how much the devil

is the devil allowed
to mess inside our heads
to stir
to unstir things inside our hearts
to turn the matter of our spirits
as it were

how much permitted
since
after all the fall
and for it
to be cursed upon the ground
crushed underheel

yet also
the raven of Job
trickster to entice the host of heaven
maybe
God
so that the drama could begin of
awful loss and faith

the playwright has the devil
Scratch
contended with by Daniel Webster
though before
there were ages with the mysteries and
miracles
renderings in which the devil was
a character

and to leap ahead
or
somewhen
there’s the battle between Michael and
Satan
the last fight with armor worn
and scales upon the dragon
and
who wins we know

with all the defeat
why should
it bother
but it does

and how deep it has been given leave
like soldiers to excuse themselves
but
here to serve a relentless campaign
to win
what
the Earth
each one of us

material
and soulful are the gains

to ally with sin and maybe with some error
to twist
the good with the inevitable
especially
while we are fallen
too

to make the worst of it
and how much
how far
to invade
how to much to niggle earthstrings
how far to take the heart
from
its own source

how bad to try to make of good
since bad is not invention
merely
merely attempting to infect the health
of who we are and
what we’ve
been given from the start

resist
and it will blee
what does that mean
and
will it sidle back
or come with force

how final is an exorcism

or is it a tussle with a horror
every day
and while humor’s on our side
it should be hard
night on defeating
to
keep going

but keep going

there is a guarantee
it’s on the page and in
the heart
as well

that we can fight and
laugh
and wait for rescue

try on faithful garments
that will last
with
pockets for
all sorts of reminders
there is God and
we are
and with advising
given all
that we are love

c l couch


photo by Karl Hedin on Unsplash