gray time
it’s late
it’s fall
winter’s rise
a month away
the bears
have eaten salmon
I saw the camera’s highlights
of
bear
red flesh
and moving stream
taking
what is red
away
so now
the bears are done
(the
salmon gone)
and time for the
sleep
of a season
in the impulse of the bear
and the gray comes
earlier
should clouds
impede
a brilliance for a sunset
either way
and then
is
black-paned night
maybe
rest
regardless
after
hours
the next
the new day
c l couch
photo by Val Vesa on Unsplash
Sunset in Cluj, Romania
Hello and Thank You and Goodbye
Here the trees are empty now
That’s fair
Some leaves hang on
Inevitably
Bravely
Though winter is unchanging
Too
And with intent
And will
Comes on
C L Couch
Photo by Noah Silliman on Unsplash
Sweet Sorrow
The leaves are golden
As if
Mindful of Lórien
Red
Green
Prevailing
Or
Still prevailing
Too
The season’s name
Not having
Claimed
Them
Yet
Though some
No doubt
Have
Fallen
The golden is not gold
Though
Precious
For Celeborn
If not
For Gollum
Who
Treasured a thing
That happened
To be
Made of gold
For its
Devotion
This gold outside shall fall
Naming
The season
Even as the leaves in storied Lórien
Did fall
And so
Nostalgic
Melancholic
Glory
In the mind
For leaves from
Fictive trees
And
The leaves
Eye-to-eye like
Like
Closeness of
Pages
I suppose
Though
On the other side of actual
And slow glass
C L Couch
Photo by Doriana Popa on Unsplash
“Slow Glass” is a short story by Bob Shaw.
Lórien (Lothlórien and other names) is the Golden Wood of Galádriel and Celeborn in The Lord of the Rings by Tolkien. (The name Celeborn with pronounced with the c like the c in “clock” or “cook”, hmm, or Couch.)
“Nostalgia” means “sweet pain,” as I was told by poet Julia Kasdorf, some years ago.
(haiku for fall, starting in a grumpy mood, I guess)
(1)
well that’s enough of
haiku play and fancy with
no work proof for pay
(2)
the hour is done now
leaves have fallen into water
growing into green
(3)
old and new worlds tilt
leaning could be tree-delight
as dancing solstice
(4)
water purify
as on our other planets
with true air command
c l couch
photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash
have an orange happy
what do I know
of cooking for the season
cumin this
or turmeric
that
I like the smell of cinnamon
and clove
well enough
really
I’m in it for
the pumpkin shapes on windows
and some of the
really-not-so eldritch lights
at night
and then
in a month or so
the tricks and
treats
and really
at a certain age
or maybe anytime
doesn’t excessive chocolate
comprise both
parts of
that costumed greeting
though we
can say
it’s only one time of year
except for Christmas
(even
secularly)
and all the other times
the justifications
so maybe stick
with pumpkin images
in windows
and the eerie lights at night
and
moderate the rest
and yet
have a pleasing
a cool
if possible
(in the night
running for treats
mind you
safely)
happy regarding
and regardless
Hallowe’en
c l couch
get chocolate, it’s a treat; eat too much chocolate, it’s a trick
don’t feed chocolate to your dogs
photo by Mitchell Bowser on Unsplash
Falling Down
I’d rather
Write
Of something else today
Many other things
Though this presses
Not so much
An occasion
In the wide world
Though in a world of one
And a few more
It matters
I suppose
We say
That each one matters
And
Well
I guess that means
To take it home sometimes
And so I fell
Last night
The kind of fall
Heart clients aren’t supposed
To fall
Unless that means that something’s
Wrong
And it was in that
I got dizzy
Then saw stars
Then dropped to the floor
With a minor crash
Of me
And I stayed there for a while
Then got up
Certainly
Slowly
Moving slowly for the rest
Of the night
I lay down early
And I think today is
Saturday
And
Well
My heart beat through it all
As well as ever
Of course
I’m glad
And grateful
Regarding medication
And the other things I know
Such as insomnia
Tinnitus
Sinus troubles
Especially through
The heatwave
Plus
The stress I feel
(a military name for that)
From trauma
Going back
Some years
Well
We’ll have to talk about all this
The medical folk and I
And you could pray for me
And take the narrative along
Should
You know someone
Who has
Such an episode
For any of these reasons
Or one’s unique
Situation
I’m
Still slow
This morning
(or should be)
But here
Having persistence
Some feistiness
Even some orneriness
In
This way
CLC
Photo by Marcus Dall Col on Unsplash
[not that I’m a flower on the water—it’s a pleasant image, artfully photographed, is all]
beatitude
if
I took a chair
upon the dock
set the
chair
and set myself
on top
or
deeper in
I’d have a grand time
until
forgetting
where I am
suddenly stirring
and
then
falling in
chair
and peace
and all
and I hope
if
I'm not drowned
I’d have the
grace
to laugh
(or laugh
in
heaven)
c l couch
photo by Anne Nygård on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Bad Summer
(sorry)
x
My summer
Began in surgery
I’ve been trying
To rise
Ever since
Not the first time
Or the last
(I’ll have battery replacements
at the least)
But this was unexpected
I tried to follow
Protocol
A ride in an ambulance
(I’ve received a bill)
And everything
Successful
I suppose
But the days have been heavy
Since
Heat and humidity
And climate change
Of course
(of course, it’s real)
Storms
And word of storms
And everywhere there’s war
Or natural fire
Fire
Flood
Thirst
And disease
x
I know
I can’t make all burdens
My burden
And I pray for these
And mine
And hope each day
To be a little
Well
Lighter
Lighter steps
Easier breathing
In the practical
And meditative
Way
x
And now it’s August
Fall is on its way
I hear
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Kelsey He on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
courage
(compash)
x
the brave leaves
are in fact
leaving;
the wind has done its work
there is inescapability
in the season passing
if I wrote useless things
upon electronic leaves
perhaps my season
will be passing, too
x
it is a pledge, I guess
the old word tontine
a formal offering
to work
to put down
to express
to depict
to make my painting here,
unfit for a museum
maybe for local work
the verses in the subway
a slogan on a placard
should I reach
and arrive so far
x
like glory in the sky
parochial sky
parochial of one
should I hear myself
out there
constructively
x
c l couch
x
x
photo by jeremy bishop on unsplash
x
clcouch123 
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