the holy day
for Tuesday in Holy Week
too confusing
it’s Tuesday
like any
and it’s Tuesday set apart for holy
and shall we catechize
to ask
what this means
since any day is God’s
and
ours
and we title this one
rendering unique and yet
is not
the same
and what might be transsubstantive
possessing what
is new
astounding spiritual
and yet retain the ordinary quality of
fields
say
for Communion elements
like God in us
for us to be in God
to have what is amazing
and
plain
so what is in a Tuesday
for this day
in a week of days we say
we
have decided
is
set apart
good
day for thought
to re-read stories
better
hearing them anew
as reading sends gospel
good news
in
the mind
to the heart
not bad for a Tuesday
what
we know
and what we set apart
maybe
to know first
or anew
c l couch
photo by Irina Chishkova on Unsplash
still Monday
Bible study, pedantry, sorry
sigh
so however counting
today liturgically
is Holy Monday
if mostly
which
is
a Monday
to acknowledge spiritually
to slog through as with any Monday by
perception
of our culture
aiming for
Friday
Jesus is in Jerusalem
by
tradition
clearing out the Temple
having
final meetings with
strangers
maybe those who
came
to meet him
and what kind of take is this
on meetings
in
our culture
intrsansigent gatherings in
blank rooms to
variously
go through an agenda
then
leave in secular gratitude
maybe with ideas
for
the next hours
next days
or
religionless season
we also read
hear
of an encounter Jesus has
with the leaders of the day
not
Romans so much
as Christ’s own and it goes
badly
really badly
to reinforce a conspiracy
that bad
there will be a meal
later
shared momentously
founding Eucharist
Communion
and
impose a focus on command
to love each other and to be called
friends
who follow Jesus
then more final things
happen
with bitterness and
danger
in
fact
condemnation
increasing
so here we are on Monday
how to have it into
unmarked
by
attitude
Tuesday and Wednesday
what to do
how
to do it
how to have these hours and these days
if
in the spirit of one kind
or another
the spirit of the age
claimed by a few
or
the spirit of all ages claimed by one
then
offered to the rest
like and as
the choice for faith
and
to change the rest so that
the law
the code
come
through and all the love that is
in fact
commanded
c l couch
photo by Martin Joos on Unsplash
so much better than the straw hypothesis
I never knew
the cross from palms
until
I was introduced
and was told that children
form these
the way
I guess when a child
I learned other
crafting
and I like this cross
as if it were made
from a wide
piece
of straw
and
to touch it
and people tuck it into
pictures and
by
windows
where it’s simple and engaging
a sign of faith
humble in
spirit
even as the first cross
of wood tall and worked
terrible
from
which
we’ve been given
and have made
so much meaning
for
our lives
c l couch
photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash
venerated day
worship the creator now
when all days began
c l couch
photo by Jennie Razumnaya on Unsplash
tell me
pretty pale blue
nothing new
and new
and wonderful each time
c l couch
photo by The DK Photography on Unsplash
for seasoning 2 poems for spicing
by c l couch
there was the ambulance across the street
watch over my neighbor now
who has been taken
blinking
somewhere else
and
must be to greater care
and
I could wish we knew each other now
from before
rather than indifference
irritated
through the ceiling and the walls
commencementation
rejoice
O young
in thy youth
and maybe
I don’t cite but leave
the song
the verse about the law of liberty
to consider
singing
standing
before owning
from what imprisons all
that
could turn
begin
the change
toward freedom as I’m wondering
through sacrifice
and
service
the youth could know
our world
your
inheritance and judge us
yet
expend the greater energy
fixing
up the Earth our habitat
for walls of wood
or
stone and planning rooms whose metal
rusts
and better yet
I have to say
the morals that sustain
us
yes
those
and maybe you’ll stop reading if
you got this far
but love must
say
and recommend
the way for
you
the last of us by which to move
to have our being
and live
(referencing an anthem that cites James; the book of actions of the Apostles)
photo by Nick Nice on Unsplash
a poem from pre-dawn with a request of mine, below
look up
who can and may
dark
rectangles
white
nothing else to be seen there
the lights are dim inside
waiting
like Lent
like Advent
in fact
for dawn
and a kind of dawn
that lights and then illuminates
the mind
after some moments by the spirit
alone
first
to know tht something extraordinary has
happened with the normal
change
still impressive
every day
break
from night with day
as if
the dark were ominous
as if there had
been
say
three days’ worth
and soon
surprising all the first
time
though there had been cues
that some could note who heard
and
made good guesses
amazing
guesses
of guards and a great stone
and a new emptiness inside
the kind that says
the world is dry
and clean
and might be filled again for the first
time
with just amounts of white and black and
all colors
and no colors
in between
a dawn to come today
far
as we know
as any other
with more promise as that new day had brought
and
new days each some different
now
c l couch
next week, I will have a procedure done near my heart (then in a month another); I am skittish over matters such as thin blood and claustrophobia and, well, heart disease overall
any prayers or good thoughts you could send my way for a smooth operation and a smooth me would be truly appreciated; prayer (and good thoughts) have power, and a blanket of such over me would help, I know; the procedure is Thursday (Maundy Thursday) April 2; I won’t know the time ‘til the evening before
thank you so much
Christopher
photo by Declan Sun on Unsplash
on reading a passage from Madeleine L’Engle’s journals
there is the moment
when
the medal has been shot
that had been
placed in the V of the trunk
of a tree
out in the country
at the place where they stayed
and how outraged
the narration
turned
toward that phantom crime
become a waking travesty
and
my wondering on reading
if too much were being
made
and in time to wonder
were it enough
because I’m thinking now if each
took to small destruction
in this way
then
there should be a movement
to take domestic and then global interest in
anything that should
remain
whole
c l couch
The Crosswicks Journals
photo by Mantas Sinkevičius on Unsplash
a democracy of clouds
cool
cloudy
promising a sleepy sun
palely then
coloring the day
and
it’s all right
sky-wide pastiche
all easy tones
to
take down aggression into
thoughtfulness
the invitation
request from
Talowa
or
Changing Woman
to take this day
to share it
earn it well and then
to have a portion
lent
to us as any power
any part of
what’s created
to us for a time
until
a reckoning with final dispositions
c l couch
photo by Fiona Murray-deGraaff on Unsplash
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