like inhalation-exhalation in a day
the eternals
breathing
an accomplishment
that mostly our conscious selves
have nothing to
do with
which
is good
or we’d suffocate by distraction
God bless autonomics
though
they were God’s idea in the first place
like
species diversity that course through
the multiplicity of kinds of
media on and of
the Earth
on
or in land
above
below the water
in the sky and as a by the way to feed
our inspirations out of
flying
and then in the vaporous places between
and
who knows maybe dimensions
too
our own multiverse
an interplay of quanta differences
could be helped
by
canalwork of blackholes
(all
sizes)
all of which to say
we might barely know the wonders layered
large or
infinitesimal that sounds close to
infinity
an eternity of
animated
animating choices if
well
fourteen billion years or so
[from the window]
yellow on the trunk
leaves dark green in shade by blue
angled panes look black
there is some green wind
behind it all that is blue
ether wanderland
something old or new
borrowed and the something blue
quasi una fantasia
thinking summer’s not
so bad
until dust and heat
blow in from the street
and I wish for cold of fall
and
could it come
by miracle
tomorrow
and better still tonight
I have some plans that hot
are melting like the water on
the witch
who
ironically has asked before how about
a little fire
well
it’s not bad in that
I am not burning
with flames
anyway
but still I’d like a similar distinction
to the comedy
if sardonic
in that
this one is not for burning
(The Lady’s Not for Burning by Christopher Fry)
things that don’t matter
melted ice cream
if you can get some
or
it’s only on the sides
with firm-enough substance
in
the middle
yelling
unless it’s about traffic
and the thing that’s big and stumbling
uncontrolled in
your way
war
except that the effects are
hyper-
real
as they are horrifying
institutions that grow beyond
their purpose
to serve and instead require if not
demand
serving of them
a wilted flower that matters
but that as detritus
may
feed the next generation
from
the Earth
things that speak to some kind
of annihilation that
be purposed
like the wilting
or
without decent aim
like
the warring
effects to the side
I’m hungry but not hungry
and I try failingly
not
to eat for boredom
but the medication gets
to me
and my digestive systems cries
unfun and
something like how dare you
quaint salvation
(Sunday or Saturday or Friday or another)
today’s for God
but
then
distractions of the devil
ah
we didn’t think so sly
to feed excess as the virtue
thus quietly destroying
or to render
quaint
virtue by its sponsor
truth
which is not
to say
the sabbath should be punishing
quite contrary
the day is for the positives
of
rest for
re-knitting of one’s own
plus
good for sharing
easy play
reflection on
the life one wants
the lives we all
want
a grip
I write in the dark
I guess
I think it’s less distracting
but
(the teacher
shudders)
I have the TV on
and must confess that’s
how I’ve done
a
lifetime of homework
though now the noise and images
are balancing
tinnitus
with insanity
too late
to get the condition
well
impairment
to hope for adaptation
so my daily invitation to go
mad
and trying to create as an alternative
though I hear
craziness might be
required
by great tradition
for
the art
some progress
how much time is left
and
how shall it go
the challenges accumulating
the ones
overcome
the others that add hellish
layers
to
the shell of
consciousness
free movement through
and
through
and when the crises go inside
as if to stay
and years go by
and
breathing’s labored in
its ways
and also all that means
so time
gets harder to go through
much
less command
while maybe years are lessons
that so much control
is either
an illusion or
best kept by someone
from
the start
wherever
and
yes
divine always
the first noel
(Christmas in July)
the angel did not say
but God
to God
and the host
let’s make things
and
by things that must be good
and so the days for
and in
the rings of creation
and all moves in orbits
of creation
the first song
imbued with sacredness
being sung
by
the sacred
source with perhaps more
supernal voices
joining
then comes the new age of noel
the second song to
sing
that after so much time
of sad and tired revolution
more like
a civil war within oneself
drawn
into partisanship
there should be hope for peace
and God
to God will buy that
for you
so we might have purchased
ransomed
dealings with the devil
freedom purchased
like our own
created
created once again
as if Eden recalled
the angel with the sword
finally
permitted to stand
down
then we
as prophesied
might rise
c l couch
photo by Geronimo Giqueaux on Unsplash
verse (and prose) poems that could be sermons for tomorrow
1
no more than we can handle
is that in Scripture
don’t be anxious
do not worry over things you don’t
worry over
anyway
such as the numbers of small
nearly
might as well be
microscopic things
sands in
by the sea
the smallest and the largest love
of God
even that we try to emulate
then for the things we can and should
do
well
do them
pray
and live life in prayer
not autonomically
only a series of reflexes and right words
but
truly
as if truth matters as an old friend
as well as a new guide
care is not
indifference
nor is it fretting to become an occupation
for
Mary and Martha both got it right
though spending time at the foot of God
should set the tone and be the reason
why
everything else gets done
as for worry
well
some of it’s escapable
and we are human
there is the fear of the unknown
and what
to do when we feel we must do something
yet
if we could slip some worry as a piece
of paper
or a candy
into the pocket of whatever God is wearing
then
even the worry
needed
not needed
should go better
what is the old song
we tend to sing in a tired way
take it
to the Lord in prayer
and then
as in other antheming
so
march on
even
ride on
in majesty
but it’s
so much homelier than this
go to God
expect and answer
and
some timing
then do everything there is to do
that’s
ours to do
even a little more
like the persecuted follower
and never
think we have to move
without help
because for all the isolation we might feel
or
how tired
emptied out we might become
there is presence
and assistance
as of
the grace and majesty of angels
while
sometimes
seeming more than angels
it’s us
with the help of agencies
and God
2
so the Bible might not say we are given more than we can handle, since sacrifice in service might lead to giving up one’s life (harsh, I know) but that God is with us in our struggles, always inspiring, sometimes more directly helping as with miracles and always with grace (the free offer of God’s love and salvation through the death and resurrection of Jesus)
so we worry, though we don’t have to or, in franker reality, don’t have to so much; not that loving mindlessly—any more than doing in that way—is called for; it’s our hearts and minds that should be turned toward God and in the love of God (those two commandments) to each other
my eyes hurt and my nose hurts
I feel isolated
put upon
by the world’s lies
and sometimes by my own
it’s not enough
simply to say
we got it wrong because we’re human
then learn
nothing then go on
we should not excuse ourselves
so easily
though we should look toward
reliving others of supernal responsibility
even worked out as
the small things of the day
we have to love each other
otherwise
it’s enmity
indifference
or shoddy showing of regard
because
we’re supposed to
though we want
to get out of service
as quickly as possible
not that
leaving for a while
to wander the hills
or the Hundred Acre Wood
is not
desirable
since such wandering’s preferred
and might be called for
to walk about
and also be alone
then
to be with each other
it’s like the mother who said
to Christopher
her boy
don’t walk with me
but be here
when I return
and greet me as if I had been gone
a long
long while
so love
when necessary
learn to live without even
what we’re sure we must have
to do it
like the stump at the end of the story
the tree is useful
honestly
I feel so alone as I write
maybe you’ll come to see me
we’ll see each other
better
than with eyes
with awareness of each other’s terms
practically
and sentimentally
of each other’s love
with the guidance of the source
who speaks to us like mountains
or like
sparrows
knowing God loves you
then
and so do I
c l couch
some sources cited
1 Corinthians 10:13
Matthew 10:29-31
Psalm 16:11
Exodus 33:14
a few old hymns
The Enchanted Places by Christopher Milne
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
photo by P A on Unsplash
ours
it’s my world
though the wars are far away
I could complain about war-chemicals
in the atmosphere
and more exigently about
war’s cost of life
the sad and tragic loss of life
by artificial means
those who had been alive
the moment before
and who am I but an Israeli
I am from Ukraine also
and of the Palestinians
Lebanese and Egyptians
Iraq
and Iran
and Russia
knowing some fine people there
I am of all despot states
especially the ones who say they’re not
I am of Earth
and so are you
and so means of destruction
hit at the statues of our lives and states
destroys us
piece by piece
one oppressive act by the next
whatever takes out freedom
will
and life
hours
exchange
one deadly volley
then another back or
somewhere else
maybe
toward allied
then the arcs overlap
and collapse
order
of things
and then we say it’s over
‘cause we say
and then ceasefire’s broken
and
who is left
respecting whom
worse than chaos is
the void
we shouldn’t move toward such
things
such lack of shape and substance
and the life itself
one life by one
c l couch
photo by mauro mora on Unsplash
gray day haiku
I don’t know if when
days don’t come so featureless
I touch relief of sun
gray day without arcs
no cloud-lines with interest
could wake to bright day
our moods by weather
we can do better by this
don’t be ruled by sky
there are sky-signals
sometimes land and water cast
warning signs to us
c l couch
photo by Tolga Ahmetler on Unsplash
breaking the accord
global nuclear restraints
new escalation
IDF strikes Iran
Iran strikes back and that’s war
long suffer the age
civilians live
or live not seemingly random
injudicious thief
c l couch
I don't know by tradition about haiku being topical. But I've wanted to work at the form once a week, and I can't help but think and feel about what's happening on Earth. And elsewhere, when it's elsewhere. I mean for the haiku to stand alone, though clearly I think they're also related.
photo by Anzhela Bets on Unsplash
The building of a cinema and youth center in Chernihiv, Ukraine that was destroyed by an aerial bomb in March 2022 .
[3 haiku about (coastal) land and water]
dawn in its first hour
gray hour at the ocean sings
gulls cry food for praise
knowing god looks out
from shore with the church folk there
looks back too through waves
gold rise red to blue
east coast sun sets into land
western sun in sea
c l couch
(3 haiku about (coastal) land and water, in part because I haven’t been to the ocean in a while; I mean for each poem to stand as each, though they are tied as well)
photo by René Molenkamp on Unsplash
2 weekend haiku
Saturday crowds green
back and out front glisten ‘round
wider spring’s sunlight
city slides from hill
bushel claims the under-light
weekend gospel press
c l couch
photo by Ruslan Zh on Unsplash
2 haiku about the seasons
the spring the winter
autumn summer seasons are
negotiated
green brown warm silver
blue cold red orange umber
cool yellow gold hot
c l couch
photo by Joshua Fuller on Unsplash
(n.b.)
I’m sorry
but
here’s a chapbooklet
for Friday or whenever
no time
any time
sorry
this is where I walked
and now we walk
(as
Everypeople)
as far as grace permits
in the distance
yet
come closer
there is the nearest thing to house
that was a home
a room
blue walls
plaid textures
(to
recall)
and my rough way
(as all)
through adolescence
earlier
there had been sleepwalking
I remember
waking in the black-tiled bathroom
and on the stairs
of
neutral color
I also remember crying
at night when the ceiling fan
bit thing
in
the hall
must be turned off
I don’t know
standing for some king of peace
perhaps
now I remember
reaching down for something then rising
hitting my head upon a rail
drawing blood
but
because it was a late dark time
trying to leave it all
alone
in the black bathroom
anyway
where it would be easier to do any cleaning
then
or later
so
maybe there were demons then
maybe it pursues me
still
chases and sometimes
must catch
far in experience
in memory like a spell and also
now
and is there exorcism to
relive
or any riddance trying for
that older
and smarter
for all the times
it passes with currents
such as blood
within
and also getting out
so very much
too hurt
too angry
for a child and a teen
and for the since
the growing up
once
grown
sigh
come closer in
to remember
to embrace
what
to keep
(closer in)
what to be rid of for
the time remaining
inside the seven days
inside
the seven days in May
of a good story
when
we challenged everything
we thought
we did well in black and white
then
realized we had missed all
the grays
between
at least like Fail Safe
we did not
begin
to blow up ourselves
or like the other
story
in which we finished off
ourselves on
Earth that
time
(Seven Days in May, movie 1964 based on novel 1962; Fail Safe, movie 1964, novel 1962; Doctor Strangelove, movie 1964, novel Red Alert 1958)
mood swing music indigo
(brief retrospective)
1
dance
to syncopation
first
time
jazzy gospel gets us
started
but approaching war-time
swing
music must
take over
and in how many lands
the heavy boots
on time
were overwhelming but could not
sublimate
there being resistance
(always)
in these cases all the counter-steps
meaning freedom
from the jacks
2
a way to swing through the Depression
to believe
in something new
as old
had failed with
Hoover
then with Chamberlain
in Europe
where the shadow rose
and light was
hiding itself
against
the Bible strategy
and
so too weak to withstand
gray
and black
and all the death to music
it went for
3
now we’re here
the music spilling everywhere
without
foundation
though days cannot help
but be based on
the days
before
and resolution or the lack
if any
even without jazz-resolution
so that
all to hear
to dance to
is
not jazzy
only moody only
indigo
unchurched
what is thoughtful
what is faithful
to share
to share the love of God
though we only know our own
no better
maybe no worse
that if hale at all
in spite of veniality
or
the mortal kind
at least
is something to try more so
than other
alternatives
hatched in other places
by
other kinds than the source we
may not know
yet’s on the move
regardless
fail safe
what is
safe
why
nothing when the lion
offers comfort
folded inside the fur
warm-blooded
muscle
and it’s the thing
the beast
that
when beast
tears with the claws we knew
were there
but wanted to be folded into
something
warm
and strong
air
water
land
certainly fire
all have bifold natures
and allowances
and then
the things with choices
angels
of both kinds
and us
you know
with everything a resource
for decision
by the numbers
by the numbers
I think I watched once
someone
paint that way
I was impressed
in
something bright and
sonorous
(maybe there was music
near)
covering plain
numbers
even accurate
and with
a certainly and yet near the lines
an aching wildness
of beauty
in which
to work
I know I could not do it
if admiring
the product
though
I must admit I lean toward abstract
for appreciation
then penultimately yours
it’s Friday
compose well
this day
even plans to recreate
or plan not
to plan
to play
breathe easy between actions
as if
in intermission
before the act
go in
for many it’s a weekend
plainly
so work
and look forward
then
to have it
a comedy perhaps
to play through
c l couch
photo by Vinicius Duarte on Unsplash
Recent Comments