youngling
it is a young nation
though already acts tired
not
that the athletics aren’t impressive
less
investment in demagoguery
which might seem
energetic
though in reality
has an enervating effect
don’t we want
to be
this nation anymore
all
the sacrifice
for good and for ill
pushing natives west
and killing them
with ease
and by the way
once they saved our lives
and then
enslavement
easy
and if not easy certainly
ongoing
buying and selling of people
and then the privilege
to treat the purchase
miserably
against a definition of humanity
still
we had good ideas
some that some said made common sense
ancient of days
and new
ideals of democracy
and a belief in representation
though
governing of ourselves
we
could believe in balance
so much land
to destroy
so much to preserve
and so parameter
everyone
we can’t say we’re a good nation
not with evils and temptations following
we can’t go back
do not think that though maybe
forward
to new basics
we have a chance
we have improved
in fact
there is much that’s likable
and
on the board are all those good principles
that nobility could not afford
but
without that
we can
today
and toward
the present that we have
with old and new belief
in the future of us
all
c l couch
photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
b-day GW
today is G’s birthday
and what must he think
he might not mind so much
except he saw the war
led it
watched the soldiers die
watched them freeze
at Valley Forge
and then
perhaps with barely thawed enthusiasm
row
then march on Trenton
for the win
and he knew
enough
to resist majesty
mot likely would not care
for
Apotheosis
though he likely would appreciate
the talent
in the
art
and maybe dallying with God
being
Episcopalian
except one Sunday in Carlisle
when it seemed meet
to go
Presbyterian
but letting God be God
should a monarch be appropriate
but
no one
as one
under God
on Earth
and in deciding earthly matters
leave all people
to decide
except for the flawed
frankly awful quantities
to make
of women and
of slaves
since to have a nation we must
all
be or become democratized
happy day
George
and maybe happy nation
you secured
and must make up
and grow
negotiate a peace inside
and
then model
as the French have tried and then
(as
well)
to be this kind of
presence
in the world
c l couch
photo by Laura Nyhuis on Unsplash
Mount Rushmore, Mount Rushmore UT, SD, USA
(never finished as a monument)
a day too that’s good for thinking about tart, red, sweet cherry pie
(sorry, had to say this)
2 patriot verses
Patriot Dreams
I love my country
Though sometimes
It’s hard
To recognize
For violence
Yes
Also disorder
In the halls of politics
And justice
It seems that we all
Lean
Maybe time
To say so
And admit we can do better
Be larger
Than one interest
So to legislate
Even to judge
I am this
And I am that
My group is this
But I can care
Bigger than
That
And must
To make intact
And keep intact
The nation
From the privilege of chaos
And the run of evil
Ripping through
Any sense
Of unity
Faltered
Flawed
We can do better
Larger
Though the irony must be
That patriot feeling
And intent
Be shown in smaller
Ways
The things of families
And of neighborhoods
Leave me alone
Should not be our working words
Not since
We thought
To work out something
‘Gainst an empire
Knowing that
Solitary items matter
As matter
Individuals
Remember
Though
That birthing seems
Separate
But by necessities
Is actually conjoined
That dying
For some choices might be
Shared as well
That we are in our skins
And inside
Our interests
But we do better
Not for
Groupthink
But when we work it
Healthily
Together
By “patriot dream”
(ethereally good)
We may try
(waking
hale)
Vision
Turned like
Named and unnamed blocks
Into
Democratic strategy
And our
Republic’s practice
God save America
All Americas
And both hemispheres
A planet
Nation
For with reason
Any people
In
The world
May
Build this
Choices in smaller things
The easy things
Be easy
While we also have the larger
And complex
Thus
Vote for
Service
For security
Love of nation
Love of home
Families reconstructed
In any number
Blood
And also water
Both safely
Required
We share
The nation’s business
While invested
In
Our own
The larger one
Be ours
Indifferently approached
Perhaps
(check voting
statistics
far as well as near)
But we live on the promise that
We make this
(large
and small)
Our own
Sustaining it in
Quotidian
As well as come-November ways
C L Couch
Photo by Sardar Faizan on Unsplash
Now the Fifth of July
(in the USA and everywhere that has the day)
Now it matters
The purpose of the fireworks
And picnics
After the celebration
And we hope the
Cleaning up
The life begins
That matters
Because it’s every day
It might not have ribbons floating
Over
Celebrations
It might not afford
Much by way of
Worldly excitement
Being
You know
Ordinary
But here it is
And here’s the test
Which is all right
Because
It’s all the same
We fail to live
We fail
After all
We choose to live
And bless the every day
We have a chance for
A nation
And a world
C L Couch
Photo by Norbert Braun on Unsplash
What He Knew and Did Not Know
It was the
Rappahannock
I was told
He must have thrown
His dollar
Across that
For it
To reach the other side
The Potomac
Is too wide
And I wonder
Was there someone
To retrieve it
Or find it
On one’s own
To pocket it
And so have a small fortune
To spend
In the markets
Of Fredericksburg
And he
Must have been long-suffering
For all that happened
After
And eloquent
For situations in which
Most
Would not have been articulate
Except in a metaphor
A message
Object lesson
In leaving
Or perhaps
Remaining in a tent
At Valley Forge
Achilles-like at
Troy
Never
To appear
But dream instead
Of spring
Or even winter
In Virginia
In a home
Beside the fire
And yet
He prayed
We understand
And showed himself
And
Showed himself
A leader
Through it all
And after
When he must have
Shook his head
When offered coronation
Of all things
At least
He wasn’t there
For apotheosis
Above the Capitol building
A new nation
Perhaps he understand
Must
Try to get it right
And overdo it
Underdo it
In the process
The nation
Is a process
He must have understood
And had great messages
And then retiring
The
Not-once
And not a future king
But servant
To the land
And finally a farm
Martha
Tragically some slaves
The awful legacy
He terribly
Misunderstood
And misapplied the
Morals of a better code
Than he
Possessed
Inside himself
Maybe he knew
He’d be a bad king
Relying
On the flesh of others
Ridiculously
Criminally
Owned
And otherwise
And maybe we say
Otherwise
He did all right
And then stepped back
While others
Might
March
Forward
C L Couch
(on the birthday of G Washington)
Photo by Alex Korolkoff on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Exiled
x
Oh
God
Shall we have
A good season
Together
The year has started
And now
Another season
x
Intentions
Overlap
You come into the world
And you are here
The Earth tilts
And always
Has
Far as we know
x
Turns
Like a top
A toy to such as you
Though you
Are not a giant god
That way
x
You play
But not with us as
Playthings
Upon the Earth
An unrolled
Plastic battlefield
x
We toy each other
Which is
An eldritch lesson
We came up with
On our own
x
Objectify
‘Til someone doesn’t matter
Like Cain
Like everyone in western Asia
Like anyone who’s different
Over here
x
We need a season
Need the time
But shall we be reborn
With remembrance
Of a real birth
To save the nations
Ransom
Captive Israel
Then all the rest
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Love among the Ruins of the Nation
x
Oh
Gee
Let’s
Stop
Let’s love each other
In a real way
That could stop a war
From need
Of bids through Congress
Or parties
Lashing out
To topple strategies
Even the existence
Of
Each other
x
Punishing the dare
To compromise
x
Can you imagine
Love in Washington
D. C.
Love and then
Morality
To say
To say we argue
On our side
With angels
With drawn swords
x
Love instead
The red
The blue
The blue
The gray
The war we will not end
For equal living
Everywhere
x
Separate
But more equal
Come on
You know you believe
It is the essence
Of superiority
And you are
Superior
You know you are
As you are shameless
To the Lord
Whom you evade
By speaking loudly
To your party
That to your side
Deserves the spoils
After everything
Despoiled
x
Love among the ruins
Understood
For you
For us
Not romantically
(Victorian)
Rather too late
Simply
Ruins
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Lavi Perchik on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
July 3
x
They were wrangling
I suppose
Having voted
Working out a document
To announce
The war
Officially
And an identity
A nation standing with
Nations
Newly established
Here for good
If possible
x
Slavery was
Set aside
And without a thought
Toward women
Either
I imagine
First families
Or the indigenous
In nature
x
Yet saying something
Human
Political
Flawed
Trying
To say something brave
Over the fallen
In Massachusetts
And the blockading
Or port cities
x
The war was on
This would say
We’re all in it now
Choose
Your sides
This is a side
To read out in assemblies
Inside
Outside
We are here
A nation
Enlightenment
Inserting God after the fact
Now committed
To the fields
Everywhere
Valleys
Peaks
Plains
Cities
Farms
Homes
Of battle
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Anca Muresan on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Go for These Days
(Flag Day)
x
Aw
Today is Flag Day
And Mitzi’s birthday
The flags are flown
My dad did that
While we
Placed crepe paper through
The spokes
Of our bicycles
More of a deal on
Memorial Day
But that was past
And we had
Supplies
x
We’ve had
The different flags
I liked Betsy Ross well enough
Though to question her
Is fine
About the Stars and Stripes
Story
As long as we don’t excoriate
It seems
That no matter what
She was a patriot
x
See
I believe
In these stupid things
Don’t Tread on Me
Soaring Fort McHenry
Semper Fidelis
I think
They speak
To birth and to progress
Of a nation
Of this nation
x
And it’s Mitzi’s birthday
She was our dog
And faithful
At it
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
x
clcouch123 
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