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