the patch of blue
while
I was driving and I guess the clouds were breaking up
if
only for a while and in the middle
well
I saw it
pale
set against the gray
and ringed by
white
all
uncertain ‘round the edges
as the afternoon became
a thoughtful
season
c l couch
photo by Zoshua Colah on Unsplash
anymore
3 July 1863
the heat of July in southern Pennsylvania
it’s hotter now
these days
but a hundred fifty years ago and more
then
inside uniforms bearing
supplies and heavy guns
and
two days fighting even
to serve on the winning side and then a final
charge
to determine victory
then the march on Harrisburg
to end the war
and
the cannons fired too soon if like the rebel yell
but
too early over the field
then following orders though the noise
had cleared
the damage done with time
to reassemble
the smoke gone and
regardless
came the charge
over a flat place with little cover
and
stopping wasn’t ordered
anyway
and the soldiers
with their leaders were
cur
down
Hood shot down and
only some made it
to the stone wall of the enemy
and
were killed
there
and Lee called up Pickett to sort his army
for more fighting
to which
Picket proclaims with anger in his blood
and grief for loss
to Lee that there was no army of his leading
anymore that
day
the charges lay on the field
free in the worst way
from
any earthly order
anymore
clc
photo by Johnny Kaufman on Unsplash
“Roadside Sunset”
Gettysburg, PA, USA
a song for Friday
pick a day
pale blue
near
gray and I’ll take the blue
since gray too easily
takes over skies
of days
the green is brighter as are their
branches with the thicker trunks of
the grander
holders
leading into
earth
the source with the running ground for squirrels
within its source and in
its interest
celebrating through existence
‘til
the blade
every micro-moment
smaller
then larger into day
followed by night
followed by
day
all things of matter
energy distributed in breezes
unless
a storm’s severity should conquer
or at least challenge what
sways
easily for now
what scampers
to
or lights upon the branch
then soars away
it’s a world
world of the backyard
without
a flag
and simply kept
though sometimes folk are hired
too
though I think it might prefer
the wild with enough
space for
grass and wood and leaf
and branch
with
skittering and flying creatures to have
room in which to enjoy
and sing about
freedom
that is natural
or
should be
c l couch
photo by Flavia Dragos on Unsplash
the job
the love of God
through framing blue and green
by
making branches
giving these
the job
c l couch
photo by Lucas van Oort on Unsplash
tell me
pretty pale blue
nothing new
and new
and wonderful each time
c l couch
photo by The DK Photography on Unsplash
reader response
blue to gray
sorry
it was a pleasant day
with winter weather in the fifties
to encourage going out
for
the day if
not
to ski
we’re in the East
sorry again
c l couch
(reader-response is a way to describe the process of getting into a book or anything with text; we read and then respond and how we respond by what we read and who we are is, well, important, ‘cause it is; here for a graduate-student lark, I’m applying the notion to reading the day and then responding, reader response to weather, as it were)
photo by Kourosh Qaffari on Unsplash
try
the sun tries
and there’s wind to welcome
blue
to highlight evergreen
with leafless branches whose
slender ballets
look
tireless
and to hear some whispers whose
code
only known between the sky
and these parts
of Earth
try
regardless
and thank goodness
c l couch
photo by Mila Young on Unsplash
Pale Day
Pale blue
Pretty
I imagine there are
Even piquant clouds somewhere
Bouncing
Even though they’re still
Or moving slowly
To see them
Actually
Adding extra movement
To the elements
Because it’s probably happening
Out there
Up there
Down there
Anyway
And we take movement
All too seriously
As if to be still
Even to rest
Were tantamount to some kind of death
Before
The actual
And is that the antipathy
Toward rest
That it’s too close to resting
Mortally
Forever
I don’t know
It’s a pretty blue day outside
And I’ll think on all these things
And maybe you shall
Too
Blue is for rest
As well
And if it is
Or can be
Some kind of sabbath for you
When it’s time or
You decide
It’s time
Then my wish is for a day of blue
For you
C L Couch
Photo by Oliver Cole on Unsplash
Long Earth
Thinking
About day and night
In the spring surprise of
Noting
Blue light persisting
Layered
And
Dissolving in to dark
And yet the longer time
As Earth considers turning
Back
Leaning to favor
Days of planting in the northern
Half
While the southern part
Has winter
A cycle of
Waking
Hibernation
Still for a billion years
Two billions or so
Until a final pressing
To go away
To land upon another world
With the surprise
Discovery
Of its own planetary cycles
And its seasons become
Our own
C L Couch
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
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