how to have Christmas day
I don’t know how you’ll feel
about Christmas
you could be anywhere
your
people and tradition could be
any
and of value and
distinction
for having been made and now alive
on Earth by God
and by yourselves and for
you own
and if yours isn’t Christmas
you might
appreciate the sales
and on the way
attractive and in plaes extraordinary
arrangements of lights
for
the season
you might not be drawn
to those taking Christmas into politics
as
part of a campaign
to manipulate supremacy
a domination as an attitude
a strategy
to win
you may get
or have to live the irony
of the call of Muezzin over all the
lights and music
of
the Christian style
or where these are are small
you might enjoy
the paradox
of harmony
and similar traditions
calling
worship
and remembering that are not Christian
but noble
and valid as services
pursuits of God
and
at this time of year the overwhelming
might
be overwhelming
so maybe we could all
take on
humility
that ever newborn child possesses
restrain
in fact
if by amazement
our aggressions
and our violence
and notions of who’s best and
who
belongs
and who gets to survive
and let us all
regard us all
as worthy of the Lord
and
each other
whoever might be God today
the name
the following
and if we respect
and someday meet at a table
maybe
we’ll keep the harmony
the unity
with all the parts of who we are
and who you are
together
and that’s all
and wish for a happy Christmas day
where
that’s possible
aiming toward a better one
next
time if need be
and we could check on each other
for
tomorrow
not because it’s Boxing Day
but
because it’s any day
of those in traditions
and those owning
none
to love
each other
c l couch
photo by Matthew on Unsplash
radiating
on their way to Bethlehem
liturgically
the two
and nearly three
magi farther
off
according to prediction’s navigating
shepherds waiting
and the elf on the shelf
so many things
so many qualities
combine
anticipating majesty and bringing
along our silly
notions
and our gifts like cherries or a lamb
or
all of us
acknowledging
respecting
changing
by one event
this one event
the search for accommodation
which
might be the easy part
with
facing all the labor
then
all the labor
then the one
and three
and more
so many more
attending
until everyone on Earth
and ringing out from
heaven
should know
announce
transform in a new season like
a planet
going another way
c l couch
(examples of gifts recalling The Second Shepherds’ Play)
photograph by Pascal Debrunner at Unsplash
church time December 7
moonlight was used
against
its use
as there was preparation
near
sunlight
to betray as well
on
early Sunday morning
when order
and white uniforms
were torn
apart
and life a tissue by attack
and
everything exploded
while ripped-up men and women
with
children close by
tried to shoot back and
also
run
to stations
and to homes
the attack upon our useful soil
and beautiful
while
we thought
to live there and none
should
bother us by might
and
arrangement
and yet
and yet
empire and
democracy
too much to reconcile
too
divergent for our values
so we fought
with destruction
as the theme and total
the result
so
the agenda
and the strategy
the chaos of attacking
on all
sides
and so the President and Congress
said
this is officially declared
and so to the west
and east
and so many points on Earth
to
call the war
world
second Sunday in Advent
when
the candle’s lit for
peace
and on that Sunday
eighty-four
years the count
the awful
lively
living and the dying there
and then
and how might all politics and factions
reconcile
only
by tragedy
and where there is alliance
or
appreciation
now
new fronts are drawn
between
within
and these days
the radical
it seems
to keep value in the sacrifice
done
and remembered
and to apply
as we tend to think in reverse
reminding
and if owning
of
the greatest sacrifice
become
the saving doctrine
remembered by the seasons
then
and now
c l couch
photo by Graddes on Unsplash
purple process
I might want
to
make a point though
purple is its own
and
point on a candle top
perhaps
to say
let’s light a season
over Sundays
while in each set
of six-days’
living
after
and
between
it could be that
maybe
altogether
days
something needing change
is changed
something still
as quiet
also remaining be reminded
delta season
then
also alpha and omega
or simply take in purple moments
alit
awhile
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(for Advent or could be another season)
photograph by Alexander Fastovets at Unsplash
Mogilev, Belarus
for an old Advent song
Christmas is coming
and I hope the fat goose
is rescued
and the old man
gets at least
two pennies in the hat
and
God bless you
the goose
the man
the Cratchits
(vegetarian)
and you
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Christmas is coming;
the goose is getting fat.
Please to put a penny
in the old man’s hat.
If you haven’t a penny,
a ha’penny will do;
If you haven’t a ha’penny,
then God bless you!
(an old, famous, English doggerel—more antique-feeling, at least in these parts, with the extinction of the penny)
photo by Elijah Mears on Unsplash
Back of a union shield penny.
new year’s eve
the last week of the year
by the counting
of
the old
and present church
a purple season coming
or it’s popular
in blue
the green of churches
as well
and gatherings to
make it so
sometimes with soup
maybe chowder
(I
imagine chowder)
after
and thus these colors begin
with
poinsettias
red or pink or white
to be added
and
maybe there will be a tree
somewhere with
ornaments
could be
Chrismons
for ornaments
and
who knows whose presents
service
or wishes
underneath and all around
while some churches
will go
bare
for budgets or beliefs
and let the Christ child enter
to save alone
any human season
c l couch
photograph by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash
The Remarkable
Advent ends
Because
Something has arrived
Something we can say is wonderful
As we understand the scope of
Things
The stakes
As it were
For what is coming
Is for everyone
Despite denominations
Or
Traditions
Or
Not holding with any
To belong
Because the great belonging comes
From this
An arrival meant
To rescue
Not in the worldly sense of any action
Previous
Any victory
Of ours
But in its own humility
Though
With modesty
Restraint
To teach
It’s the remarkable arriving
For our world that
Is
So loved that
This singular
Salvific process
If
Echoed throughout everything
With enough to talk
To share
Shall begin
C L Couch
Photo by Sergey Turkin on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Exiled
x
Oh
God
Shall we have
A good season
Together
The year has started
And now
Another season
x
Intentions
Overlap
You come into the world
And you are here
The Earth tilts
And always
Has
Far as we know
x
Turns
Like a top
A toy to such as you
Though you
Are not a giant god
That way
x
You play
But not with us as
Playthings
Upon the Earth
An unrolled
Plastic battlefield
x
We toy each other
Which is
An eldritch lesson
We came up with
On our own
x
Objectify
‘Til someone doesn’t matter
Like Cain
Like everyone in western Asia
Like anyone who’s different
Over here
x
We need a season
Need the time
But shall we be reborn
With remembrance
Of a real birth
To save the nations
Ransom
Captive Israel
Then all the rest
x
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x
x
Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Bilateral Stimulation
x
Two candles
What do they mean?
That it is Sunday
Sabbath day
A day in Advent
Second Sunday
The candles on the wreath
Have meaning
The wreath has meaning,
Too
The lights remind us
Of the spirit
Also of faith
And how one fortifies
The other
There is more prophecy
Remembering
The job skill
Of the prophets
In not only future-telling
But foretell the present
As well
x
What is happening now?
There are wars
Not for the first time
There drought
And the effects of drought
There have been
Flods as well
Ironically
We and nature
Have our moments
x
There is politics
To trouble a way through
All
While not addressing much
And proposing less
Unless we press
Where governments allow
Or where they don’t
And here the prophets
Help us,
Too
x
Two candles
Twice as strong
For support
Twice the light
For inspiration
Two times
The investment in the season
In our learning
Or reminding
Of an illuminated world
To come
Plus how each of us
May offer light
Into the world
All wintry to the north
Summery to the south
Though one
Season everywhere
Just now
x
Adore the story
In the advent
Of the Lord
Into the world
Light the way
Even with small lights
Even the light
Of one
Though look for lights to add
Look around
Let senses say
Shadowed
And unshadowed
We have each other
In all seasons
x
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x
Advent 2
x
x
Photo by Rainer Gelhot on Unsplash
x
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