brother

Brothers

(x = space)

Brothers

(on a birthday)

I have three

Today is the birthday

Of one of them

Paul is a year and a half younger

Meaning I get confused

Trying to track the number

Most years

In the USA

(not this year)

It is just after tax day

So that there are two reasons

For celebration

This is the brother

Who knows celebrities

And has worked closely with

Dolly Parton

At the park

On TV

And most recently on stage

He is a producer

Though he also knows the talent

From the inside out

Singing

Playing a dozen instruments

His wife is better than he is

But what else could be expected

They are creative

Talent

Years and years to come

And let the moments you have now

Be gold

C L Couch

Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash

Kalispell, United States

April 17, 2021 0

Favors

(x = space)

Favors

(in pandemic time)

The toilet’s broken

Thank me for sharing

Since I rent,

It’s up to someone else

And someone else to fix it

Meanwhile, I wait

As best I may

And all my systems

It’s not as if one can run

Down to the gas station and

Use the loo, since

The disease is keeping many things

Locked up (as it should)

It’s not the worst of things

I’ll tell myself as I

Keep waiting through the day

My brother’s home from the hospital

To rest and improve

From what was diagnosed

To say the least,

He is more important

And I’m thankful

C L Couch

Photo by Gilles Desjardins on Unsplash

November 14, 2020 1

News about My Brother

(x = space)

News about My Brother

Something’s wrong

She says it’s not COVID

Maybe something

With his heart

They’re waiting for a bed

As all hospitals are

Currently, especially

Challenged

This is my brother

The ablest of us:

Muscled

Well-groomed,

Building a life

From the Army to the factory

To executive positions

Then when corporate-raiding

In the ‘80s ruined so many

Lives, he built a business

Helping children

Learn

He married Beth

They have two children,

Sons (nephews) who

Are themselves husbands

And fathers now

This news is not about me

But him and them,

And they are far away

Though hearts string us together

And certain rituals

From time to time

Not me

But I am shaking with the news

And the frightened parts

Of my imagination

Earlier this morning

(before the news),

I threw salt over

My left shoulder;

If it could help

Or a voodoo doll

Or a contract with a witch,

Then let it

In the mean time

I’ll be praying

In the mean time,

Please be praying for your own

C L Couch

Photo by Dušan Veverkolog on Unsplash

Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

November 12, 2020 1

Cold Morning Jazz

Cold Morning Jazz

It’s a cold and rainy day

I’m grateful

It’s been too hot

Maybe the neighbors turned

Up their heat

We’re all connected, you see

Like scratches on an antique plate

Like fog inside the city

Like rain

I’m not sure what to say

That hasn’t been said better

By someone else

But I’ll keep at it

Not for the sake of being fresh

But because there is a forum,

Here

In which we should all take part

I heard some truth yesterday

That I have heard before

How fossils added to

With imaginary flesh

Made way for the chimera

All combined animals of myth

She spoke her truth as if it were new

But I first heard it long ago

You see, each generation needs

To own its own

Not plagiarism

(plagiarism’s willful)

But new ownership

The sphinx is beautiful

Its paws upon the desert floor

Whose head is that

We think we know

Whose body

Name the lion, please

There’s work for you

I’m glad I’m not a city mouse

Somewhere there are mice

Plaster mice

We painted long ago

My brother made the city mouse

Many colors, elegant

Creative

My country mouse was simple

In blue, not much else

Than blue

We painted these at camp

Then they were put away

To look at, every now and then

Mine has a chip upon the ear

He can negotiate the city

I do okay,

When I have to

He is the -politan

I try to be the cosmo-

He is so good at what he does

And for my place I guess

I’m glad I am a country mouse

Who lives on Drury Lane

I should return his mouse

Next time I have the chance

C L Couch

Photo by Sash Margrie Hunt on Unsplash

New York, USA

May 6, 2020 2

The Artist of the Beautiful

The Artist of the Beautiful

When I was a child

My oldest brother gave me a plastic car

He had a model kit

And applied blue and paint

And his ingenuity

To make it beautiful

Why he gave it to me, I don’t know

I was not known for being careful

And he told to take care with it

To keep it whole and as it was

I did not

Maybe if he hadn’t said anything

I’d have done better

But in a while, not so little while, it

Was ruined

And now five decades later

I still feel badly

It’s possible, though I doubt I will inquire,

He doesn’t remember any

Of this

C L Couch

notes

title a title of a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne

http://www.online-literature.com/hawthorne/124/, one place to find it

(image)

Bill Abbott – Beautiful 1/24 Ford Thunderbird above, port quarter fancy paint

February 1, 2019 0

My Kaulayaw

My Kaulayaw

(for Rosema)

Sister

Brother

Friend

Sister to my wounds

And brother to

My zeal,

Friend to our needs

In the world

This should go

Two ways at least

I pray it does

Sister- brother-friend

Allow me to live

Let me serve you

In this way

Word-High July: Welcome!

Maria of Doodles and Scribbles and I [that’s Rosema at rosemawrites] are more than excited to read your takes on the 30 Beautiful Filipino Words.

Write or create a post inspired or about the Filipino word prompts.
A post can be anything. A poem, a fiction, a six-word tale, or even a photo. It’s all up to you.
Linkback/create a pingback to this post: Word-High July 30 Beautiful Filipino Words. Here is a quick tutorial on how to do a pingback.
Tag your post with WordHighJuly, so your co-bloggers will be able to read/see your take on the prompt. Here’s how you create tags.
Most important of all, read and comment to your blogger friends (old and new found, we’ll never know).

HOP ON and let’s all GET WORD-HIGH this JULY!

July 17, 2016 2