common book of prayer
God
forgive me
and help me
and is this so bad
a prayer
not
to utter most days
to start
or sometime throughout
it’s my
common prayer
as if I kept a common book
from which
I read
depending on the hours
it’s presuming
I suppose
if
asking
belief that God will forgive
and
God will help
and maybe the two-step isn’t needed
since
God might help me
anyway
not waiting for even personally determined
forms of doctrine
for
the hours
c l couch
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“Ain’t no love in the heart of the city.”
San Francisco (USA)
please help God can help
great the need in one the risk
and by extension
c l couch
photo by Redd Francisco on Unsplash
psalmist confusion
so we look to the hills
not because God’s there
rather
because God is everywhere
yet
looking to the hill
is a relief
and sometimes romance of a surprise
that help we need appears
into the troubled valley where
we try to keep
our
something good
or at all
going
so to look anywhere or
look inside
not because we save ourselves but
because
we may confess and not look for God
for
knowing openly
that God is here already
to rescue even or
otherwise
to
provide
you know
by the rim or by the valley
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Psalm 121
121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
(KJV)
photo by Alin Gavriliuc on Unsplash
newly
I’ve been drafting for hours
and keep coming
back
to something like this
the Earth tilts
as it tilts
and we may claim distinction
of
the days
this
season counted
for example
is the new year for the church
having
started some days
ago
other years have begun
and others will begin
with
the world’s big one
or big night for
it
coming
in some
weeks
sip
of champagne at midnight
all I need
(sorry)
all
these beginnings
and often
we’re glad
maybe relieved
to close what has gone on before
behind
locked
what our psychologies
might need
but this is time
and
our inventions
and they’re interesting
(time
and
inventions)
anthropologies for an Anthropocene
age
and as we have new starts
what shall we count
anew
and could it be
unusual
as in
say
feeding the whole world as it can
be fed
by all of us
say
if most of the Earth’s children
might not have to go to bed
when hungry
and
the world might have safe water
and actively believe
in
the elimination
of
diseases
maybe we could say
like beginning at a crossroads
as at railroad Xes
(if
trite)
to stop
look
and listen
then when all clear move along
and
having stopped to get
to know
to hear
we might go in clarity as well as
specificity to help
roofs for homes for
all
some real
open moves toward peace
that don’t involve threatening
so
much
or
even victory
then there’s the chance
to learn
secured for all
maybe
at any are
and
I keep drafting about new years
and seasons
and
keep returning to the theme
of need and meeting
need
which is its thesis
too
and could be our own
a direction
an action plan
what have you
for
counting
uncounting new years
and
all the seasons
all of this the time
to help
I guess that’s all
except
to say
yes
we’ll make mistakes
but we’ll be
building
rather than hoarding or tearing
down
c l couch
photo by Ravi Kumar on Unsplash
no cavalry
(or if there is)
goes
something like to
paraphrase
the KJV
I lift up my eyes to the hills
from
whence comes my help
my help comes from
the Lord
now
it might be
a question mark
is called
for
after help
because
the hills are not the source
but the Lord who saves
and
keeps
not that
hills
are unhelpful
both to distract and thus allow
reminding of direction
so
to pray
even wish
of
desperation
if
better
that is more faithful
perhaps prophetic
in the way
that
youth may envision
while
the old
dream dreams
any setting
then
(or
whence)
for who shall aid us
but
God who has the power and love
to make it
c l couch
Psalm 121
I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.
4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
(KJV)
photo by José Casal on Unsplash
two poems about help
once cadging up
God
you got me moving
if only a little
that you’d have me take more steps
and reach within my limits
if
all right
on the inside first
too many things are plain
yet I can’t see with any sense
worldly
or
soulful clarity
too easy to feel down
and
while there
from looking up at shapes there
perilously blurred
while what is
to see
is round confusion and so
where
is the way
I cannot get for
steps
or if there were a ladder hiding from
me
existentially concealed
and who’s to say
for ears
to hear
look
there is the way
still in prayer
tired
too tired to look up
too doubt-pressed
if
something about the hills and rescue
though I think that is reaction
wishful
thinking for a rescue
that in a better
mind we know that if comes
it shall come
from
wherever
any direction
of
one source
then why to look at hills
maybe to inspire
prayers
in
nature
sign of encouragement
by the sign of rising
earth
c l couch
. . . from whence cometh my help.
2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121 1b-2
KJV
(some think question and response)
photo by Marc Babin on Unsplash
By Numbers
Some of you
I think
Have had
The new year’s moment
Already
And are into the new number
The rest of us
Shall follow in fireworks
And maybe smaller flames
Inside
Not resolutions
Though they’re formal
But
In some craziness of growth
Some of which
Goes
Yes
Formally
As far as cells
E.g.
Might grow
As far as they might grow
Though sometimes cells are crazy
Too
There are classes
Too
And levels of promotions
And stages of development
(uncrazy)
And then the things that happen
We might make
To happen
Or shall take place
Anyway
To change us
To challenge us
In all of these
To grow
So happy new number
Sun-
Counters
Though some liturgically
Have started weeks
Ago
While others will have their first
Numbers
At yet
Other times
But let’s wish well
All
The beginnings with
“Well”
Meaning a tiny pledge
Perhaps
To help
C L Couch
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275
we can be
brief
without sound-bites
that are extreme
the other way
while
of course
beyond verbosity
we can punch with words
we can overwhelm instead
or more
with
reason
and with courage
they need such words in
western Carolina
Florida
in western Asis
too
and all the places
that need healing
still
they need work
we know
more than
words
though words will
give the order
as well as
keep us going
how about
few words with
power inside
with which
words invoke power
to work
to expend our better energies
say
we love you
and we’ll help you
meaning
significance
and practicality
and
we’re coming
and we’re there
with
more than wishes
alone
rather with agendas for
health
and maybe peace
upon the land
and in our
minds
and in our
hearts
and in our
souls
too much of you
has perished
lost
too much
and with few words
we’re on our way
with actions
and resources
in hope of nature’s and our own
cessation
of destruction
at least
long enough to heal
and
with God’s help
perhaps
to remain whole
on these parts
our people
of Earth
c l couch
photo by MJ Tangonan on Unsplash
Chimney Rock, North Carolina
(my family tells me Chimney Rock the town’s no longer there)
Dear Heart
What shall I
Say
What shall I
Do
Today
I ask and ask
While there are no letters
In the sky
What shall I
Pray then
For an answer
A direction
If not
A plan
How about the next
Step
Only
How about an inclination
Certainly a push
Should help
A small one
Maybe
I won’t
Tell your supervisors
Or maybe you could help
With this
Great weight
That seems
To be weighing more
Today
Some small lightness
Which
I’ll take for
Freedom
To move along
Dear angel
Thank you
Knowing you are there
Is
Of course
Something good
More than
You know
You know
C L Couch
Photo by Jason marquis on Unsplash
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