education


newly

I’ve been drafting for hours
and keep coming
back
to something like this

the Earth tilts
as it tilts
and we may claim distinction
of
the days

this
season counted
for example
is the new year for the church
having
started some days
ago

other years have begun
and others will begin
with
the world’s big one
or big night for
it
coming
in some
weeks

sip
of champagne at midnight
all I need
(sorry)

all
these beginnings
and often
we’re glad
maybe relieved
to close what has gone on before
behind
       locked
       what our psychologies
       might need

but this is time
and
our inventions
and they’re interesting
(time
and
inventions)
anthropologies for an Anthropocene
age

and as we have new starts
what shall we count
anew
and could it be

unusual
as in
say
feeding the whole world as it can
be fed
by all of us

say
if most of the Earth’s children
might not have to go to bed
when hungry

and
the world might have safe water
and actively believe
in
the elimination
of
diseases

maybe we could say
like beginning at a crossroads
as at railroad Xes
(if
trite)
to stop
look
and listen
then when all clear move along
and
having stopped to get
to know
to hear
we might go in clarity as well as
specificity to help

roofs for homes for
all
some real
open moves toward peace
that don’t involve threatening
so
much
or
even victory

then there’s the chance
to learn
secured for all
maybe
at any are

and
I keep drafting about new years
and seasons
and
keep returning to the theme
of need and meeting
need
which is its thesis
too
and could be our own

a direction
an action plan
what have you
for
counting
uncounting new years
and
all the seasons
all of this the time
to help

I guess that’s all

except
to say
yes
we’ll make mistakes
but we’ll be
building
rather than hoarding or tearing
down

c l couch


photo by Ravi Kumar on Unsplash


a little chappy-book of poems


Anyday Fog

Fog
Fog today
A Dickensian lesson
(get started
on Bleak House)
To know
That like the existence
And the movement of the fog
There is connection
Between all of us
Regardless of economy
Or privilege
Or barriers
Presumed

That as far as the single race goes on
Do not stand
Aloof
We are connected
That is the way of things
Do not forget
But relish in it
The reality
And all the possibilities
Together

Or stay apart
Behind our barriers
So-called
To let the fog move
Inimically
Exuding fear and guilt
As we forbid ourselves from
Seeing
(without eyes)
And acknowledging each other

The fog connection
Irony
For there it is

Well
Then let
The better lesson of
The real thing
To a greater thing
Take over

All our humanhood
That should lower unnecessary things
In the way
Then let in
The light
(more than light)


Too Easy

Blindness
Blindness chosen
Not the sense
But the lifestyle
Even
A cause
That in the dark
We shall strike
And have our way
Forgetting
(among other things)
The anthologized
“Dover Beach” that
First-year students
Are foisted
To read
With the “ignorant armies”
In the night
That clash

Who wins
Who loses
No one knows
Except that blows are struck
And there is wounding
And humanity destroyed
By degree

Those who are blind
For real
Know the sacrifice
And the ridiculousness
In selecting darkness as
The quality
For sight

And shall we choose
To be ignorant of each other
Shall we fight
From distances too great
To know much beyond
The switch
Or the button

We could draw near each other
Rather
Withholding our destroying
Part
To leave the great part
Of curiosity
And even peace
Let go

Learn who is my neighbor
On the planet
How might the Earth do better
If we re-trained ourselves
For nature
The greater challenge
To
Like military
Pull back the extremes
To repair
Then prepare
For what’s next

To know
Who is next door
Not to pry
Or lord
Or anything overlording
Or pervasive

To learn each other
As we are
Even the agendas
Learning how to speak
To listen more
And to understand
(lessons in language
might be
the first thing)
Allowing curiosity
To be positive regard
Respect
The better agenda

Knowing which virtues to use
To influence
And which to use to
Be changed by
As we grow
In and with
Those we have relegated to
The other
As an objective distinction
(no such thing)
To render targets
Rather
Than people

Simply put
Do not destroy the world
That’s rather stupid
But put down the guns
(the buttons and the switches)
Find food
And drink
And other fixing things
With which
To approach
Nourish
And give the world
What is the real
Fighting chance


Family Game Night
(we can do it)

No one wins
No one loses
Leave that to
Real games
And remember to embrace
Congratulate
Game-winners

While in the world
We do better
With nothing like a game
At stake

But how we live
Together
Make enough
The base for everyone
Then all we reach for
After that

In other words
Feed everyone
Because
We can do it
(Rosie
says
we can)

Provide everyone
With something safe
To drink

Shelter and the opportunity
For education
Of ourselves
And the world
The unpeated past
The glories in the present
(let science say
amen)

Maybe
Remembering
The God who made
Everything
Is waiting
Withholding Armageddon
‘Til there’s faith
In the outcome
For those who choose
To care
And believe
In the world
And the living
Selves
And neighbors

It’s simply
Really
Embrace good
Eschew evil
Learning the two
More how to build
Rather than
Destroy

It’s easy
Each can prosper
After all are well
In fact
Prosperity
Will grow
While all are fed
And drinked
Have shelter
And the means
For education

Will the problems end
No way

But we’ll have a go
With advancements and
With possibilities
Which is
The world growing
Which is how it was
And how
It should be
By us
Eden
With the walls let down

The best Eden we can make
Yes
For billions
Living well
And each other
Has a chance
To go from there
To growth
To gold
Whatever might seem good
Without extremes
Of anarchy or monarchy
Rule one by one
And by assembly
Which is how
The world’s growing
(at its best)
Anyway

Grow on


Absent Lion
(not that there’s climate change)

Well
Winter’s MidAtlantic
Ended
Seventy
In western parts
So where’s
The lion
Seems not
To have arrived

There’s always
Aslan
For always good
A sign
Of faithfulness
And power
In faithfulness

There are other lions
Some as
Metaphors
Others in fact

Don’t go
To meet upfront
The real ones
For their strength
Is in
Predation

It’s the qualities
And made-up stuff
That make
The lion
Useful
(leave the real ones
out there)
As we can make
The lamb
Render its own qualities
For our own good
And at least
In these parts
Earlier
In March


What’s Blue Is Blue

Maybe this is all
I can do
For now
Write against the blue
Until
The retinas
And other parts can’t take it

Then leave
The machine alone
And even
Wonder
How we do this
All
The time

Go see
The eye doctor
Maybe she
Will know
What is healthy
What is useful
What is
Disciplined
For health and
Productivity

To ease the headaches
And the
Stress
Maybe from blues
Though maybe
I need to play the blues


C L Couch


Photo by Vestfoldmuseene on Unsplash