Christmas in July
we say that Christmas is December
and yet
because we need not fixed remember
then
there is no reason why
can be no Christmas in July
c l couch
a while ago, a friend was asking why Christmas could not be celebrated in July, not with sales but with services; part of this verse I came up with right away, the rest boiling like plum pudding over years
photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
merry
there was a creche
and a lamb
was
part
of that with other sheep
and it seemed the
lamb
had looked
at me
that was Christmas Eve
enough
for Christmas day
and for the world
each
in the world
a merry day
a happy
season
of
whatever kind
for you
and should nature nod at you
find the joy
live in
the joy
c l couch
photo by Phil Hearing on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
poem plus a verse nodding to tomorrow
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x
Flesh and Plastic
(having heard about the current cancer rates)
x
How do we poison
Ourselves
How do the cancer rates
Increase
I looked outside
Through polluted air
While inside
My mother fought for life
Or couldn’t fight
When the disease
Or medications
Were too much
x
And I couldn’t help
But wonder
Do we do this to each other
Change condensation nuclei
From dirt
To chemical compounds
And so our snow in winter
Raindrops
All year ‘round
x
We poison up our food
The animals
And plants might have it
Too
With all the Earth
We used to praise
And respect
If only scenery
For action
x
And now maybe
The Earth talks back
To say
You could once blame us
For our parts
In quakes and floods
Eruptions
But as you do
What you do
To yourselves
With how you build
And how you bury
How you live
We must share the blame
For a plastic planet
Made of chemicals
That do not make the cycle
Of planting
And fruition
But poison everything
Removing what is natural
(what is ours)
From the seasons
x
From what is natural
For life
The life that we would have for you
Even with quakes
And flooding
Eruptions
The harsher liturgy
We provide
With all the living
Rather
Life
x
The God whom we report to
Might be sad
Might be angry
Might be waiting
As with faith
For you to get it
Change
While polluted soil
And water
Air
We keep waiting as we can
For change
For better boxing
As discretion
To let the poison
Be mistakes that mar
Rather than
Daily living
x
For now we take
The poisons as we can
While expecting
Your human race to change
Before the earthline
Fails
And falls
Before the fire consumes
Where then
Would you go
x
We wait
God waits
So change
Already
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Brian Yurasits on Unsplash
Plastic bottle floats in water. Plastic pollution is a problem that every single person on earth can relate to. Single-use plastics are being found at every corner of our natural world, and it’s a problem that each of us can help to solve. Follow on Instagram @wildlife_by_yuri, and find more free plastic pollution photos at: https://www.wildlifebyyuri.com/free-ocean-photography
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Introit to All Souls
x
November two
All Souls
Yesterday to celebrate
The living church
Now to remember
Reconnoiter with
The church that has gone on
Some of which
That stays behind
To watch
To receive prayers
x
CLC
x
(x = space)
x
x
Unrequired Beauty
x
I drove by
What might have been
An accidental field
Of flowers
No fine edges
No uniform establishment
To speak of
If it had been planted
That was a while ago
Perennials, I imagine
Every year the patch returns
Of blue and purple
Rising
From brown earth
Like holidays
Like celebration
Slowly
x
C L Couch
x
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Uva, Russia
Photo by Daniel Spase on Unsplash
x
Pittsburgh Last Night
Pittsburgh where I grew up
Five persons killed by two others
Using guns for the sole purpose
Of murder
The victims
Hoping without conscious
Thought to take part in the
Open—a backyard festivity
Homiest of parties
Home belief destroyed
Celebration as a cause
Never believed in again
Debates will go on
Who cares
The sides were answered
Yesterday
Talk is over when bullets
Tear through people
Debate done
Gross Tuesday, Then We Fast
In USA (and elsewhere, though
The images I see are from my
Own), it is the time of Mardi Gras
Fat Tuesday, Shrove Tuesday
(Shriving meaning to divest), or
Fast Nacht—a fluid season before
The dryness of Lent, a day of excess
Substance before lean Lenten days
Commence, if only in perspective
Here in Pennsylvania, we have snow;
But in the deep South, look out:
A French and Creole, native, Caribbean
Mélange of festival—a celebration that
In winter shouts, We are still here
And, except for the crime, why not
Psalm 25
a song of after-celebration
It’s not Sunday, no
Official day of rest
But unofficially we
At home are done with
Formal celebration
Unusually fine food,
Goods in boxes wrapped
Just-so, paper, sticky
Tape, silk ribbons—all
Now vestiges
All the tries at sweeping
Up glitter and confetti,
Finished for a time
(Glitter on a surface
Somewhere, somewhen,
A sparkling moment of
Quiet surprise to come)
Cups are filled with
Plain coffee now
The dogs and other
Pets are tired, next
To us and at peace
We enjoy a holiday
Without the holiday
Happy and less-sated,
Gazing at our decorations
Also now at rest
Sipping our hot morning
Drinks (or cool), looking
Out glass panels upon a
Sun-lit, dampened yard
Lord, please pardon, if this
Is for us the better
Holiday after-day
(what we celebrate)
The Farm Show
The Farm Show is happening
in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
the state capital. If you’ve
ever shopped, looked at the
markings on a package of food,
and seen (you may say penna-
dept) “Penna. Dept. of
Agriculture,” that’s us.
That’s Pennsylvania. With
standards so high for food
that theirs is an approving
agency relied on
‘round the world.
Not local mythology (not
yet), this state (my state
for now) is important for
food—and the annual
Farm Show is a celebration
of this.
Is there anything better
to recognize than organic
eatable or otherwise livable
selection? I know there’s
a classically brutal aspect
to farming of most kinds.
Animals are raised to
die, lands are turned under
losing ancient undergrowth
and artifact, and now
there’s the tension of
losing farm land itself to
other development. But
for now and anyway, we
celebrate what we need
to eat.
Sheep-to-shawl (alpaca-
to-shawl) and field-
to-shelf, the process of
feeding, clothing, and
sheltering America and
the world is exhibited. Yes,
there are statues made
of butter. Enjoy! (A PA
celebrity famous for saying
that, although he said it
twice.) And there are
auctions for animals.
Many shows of the rodeo
kind abound, and many
buy the food there as well,
which I’m afraid refers to
some snacks better-suited
for carnivals. Though baked
potatoes don’t sound so bad.
Even loaded. Even chased
with a Pennsylvania dairy-
made milk shake. (Sorry, Mister
Weldon Johnson, but for these
Bits of cooperative creation:
That’s good!)
These festivals take place
elsewhere, certainly. And
so might we agree that
raising up the cause of
(say viddles) victuals is
worthy for all? (To borrow
again:) That’s good!
Missive. Truly yours,
from Harrisburg’s
(one-hundredth)
Farm Show.
C L Couch
Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania
January 2016
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