(x = space)
x
x
The Hour
x
When I met with
My spiritual director,
He’d light a light
Between us
For our consideration
A flame that moved
That might have made a noise
Though we couldn’t hear it
x
It was our time to talk
But we’d be quiet
First
That was good
That was good tension
That was coaching
From the universe:
To be quiet for a time,
To give better time to listen
When it was time
To talk
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C L Couch
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Photo by Brian Gomes on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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Justification
x
Just as if I had
Never sinned,
That’s how I was taught
The word
Like at-one-ment
x
Hope in the small things,
Yes?
Though these are words
Behind which are big things
That sanctify
(big word)
Reconcile
(another)
x
You see, the small things count
The extra sleep
The better cup of coffee
The crispy toast
I live for these
And things like these
x
But there are the big things
Like repentance,
Reconciliation
The kind of things that bring
The prodigal home,
That cause a feast
Once sealed back into family
x
There are the things
That don’t require
Big words
Faith, hope, and love
But might need bigger understanding
Or maybe only
Pay attention
x
God is simple, too
Three letters, three parts
And one
Anything that’s three and one
Helps to explain it
The shamrock
The states of water,
As you know
x
The simple
The profound
The rest for exercise
x
We sin
We can make it up
We can be snow
Or lightless night
We are returned
To the next day
To try
Better this time
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Photo by Lenstravelier on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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All Love
x
All of us
For Jesus
All of each of us
I heard it in Sunday School
Today
Sure, you may have it
x
Really?
If Jesus wants this broken body
And this tired mind
And all the loves
Requited, unrequited
Then
Jesus may have them
x
Is that so much?
Not really—you
May have it
Have it all,
Jesus
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C L Couch
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Photo by Matt Marzorati on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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Deception
x
A devotional
Means devotion
Means devoted
Attending and obeying
A liege lord
There is one, only one
Who may pull rank
On all of us,
Stewards in the realm
x
A king, one king
Call it queen
There might be jesters in
The courts of heaven
Reminding us
That foolish to the world
Is wise
Fools for stewards,
Then
x
The world, though,
Might only get angel cacophony
From those who hear
The choirs of heaven
Over the fields
And do not believe
x
The shepherds
They are wiser
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C L Couch
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x
“Electromagnetic Crown”
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(x = space)
x
x
Counting Spring
x
The winter is like spring
Today
Not cold,
Blustery
Keep your balloons inside
It will turn back
He saw his shadow, after all
(don’t worry—he’s not
so accurate)
We’ll need balm to fly the kite
Warmth to whet the wind
That’s when spring
Is real
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Photo by Emanuel Haas on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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Nonsense
x
Some days make sense
Not this day
Maybe half
The half of me that slept and ate
And feels neither hot nor cold
And has energy to power
This machine
Into which I’m writing
And, for now, through which
You might be reading
x
Which is how I’m handling
The other half
The scarred, bleeding, twisted
Other half
That might be more than half
Tomorrow
Because I know there have been days
x
And this part needs
Understanding
As in compassion, yes,
But understanding
Like math
Like where the cities are
On a map
Like the aspect of pain
That cries that this is wrong
Unreasonable
To a listening God
Who loses us,
We’re sure
x
Whose mortal timing, self-imposed,
Becomes weighted
And unshifting
Providence
Today
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Photo by Arash Asghari on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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Dream Team
x
I haven’t slept
I’m waiting
Any moment now
I’ve closed my eyes
Lain still
Got as comfortable
As I could
Not enough
Morpheus is for dreams
I can’t recall who is
For sleep
Do the muses visit?
How about someone
From another
Group,
Egyptian or
A Mayan?
I’m more than willing
To negotiate
For obeisance
In exchange for
Some hours
Of nothing more
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Wilhelm von Gloeden (1856–1931), Hypnos. The title (“Sleep” in Greek) comes from the fact that the boy holds two flowers of Brugmansia (a.k.a. “datura”), having a hypnotic effect.
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(x = space)
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The Gospel
x
x
The gospel in a word
Is love
The gospel in a word
Is news
The gospel in two words is
Saving story
The gospel is for you and me
And all of us
Yes, it is
No one is excluded
No matter how we wish it so
We might be disbelieving
When we meet them
Later on
Even then
It is a book of love, after all
A story of salvation
Good news for everyone
No one excluded
No adult swim
No east or west
North or south
Exclusions
I don’t know about a ladies’ night
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Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
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(x = space)
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Fortune Telling
x
Do people really
Run away
To join the circus?
Did they?
What did they do?
Pull on tent ropes?
Feel elephants
Or other animals?
Sweep and sweep
While learning
A circus trade?
Trapeze?
Clowning?
Firing a cannon or
Getting shot out of
One?
It’s Monday
And in my culture
This is the kind of thought
That people have
On Monday
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Photo by Alex Gagareen on Unsplash
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