my sympathies toward Sasquatch
we want
to find Bigfoot
but don’t really want
to meet
it
some take guns in
guns
with
needles
some with bullets
as if
it is the thing’s own fault
we push the encounter
I don’t get it
thinking
it’s like the Cold War game
in which
to win
is not
to play
c l couch
photo by Dare Artworks on Unsplash
What
(and why)
So what is love
But that we love each other
Undesiring
Maybe
But love regardless
Making mistakes
If minorly regarding timing
To being
And to keep going
And majorly
As in the trying of each faithfulness
Deserving faith
Yet
Facing
Letting go
Love does let go
In earthly jurisdiction
Though
Informally love begins
And should maintain itself
Love
As a family
After all
In all the shapes and
Sizes
Even states and nations might
Take on
Love is
Not weak
But is
Negotiation
Love once begun
As love
Should remain
And
Does remain
Though life must have its way as well
And there are
Separations
Finally
Through finally
Though imperfections
Imperturbable shall
Not last
But find their end
When all shall be renewed in
The right way
So love lasts
And its health must be allowed to us
While
We have here
Until
We hope
We’re there
To find the hale and lasting parts
Really do
Faithfully
Delightedly
Persist
Even as a new kind
Of forever
And we may wait in all this
Wait as in count
Also
Wait as in attend
Attend as in show up
Also
Attend to serve
(a good reason for
showing up)
So let love
Then
Be love
Let it mature
Like wine that should grow
Before delighted here
If once
And then forever
At the table where
Like Philemon’s pitcher
Shall be
Renewed
With better
For us at the table
(and may we all be there)
In that house
And at
That feast
On the other side
That love
Shall take us there
C L Couch
Photo by Haley Owens on Unsplash
the children
the children fight to change the world
and to save it
so that
when they’re fat
and old and
heavenbound they know
they fought
for
something and that something
was worthwhile
my bugbear was hazing
more so
and overall
the challenge to believe that
even
and especially when
grownups are
wrong
the spirit of survival and of growth
is in each
one of us however
young
even untried
against
cliques and
cabals
to find the better parts
of
change and what should
stay the same
inside
and in between
the truth in lore
in you
in me
and you know I’m going to say
in us
c l couch
photo by Maryn Brayfield on Unsplash
“Exploring”
visitationing
(there’s an answer to a riddle toward the end)
God behind the clouds
today
descending now and then
to look inside
the window
make sure that I am
still there
and I appreciate the feeling
though God could
come in
and we could sit
and God would ask
and I would
answer
though what I’d really like to do
is listen
to the Lord across
across
from
me
c l couch
photo by Ozgu Ozden on Unsplash
first question
and what of God today
and
dare I ask
in that
God is all in all
our totality
by
in creation
and salvation that we hope
to own
enough for admission
or is that confession
with our faith
maybe
(an Amish hope)
enough
for admission
to God’s heaven
as
the angels’
and in
part
perhaps our own
c l couch
photo by Jac Alexandru on Unsplash
lamb-like
(31 March)
today is a lamb-like
day
as it happens
where I am
whereas
you might be in a storm or counting
minutes ‘til one happens
or there could be
late-spring
or on a desert where the climate
seems
unchanging
though
if minutely
it is not
here
the sun is shining
as it
tries for spring
still somewhat winter-pale
here and there some detritus
from the frigid season
(or
the opposite
way south)
waiting to be washed away after
a widespread and
we may
hope
a natural sort of thaw
for anymore the Earth fool us
in that we fool
ourselves
in
how we grew
and now manipulate
(per se)
the climates of our planet
I mean
decades of abnormal
if not
aberrant
burning
poisoning of land and sky
and shall we mention water for
the nonce
in
all we’ve done
the state of pipes
e.g.
and each of us may now
take part
though most of us were not decision-makers
in the melting of
our
atmospheric health
while this is not an issue save as
breathing might be
one
it is not a choice in politics
whether or not
the Texas-sized hole in the ozone
exists
(which could be less regarding relative
in danger)
and I
was saying it’s
a lamb-ish kind of day
and here
it is
if pale
in the hope that with the season
all colors and movements
there
in climate
shall become robust
in
spite of things and
even as a cosmic
gift
to us
in most zones
if not them
all
by new-normal and by worn-plastic
rather literal
causes
c l couch
photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash
abduction
(a draft about salvation)
we were taken away
from Eden
with Edenic living
whose fault
we don’t know
maybe everyone’s
maybe not ours
so much
because we were not there
except in some spirit
time and space
possibility
now we are held captive
and there should be
a ransom
since kidnapping goes that way
some amount
some prize
according to abductors
who have caged us in deceit
to call it living
so who must pay
to whom
and how much
the price might be forever
be everything
anyone could have
and pay the price
the price paid
which was a final deception
a trip
in which the rescuer
now gone would leave the rescued
untenable
not fit for anything but fire
the infernal fire
which is to say fire upon fire to
the glee
of the one who thought
who planned
who entwined
and who
in fact
led the absconding or ourselves
and now in victory
having arranged the killing
of the only one to save
until
this moment
this moment when it
turned out
there was a reason for the death
and it was
to guarantee a life
one life
all
lives
together have the chance
now
to be saved
and what weeps and what
gnashes its teeth but a
planner
the abductor
who thought that killing it should mean the end
and it should now
but doesn’t
in that we may choose
faith in our own supernal return
the one returned
who offers the returning
to anyone
and as plus with anyone
becomes
an all
a following
angels and us
perhaps
in faith then
by grace
we return and then
even better yet move forward
to the gates of Eden now
angel-unassigned
shall become a new Eden and how about
gateway to new Earth
by new heaven
c l couch
photo by Peter Thomas on Unsplash
a two-part matter of monsters
monsters
monster means something important
out for show
but we know monster
really
for ourselves and
also monstrous
connotation
and old scary movies
and before that
illustrations here and there on paper
though mostly
through
stories
the monster that we see outside
and
do not see
the gruntings or the screams we think we
hear
there is what goes into
and has always been
inside
the mind
monsters worse that in there
rise
sometimes in sleep
or we take them waking into
feeling
thinking
the spirit
the ego
our inner things fed one way or another
and then become
our conscious
if monsters not-consciously influence
‘til
they’re
known
maybe through counsel
maybe we learn to drag the beasts from
deep lurking
into a shallow sunlit place
where they
are known
and
let
awareness both appreciate as well as
eschew
all monsters
doubting
they do not go away
so we’ll pursue
and
come to know in unshadowed time
and circumstances
live with
then
the monstrous as
best
(not beast)
as we may
monstrous negotiation
maybe that’s how I’ll leave it
a discussion
for
the day
of what’s monstrous
what are the beasts that lurk away
or want
to invade
and also the shaded things
as creatures
that
we keep inside
the world
certainly can
be
a bestial place
look at D. C.
and also western Asia with points
west
and east
until except for penguin colonies
the Earth is subsumed
by
all the monster presences
and possibilities
and we think monster-hunting will
resolve
except the monstrous will not like it
and might attack
or simply
push
tall and deadly things from
the forests in
our way
the forest out there
and
of course
the woods in here
the fairytale monsters
point
toward us while
reading or
otherwise receiving
and while they
return
and so we have more stories
maybe there’s
a matter of negotiation
that
only lately
except for Androcles
the narratives are positing
that
we make friends
with dragons
and
so ask Saint George to consider new
pursuits
that we bargain with ourselves
as well
and the clawed and jagged creature-parts
dwelling
deep
but changing moods
and agendas near and over the surface
to outside
and
then each other
rather
to learn the monsters
that
we won’t need to feed them
they’ll be fine
and teach us in return
that what is
monstrous
needs no encouragement
but
in appreciation
then
of everything we are
chastened
we step into the waters of the world
all the currents
even
caves once knowing
what inhabits
there
in me
in you
so us
and in them
until the them be us as well
c l couch
photo by steffen wienberg on Unsplash
Mitzvah
God be with us
While
We’re parted
May I be good to you
As
You’ll be good
For me
May God keep us
Trusting all
Parts
Of this amenity
‘Til coming back together
For
Story-telling and
Renewal
C L Couch
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
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