Cancerous

(x = space)

x

x

Cancerous

x

We’ve been five

Soon we will be four

That is the prognosis

Palliation

Hospice

These are discussed

And sought

For him

x

Out of order

Since he’s not the oldest

In mere math of life

It could have been me

I’m the one with the machine

To keep me going

But I guess

(today’s not over)

It’s not me

(for now)

x

The math doesn’t matter

Not important

Math matters elsewhere

In the dosage

Of his medication

In the number of his place

In the hospital

His apartment number

To which they say

He will not be returning

x

It’s not me

It’s him

He is important now

But I have to say

It’s been a problem all along,

Frankly, with me

I don’t know how to lose

A brother

x

And has he ever learned

To live with this

I’d say so

A mystery he did resolve

Through work

Through home

Maybe through old movies

He knows so well

x

And one day

All shall be all

God bless everyone

Who tries

Who’s trying now

One by one

Who practices with grace,

Each fitness for heaven

That shall be judged

By perfect love intending

Hoping that

Full health to be restored

x

God bless everyone

God bless each one

God bless Rick

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash

x

Arts and Sciences

(x = space)

x

x

Arts and Sciences

x

It used to be

That art was the vision

Science the practice

(of the vision)

Thus there was connection

As between birth

And grown-up life

That was not ineffable

But practical

Workable

For visioning, producing

Of an age

x

Now we don’t like each other

The theoretical

The practical

We grumble and we look

The other way

Well, to our way

If we must, we sigh

Whisper nearly sotto voce

For a bit of theory

Or a bit of usefulness

Or industry

x

Music, math

The Renaissance

Philosophy

Reading, writing

How to build community

Through argument

And pipes

And water fountains

Statuary for the ages

Buildings that make sense

Can be maintained

And are beautiful

x

They’re coming back, perhaps

I see new works in small towns

Better than returning is

Moving forward

Time for a new alliance

New connections

New community

x

Make new friends

And keep the old;

One is silver

And the other gold

Not bad for an age

Every day a merger

Every breath a hope

In vision

Words

Plans

Building

And-or preserving

The streets, the place,

And planet

We all live along

Each one

Each other

x

C L Couch

x

x

Light in the Law Quad

Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash

x

“Make New Friends” is a scout and camp song (a round) whose creators are unknown and whose lyrics have variations.

x

To Ishmael

(x = space)

x

x

To Ishmael

x

What will be left

Between

These two countries now?

What of Isaac and Ishmael

Of neighbors

And of families?

How will they get along?

Whom will they know

To trust at all?

x

Will they come to a table,

Meet in a field?

Shall the words of Mizpah follow

Or better

An embrace?

x

We have these words

Restoration

Reconciliation

How will we enact these

Make them manifest?

How might peace abound

While the search

For food and intact buildings

Is abundant?

x

They came together

To bury their father

To bury death;

Nothing more

Broke out between

Them, then

x

Might generations know

Viable forgiveness

Dead anger

Such as render borders blurred

In teary vision,

In homely

Transactions:

Dinner by

A fire that heats and cooks

With chairs left out

For friends

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Gradienta on Unsplash

x

Dream Over

(x = over)

x

x

Dream Over

x

I dreamed

About my brother

Last night

Then my sister

And my mother

Who was sick

x

I tried to get ready

Asked my sibs to help

They would

(they did)

I tried to fix things up

As best I could

Then went to work

Where I was testy

With the people

There

x

Dream over

I woke up

And feel tense

Old long since

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by thamara prada on Unsplash

x

Book of Hours

Book of Hours

 

There’s dawn

It comes on gradually

With time to say

Hello, new day

 

I appreciate the civility

Dawn is polite

A spot of deeper yellow

Almost orange

With pale light on top

Kind tones of gray

On the other side

 

Maybe this is why

The sun is our brother,

Moon our sister

The sky offers sibling intimacy

Closeness with Earth

Is promised

Lessons in real hours

Given

 

C L Couch

 

 

Photo by Artem Sapegin on Unsplash

Saxon, Switzerland

Saxon Switzerland sunrise