to offer to go through it
and how much does the mood affect the day
and it’s the other
way
around
how much the day affects the mood
we wake into something
after all
the attitude
the realities we carry
then
come new hours and could be restful
though we’ll apply
our contemporary value of
busyness
to show our worth and get our pay
could
be another day
that might require countercultural
even
a resistance
one by one and could be
a movement
call
it faith
or church
to grow
that creation is profit enough
Blake’s energy as
eternal
delight
electric belief through spirit
with believe in what and who is made
and
consider smallest with
the occasional huge
way to love
as God is love
and
yes
there are the hard parts
the world sometimes is not only vain but
tries what it decides
must be
the time to kill
another’s
spirit
take a life
call the war a victory costing many
for the few
much
for a little
same time to raise
sacrifice
as
service
for the soldier
for
the parent
and the children all around
as all are children
in
a learning state
and so inexorably to grow and change
if
not stopped
short
and transfer students go
to God
but here for us here
we
make our choices
study maybe and instinctively
apply
speed citations
fearsome courts
war crimes
loneliness
failure
even to breathe less
so to have yet
want
to have
and having’s good
it’s the bending to change into
unrecognizable
except
as
satiation
even though God invented pleasure
and offers joy
and
yes
by faith
that’s all
well
not all
but believe in God and live by love
understanding and applying
that
love is practical
and strong
and makes mistakes
and can open to repentance and
to making up
with
everyone
involved
which might lift prayer
as a resource when something’s unreachable
and
yet some repair
required
somehow
which is love
too
strong and practical
available at no cost
whomever
on Earth might say there’s cost
beyond
grace provided everywhere
and
always
and our own will and energy invested
God is love
we should believe
and try love
too
there
that’s it or enough for now
for
now
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[all the nows counting and piling toward eternity]
“Energy is eternal delight.” Attributed aphorism (if not axiom), William Blake.
photo by mauro mora on Unsplash
Santiago, Chile
plain or fancy
what did he
say
and this is so
the Bible says that Jesus loves us
when we’re weak
so
he is
strong
always weak
always
strong
everyone seems called to both
weak to
hear
strong to act
call weak gentle or easy
or
withholding
openness to listen
and
to heed what he should say
we have the story
and the help of spirit
and
of angels
strong to act while strong is faith
and
otherwise
to
take great care
for anger destroys
and
pride
as vanity shall fall
every time
with
consequences to learn
if not yet
experienced directly
and that is plain
I hope
for me to learn
for you to be loved by God
and Jesus and the
Spirit
loved by God and in that book
find it affirmed
and
by our instinct as we grow with God
by Jesus
and the Spirit
and by the Bible
and with each other
as
we’re faithful
and even when
we fall
the love’s not over
anymore than faith or hope
though love’s
the
quality and entity
the strength
the practicality
that
remains
the theologian was asked
and
responded
Jesus loves me
this
I know
for the Bible tells me so
may it go so simple
and
so strong
if not perfectly not yet
by us
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the song “Jesus Loves Me” was written by Anna Bartlett Warner, published in 1859 (the line breaks above were by me)
the theologian in question, at least so goes the story, is Martin Marty, asked to sum up his theology, responding with the beginning of the hymn
photo by Lauren Mitchell on Unsplash
I hope the other side of the shirts says “The Now”
by the Merton prayer
I’m sorry
I still
don’t know what
to do
at least Merton when he confessed in prayer
was
somewhere where he struggled
yet
three squares and community
and not in jail
but in a place enclosing faith so it might
expand
by life and learning
as two gospel causes
in
the contending world
and
I want some peer-feeling
too
if a guess that it is good to be here
knowing there are others if
only for presence
even
guessed at
and that we’re praying for each other
more so for the world
all
the time
rule the nation by prayer
as mocked in the play
and
yet self-fule and group-rule founds
the way
after will and training or
simply kneel to
ask
about whatever’s happening and
may your will
be done and mine
by yours
so sigh
yes
I’d like a group for this
and closer in
I’d like to know what would please you
by me
and then me to be it
and to do it
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Thomas Merton’s prayer that begins
“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.
I do not see the road ahead of me.
I cannot know for certain where it will end.
. . .”
the comment about ruling by prayer is in A Man for All Seasons
photo by Alessandro Guarino on Unsplash
"Silhouettes at the Edge of the Sea"
Strangers pause on a whitewashed platform jutting into the Mediterranean as the last light of day bleeds orange across the horizon. A quiet moment between people and the infinite — somewhere along the Ligurian coast, Italy.
Nervi, Genoa, Metropolitan City of Genoa, Italy
the hard and easy life
yet
God is not a spoilsport
as Liddell
says
if only in the movie
God likes
say
and when celebrates in muscle
and in mind
and in
fair conviction
soccer
the world’s game
Rook
the card game Southerners allow
the pleasures in a holiday
the love
we bear each other
God is the god of pleasure as well
as meaning
and simply pleasure to own
as
a creation and
pursuit
some
might say incidental or
byproduct
but
we know who created fun
and
yes
the good clean kind
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(line from Chariots of Fire)
photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
sun is over snow
like the paradox of doubt
with faith for healing
c l couch
photo by Haylee Marick on Unsplash
any day to represent the world
for Imbolc and Saint Brigid
the Irish in me skimmed the day
for appreciation
drafted a brief
verse
then thought
there is
so much more
how about the circles
the circle of faith
and
following
with Brigid
the ancient feeling
old
pleas for growth and life by
spring
that is Imbolc
the events with
character
personae
to match the green and orange
the art
the music
violin and
dance
and all the troubles
punishment
endurance over
being
free
and I don’t know what happens
with the north
except
warring should end with
peace waged through economy
human strategy
and
the belief that each one matters on
the land
circle of
faith
circle that is the Earth
that is the spirit that contains
each one of
us
our systems ‘round as circulation
circle that moves
as circles should move
even
to link with others
so
that here
Imbolc and Brigid’s day
should join
at least
to Venn
then the circle that is Europe
then a hemisphere and hemisphere
round quarters
come together
so
much that comes together
we are part of
and so
to have humanity
and I would add not meaning to alienate
but
it gets added generally
that all of us should happen
be complete
all points
and arcs
under God
or at Patrick should claim
God every preposition
every direction
for us
c l couch
photo by Patrick Metzdorf on Unsplash
unbelieving Sunday best
I
think I should go
I have some coffee
to ready me
chemically
and maybe throw enough together
there is hot water
with some handsoap
nearby
and clothes
that should pass muster
one
more time
and so acceptably for an hour or so
then
back to exile
and the loneliness
but have had the hour
for faith and companionship
while keep
the faith
let go of the rest
as illusion
I
belong
enough to hope to find
other
than I the healthy
perfect you
and
if unbeknownst
you could leave with me
then
who knows
sometimes I could enter
faith and love
not needing to believe in these
or
that they are for you
yet also
me
coda
sip the coffee then
ten minutes to get ready
ten to get there
eight
and eight
c l couch
photo by Creab ThePolymath on Unsplash
Accra
many and great
third light tonight
third candle lit
two days
ago
the parent and the child
traditions
illuminating
the brother of Isaac has
a place
as well
and will acknowledge the same father
when
it’s time
and then east of east
there
are traditions birthing meditation
and unity in
consciousness
while
west
of here
that admittedly was here
there is understanding of an Earth
that’s borderless
flown over by trickster
Raven
and higher
lower more
the Great Spirit
so
too
those with not tradition or
acknowledge none plus
the followings so many
more
on Earth
so many ways to count
measure
this day
not as the stars
though
as people here might be grouped
or
on one’s own develop
a philosophy
as well
ways to know the Earth and
Lord
of Earth
and
sky
and us for making
and for being there
c l couch
(writing from the eastern USA)
from the Dakota Hymn
Many and great, O God, are thy works,
Maker of earth and sky;
Thy hands have set the heavens with stars;
Thy fingers spread the mountains and plains.
(Joseph Renville)
photo by Roberto Shumski on Unsplash
easy company
what shall I say
this
sabbath day
but believe in God
and so
be saved
while none get credit or commission
and can’t tabulate
but
that any should be saved
and so in absentia
hope
when all are there
to celebrate
c l couch
photograph by Liana S on Unsplash
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