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
homely liturgy
Jesus
at the shore
Jesus on the mountainside
Jesus in the temple
on the portico
through the city streets
to the cross
and so
after death and resurrection
Jesus in the sky
all
directions
Jesus
in my heart
c l couch
photo by Robert Bye on Unsplash
Golan Heights in Israel
hymn contemporary
the church’s one foundation
(still) is Jesus Christ, her lord
the church is she
like the damsel in distress
needing rescue
Christ is the hero
drawing her
from the drowning water
cutting her ties
by the villain
to the railroad tracks
like a melodrama
and why not
we’re talking about
villains and heroes
and mortgages
and the need for something better
as in more
than who we are
and we go on to sing
that Jesus will not fail
which is not bad
which is good
in a hero
coda
next hymn
or next version
the church will be a he
and will be rescued
by a she
by the female hero
who is Christ
like Zenobia
or Boudica
but better than the Romans
defeating the inimical
forever
and other genders
or what is genderless
in life
that has life
the organic
I suppose
the inorganic
too
there is a Lord
not only over all
but who is all
to make the rest
only a little separate
in the deified scheme of things
by identity
and purpose
and will
c l couch
("The Church's One Foundation" is a Christian hymn; this morning a contemporary fusion of the hymn was shared)
photo by Jefferson Santos on Unsplash
Gall
Oh
I feel bitter
And there is no sense in it
Because
There is no end
But more
And gall
Who wants
To drink that
Anyway
Drink fit for a cross
It seems
And only when a savior
Suffers there
Who can’t be receiving
Anything approvable
Anything
With savor
Lest
It’s awful
And I can’t
Go that far
You know I can’t
Because there’s only one
Who could
And that is done
And there is
Triumph now
And it’s not
The bitter kind
But is for friendship
From a god
To the rest of us
Done
For companionship
In fact
So heaven won’t be lonely
Anymore
And so where is gall
It isn’t mine
Even though the world
Tries to recreate
The vintage
From blood violently spilled
And from
More corruption
And yet
It stands there
Wasted
On the ground
No need for the symbol
Except to be reminded
(that can be done
with two dimensions
only)
Anymore
C L Couch
Photo by James Garman on Unsplash
in her father’s and her mother’s house
(for Saint Patrick’s Day)
Brigid
told her father
about faith
and made a cross of straw
to make her point
that Christ
and faith in Christ
is made of
ordinary things
even life in the spirit
even faith
because the spirit
has been with us
since creation
and was
the cause
of creation
and he believed
and made a kingdom
of it
which might
not seem fair
since
everyone should make up
their own minds
so as
to understand the stakes
and that
the stakes are high
in choosing
one way
or another
which is why
conversion by
a literal sword
let alone doctrinal
isn’t the
best strategy
and
in fact
far from it
believe or not
one by one
and two
and then whatever
however
a family is defined
as in
as for me
and my house
because the house
believes
and then
a group
a temple community
or in said houses
where the faithful
used to meet
at first
you know
where people lived
wherever
sometimes while
persecuted generally
and so to meet
in a hiding
of some sort
with symbols on the outside
exchanged
in a kind
of code
and so Brigid
took her chances
even
with her father
since rule was absolute
back then
and it all could have gone
another way
but she was
and is
connected to the ages
and the land
and maybe she knew
how everything should
fit
and how a cross
of straw
might seem
to teach it all
like bread
and wine
and other things
(straw
a shamrock)
might have an added
use
for spiritual matters
worship
or evangelism
so Christ be with you
in every way
the breastplate indicates
and the faith
as Brigid knew
the cause of Christ
but only
one by one
and then two
and then the group
of however many
is defined
first as family
then a wider
(not political)
community
c l couch
photo by Boston Public Library on Unsplash
fish Friday
it’s a gray day
should it get darker
it will look more
than
a fish Friday
in Lent
we’ll hear the silence
the press
of what
will feel more
the smell of storm
for now
the taste
of dry moments
is it a desert
underneath the gray
a world
we will not recognize
has only
death to offer
after all rewards
of Earth
and us
a plane
that has no feature
(worse than deserts)
no signals
no direction
anything
to show a way
to make sense of
any steps
we might try to take
while on this
measureless
level
that might not be level
for
we could be upside-down
or inside-out
then wake up
to Friday
and it’s Lent
the season still
a still
season
have the fish
go to church
whatever
make it count
whatever
listen
watch
and learn
our faith
and our existence
might rely
on these
here
there are
symbols and signs
arrows
stones in a line
weights
to appreciate
and even try to carry
in a season
one walked this way
and every step
a burden
smoothed
wickedly
by sweat
and blood
we’re on our knees
we also
try to walk
that way
the steps now dried
through ages
wearing
ritual
the chance for meaning
or indifference
our choice
like the choice
for faith
Friday
Lent
and the other days
without fat or sugar
or without
tradition
make tradition
with the faith that is forever
that unchanges for
our ages
mutable
and
so very
needful
c l couch
photo by James Coleman on Unsplash
[photographer’s caption follows]
I took this on the 22nd of April 2019, on the day I heard of the bombing of 3 churches on Easter Day in Sri Lanka. Jesus weeps with you.
The Life
(own question marks, as you will)
So who is Jesus
The son of God
There
That was easy
But really
A child
Like you and me
With parents
And upbringing
The awkwardness of being
Adolescent
The quaking feelings
Of first love
The breaking heart
After
Learning
Schooling
Listening to authority
Tussling with it
Giving in
Though not all the way
Learning the work of this father
Deciding
It is not for him
And then diverging
No longer like us
Perhaps
Except in a search for freedom
And to get it right
With God
With everyone who matters
And to be disappointed
To give in
Or to wander off
Or in his case
Do both
Now he is divergent
God and human
Will and way
Thirty years to grow
Three to live
Then famously
What happens next
Then quietly
For the sake of souls
The living and the dead
Those there
There here
What happens
After that
It all seems quieted
Padded somehow
To hear the story
And to picture it
With or without
Pictures
We know
We’ll think them up
Regardless
But the actions
After death
After three days
Were they amazing
And is that
A silly question
Tangential circles
And did they start
In hell
Where Christ declared
I am risen
So are you
If you want
To be
Come with me
And hell was harrowed
Cleared
Horrified the demons
Hosting nothing
Like their agenda’s
Nothingness
And now on Earth
Where we live
Who live
Was it an angel
Or a gardener
Or Jesus himself
Who was a help
At the empty
Tomb
And were the spices
Cherished
Thank you
Mary
He could have said
They smell wonderful
Even though
There is no need
An empty tomb
Except for a shroud
Perhaps
Guards absent
Or emptied of
Responsibility
Death became reality
Instead of faith
With him
Or her
Or anyone to believe in
While we live
Forgetfully
Until someone has died
And we have responsibilities
To our families
To our minds
To our emotions
And wrestle
Losing
With mortality
But here it is
An empty tomb
Do we believe again
In one whose faith
We had
And then surrendered
And there it is
A ghost
And we don’t believe
In ghosts
And it speaks
Becomes a person
Different
And the same
For God can manage
Paradox
It is me
I am here
I was death
And now
I am life
And while they cower
Reasonably
In Jerusalem
Witnesses appear
To say
Jesus is back
I mean
Jesus lives
The temple to be torn down
In three days
Then raised again
A miracle
Is Jesus
And the miracle is not of stone
But soul
And it is that
Of Jesus
And
Reasonably
They do not believe
‘Til the Christ appears
Offers up wounds
As evidence
Jesus is there
In spirit
And in flesh
Yes
We believe
Jesus is there
Jesus is here
In spirit
We’ll remember
Jesus
In that way
No
No
Jesus is here
Don’t you understand
Really here
We could take meals with him
I believe
And I believe
Please
My friends
Believe
And after all belief
Had turned to Herod
And to Caesar
While we were calculating
How to live
With earthly lords
Again
This is what we’re told
This is what
She tells us
And those
Who were with here
What shall we do
What shall we do
Prepare to surrender
All again
To rise above the fear
We feel
For reason of our hiding
That we decided
Could be waiting
Until we’re
Forgotten
To come out again
Into the daylight
Of suspicion
And arrest
And execution
Like the cousin John
And what fortune like that
Might await the rest of us
We were about
To disband
All our community
Return to what jobs we had
What houses
Might accept us
And now you say
He’s here
Believe again
Yes
Yes
I do
Yes
You do
But all lines come together
For Jesus here
Who will believe
And will we believe
Maybe with a meal
We take together
We shall know him
As we knew him
He shall be our friend
As he had told us
All of us are friends
But also rabbi
And as some of us had said
Out loud
Even before him
Our Messiah
The one who saves
Both Israel
And the world
For the sake of Gentiles
He received
Jesus is here
How can we doubt
And where is Thomas
He should be here
Later on
He will
He and she
And everyone
Shall be here
At the point
Where lines and circles meet
The nexus
The zenith and the nadir
Whatever names you have
For what
You believe in
All directions
Meeting points
And places
Jesus
Is there
Jesus is here
And will stay
Once we decide
Once we all
Have decided
C L Couch
I am Christian, and I don’t mind if you are not. I like the other faiths. They fascinate, and I like to learn about them. And, more importantly, I respect them. I respect you. But sometimes I must be who I am and even for the sake of those who believe as I believe. Or I believe because they do. And God calls. And I respond. So here is something out of our beliefs, our faith, our code. It is creatively expressed, and I hope there is some accuracy to it. But it is poetic because poetry has strength of thought and feeling--and strength of imagination with the words at least. I offer this to you, what you will. Thank you.
CLC
Photo by Jacob Amson on Unsplash
The Sea of Galilee
(that also goes by other names)
I’ve heard it preached:
a storm on Galilee
that must be something else
to see,
to hear,
to feel,
to smell,
to taste.
To wonder about
disciples
living fear
about the squall,
waking Jesus
for salvation,
Don’t you care?
Yes,
I care
that you are saved
(to paraphrase).
And then
Christ
commands the storm
on the water,
in the sky,
maybe at the shore
to be quiet.
And it’s quiet
over Galilee.
C L Couch
the preacher preached this morning about this sea, though anything I say above is of my own accord, especially anything doctrinally incorrect
Photo by Sylvain Brison on Unsplash
Sea of Galilee
(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
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Jorge Fernández Salas on Unsplash
x
clcouch123 
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