altar call
we can’t approach
without
some sibling feeling worked out
so
we’re told
like Erev
before perhaps
the
Yom Kippur
and yet how empty be the churches if
chancels must wait
for
close conflict
or
the like
must be worked out first
before we resuming
carrying
a church-gift
say
our tithe
though many of us
chance
and
to confess
to keep the gift and moving
toward
the worship center
where
the convicting love of God
does not dwell more
but
knowing our score feels
more
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Mattew 5:23-24 (or consider other prodigal narratives)
Photo by Martijn Veldhuizen on Unsplash
in the big inning
in Jewish and in Christian
lores
there are creation stories told
more than once
and in parts
many times
even Jesus
said to be there
calling the beginning of the essences
become
reality
and there are stories of us
and how we came to be
and way
made one perhaps
made two
without doubt
a sin of consumption
followed by
what might be more a problem of
division
then to rationalize mistakes and so
prescribe the direction
they must follow
all three
all four
for God had made that rock
that God could not
move
because like biased gravity
God’s will
must be mediated
by God’s will
that is leant by God’s
love
in love
and in joy’s promise
all was made by God and to the host
and to the cosmos
and to us
and after all the dreadful plan must work
there is like
Pandora
one thing left
the second thing of tripartite
things
being faith
and love
and to fix the world
is hope
say
faith the reason
love the means
hope
the vision
as in why bother in the first place
and this is lore
and this is
myth
and we interpret as we guess
from our experience
and there are many stories
we should read and respect them all
to know
beginnings
explain the present
situations
and
(via
hope)
respect the promise of the future
that
tells us how to believe
and think
and act
respecting all traditions
in their dovetailing
and as they work out
to reveal in time
(both
ways)
the first and final reasons
revelations
n.b.
and
yes
I know that you might want
to say that God’s not part of this
no more
and we are on our own
and maybe always
eschewing partnership
as if Michelangelo should have no faith
and the lone
wolf
an honest perception
though it’s not
wolves living together
monogamous
in families
that
despite the isolation earnestly
perspective
there is more joining than a separation
more
that are joined
than all the pages of betrayal attempt
to testify
and
the main message that
we’re on our own
we’re not
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photo by Shishir Iyer on Unsplash
evening in February winter
dark gray with even darker gray
above
black branches
Hallowe’en
scene
to look out on this hour
winter gloom
I guess
which is allowed by nature
then
with a sigh
perhaps
acceptable to us
changing seasons
substances
and
shapes
one
big reason that we stay here or move
or then return
some prefer the icy
while the rest
shall
be waiting for the green
c l couch
photo by Michaela Murphy on Unsplash
Week
God
We would love you
But it’s Monday
And it’s
Hard
Enough to wake and then
Wake others
Wash
Dress
And breakfast
Leave for work or school
And then do well enough to
Have earned enough
For food
And
Bills and such
Plus maybe earned
A sense of
(enough)
Satisfaction from
The day
And there’s God
Well
Maybe
On Tuesday
C L Couch
Photo by Lerone Pieters on Unsplash
It’s Been Black History Month
It’s been Black History Month
And one more week
And I’ve thought
And
Though about what
To say
Being white and not feeling
Privileged
But
To be convinced it has been there
That other white people might
Have taken back
Through
All my eschewing
Brave Black people
And we know because
Too many of
Them
Killed
Or lynched
Or lynched before have been killed
Or easily
Horribly denied
And I can only imagine
If the water fountain
Or indeed the whole damn restaurant
Or sets on
The bus
Were denied
For the sake of denying me
Small razor cuts
With large ones to the jugular
Also
Fires
Tar
Feathers
That splinter skin
Then pull it from the body
And I won’t have it
Lord
I hope I never have it
And insofar as I might mean
The other way
I won’t
Have it
Either
And I guess this is something like
What I’ve wanted
To say
And Blacks will say it better
Of their own
Though I want
Someday
For your own and mine
To be
By hook or crook
Or speech
Or gentle protest using buses
Or what have you
And by the love of God
Come down
To make us rise
Please
All of us
Someday
C L Couch
Photo by Unseen Histories on Unsplash
Martyr Medgar Evers
The Black man fell and helpless lay,
A gaping wound upon his back,
A witness to the savage way,
A beast had made it foul attack.
. . .
[from a placard—I looked some but could not find the source]
b-day GW
today is G’s birthday
and what must he think
he might not mind so much
except he saw the war
led it
watched the soldiers die
watched them freeze
at Valley Forge
and then
perhaps with barely thawed enthusiasm
row
then march on Trenton
for the win
and he knew
enough
to resist majesty
mot likely would not care
for
Apotheosis
though he likely would appreciate
the talent
in the
art
and maybe dallying with God
being
Episcopalian
except one Sunday in Carlisle
when it seemed meet
to go
Presbyterian
but letting God be God
should a monarch be appropriate
but
no one
as one
under God
on Earth
and in deciding earthly matters
leave all people
to decide
except for the flawed
frankly awful quantities
to make
of women and
of slaves
since to have a nation we must
all
be or become democratized
happy day
George
and maybe happy nation
you secured
and must make up
and grow
negotiate a peace inside
and
then model
as the French have tried and then
(as
well)
to be this kind of
presence
in the world
c l couch
photo by Laura Nyhuis on Unsplash
Mount Rushmore, Mount Rushmore UT, SD, USA
(never finished as a monument)
a day too that’s good for thinking about tart, red, sweet cherry pie
(sorry, had to say this)
chimes
on its way to midnight
a new day
in which we don’t have to re-make everything
or anything
though there is a spirit of creation to
consider
maybe some things need refreshed
or added to with
zest
once we wake up
of course
c l couch
photo by Martin Adams on Unsplash
an invoking
o youth
attend
for time is brief
and you will be surprised sometime
at the passing of the years
attend
because you should keep learning
and applying
principles to causes
that are good
that are healthy
and that serve
attend
to love
of yourself
though especially to others
to those you know
of course
and sometimes to the stranger
given it is a time of tissued trust
and you thicker
senses and responsibilities
attend
to share what’s good
to keep
to give
to hold something in reserve
in case the war goes on
with greed
even with evil
(other evils)
o youth
attend
and live
please live
c l couch
photo by Rebecca Peterson-Hall on Unsplash
Candles in October
(my paraphrase)
more
(for which Oliver might ask)
more love
more
peace
I’d trade my gold
my medals
pins
and keys for this
for these
a lesson of age
or
Ozymandias
c l couch
(“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley, Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens)
photo by Brands&People on Unsplash
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