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nether campaigning

(x = space)

x

x

nether campaigning

x

the demon

knows a gun

or a Bible

and what shape

a trench might take

and the cosmic trouble

when a soul is gone

then how to argue

for salvation

of the other

the wide pathway

into hell

x

demon thwarted

demon satisfied

a report for

adversaries

smallest of decrees

ringing through

one judgment

or the other

x

two kinds of howls

for outcomes

two kinds of retributions

for the work

in afterlife

after a soul is counted

one way

or the other

x

they lose

you know

the demons

finally

they have contracted

signing by descent

to grasp for

less and less

until after last battles

when the aftermath

is simply

nothing

x

c l couch

x

x

one might read The Great Divorce or Revelation 22 of the Christian testament

x

photo by Jani Kaasinen on Unsplash

x

1

Standing By, Maybe Sitting

(x = space)

x

x

Standing By, Maybe Sitting

(maybe kneeling)

x

So what do we know

From presence

Though it’s present

x

Something outside ourselves

Is present

Staying close

Trying to pull us out

Into the world

x

Remind us the making of it

Was community in motion

A nation of the angels

Then of us

Starting with two

x

And the wives of Cain somewhere

x

Miracle

And mysteries

Our bodies otherwise

Would form

Boundaries that won’t give way

Except for weapons

x

But we know there is more

Through the intrusion

Of companionship

Wonderful companionship

Surprise at first

And then we might get used to it

For fondness

And for learning

Of the world

x

A world

As we say

(paraphrase)

Of all the possibilities

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by David Tomaseti on Unsplash

(a candle for companionship)

x

1

The Way to God

(x = space)

x

x

The Way to God

(or, Mystics Are Confounding)

x

God guide us

Does God guide us

Seems

We decide

To take the step

To the right

Or to the left

x

How much is up to us

Why

(and then)

Why

Just about everything

I think

We might want

To go on the path of God

To God

And there might be clues

Insight

Perhaps

Bristly sensation

‘Cause a treasure hunt

If run

And this would be

The richest one

To have

To hoard

Perhaps

(though hoarding really

is no fun)

Better to share

Especially as some of it

Is news

x

But

Come on

Too much is invisible

A code

Without an artifact

Some books that might be changing

And we argue all the time

x

So maybe we hope

For approval

On the way and afterward

Which isn’t gold

But is heaven

That in jazz of virtue

Sometimes perplexing

Ain’t all bad

x

Don’t mean a thing

If it ain’t got that

Je ne se pas

Karl someone said that

(with an “It” as in “It don’t”)

Paas (like eggs)

Haas

Or who is Schickele

A syllable

A couple of Es away

From an adverb

x

Well

Someone

Something

Help us

Please

Maybe a map

On the pages

Or inside a leaf

Inspired (for the books)

By the leaf

That falls

These days

From trees

And set some kind of standard

x

They

Often fall on paths

While one path of the paths

We seek

Who knows

Nature might show the way

Overall

x

Or at least in part

Or parts

Sigh

Where are the arrows

Where is the angel

Pointing

Not much for a duty

But then

One has been assigned

To raise a flaming sword

Outside of Eden

Since the

Lapsarian

Moment

x

So many mysteries

And what we want

Is God-directed

Without mystic

Understanding

(though Ms Underhill

teaches

we all might

have it to use)

x

Well

We find our way

We do our best

Maybe we rather

Act like blocks

Sculpted

Undivinely

Because we favor

Hammers

Of agendas

x

The rest of us

Then

Try

To find a way

To go a way

To find the treasure

Of the Lord

Which is the same

As one who’s somehow

With us

Now

x

C L Couch

x

x

Karl Haas composed and hosted a radio show about Classical music; he was famous for his deeply-intoned greeting, “Hello, everyone.”  Peter Schickele also hosted (hosts) a radio show wherein (for the closing) he told us to remember that, “It don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that je ne se pas.”  (A comic re-rendering of the line (and title) “I don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got that swing” by Duke Ellington.)

Evelyn Underhill was a mystic and writer who composed Practical Mysticism: A Little Book for Normal People.

And may I annotate myself?

x

Photo by Gabriel Jimenez on Unsplash

Ancient Stump

x

1

Small, Insistent Formulae

(x = space)

x

x

Small, Insistent Formulae

x

Sigh

Let’s love

Love

And make it practical

I’ll carry this for you

You could make something

For me

x

Keep it civil

Better courteous

Keep respect

For remembrance

In our heads

Our chests

Wherever better spirits

Dwell

x

And sing for love

Upon our stages

Certainly

Inside our homes

And in any congress

We might have

Outside

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Larm Rmah on Unsplash

x

0

Love Who What When Where and Why

(x = space)

x

x

Love Who What When Where and Why

(maybe you write about the How)

x

Like water

Love works

On everything

Though heaven

Weeping angels know

We try

To resist

To act as if

Hate were strong

Or acquisition

Better

x

We fight

And war

And ask amiss

Try to take

In fact

Without any asking

x

Sigh

Would relenting

Be so bad

It’s there

It persists

It takes

Maybe the problem is

It takes some

Too

x

Does hate do better

Greed improve

A refusal to surrender

Anything

While we believe that grasping

Has its way

x

We believe that love is weak

That is an ego-problem

Like fat

Round babies

Into angels

(thank you, Renaissance)

We miss the majesty

Deny the awful quality

As in filled with awe

Of love

x

The love that sires

Prophets

The pervasive strength

In their messages

x

That births

That follows us to die

When it is time

Sometimes in service

Or in sacrifice

x

Can one own so much

To give it all

There is nothing that is stronger

More impressive

Move over

Avarice

There’s something much more potent

That begins with one

And then with two

And then with three for family

x

The family of Earth

Nature providing

All the elements available

We don’t even have to war for it

Though we might need

A treaty

Like the covenants

x

Or let love be wild

A little

Let it pervade in forest

Observations

To let the group

Even the crowd

Break out in love

To celebrate

To show

Who is the real boss of us

And who would rather be allied

Than

Love mercenary

Ruled

x

For all affiliations

Love means freedom

It means energy

As Blake says

An eternal delight

x

Love is pleasure

Certainly

It’s sex and power

And everything

To share

The tyranny of love

Better poets say is wrong

Release obsession

As all we want unloving

But the guise

Be let go

x

Let love be true

Mostly restrained

By day

Modest in its style

Until safely

We let go

Or in our modest ceremonies

Affirm it is the best

And through it

Know

That we belong

x

 C L Couch

x

x

James 4:3

x

Photo by Linus Nylund on Unsplash

x

0

What It Means This Time

(x = space)

x

x

What It Means This Time

x

Pilate asked

We may infer

He didn’t mean it

That the Romans

Took the truth

As they found it

As they made it

x

The modern person

Secular

Asking on occasion

Not waiting for an answer

Except the answer

As we need it for

Moment by moment

Justification

x

Then to wash our hands

As if

That made a difference

For the truth

As we need it now

And pushed into a new form

As we need it

Later

x

Behold your person

Who is your monarch

I have tortured

Beyond the law

And now the law

Is done

With this one

x

Say this is enough

I want other things

To do

And now you thread

Insinuations

Through the crowd

They murmur

And then roar out for Barabbas

x

Do you even know

Who that is

x

Well

I will release them

To you

Wash my hands again

Let go Barabbas

And then Christ

To indicate

Your will with them

One to roam

One to execute

With others for

Barbaric companionship

On crosses

x

What is in it

Water

There is salt

For exorcism

My excuse

Or it might as well

Be tears

For bitter clarity

Of what is real power

When they have it

When you

Have it

x

C L Couch

x

x

John 19:5

x

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

x

1

The Anchorite Paradigm

(x = space)

x

x

The Anchorite Paradigm

x

There is quiet

There is some noise

There is the right

Combination

Based on relative needs

And wants

So that the anchorites

Inside

Might thrive

x

I’m not sure

I can tell

Because I’m not she

Or you

Preparing for retreat

Or the quiet

Time

In every day

For God and one

And later on

A few more

Maybe many

If there’s a meeting

x

It has to be a merging

The world isn’t one thing

Or the other

Spirit

And flesh

Technology

Impulsive

Even pollution and clean air

Is the way we have things

Now

And for a while longer

Until something breaks

Like a good wave

And we have innovation

With tradition

And legacy

That’s in between

x

Breathe for selah

In our inventing

Wait a second for approval

Then move on toward

Another

Better

Newer

Defensible

Amen

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Mitchell Y on Unsplash

x

2

Speaking Simply

(x = space)

x

x

Speaking Simply

x

Who holds the tap

On grace

Like backyard water

Miserly barmaster

Rain

For life

On hanging gardens

x

Why

No one

Keeps grace tight

Or somehow

Unavailable

Do not let anyone

Inform you

x

Grace is free

We need to say this

While the only one who holds it

Lets it go

To pour upon the Earth

xxxxxLike rain or dew

xxxxxOr faithful tears

With salvation

Near

And all we have to do is to touch

To hear

To take it in

x

Let no one bill you

Teach you anything extreme

For expectation

God might like to use you

But will not

Should you ask for distance

Space

And time

x

The vulnerable should come to God

The children

God appeals

It’s open

No money or affiliation

Must change hands

x

The strong

Or strong supposed

May come to God as well

Those who like to lift things

Move things around

Or have them moved

Or who wish

In frustration

They

You

Were movers

x

God will take

The complexity of plans

xxxxxGod can handle

And would handle for you

While you learn

The simple

And profound

And the merely simple

Like the love of God

Be love

For every person

x

Love without measure

Meaning

Complete

For nothing

Everything

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash

x

3

Left Over

(x = space)

x

x

Left Behind Over

x

I used to wonder

How I got it

Wrong

How I was tricked

By devilish

Personae

And didn’t get to go

Above

Beyond

Wherever all the heavenly

Got to go

x

I am on Earth

When it’s called tribulation

To be here

And to be here

I have to have my forehead

Marked

Be ready to pay

Bars of gold

For bread

And who knows

If any water

Anything is safe

While nothing is

x

I wish it hadn’t come to this

x

A savior

Styled by self

And people

Rises

A liar

Who looks

Oh

So

Well

In public

Yet drains us for itself

Ready to execute

The life from those

Returning

To the faith

x

And me

Should I feel the blade

Of death on Earth

For heaven

x

A heavenly force

Arrives

And all again is overthrown

This time for victory

Of belief

And real power

Manifest like matter

From creation

x

It has hurt

It has been trying

Life

And death for faith was awful

Now it’s done

x

And is it a dream

For sirens of

Earthly missiles

And a moment

To decide

x

So

Decide

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Cosmin Gurau on Unsplash

x

0

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