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August 2023

Yet Another Pledge

(x = space)

x

x

Yet Another Pledge

x

Enough money

For food

That’s what she says

And the spokesperson

Iterates

Enough money indeed

Food insecurity

We call it

Issue-words for hunger

I suppose

And do we understand

Who needs to understand

How it is

To miss the money

That our planet should provide

Since birth

x

For us

Perhaps

A tissue argument

So thin

To be unreal

Like the gossamer wings

On made-up creatures

Though this hunger

Is for real

And threatens to take lives

And takes them

And this forestalls that

Worked somehow

To succeed

For under twenty dollars

Each

And there’s a t-shirt

That

No one can eat

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Jeison Higuita on Unsplash

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1

In Mexico and California

(x = space)

x

x

In Mexico and California

x

Hilary’s been visiting

With water

Wind

Pages of destruction

Formed by words

Of storm clouds

We run away who can

There is great sense

In this

Those who can or must

Weather

Well

We weather

Waiting for her to pass

Astarte

Or Ba’al

Some god in the storm

We do not sacrifice

On stones

Or inside fires

Elijah’s altar

Would be dowsed

By Hilary

And so prove the faith

When manifest

The truth

Is given

Wait

Maybe wait as those

Who wait upon the Lord

Except for the things

That are destroyed

And us

Left in the center

Trying to stay

On the mortal side

Of all this

How long until

The juggernaut

Leviathan

Has passed

Here

We could use water

Someday shall the satellites

Serve us

With such saving deliveries

To here

From there

Both termini

The people

With our properties

Yes

Our things on Earth

Kept

As rescuing

And keeping can

Stay live

As you and others

Can

Nothing else matters

Until this

Until us

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Alexander Jawfox on Unsplash

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0

a course in homiletics

(x = space)

x

x

a course in homiletics

(to talkers from the hearers)

x

what preachers call

the inexorable return

of the sabbath

x

this is regarding preaching

that in the life

does not go away

until that part of life

is done

x

a homily

a holy guess

its own divining thing

at least once a week

with time off

not for behavior

but

well

time off

x

a chance

an opportunity

to say with some authority

of text and the community

that God exists

and God is love

and God through Jesus

saves the rest of us

while the Holy Spirit

guides us in an amazement of

an inward way

x

lectionary

maybe

a series to a theme

the season

and the calendar

of sacred time

and secular

x

an aim toward a generic kind of prophecy

an affirmation

but don’t unhook

a line of challenge

that shall run throughout the day

into the week

x

those six days

when most of us

are out here

and this is our chance

to take

something from here

x

greed systems

risking the right and wrong of things

in the world

and inside us

x

we’re only human

after all

which excuses us

maybe by degree

factoring age

existence of faith

with accountability

x

(now

don’t be sly

to think

if I don’t believe

then I’m off the hook

for right and wrong

and the discomfit

of the judgment

and the book

some book

maybe the one up front

and in the racks

corresponding)

x

our job

is to listen

and respond

and if we want

something more interactive

we may say so

x

even the magisterium

allows

for dialogue

in proclamation

x

the average size

non-Catholic

congregation

in the USA

is about two hundred

good for acoustics

and a range

of microphonic possibilities

x

a number to reach

and to reach back

while we’re all here

when we return

and in those six days

while all of us

are out there

x

a message

three points

twenty minutes

(what the Presbyterians provided)

really

though

allow for some elasticity

for as someone else has said

(might have been me)

you cannot program

the Holy Spirit

or what stirs inside

the tabernacle

and all consecrations

sabbath day

and time

x

your time

our time

God’s time

we might say kairos

though

yes

we know

some congregants

are bold to check their watches

for some (ersatz) sanctity

we believe

chronology

bears better

x

we’re all here

let’s have a time of it

let’s seek the Lord

who presence

is not hard to suss

or sing

or dance sometimes

or testify

each time

x

so that the talking

and the hearing go

and more importantly

the doing

before

during

and after

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Luiz Eduardo Alves da Silva on Unsplash

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0

Absenteeism

(x = space)

x

x

Absenteeism

x

Parents have to leave

Or leave us go

As we leave them

Which by degrees

Admittedly

Works out

x

Sometimes perforce

The orphan Jane

At Lowood

Or the orphan Arthur

Growing up

Near Tintagel

x

Or what simply happens

As a course in time

Experience must study

x

My mother fifty years ago

My father twenty-some

Naturally

And counting

x

Except for cancer

Preternatural

Or do we kill each other

With our poisons

In the water

In the air

x

Well

Finally

It is the time of children

And shall we

Improve upon the time

And did our parents

Tell us to

And does it matter

If they didn’t

x

Goonies

Say this is our time

And they are right

(we’re right)

And now we have their story

What is yours

What is mine

What is ours

x

Take the time

To have the time

Let it chapter well

With abundant energy

And smidgeons

Of the vision

And ideal

x

Everything is augury

But more important

Is to act here now

With everyone

Available

(don’t worry counting generations)

To build the present well

Into tomorrow

But crucially

The now

Into the work

The sense

The accomplishments

That make today

x

Done writing

You’ve been on deck

You’ve five-sensed the pitch

Now batter up

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Colynary Media on Unsplash

x

0

A Taste of Hallowe’en

(x = space)

x

x

A Taste of Hallowe’en

x

Cream cheese

And blood

Breakfast flavors

Thanks to Philadelphia

And blood-thinners

Sigh

A life with medications

(and bagels)

I’m still here

And I know that’s something

Trick-or-treat

More trick

For me

x

And is there a costume

For a bleeding breakfast-eater

Scary thing

(scarier)

Is there might be

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Skyler Sawyer on Unsplash

x

1

Heartfelt

(x = space)

x

x

Heartfelt

x

I haven’t slept

My computer wants to update

I won’t let it

I don’t want that now

I want to sleep

The sun is rising

I can see the V from here

(the angle

in the tree)

x

Words

Thoughts

Fears

Then turn it off

And try again to sleep

I can’t do anything today

No appointments

Only analgesics

Lack of sleep

And eating when I rise

Each time

Which sounds like fun

And passes time

But is stupid

Really

x

I’ve had this diagnostic guess

That the insomnia

Is made worse

By indigestion

Not to mention sinus problems

And

You know

Having a heart that functions

Normally for someone

Twenty years older than I am

x

Sigh

Rest

Better food

At better times

Maybe Mediterranean

Easy exercise

In pleasant ambient air

And the air at night

To move and not move

In optimal

Waves and bouts

x

Who else has these diagnostics

Who else is going through this

There is no

Lone wolf in nature

I need my pack

Something for the herd instinct

Foraging

With accountability

x

Lord

Don’t leave me alone

Company for misery

If no more

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Linda Kazares on Unsplash

x

2

True Worship

(x = space)

x

x

True Worship

x

How does one really

Worship God

The glove compartment

Old gift boxes

Or stuffed

Desk or counter

Drawers

x

These are not

Nor do they contain

Anything like holies

Of holies

x

Nor do our lives

Say

We walk

We talk

In worship of the Lord

x

We go to church

Or temple

There are shiny things

There

Are they worship

What are the right

Accoutrements

x

We go away

Vacay

Even a retreat

Is God just off the shore

Or in the park

Or in a city

We have not

Traversed before

x

Or

Yes

Keep it official

Bring on the pipes

The choirs

The big noises

Organized

Maybe with fluid motion

On occasion

Of the litany

x

Are we now qualified

For worship

x

Some say

It must be corporate

There must be at least

The two or three

Though as many as

May muster

Is preferred

x

Can I worship on my own

May I

Or at the table

Meetings

Meals

Could anything

Like worship

Happen

x

Yes

No

My sources say

Hazy

Ask later

Though we suppose

It isn’t happenstance

And can we plan

The Holy Spirit

Let alone

The glory of the Lord

x

God is great

Remember the Sabbath

There are injunctions

On the worldly

And maybe there are those

Who believe

We find worship in

Mediation

Sitting still

Knowing in the easy

The presence of the Lord

x

How about

Where there is joy

For loving

And together

x

C L Couch

x

x

John 4:23-24

Romans 12:1

x

Photo by Ilse Driessen on Unsplash

x

2

What Do We Pray For

(x = space)

x

x

What Do We Pray For

x

Say something to us

Please

What we want

To hear

Might be nice

But when we know

When we turn the wheel

And this turns up

As consciousness

We know

Our self-deceits

Or can

Or maybe that’s just it

We need some freedom

From ourselves

Something

In a gospel message

Breaking through

(shining a little?)

Our conceits

Both kinds

x

Our designs

Are based on pi

We calculate

We cannot calculate

But must have things

Anyway

And so the n

And so the sigma

All the unending

Sequences

That long before

The ether part

We count

And build

Move in

And have our castles

In the mind

And everything in fact

Upon the Earth

And orbiting

Around

And for a while now

Our trips

Through the planets

Now hoping to evangelize

A neighbor star

x

So many ways we build

On unknowing

And the consequential

Binding ourselves

To our ideas

To our agendas

And to hiding them

Our civilized

Transgression

x

Maye a word of clarity

Then

Maybe

Maybe a smidgeon

Of what’s real

Delivered in a jiff

Or honesty

Yeah

Maybe we could take that

Please

And thank you

We mean

(we want

to mean it)

Amen

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Dhilip Antony on Unsplash

x

1

Slingshot without a Rock

(x = space)

x

x

Slingshot without a Rock

x

A sure defense

In time of trouble

xxxxxit comes to mind

xxxxxwhen thinking on the news

xxxxxquotation? lyric?

xxxxxI don’t know or can’t

xxxxxrecall

A bulwark

(big thing)

Never failing

xxxxxfrom the famous hymn

xxxxxthat many know

xxxxxalso good

xxxxxfor trouble

Both assurances of faith

When we need help

From inside out

x

We’re human

Outside makes a difference

We get hurt

We need something

We are afraid

x

God is there

Though we wouldn’t mind

If God appeared with money

Or another miracle

Sudden health

A bulldozer

Whatever’s needed

That is big

And not at hand

x

Such things can happen

There are miracles

There is the ministry of angels

And sometimes

Angels of ourselves

x

Aren’t jewels resting

For the taking

Underground

Are there not billions

Of people

With doubles of billions

Hands to help

x

Where are they

I need you

And so we add new levels

Of fear

And frustration

Doubt

And unbelief

x

And God is there through that

Maybe sorry

It doesn’t work the way

We want

But that there is a way

For everything that’s needful

To be cared for

We won’t have it

Now

And our patience won’t be grateful

To be excised

x

But there are miracles

Sometimes quantum

And there is timing

Like the kind of comedy

That heals

And nothing is a farce

For there is healing

And one by one

And altogether

We are made well

In fantastic

Ways

Unplanned by us

x

Keep asking

Someone is listening

Through hellish seem the circumstance

And absence the main value

Someone is there

Someones

And one by one

And altogether

It all works out

x

And do you believe

Sometimes I don’t

There’s too much pressing

On belief

Even hope is weighted on

To breathe

x

We suffer

And that’s honest

We go without

We go in need

And others with us

Maybe our grief

In fact

Is for someone else

We cannot reach

For barriers

Of space and time

Even only

Material means

x

I want to reach you

But I can’t

I can pray

It won’t seem enough

Confessing apostacy

Another time

x

Where are you

When I know you’re here

How shall I have you

With me

How may you be with

Loved ones

Other victims

Far away

x

Accept

I guess

Believe

It’s silly but

I believe

xxxxxI think she said that in

xxxxxMiracle on 34th Street

In a small voice

It’s true

And you are there

And I believe

x

It won’t work out my way

And I might scour

My soul

For fear

I might sour on love

And take away my prayers

For doubt

But they’re in

The other book of love

And angels are at work

With or without

Our direct anticipation

x

In fact

We are allowed

To be ourselves

Absence

And a fonder heart

Once help is realized

Once we return

x

C L Couch

x

x

consider Psalm 59

x

By art_inthecity from Montréal, CA – Melsa Montagne, Le slingshot de Montréal, 2014, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=116883014

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