Dawn Patrol
1
The light is up
Gray light of
Normal dawn
It’s pretty much a wash
Just now
Though I think there is a promise
Of more colors
Like crayons
Beneath the single tone
Which I guess is a crayon color
Too
And hip
Gray trends
After all
Though I prefer the brown tones
Then add in some orange
Then the rest
The dawn
It will have these
But also start
With pink
And be a marvel
Sunrise
On Earth
A rival experience
In the Solar System
Because we also rise
With air
And with water
And with fertile ground
Sometimes planted
Sometimes fallow
In relationship
So that life
Might be obviously abundant
While we guess about the others
Out there
Here
2
The gray is lighter
Now
And there is more
The movie’s almost over
And I’d like to think
Maybe I could sleep at last
And
For a while
I don’t know
I guess I could let you know
Though you have troubles
Of your own
Of course
I know
C L Couch
Photo by Matias Luge on Unsplash
look out now
merest blue
it seems
with
a guess
more than a hint
of more light
behind
what do we call it
pre-pre dawn
that
spell-check
would challenge
when we
write about this
later
expect it
o be cold
and so allowably
do
what we do
a time
to pull around
more clothing
from the bed
or closet
on the chair
(maybe
the floor)
to find some extra
socks
(maybe on
the floor)
drink water
also look for something
warm
that could be from
another body
or if alone
from coffee
or if not
from both
nice morning
well
a morning
like a morning
should we not stop
by
the fence
somewhere
to look around
without our eyes
to get it
this happened
yesterday
and
it’s extraordinary
‘morning
everyone
look around
c l couch
photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
(update on the computer shutdown from a few days ago)
my computer is not working right, though it’s okay in bouts (me, too); a friend suggested I use a table fan to deal with overheating (maybe for both of us), and she’s right—the measure seems to work for now though it’s probably an unrealistic arrangement for durance
(x = space)
x
x
first poem led to the second
x
x
staging
x
orange-pink
next to the tree
in the distance
deep blue sky
mostly
with the morning star
small and white
looking far-off
nova-like
in the waveless sea
predawn
it’s dawning now
only started
when I looked through
the blinds
hearing nearly nothing
on the street
in the tree
the usual outside
the window
absent
muffled
however everything prepares
so early
for the normal noise to come
x
x
Open Range
x
God
I wondered
If you ever might
Be surprised
Like us
Because you are in part
Like us
I mean
It goes that way as well
Made in your image
Aren’t we then
Like you
And if it’s on the inside
Then emotions
And sensations
Might be attributed
To you
Pleasure
Perhaps
And passion
Love
Even the fragile feeling
And do you feel sad
x
We say you’re angry
(it’s in
our books)
It was the impetus that
Forbearance
Allowed enough
The ark
With some people on it
To survive
The keel-less journey
x
Some say Gilgamesh
As well
While some and others
See and hear
Your anger in extremities
Of nature
(outside nature)
In the storms
Lightning fires
And eruptions
Even in
Quakes
That certify your condemnation
Or our use of land
x
Or that you stretch
Because you do
Your might because it is
Inside the
Cosmos
And must have its say
In addition to
The munificence of creation
x
So if
Everything’s available
Every aspect
Then you might mourn
And be taken
Unaware
Be satisfied
And disappointed
Have a plan
And have it moved
Knowing both parts
Are approved
x
And there’s the qualifier
Maybe
Whatever happens
Happens
In your sight
And your hearing
The smell
The touch
The taste
Of your omniscience
So that
Fragility is held by strength
Options are
More or less contained
And unaware
Might be for fun
Except for earnestness
Part of the plan
Somehow
You feel it
And you know it
Then move on
So you could say
With justice
That you knew it all along
x
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by César Couto on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Précis for Aurora
x
It’s winter
And it’s likable
Because
It’s cold outside
But there isn’t snow
Or ice or slush
Or such upon
The ground;
My car is clear
Should I need it,
And the sun is rising
Making the branches
Look like
Black arms with points
Reaching out,
Beseeching something
And I’m sorry
But I don’t know what
x
What does nature need
But to exist
And have oxygen and room
For existence
And some growth?
We could help
Or get in the way;
We conquer nature
So we think
To have our grand
Plans realized
For things above,
Below
The water table
Or some other
Primordial impediment
x
Do we cooperate
I wonder,
Ever:
Do we like our trees
And clouds
And ground and stones
And deeper things
Or
Are they only things
In the way?
x
We have a dominion
Theory,
Saying that
We are in charge
Of all of it
The flora and the fauna
And everything
That doesn’t move
Until cracks in the ground
Or volcanos
Dictate; I’m not sure
How our commission goes
Should we be
Evaluated—what kind
Of grade would
Watching angels
Grant us?
x
I say all this
Because it’s early
And the trees along
The street
Must manage with
Vehicular traffic;
The cars and trucks
Are noisy
While the trees
Are quiet (no wind
to show a
protest, either)
x
I wish you well today
And us
Us together,
Since the CO-2 and
O-2 arrangement
Keeps us going
And we are ruining
The Amazon
And I don’t know
How we’re doing
On Main Street
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Renting C on Unsplash
x
(I actually do live on Main Street; maybe you do, too)
x
(x = space)
x
x
Let Me Tell You about My Day
(first hour or so)
x
Pre-dawn
x
Blue
And if you look into it,
A promise of silver
x
In a while,
The mourning doves might call
Take over for the cardinals
And the robins
Who might be louder elsewhere
x
The doves
Sing us into green
x
Town noise might subsume
The outside sounds
(except the doves who
are right against the window)
Except that it is Sunday
So the morning
Should be
Relatively quiet
For nature’s sentineling
And mine
We’ll find out
x
As for other senses,
Touch and smell and taste
Should have their turns
You might
Guess at the prospects
x
There’s still a war
Two wars, three wats
Still a virus
Many viruses
People will die today
And people will be born into
Air-breathing life
x
I’m a little late
Proposing all of this
Because the coffee cup
Slipped from my hand
And all the coffee
Slid
Down the down the
Sides of everything,
Flat surfaces
And cushioned
(a play of surface tension
and of gravity),
To land upon the floor,
Most of it
Slight sweet
More creamy than sweet
An expensive brand
Though not a kind
More dear
x
So I took time to
Clean the mess:
To clear out things,
Take things
To the sink
Where I’ll deal with them,
Sponge and paper towels
And cleaner for
The rest, for the floor
Now things have to dry
Then to be
Cleaned again
And there’s more coffee
To take out from
Its machine
x
Sigh,
One of those days
And what does that mean?
x
I see
The blue
And sense a silver promise
Like new friends
In a scouters’ song
x
I reckon now
You’ll have a day to survey
Finally
Of many hours
I’ll look forward to any
Of that story that
Might come my way
x
C L Couch
x
x
Before Dawn
x
(x = space)
x
x
present lack of tense
x
pre-dawn charcoal sky
blue here and there
aside from color,
nothing else is moving
x
c l couch
x
x
simple celebration of inclusivity
photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Ancient Chores
x
I imagine
Standing vigil
Is no fun
To be a soldier
On the wall
Even with peers
And a fire
In a brazier
Now and then
x
Maybe we
Call out the hours,
Which could keep
Us alert
In counting time
And I guess
The fires should be
Shielded away
From away
So that we might
Look out upon the field
To suss what
Might be stirring
x
But then
Comes the dawn
We are there
For the arrival,
Change in shift
Maybe change in orders
x
And is this
Holy, set apart
For godly purposes?
Does God arrive
In the dawn,
Apollo in a chariot
As our neighbor
Greeks might say?
x
Well, I should
Head back to
The space in which
I live
When I’m at home
x
This duty’s
Not so bad
Even as I wonder
Where is God
If in the sun
Or the chill wind
That blows
As if
Another wind
Had never
Crossed the yard
Before
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Alex Plesovskich on Unsplash
x
Book of Hours
There’s dawn
It comes on gradually
With time to say
Hello, new day
I appreciate the civility
Dawn is polite
A spot of deeper yellow
Almost orange
With pale light on top
Kind tones of gray
On the other side
Maybe this is why
The sun is our brother,
Moon our sister
The sky offers sibling intimacy
Closeness with Earth
Is promised
Lessons in real hours
Given
C L Couch
Photo by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash
Saxon Switzerland sunrise
Hello, It’s Me
It’s Saturday
An ordinary day
Maybe it’s ordinary time
In the liturgy
Ain’t extraordinary, that’s for sure
It’s dark before dawn
Why was it said the darkest time
The fading has begun
Just before dawn, there’s light
It’s an announcement
I am coming
Get ready for me, day
C L Couch
Photo by Jenna Anderson on Unsplash
Was driving early in the morning to shoot a wedding and saw this to my right. Had to pull over to capture it.
clcouch123 
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