heart transplant

sometimes when we’re in
too deep
we think of someone tells us

we must come up
for air
because the heart
the body
cannot live
without it

cannot live without the other thing
as well
call it by the many names
in many languages
I think each tongue has
more than one
word for it

it isn’t God
though close
and I don’t want
to leave you with a riddle
though
you show know it or
can find someone
to tell you

to remind you

nothing so deep
but this isn’t deeper
more
lasting and
in fact
the core

of each
and
dare I say of all

and I don’t think
(by the way)
that God will mind
not really
supplanting
but
investing this again
if need be
in
our lives

and if Giod minds
I’m sorry
no fault of
your
own

c l couch


photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash