how much the devil
is the devil allowed
to mess inside our heads
to stir
to unstir things inside our hearts
to turn the matter of our spirits
as it were
how much permitted
since
after all the fall
and for it
to be cursed upon the ground
crushed underheel
yet also
the raven of Job
trickster to entice the host of heaven
maybe
God
so that the drama could begin of
awful loss and faith
the playwright has the devil
Scratch
contended with by Daniel Webster
though before
there were ages with the mysteries and
miracles
renderings in which the devil was
a character
and to leap ahead
or
somewhen
there’s the battle between Michael and
Satan
the last fight with armor worn
and scales upon the dragon
and
who wins we know
with all the defeat
why should
it bother
but it does
and how deep it has been given leave
like soldiers to excuse themselves
but
here to serve a relentless campaign
to win
what
the Earth
each one of us
material
and soulful are the gains
to ally with sin and maybe with some error
to twist
the good with the inevitable
especially
while we are fallen
too
to make the worst of it
and how much
how far
to invade
how to much to niggle earthstrings
how far to take the heart
from
its own source
how bad to try to make of good
since bad is not invention
merely
merely attempting to infect the health
of who we are and
what we’ve
been given from the start
resist
and it will blee
what does that mean
and
will it sidle back
or come with force
how final is an exorcism
or is it a tussle with a horror
every day
and while humor’s on our side
it should be hard
night on defeating
to
keep going
but keep going
there is a guarantee
it’s on the page and in
the heart
as well
that we can fight and
laugh
and wait for rescue
try on faithful garments
that will last
with
pockets for
all sorts of reminders
there is God and
we are
and with advising
given all
that we are love
c l couch
photo by Karl Hedin on Unsplash
the laughter of the Lord
there is healthy humor
and there is
and so
God laughs
in creating wonders and the smaller things
to love
in having host-companionship
in making us and our capacity and willingness
for joy
and we may ask
if nature laughs
leaves
you know
in trees
brook water we have met
that chortles lightly
and
in welcome
the clouds an embodiment
a pleasing blue
the fact of the rainbow
the reaction as a promise
and relief
the animals
then
the eyes of cats
the purr
the longing lines
through shapes of dogs
and when we satisfy
the chuckling in the hiss
the roars
of those sometimes
who
knew the joy in making
and now pleasure
when impulses
are
fulfilled
so much that bends the other way
so much awry
from
primal joy
and yet
to come to us it’s clear
we have capacity
we can get the joke
we smile when it’s good
we celebrate
we laugh
and if do it right or from the first
then God shall and
regardless
laugh
with us
and when isolate
for us
c l couch
Terry Lindvall writes effectively about God and humor
photo by Cemrecan Yurtman on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
Crusoe
x
It took me years
And years to come
To understand
The need
The requirement
To have a life
To have a life to offer
x
Then there is a story
Pages
Chapters
With an ending
That might satisfy
A larger world of woe
And grace
Even rescue,
Notwithstanding
x
What is left
Is little time
The gift grows smaller
Like some things
In other tales
But we have time
As is
On this side
And choices
That are not invisible
In fact,
Are rife with potency
x
The grace of God
Love and understanding
Growing up at last
The tragedy
The humor
The finality
Of wisdom
On this side
Then to another shore
An irony for Crusoe
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Jordan Steranka on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Dust Bunnies at Play
x
When the winter sun is low
And everything on the floor
Is illuminated,
I spy
The dust bunnies come out to play
I say,
Hey, dust bunnies
Go back under things and behind things
Where I don’t know you’re there
They say,
No,
And don’t think to play with us
Your games are too tall and too hard
And I think they glare at me
And in their hearts
Have already gone back to play
Without me
x
C L Couch
x
x
(my, this could be done with children and with gestures—low, lit up, bunnies, under, behind, play, tall, hard, glare, hearts, play (again), without me)
x
Story of little bunny Peter that came across whole Italy:)
I don’t know this story
Do you?
I don’t recommend having a bunny
On the dashboard
Unless you’re parked
Or it’s navigating
x
Anyone want to illustrate this story?
x
(x = space)
x
x
Easy Therapy
x
Laughter’s good
Not the grim kind
But the kind that takes you
By surprise
The lungs get some exercise
Brain cells some extra
Charge
The mouth, it smiles
As if it had
Needed some dusting off
Some oil
Before cracking
x
There’s mischief in the world,
We know
Sometimes devastation
Human or mineral
But don’t we need the laughter
For our health?
The kind that honestly
Erupts and might be shared
All around
x
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Sithamshu Manoj on Unsplash
Catching Smiles
x
Saving Graceland
1, Give It Up
And there are the things that happy
Anyway
Bad things, starving things
Taking from life, risking faith
At each turn
We lost someone close
We lose a job
We lose a place
We lose what we thought
Were good associations
We lose something in ourselves
We lose some health
We lose materials we think we need
Because we do
And where is belief in this,
Where are you?
You’re here, but we don’t know how
So we give up
Or don’t embrace in the first place
Because there’s honest reason not
To take hold
We might even curse God
Denial
Or the arranging of an adversarial relationship
From then on
We take down faith symbols that were
Totem as well as decoration
No beauty there
In truth,
No more
And what’s to bring us back,
To move us on?
We’re grown up, we don’t need you
We only need ourselves
Maybe with like-minded
Maybe not
2, Restoration
I don’t know how each one
Might come back
Or start at all
I mean, there is confession
And repentance,
But what about when no one’s
Done anything that’s wrong?
I don’t mean venial
Considerations
I guess I mean victims
Who comes back from being robbed
Of life,
Of living goodness?
And if there were no faith
But awful things have happened,
How might it begin?
A blank slate would be easier
To mark on with good lessons
Or reason through
Someone’s apologetics
That happens, and it needs to happen
But wondering from a point of loss
Of theft
Of trickery
Or manipulation
Then believing again
That everything with truth and beauty
Might return to the mind’s eye
The vibrations of the heart
All the evil stuff to be forgotten
No, that’s not going to happen,
Though there might be mitigation
For a start
3, Landing
A favorite way in stories to rid oneself
Of evil is through laughter
For evil characters often hold
Themselves and what they think they have
Too seriously
An argument of one that must be global
Humor, a healthy kind
Even if delivered in exasperation
Cuts through the agenda
Exposes the lack of clothing on
Self-styled emperors
Not that it’s the only way
Or on its own an anodyne
But healthy humor
Like right thinking
Goes a way toward righteous victory
Perhaps in metanoia
Though there should come
A sober time for reflection and
Decision
Or (and) simply to feel it through
Faith is funny
Worse, it’s foolish
Even if it shows the way
Turn over folly
To find some wisdom
The way some lies are best understood
Simply in opposite consideration
(take out the “not” or put it in
around each lie)
A different kind of foolishness
Made wise
Toward what we need
And where to have it, here
And on the other side
In certain testimony,
Something about rooms in mansions
Finally, though, we must face the hurt
We won’t want to, which is a good
Sign
We’re on the way to something real
Don’t worry about being smart enough
Unless it’s also made aware
How to get smarter
Don’t let your ego, on another hand,
Make choices for you
Finally, you know, it’s faith
It’s choice
It’s a choice we make
It’s the kind of choice that anyone can make
And if you think someone cannot make that
Choice for deficiencies,
God will think this, too,
In God’s way
Nothing needed will be withheld
To guarantee the offer
Or the taking
We all can be there in
Graceland, one by one
And all together, starting
The process anytime
C L Couch
Photo by Mahmudul Hasan Shaon on Unsplash
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