Faces II

 

Faces I have studied throughout my life,

Black, white, red, yellow and brown,

faces oblong, angular and round, faces.

Two eyes, nose and mouth, smiling,

expressionless and frowned, happy

faces and sad, faces foreign and na-

tive, human faces from many places

near and far, from USA, Africa, Asia,

North, South, East and Western faces.

All different and unique, except for

twin faces, composed faces never

quite the same, creases, lines, complex-

ions, variations in myriad ways. But

other worldly, alien faces, I have never

seen, save renderings from imaginations

for no earthly beings have seen those

otherwise faces either. Could be faces

constructed differently. Doubtful yet

hopeful in my lifetime that I shall see

any of those interstellar beauties. Faces,

an entire universe of faces like yours

and mine, or dissimilar in various ways,

nostrils protruding from the forehead,

retractable, telescopic eyes, two mouths,

one to eat and, one to breathe, so many

far flung possibilities left to my unearthly

reckoning, faces light years away, never

to meet and greet, face to face in my life

time and place. And should no one be

left at home when they get here, I have

drawn, painted and photographed a few

images of our beautiful faces for them

to see.

                  -30-

Chris Hanch 5-8-2021

As I See It III

 

I look at seventy-four

and that which came before.

It is the forgotten I miss;

the remembered

I carry with me in memories.

I look at seventy-four

and only that which

came before.

Can’t see in front of me,

that which lies ahead

remains a mystery.

Pills and bills, I suppose.

Older and wiser

may hopefully apply

should I survive

to see seventy-five.

See no practical reason to

imagine otherwise.

-30-

Chris Hanch 5-6-2021

World Recods Every Day

 

I break records with every passing day.

It has been 4-years since giving my

automobile away.

It has been nearly a year and a half since

I put on shoes, tied the laces and left my

place.

Haven’t eaten Chinese food since can’t

remember when. Been more than a year

since hugging family or friend.

74-years water and time for me has run

passed the dam, and I have changed from

the young kid I was to the old man I am.

Haven’t shaved for over 40-years, my

beard has grown long and is a wiry white.

Few have seen me in person since can’t

remember when. Have lost count of days

since way back then.

I shall continue breaking my own records

the rest of my days for which there are

no awards or prizes.

Life accumulates as we live and breathe;

records are broken every day that way.

How long, how far, how many records did

you break getting to where you are?

                     -30-

Chris Hanch 5-6-21

Muleskinner Blues

 

Animal lovers, don’t be upset, I mean no harm.

Google defines a muleskinner as a professional

mule driver whose sole purpose is to keep the

mules moving. The term 'skinner' is slang for

someone who might 'skin' or outsmart a mule.

Mules have a characteristic of being very stub-

born, so outsmarting them to make them move

using skill, wit and a type of determination.”

There were times in my life when I was accused

of being, “stubborn as a mule” for I was not

always one to take directions or advice from

others.

As a child in school, the nuns who were my

teachers frequently used that phrase on me

when I didn’t behave. Parents were also at

the ready to use it on a defiant child such as

I who frequently refused to obey.

Some kids my own age with whom I disagreed

called me an “ass.” And I suppose that meant

the same, unless they added the word “hole”

at the end which of course usually wound up

in a physical confrontation. And believe you

me, I had my share of those.

When I was a kid in the 1950s, there was a

series of movies and shorts made about

Francis the Talking Mule. I liked them because

he was a silly ass with whom I could certainly

relate.

Thank god many of us outgrow our childlike

tendencies. It took me a bit longer than most

to change some of my defiant childish ways.

I suppose a measure of wisdom comes with

age.

I for one have outgrown the phrase “stubborn

as a mule.” Would be muleskinners of modern

day have more appropriately bestowed upon

me what I consider a term of endearment. I

figure I have graduated in life, having earned

the right to be considered now simply as a

“stupid old fool” who frequently needs a swift

kick in the ass.

                     -30-

Chris Hanch 5-5-2021

Oh, for Joy!

 

It gives me great pleasure and a measure

of pain, through thick and through thin, a

modicum of grace and a smattering of sin

to say, I have made it a long, long way

from the beginning of who I was born into

to the 74^th year of who I am today—having

two grown children who grew into responsible

and respectable adults, who in turn produced

four adult grandchildren, all of whom for

which I am button-busting proud. Carry on,

my children—the world is a better place. What

more need I say? Oh, for joy! I hope and pray

for you and the world the same.

                                 -30-

Chris Hanch 5-4-2021

Virtual Vocal Reality

Ever since the Corona Virus Pandemic

his nurse at the VA has been conducting

phone interviews with him every two

months or so.

Home visits were not practical while the

spread of the disease was still a possibility.

The nurse began with his vital signs, tem-

perature, blood pressure, pulse rate and

the like.

Then she asked him to rate his pain level

from 1 to 10—10 being the most severe.

About 7 or 8, he answered. It varies de-

pending on the time of day, he explained.

It’s highest first thing in the morning and

then again later in the day. He figured

that the scale of rating pain numerically

was woefully inadequate.

Besides, people handle pain differently

was his thinking: Some could have their

arm lopped off, shrug their shoulders and

claim, oh really it isn’t all that bad; still

others would claim a splinter in the finger

hurt worse than hell.

There was nothing really to do about his

arthritic hip pain, except replacement or

pain medication. And he was going to have

none of that. No one was going to cut him

open. And having gone the pain killer route

before, he knew addiction was a far greater

problem.

When you needed to increase the medica-

tion to a point where it no longer worked,

and the doctor wouldn’t keep prescribing

more and more. Those withdrawals were

far worse that the original pain.

In affect, the home phone visits were

pretty much useless as well. Trying to

explain pain in words was basically

futile. And if he wasn’t left with other

remedies or procedures, what was the

use, anyway?

If the nurse was to see him in person,

the difficulty he had getting around

and the scowl of misery emblazoned

into his face, she could skip the 1 to

10 scale. They might even raise the

limit from 10 to 20 in his case, won-

dering how much more he could take?

Had it been anyone other than a medical

professional on the phone, his answer to

the question, how are you doing? would

likely be, Oh, I’m okay and getting by.

After all, in virtual vocal reality, it’s a

hell of a lot easier to lie over the phone.

                  -30-

Chris Hanch 5-3-2021 

Come on, Say It!

 

Looking for words of wisdom

in what I have to say today?

There may be a nugget buried

somewhere in the rubble strewn

across my brain. Like you, I

am searching for something,

anything of worth. All which

glitters is not gold. The old

timers talk about pay dirt.

That’s what started the rush

in the first place. He said this,

she said that, and that’s how

we all got here where we are

today. You thinking it was

me when actually it was you

all along with something of

value to say. Come on, spit

it out. Let’s hear it! I’m game.

           -30-

Chris Hanch 5-2-2021