes were
jet liners. Commercial
planes.

Hundreds of folk
were
running toward
the site
to try
to rescue thousands.
No doubt
these responders looked
up
to see
the buildings there,
made of air
and memory.

C L Couch

Photo by In Memory of Yan Ji on Unsplash

lamentation is a season
(for Memorial Day 2024)

sad remembrance
the activity
and the state
of sad remembrance

who has died
and is ahead of us
in honored state
or imprisoned
inside something
of
we don’t know what
or in what part
what nation host
sought pride
in this

rows of
flags
metal stars
on metal sticks
symbols of
faith
the Star of David
or Arabic
or a cross
or blank for those
with no tradition
save
to have died
mortally
to save

and at the monuments
here
in England
France
perhaps in diplomatic squares
in Africa
and Asia
also in the
Anzac places

there will be some
marching
and many will salute
and we’ll officially remember
or in homes
the absences
that war
and war-like actions
they responded to
have made

we’ll tell stories
and we should
we’ll hear new parts
and oft-repeated
passages
and both are good
and sad for
reason
for the purpose
of our meeting

we’ll also celebrate
though maybe
not so far
that we forget
what we should recall
and have a flag for
and a photograph
whatever sort
of tableaux
with a little more
to say
this was our aunt
our uncle
our ancestors
or our parents
or our children
or
our neighbors

we lament
and also adulate
this day

c l couch
(the preacher preached from Lamentations and about Memorial Day today)

photo by Tanner Ross on Unsplash


The Dragon Year



Would you like

To make friends with a dragon?

Flying with it

Perched somehow

Between its wings?



The thing is

Well,

The thing is

It’s a dragon

It’s big

It’s long

It has scales

It’s powerful

With wings

And claws

And when it chooses

Exhaling fire



An aircraft carrier

In the ocean

Between islands

Might let

The dragon land

While sailors worry about

This temporary

Guest



And those in planes

Might worry,

Too,

About what’s flying

Next to them

That waves with wings

While the sun

Blinks off its armor

And its talons



But mostly

It is a matter of

What’s really inside

The dragon

As in

What are its intentions?

What is it plan?



Dragons are powerful

But it’s the good

Or bad

We might have

To know

Before deciding

How close

And is it possible

To be a friend with it



Maybe if it’s lying down,

You could move

Closer to its head

To talk

Maybe to have

Its name

And give it yours

And ask,

Well,

What are its plans?



Maybe it’s here

For a year on Earth

Before

Going on to other worlds

Maybe some

That are replete with flying serpents

Maybe one world that is

Its first home



Maybe

While it’s here

It will

Teach us about power

That it is neither

Good

Nor

Bad

But we must make it so

We must decide



And it will not make us choose

But sort of

Sit and stand

And fly, of course,

To show that power

Is immense

Sometimes

And sometimes

It will be there

Sitting

Standing

Flying

Ready for us

To be good

Or bad

With it



So that

Enormous questions

For the answers

Might be ours

As in

What are our intentions?

What are our plans?



And so we have this dragon

To consider

Maybe

Maybe to ride upon

As well

If we can negotiate

The wonder



And also,

Well,

To think about the dragons

We have made:

Our larger things

And all

That we can do

With these



While we have this special year

With our magic,

Divine

Visitor

That might protect

Even defend us

Should we learn the language

And the manner

In dealing with dragons

Like this dragons

Or the dragons

We must own

Now and

Once it’s left us for

Another year

And more,

That is,

Eleven more



During which with

All the more enormous

Creatures

Of our own

We’ll be creaturing



C L Couch





Photo by Michael Buillerey on Unsplash

Binondo, Manila, Philippines