Commonality

We are all odd creatures indeed,

With our distinct differences, sharing

A common humanity. 200,000 years

In the making, we’re all the same, yet

Each unique in our way. The farmer

Is as the machinist, the lawer is as

The shepherd, the pilot is as the miner,

The artist as doctor. You get what I

Mean. I am not, for instance, any

Of these per se, similar to the farmer,

Perhaps, sipping coffee before his day

Of harvesting wheat fields begins; not

Unlike the machinist, could be—worn

Out and grimey when his day of labor

On the lathe is done. I do sport a full

Beard, however; some men, they

Prefer to shave.

Chris Hanch 11-30-16

Upon Awakening

I awoke today, November 26, 2016 at 6:38 A.M. CST;

39.0997 N Latitude; 94.5786 W Longitude;

910’ above sea level; Area Code 816;

Zip Code 64131; 40⁰ F (4⁰C); Wind S at 8mph

(13km/h); 79% Humidity; Age 69 years, 236days;

For the record—In my time and place—stiff and achy

Chris Hanch 11-26-16 

Reboot

Earlier this morning I had something I needed to say,

But my computer was on the fritz and wouldn’t allow

Me access. Seems damned things happen when you

Least expect them. Eventually, after prodding, probing

And a dozen reboots, I got the obstinate thing working.

Since then, the dog in the apartment next door has been

barking continually. It has been such an annoyance that

My train of thought has slipped away. What I was about

To say before is lost forever I am afraid. And now, I am

Left with just the thought, “Shut the hell up!.” Not being

In control is never a good way to start one’s day. And

What’s more, while at the store the other day, I forgot to

Buy eggs. What in hell is good about a day without eggs?

Chris Hanch 11-22-16

Menu of Choice

Eggs and bacon or Wheaties? The Menu of Choice.

What’s for breakfast today?

There are several dresses and ties in the closet of
Life. You are free to take your pick.

Step out the door, right or left? The decision is
Yours to make. Look up at the sky, clear blue.

What a fine and gloious day. Everything is going as
planned today. You never saw it coming, did you…

See that flash of light on the horizon? It’s the
Asteroid of Enevitable Change headed your way.

Chris Hanch 11-17-16

The Silent Subway

You wonder how deep your sorrow will be

When the first snow of the season falls?

It is November, the 11^th month of grieving

In yet another year growing old.

It is time to realize that even golden memories

Are not enough to sustain you till you’re done.

And springtime will never again bring back lilac

Blossomings of the past.

Yet, fragrant memories persist in the mind as

the Silent Subway runs beneath your feet.

Miles and miles of darkened earth pass all too

Swiftly between you and eternity.

Chris Hanch 11-14-16

What We Know and What We Don't

We know the sailors drank too much rum before

Their ship went down. Some of us contemplate

Why perfectly good athletic shoes swing by their

Strings from power lines.

Each of us has a grain of sand at the bottom of the

Sea on which our name is engraved. Half a nation

Grieves the loss of decency and civility after losing

The election.

It is okay for the meek and disenfranchised to weep

For the next hundred years. I have no idea why I was

Assigned a certain consciousness and ego to live in

Such a dangerous and unforgiving place.

Horseshoes and dice can get you through life should

You work in a factory which manufactures them. At

The risk of sounding morose and pathetically negative,

All of us in the end are in for one hell of a surprise.

Even pompous Trump will be humbled and hushed into dust.

Chris Hanch 11-11-16

A Vision Today

Hand me those rose-colored glasses, please.

After that Presidential Election of ours, I’m

Needing to see the world in an entirely different

Light today.

I tried listening to Beethoven for some soothing

Inspiration this morning; with a cup of sturdy brew,

I even turned to the pithy and sardonic wisdom of

Mark Twain before noon.

I thought of praying, but God has not been keen

On handling any of my requests before. As far as we

Humans are concerned, I understand there are

No hard and fast guarantees—

Given the best scientific calculations, pure

Unadulterated chance and unavoidable happen-

stance, the world will more than likely end some-

time between Now and Then.

Mankind has a tendency to place far too much

Credence on what the politicians say, instead of

Relying more upon the more skeptical instincts

Of our better nature.

So hand me those rose-colored glasses, please.

I ‘m neither enthralled nor trusting of the world

Color I see today. On second thought, some extra

Dark sunglasses may portray a better way.

Nope, sorry, my mistake! The vision I’m seeing here

Today sucks either way.

Chris Hanch 11-10-16

Presidential Election 2016

One candidate for President promises

he alone can fix it; the other pledges

that we’ll become stronger together.

The one candidate lies every time he

opens his mouth; the other has her

trust issues as well.

The polls are running neck and neck.

Folks, this election cycle does not look

promising for the little guy.

Given the world’s volatile state of affairs,

the stakes are exceedingly high. And wouldn’t

you know it…

(though the election could swing either way)

unlike the Director of the FBI, God in his

infinite wisdom has decided not to take sides.

And I am stuck in a Universe of Hapless Thought

where opposing galaxies collide.

Chris Hanch 11-1-16