End of Gray
(sorry, here be, might be, a rant)
A gray day
Did you notice
Maybe you walked through
The lack
Of sun
Of blue
Well
By unnoticing
Normal enough
After all
We’ll have these back
The sun and
Blue
Won’t we
We also have
Perfected images
Machined and framed
And
Perched
Somewhere
Or we move our digits
Over
Surfaces of phones
Or manipulate
Tablet or
Desktop screens
Or in
Our cars
Or on still
More
Shiny and electric
Screens
(still more)
Actual
Sun
And blue
Will be back
Sure as seasons
Until
We learn to crack the Earth and
Do it
For profit somehow
Or in another madness
Say
Because we can
Which
Like nanites and A-I
Override the fears
We
Did not
Have the time or chance
To be informed
To have
Or
(much less)
Choose
C L Couch
Photo by Liam Hunter on Unsplash
Found deep in the woods with no explanation.
[photographer’s caption, adding a period]
Round Numbers
Everything is ringed
Starting with the noise
That some of us
Must have
Inside our ears
Though meaning more
The matter of
Rings upon the water
In the rain
The ring-edge of the Earth
Around it
And through it
The circular movements of
Well
Everything
The ringness of orbits
‘Round the sun
The shape and movements
Kept inside
Of asteroids
And comets
How many planets
Each world
Is ringed as well
With its own attributes
And energies
Then watch
(or have the artist’s
replication)
The spiral movement of the galaxy
The rounded shapes of all
The galaxies
Of turning stars
And the dancing pas de deux of
Nebulae passing
Around
And by its own
Rule for ballet
Sometimes through each other
Maybe to shout
Or loudly
Sing
Like on that sunny street
ROUND
Is extraordinary
Necessary
Consider all the curvature that must
Be on
The faces of God
C L Couch
Photo by John Peters on Unsplash
I threw a rock into the lake with the intent of photographing the ripple effect and with the thought of how when we are kind to others it grows out in ripples to others who in turn spread kindness (still) to others.
[photographer's caption, revised]
New Pages in a Book of Hours
The liturgy
As clouds for notes
Against the sky
An antiphon of leaves
As wind
Blows through them
As candlelight
Reflections
Off of water
And should anything
Feathered
Or mammalian
Be chirping
Chittering
We’ll take that as
Responding to
The sun as celebrant
C L Couch
Photo by Ginabell Andujar on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Start with a Star
x
Stars
Start with our own
Star
It’s wonderful
And gives us leave
To try for now
To reach
Another one
Before
A billion years
When we must go
There
To survive
Further
To strive
And also
Thrive
x
Which is the hallmark
Of our single race
In cooperation
With all other matter
x
Strive
And thrive
x
Until we meet
Another race
That thrives
By staying in one place
Those who explore
By sending tentacles
Or other metaphors
Out there
Out here
x
We meet them
And someday
We really meet them
And might be friends
For different ways
Our differences
Enhances
x
Then cooperatively
We reach
Out and in
Some more
In fact
Throughout a galaxy
And then
Beyond the rim
x
Stars we make
And then we make
x
C L Couch
x
x
x
(x = space)
x
x
sun ascending blue
(haiku)
x
sun ascending blue
into gray imagining
a turn in fortune
x
c l couch
x
x
photo by jack levick on unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Honestly
x
O God
You are so good
I say this when the sun is out
Will I say it
In the storm
When I am losing everything I’ve had
Maybe a person
x
While my people are shattered
Or even when the sun
Comes out
After
x
I won’t believe the sun
May I believe you
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Wes Hicks on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Art Show
x
My goodness,
It’s brilliant outside
The green has changed to red
Lit by the angles of
The sun’s afternoon
x
The larger trunks
Are tubes of transit
Moving our eyes
To the show
For which there’s no ticket
But the chilly air
(also a transiting device)
x
What is blue is blue
In the moment
Looking out and up
There is no impedance
From a cloud
Or interruption
Of a contrail
x
If there were
It would be a
Recipe’s ingredient:
Another element in
A complex design
x
It’s quiet through the window
There could be movement
But there isn’t any
Maybe to stay the moment
We may look longer
Let the silence
Stun the colors
x
Have this
As a MidAtlantic gift
Before a winter’s
Bareness calls,
Giving notice to
Another kind
Of traveling exhibit
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Steve Johnson on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
By and By
x
The circle won’t be broken
Let’s say again
Let’s sing again
Let’s dance again
Wonderful rings
That only break
To let someone in
Newcomers
Those returned
From the field
One kind or another
Outside there is potluck
Everyone bring
Something
While without doubt
Those without
Are so very, very welcome
Honey, too
x
You take my hand
And come along
All are welcome
Don’t worry about
That other thing for now
If you’re tired,
Rest first
Hungry, thirsty
Take care of that
We’ll be watching over you
Like angels from
The other song
Our circle is strong
We get the idea from the sun
And moon
And heaven
Heaven knows
x
God there
God here
Welcome, child
No, we do not care
About that
Come as you are
Heh-heh
Come eat
Come drink
Come dance
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Bryan Goff on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
toward summer sun gods
x
early morning, and
I think
the sun and I
shall track each
other through
the day
x
I slept in fits
and starts but
have blood tests
this morning
(ongoing diagnosis)
and should not
miss them
simply because
I’m tired
x
I’m sure you understand
x
hello, day,
let’s give it a go: a
fourteen-hour
treasure hunt
calling us
toward riding,
running, or pedestrian
pursuits
for pleasure and
for profit
x
then we shall
set
together into night
x
c l couch
x
x
photo by Olya /Voloshka on Unsplash
x
clcouch123 
Recent Comments