A Peaceful Thought Today

 

I shall softly whisper my thoughts today.

I shall tell them what to think and say.

If the world swirling around me is in disarray,

I shall harbor my heart in its nest of serenity.

Nothing or no one can harm me in that

place of secure reverie. Dvorak and his

Romance for Violin and Orchestra Op. 11

shall accompany me on my journey.

Let the music of today play. Wishing you well

with the sweet melody of you choosing. I shall

whisper my thoughts of peaceful music and

wellness for you today.

In mind body and spirit, in the thoughtful

grandness and goodness of it all, the world

is a far better place. Let the soft, sweetness

of music play.

                    -30-

Chris Hanch 2-28-21

Something about Sign

 

On TV, I watch a governor of some state or the president

talk about some disaster the state or the country is going

through—the pandemic, a flood, fire, frozen pipes and

downed power lines. Most ever day or so there are incle-

ment or calamitous happenings somewhere. It’s a big

country, and shit happens now and again.

Anyway, positioned to the right of the official in a

separate box on the screen is a man or a woman

who signs to benefit the hearing impaired. Suppos-

edly their hand movements and facial expressions

are synchronized with the message being verbalized.

I, who hear quite well most of the time, am quite

captivated and impressed with the speed in which

those handicap facilitators do their job. Those folks

are fast and very expressive.

I am, however, a bit suspicious, about the accuracy

of their speedy transmission. Do all those gyrations

of finger, hand, arm and mouth match up precisely

with what is being verbalized to the viewers? Or do

they sometimes synopsize, scrutinize and editorialize

what is actually being said?

Mostly, the speakers are either so-called experts in

their field or politicians with questionable motives.

Granted, I am not proficient in the language of sign

for the hearing impaired, but wonder about word

for word accuracy.

As an aside, I once worked with a woman who was

deaf from birth. She taught me how to sign, Thank

you. It took me awhile to get it right. It is similar to

how one would throw a kiss—hand to mouth, yes,

but without the lip smacking and blowing afterwards.

Anyway, as I watch frenetic motion of the signer on

TV, I pause to wonder if they ever interject their own

personal opinion as to what is actually being said. I

watch for little telltale signs (like the flash of a middle

finger) which may indicate the hint of a subjective

critique—Perhaps, That’s a crock of shit, or sure,

yeah, right. Some of those signs sped up past the

eye look pretty suspicious to me. Kind of like, now

you see it, now you don’t.

                             -30-

Chris Hanch 2-27-2021

                        Unity

It was lovely and inspiring for me

to see, a lovely day, a lovely way

and a striking model of simplicity—

two strangers in conversation over

coffee in the morning.

I can only imagine what attracted

them to engage? Curiosity I suppose,

some need to know, much as I have

myself watching them from a distance.

Refreshing moments such as these are

delightful subjects for my photography.

I was there that day, you know, with my

impulsive curiosity and camera in hand,

with my need to witness and record the

world as it played another compelling

symphony of unity, a resounding piece

of sociable camaraderie.

                        -30-

Chris Hanch 2-26-21

                                                          

Rivers and Roads

 

Rivers and roads, thinking of places to go.

Eyes wide open, drifting along the pavement,

and going with the flow.

From where it all began, to the plotted and

planned destinations, and on to new panoramas

yet unknown.

White water’s tumultuous and rushing waves,

and rocky uncertain roads paved. My journey

is measured in time and place.

And then there’s the gift of you along the way.

Allow me to stand here awhile, to study and

admire the visage of your face.

No school or university could better delineate the

way—New vistas and horizons arise and unfold

each passing day.

I am gratified having been there, knowing you

have experienced the same. What treasure in

life if not relatable with our stories exchanged?

Tell me more—Where are you going, where have

you been? I really need to know the rivers and the

roads.

                        -30-

Chris Hanch 2-25-21

The Red Dress

 

He bought her a red dress—

brocade fabric, form fitting

in the modernized tangzhuang

Chinese style with Mandarin

collar, embroidered floral frogs,

short sleeves, delicate piping,

two side slits and no lining.

Even though she was not Chinese,

she had told him before that she

dreamed of wearing such a lovely

garment on a special occasion.

It was to be a surprise for her.

He was in China Town that day

and had seen the perfect dress in

the window of a quaint shop on

Sussex Street.

The sales lady asked him her size.

He didn’t know exactly, but then

asked her, What size do you wear?

She smiled at him and said, I take

a medium. I’m sure then that a

medium would do just fine, he

told her.

He had it gift wrapped and went

to his lady friend’s place. He ask

her out to dinner, knowing she

would want to know where they

were going so that she could select

the proper dress to wear. Some

place nice, he told her, a romantic

place with candle light where they

have good food and dancing.

With that, he handed her the

package he had clumsily tried

concealing behind his back.

Blushing, she asked, What’s this?

Grinning back he said, Open it,

go ahead.

Carefully opening the box and

pushing the tissue paper aside,

she cried, Oh my God, what a

beautiful dress, the one I’ve

always wanted!

She threw her arms around him.

Oh, thank you, my dear, I must

try it on! I’ll wait right here, he

told her.

A few minutes later she came

out of the bedroom flinging her

hands up into the air. And then

placing them on her hips in sexy

fashion model style, she tilted

her head coyly to the left and

winked. All the while grinning

a gleaming pearly white smile.

She turned a complete circle

and threw her boyfriend a kiss.

What a radiant figure, he thought,

And red was definitely her color.

              -30-

Chris Hanch 2-24-2021

Roads

 

Paved roads, in the Good Old USA

they go North, South, East and West,

most everywhere these days. Oh, out

of town there are still some roads of

gravel, dust and mud. I have traveled

traveled a few of those in my time.

Hoping they would lead me back to

the paved ones and to somewhere I

wanted or needed to go. I’m sure

there are new roads being paved most

every day. We are a roadway paving

species. Roadway paving is what we

as a civilized society do.

I myself prefer roads paved smooth

where one can drive and drive as far

as the eye can see. Roads in most places

are a boon to you and me.

I have a new noisy neighbor in the

apartment above me. Where I a

younger more capable man with

lots of spunk left in me, I’d go up

there, knock on his door, look him

square in the face and say, hit the

road, Jack, and doncha come back

no more, no more...Ray Charles sang

that.

I used to sing along when traveling

in my car. Don’t own a car or drive any-

more. Just hobble around my place.

listen to music, read, write and watch

TV. Sometimes I let that goddamn noisy

neighbor upstairs get the best of me.

Sometimes, like those unpaved roads

used to, it drives me crazy.

                   -30-

Chris Hanch 2-23-2021

A Royal Pain...

 

Due to a compromised debit card,

I spent the better part of a day

contacting utilities and other

companies with whom I applied

my payments for services and

products rendered.

What a royal pain in the ass

communicating with automated

telecommunication systems and

live customer service reps who I

could barely understand.

The more technologically pro-

ficient society becomes, it seems

the more complicated things

become.

As I have grown older and less

adaptable to radical change, I

have tried my best to simplify my

life. The rest of the world, how-

ever, seems bent on confusing and

even eliminating prehistoric creatures

such as I.

The dinosaurs were incapable of

preventing their inevitable exstinc-

tion.

A state-wide power outage due to

ice, snow and sub-freezing temper-

atures caused havoc to Texas and

its residents recently. And this sort

of calamity is on the rise in our

world due to climate change.

Try using your debit card or calling

for help during an an emergency when

the technology fails.

Call me a Neanderthal, but being

obliterated on impact by an asteroid

strike seems a far more humane way

to go.

Just saying…

                -30-

Chris Hanch 2-22-2021

The Magical Wand of Nature

 

The Magical Wand of Nature

waved over me and the Aura

of Creation said, Breathe!

And so I did.

For nearly seventy-four years

I’ve managed to continue.

Same thing happened to you

or you wouldn’t be reading

what I’ve summoned in this space.

I too have waived that Magic Wand.

Ah, Creation!

This here Magical Piece is meant

for you...Breathe deeply...Breathe!

                -30-

Chris Hanch 2-19-2021

Sincerity of Thought

More art, he thought…

more music, dance, poetry,

literature and art…

less poverty, anguish and war.

He put on the uniform of the day

and thought…

after his term of service

he would aspire to

less anger and hate.

Lets turn our fate

to more stages and museums

of the mind.

Surely the world would come

to a better place...

more art!

           -30-

Chris Hanch 2-28-2021 

The Me I Have Come to Be

 

When mirrors were invented quite

some time ago, the life expectancy

of humans was far less than it is today.

So then, folks didn’t have to contend

with seeing their reflection grow old,

wrinkled and gray.

Thank god I have several photographs

taken to show me as the baby, the boy

and young strapping man I used to be.

I saw a famous actor on TV the other

day. I said to myself, my he surely has

aged considerably. And as I see it, he

hasn’t aged gracefully. A kick in the ass,

I found out that he was several years

younger than I.

I looked at one of those earlier photos

of myself and went into the bathroom

to look into the mirror. I was shocked

at the transformation before my eyes.

And I thought to myself, if any moder-

ately attractive woman in my age range

saw me today in this decrepit stage,

she most certainly would have nothing

to do with me romantically.

Oh well, I suppose this was meant to

be for the women I did know in my

better more handsome and able years

did get the best of me. Some of them

had the good sense to move on while

they had the chance.

Turns out that my more agreeable

temperament has soured over time

as well. It was then I realized, who

but I could live with a cantankerous,

doddering old fool that I’ve come

to be? At least my little pup doesn’t

seem to care. She could give a hoot

about old photographs, and thank

god doesn’t have to look into the

mirror every day.

-30-

Chris Hanch 2-17-2021

The Loss of Make Believe

 

I can’t rightly remember when it

was it exactly that I lost my ability

to pretend? Used to be as a young

and creative spirit I could transform

myself into anybody, anything I

wanted to be?

Why are you wearing that cowboy

hat with that cap pistol strapped

around your waist, an older kid

from the neighborhood asked me

one day? I’m Sheriff Wyatt Earp,

I dobbed the brim of my hat to let

him know I meant business.

And if you don’t believe it, I’ll

plug fulla holes right where you

stand. So, hot shot, where’s your

horse, he asked?. You got him tied

up at the livery stable, he

laughed smugly in disbelief.

He’s back at the ranch, I told

him. You ought to know, they

don’t allow horses on the

streets in the big city. Are you

stupid or somethin’, I asked?

His face turned angry, and he

slapped the cowboy hat right

off my head. Think you’re a

bad hombre, huh? I said picking

up my hat and putting it back on

my head. You’d better be out of

town by sundown or I’ll find you

and plug you fulla holes.

You’d better get outa my face

or I’ll kick your ass! he snapped

back at me. Oh yeah, I says? Yeah,

he says back.

One thing I learned at a very young

age is that discretion is the better

part of valor. I didn’t know what

that meant literally, but I figured

out that the odds were not in my

favor. That kid was bigger than I.

I’m gonna tell my dad on you, I

threatened him that day. I turned

around and went home. Dad wasn’t

back from work yet, so I changed

into my World War II soldier’s uni-

form instead.

To this day I wonder when it was

exactly I lost my ability to make

belief. Anyway, I’m pretty sure

some stupid older kid in my

neighborhood had something to

do with it.

              -30-

Chris Hanch 2-17-2021