like inhalation-exhalation in a day
the eternals
breathing
an accomplishment
that mostly our conscious selves
have nothing to
do with
which
is good
or we’d suffocate by distraction
God bless autonomics
though
they were God’s idea in the first place
like
species diversity that course through
the multiplicity of kinds of
media on and of
the Earth
on
or in land
above
below the water
in the sky and as a by the way to feed
our inspirations out of
flying
and then in the vaporous places between
and
who knows maybe dimensions
too
our own multiverse
an interplay of quanta differences
could be helped
by
canalwork of blackholes
(all
sizes)
all of which to say
we might barely know the wonders layered
large or
infinitesimal that sounds close to
infinity
an eternity of
animated
animating choices if
well
fourteen billion years or so
[from the window]
yellow on the trunk
leaves dark green in shade by blue
angled panes look black
there is some green wind
behind it all that is blue
ether wanderland
something old or new
borrowed and the something blue
quasi una fantasia
thinking summer’s not
so bad
until dust and heat
blow in from the street
and I wish for cold of fall
and
could it come
by miracle
tomorrow
and better still tonight
I have some plans that hot
are melting like the water on
the witch
who
ironically has asked before how about
a little fire
well
it’s not bad in that
I am not burning
with flames
anyway
but still I’d like a similar distinction
to the comedy
if sardonic
in that
this one is not for burning
(The Lady’s Not for Burning by Christopher Fry)
things that don’t matter
melted ice cream
if you can get some
or
it’s only on the sides
with firm-enough substance
in
the middle
yelling
unless it’s about traffic
and the thing that’s big and stumbling
uncontrolled in
your way
war
except that the effects are
hyper-
real
as they are horrifying
institutions that grow beyond
their purpose
to serve and instead require if not
demand
serving of them
a wilted flower that matters
but that as detritus
may
feed the next generation
from
the Earth
things that speak to some kind
of annihilation that
be purposed
like the wilting
or
without decent aim
like
the warring
effects to the side
I’m hungry but not hungry
and I try failingly
not
to eat for boredom
but the medication gets
to me
and my digestive systems cries
unfun and
something like how dare you
quaint salvation
(Sunday or Saturday or Friday or another)
today’s for God
but
then
distractions of the devil
ah
we didn’t think so sly
to feed excess as the virtue
thus quietly destroying
or to render
quaint
virtue by its sponsor
truth
which is not
to say
the sabbath should be punishing
quite contrary
the day is for the positives
of
rest for
re-knitting of one’s own
plus
good for sharing
easy play
reflection on
the life one wants
the lives we all
want
a grip
I write in the dark
I guess
I think it’s less distracting
but
(the teacher
shudders)
I have the TV on
and must confess that’s
how I’ve done
a
lifetime of homework
though now the noise and images
are balancing
tinnitus
with insanity
too late
to get the condition
well
impairment
to hope for adaptation
so my daily invitation to go
mad
and trying to create as an alternative
though I hear
craziness might be
required
by great tradition
for
the art
some progress
how much time is left
and
how shall it go
the challenges accumulating
the ones
overcome
the others that add hellish
layers
to
the shell of
consciousness
free movement through
and
through
and when the crises go inside
as if to stay
and years go by
and
breathing’s labored in
its ways
and also all that means
so time
gets harder to go through
much
less command
while maybe years are lessons
that so much control
is either
an illusion or
best kept by someone
from
the start
wherever
and
yes
divine always
the first noel
(Christmas in July)
the angel did not say
but God
to God
and the host
let’s make things
and
by things that must be good
and so the days for
and in
the rings of creation
and all moves in orbits
of creation
the first song
imbued with sacredness
being sung
by
the sacred
source with perhaps more
supernal voices
joining
then comes the new age of noel
the second song to
sing
that after so much time
of sad and tired revolution
more like
a civil war within oneself
drawn
into partisanship
there should be hope for peace
and God
to God will buy that
for you
so we might have purchased
ransomed
dealings with the devil
freedom purchased
like our own
created
created once again
as if Eden recalled
the angel with the sword
finally
permitted to stand
down
then we
as prophesied
might rise
c l couch
photo by Geronimo Giqueaux on Unsplash
in this late season
it is bright and
hot
yellow
emerald like Oz
dark branches hold up spring
fullness
blossoms’
debut
voices to whispers in the trees
dismal bouts are done for now so
that
the moon should look clear
in its expressions in
the night
c l couch
photo by Simon Berger on Unsplash
pointed leaves pressing
dark on glass before pale sky
wind returning rain
c l couch
photo by Homa Amani on Unsplash
“Waiting with frozen eyes.”
Tabriz, East Azerbaijan Province, Iran
This Day God
God
What do you think
I should say today
If anything
To share
For
We know that you are love
But we aren’t love
And you won’t fix us
Obviously
And we could follow you
By serving each other
Though
The world would only hurt us
Take from us
And should we all be ready
To lose that much
And
Maybe so
Yet
Sigh
I am weak
And unconnected
So what could I do to make
Things better
But
Maybe
On occasion to remind us that
You are
In truth love
And
Direct of us to be and
Do the same
C L Couch
Joshua 24:15
Photo by Magnus Östberg on Unsplash
Bona
I hope you’ve had a good
Day
And I hope tomorrow is good
For you
Too
You’ve been deserving of this kind
Of time
I don’t know
If
It will be easy
You
Might have to work
And work is hard
You might
Have relationships attending
You might be inspired
Or
Reinforced
By
Spiritual truth
Maybe a presence
But for all the mights
I hope it is
And will
Be
Without doubt
A good
Day for you
I don’t think I’ve said this for a while
If not
Please pardon
Me
S’il vous plaît
C L Couch
Photo by Àlex Rodriguez on Unsplash
“Nice Game”
Fontcoberta
(Esperanto)
One Thing Two Things
(I suppose not unlike One Fish Two Fish . . .)
Have I anything
To say
Today
I get
To this point
(sometimes starting there)
Near
What I think should be
An ending
For
The day
An end enough
To say
Here is something
Using eccentric pace
With
Access to metaphor
Something
That prose can say and often
Does
Say
And yet we have this way
The dance
Maybe
Straightforward or circuitous in
Intent
And
Form
Or both and all
Together
The sound
The shape like that music
Of
Rectangles on the page
And I think I say to you
This day
(and yet not new)
That
Love is good
When
Not bent or twisted
Which may come from an outside
Agenda
Demanding faith
And time
And money
Which eats away at
Time
Good faith
And
Devotion
Love to own and offer freely
And there should be health
In that
And so to healthy love
As a value
And approach
Maybe
With
The peacefulness of doves
The cleverness of
Serpents
(giving
snakes a chance)
Any can love and love well
Some things depending
I’m
Afraid
While the glass we see through darkly
Makes fidelity a challenge
(doable)
Makes love
The risky pleasure though no better quality
Of quantity in
Life
And the better
Open
Lasting things therein
Acquired
Fleshly
And abstract
And
So in this a
Pleasant day desired
For
You
The day and then
Romantic and-or reflective evening
As we please
While
Maybe dove-like and snake-like
In
And with the too often the imposing and
Suppressive world
The division faithful make
Like that
Spirit and flesh
Though they and with the world made
Good
C L Couch
Matthew 10:16
Photo by Sei on Unsplash
Quality of Day
We have the day
Is all
It seems
And it can be good
Or bad
Or
Like as not
Indifferent
But
If a day
It is a day that God has
Given
And toward gratitude
Behooving
Except on evil days
We think
When
Gratitude is due
But God must have understanding
For even the virtuous
To rail
Then after
Maybe during
All
The cries
When thinking to leave or
To have left
And if left
To be a delight
Upon
Returning
Maybe a prodigal
Maybe a simpler turning
To
Have come back
Then still
To have the day and in
One way or another
Have
Share
Maybe share joy
And
Thus
If in a small contributing way
The next
C L Couch
Photo by Paul Csogi on Unsplash
the question of this evening
(responding to “Now the Day Is Over”)
evening draws nigh
the old song
imposes
for the song becomes
well
rather maudlin
melancholy
minimally
there is a prayer
and that’s fine
for Jesus to keep us through
the night
but
some will ignore
all this prayer
to fire up
the evening hours
instead
so lie low tonight
or charge
the time there is
to pub
and such
though morning comes
and with it
some responsibility
unless
retirement
has taken over
as an age
or
attitude
and then
what then
a song of peace
results in consternation
for there is much to figure out
by night
by day
rebellion
indifference
extremes cut through
by rest
c l couch
(the song often sung in my college chapel Sunday night—here, sorry, the assurance questioned
Now the day is over,
Night is drawing nigh,
Shadows of the evening
Steal across the sky.
verse 1)
photo by Joshua Sortino on Unsplash
“Sometimes you just have to look up.”
(caption given)
Remember the Good People of Plains then and New Orleans Now
I don’t think I’ve said anything yet
To post
Or what I’d prefer
Briefer
Thoughtful
Something for all or most or many of us
To share
This might be a day off
Though I’m unsure
Why
I mean
I didn’t get much sleep
And the difficult situation locally
Around me
Occurred last night regarding sleep
And about the situation
Generally
These days
But what have I for you
A good word
Maybe
Could be
Think
Or could be
Love
And
Yeah
How ‘bout
We go with these
Today
We go with both
C L Couch
Photo by iSawRed on Unsplash
Recent Comments