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
Epiphaneity
Epiphany
Twelfth Night
Also
Orthodox Christmas
Yet in the west
We have the
Magi
Visiting
The child
With the mother
And adoptive father
And since
Liturgy
Respects only its
Chronology
We might mainly note
Today
The baptism
By
The cousin John
Of the child now grown
Now
Authorized by the
Spirit
As a dove
Then the child
Grown
Journeys into
Wilderness
C L Couch
Le Jourdain au site du Baptême, en Jordanie.
By Jean Housen - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11820699
(x = space)
x
x
having been incarnated
x
oh
God
we say
you’re born
you’ve slipped inside
the pacing
of the world
flesh cells
adapting
to our measure
to our growth
and our decay
three score and ten
how does it
feel
x
I guess you knew
what this was
and is the human part
surprised
by mortal beats
the skipping
of the heart
outside
the rhythm
as we say
of the spheres
x
and are you well
will you
catch cold
or get mumps
have influenza
as our children must
from time to time
it seems
x
and you
will endure
(you must)
though it won’t be
so comfortable
with chicken pox
x
and then
grown-up
to feel
all that we feel
and think inside the vacuum
the shell
of thoughts
inhabiting the skull
and not much further on
nothing like
the mindset
you must know
inside eternity
and Godhead
x
and there are feelings
in the chest
desire
for the nation
yes
and only
for your own
because you are
humanly
entitled
x
yet what shall you have
when your body
it turns out
is for a cause
even
perhaps part of a plan
to cheat mortality
like the stratagems
of Pharisees
or statues of
self-styled kings
or emperors
x
Rome and Judea
and there is Parthia
and Britain
way-off China
and there’s India
and there are first people
everywhere
who belong
where they have moved
and stopped
and finally
no place to move
with what they have
for moving
x
all the people
of the Earth
post-Alexander
and never having known
Alexandrian expansion
or Roman roads
connecting
a known world
x
yet
are you here
for these
everywhere
which means
you might be here for us
here and now
x
I suppose
the other two
of you
will out
while you alone
are limited
while you must live here
with only us
for easy company
and reaching out
like us
often alone
sometimes in groups
though only through the shell
as we must beseech
mortally
unto the Lord
with questions
asking of a will
we do not understand
yet we believe
is there
x
how frustrating to be human
welcome here
we wish you well
we really do
because should we encounter you
there are stories
about something special
from you
something even
we don’t know
rescuing
about you
even in the flesh
x
c l couch
x
x
photo by BoliviaInteligente on Unsplash
x
(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
(x = space)
x
x
A Gift from Western Asia to the World
(on the day of Saint Nicholas)
x
God
It’s dark
The light is coming
Like Immanuel
Who’s here
And always coming
To the call of the season
Advent
After all
x
Like the advent of the airplane
Or hybrid roses
Bred intentionally
Everywhere
x
For good or ill
We co-invent new things
And yet in a dark street
Like my own
With one light for company
You came into
The world
Seemingly deserted
Certainly bereft
Of a savior
Who would match divinity
With barbarism
To save us
All barbarians
x
Who knew nothing
Of an inner life
With you
Except by accident
Of prophets
And some other heroes
So that we knew of virtue
And your name
Beyond your name
But in a real way
To have such things
Well
We were lost
x
And in that town
Razed and rebuilt
So many times
Under one light
You came
Nicene
Human and
Divine
To bridge the damnable gap
That we had built
Through consequence
Of sin for will
And simply keeping
Only
To our side
x
To bring us over
Come to us first
As at the first
There was creation
And now
Reconciliation
For the one-sided
Who remain
Lost that way
x
And shall you give by grace
To every generation
Hope in each one born
Offered many times
In each one’s
Life
To appreciate what’s on the other side
Of you
And us
To model the walking over
Four ourselves
And for our children
x
And shall we call this grace
Of something else
It is the same
The offer of salvation
Through bridge-building
In the flesh
Of your child
The child that’s you
And us
Somehow
x
The advent
And the miracle
On arrival
x
Such wonder
Such bliss
A reality
In the making
That the world needs
And typically doesn’t know
Until we meet you
And teach us
All about the bridge
Live on both sides
At last
And then offering
By will
To take us to the middle
And we both
Also with steps of our own
Pass to the other side
x
All of which to say
Merry Christmas
Maybe we’ll see you
In this room
At this place
On Earth
And everywhere
And at the bridge
The most
Extraordinary gift
You are
For us
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Darya Tryfanava on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
in a glorious church
x
look at you
Jesus
on such an ornate cross
we don’t truck
with indignity
or even
execution
you’re still alive
up there
though as you die
you die for us
x
rude cross
more like it
wooden beams
thick branches
off the trees
of the Earth
we say the nails were iron
ongoing execution business
for a smith
with earthly metals
coal to burn
or pieces of wood
cut off
shaved off
something like the matter
of a cross
x
c l couch
x
x
Photo by Michael Newcomb on Unsplash
x
I don’t mean to be a spoilsport about faith and faith art; I do think spiritual simplicity might be important
x
Since we built the church, there were pewter candlesticks upon the altar; Francis Nurse made them, y’know, and a sweeter hand never touched the metal. But Parris came, and for twenty weeks he preached nothin’ but golden candlesticks until he had them. I labor the earth from dawn of day to blink of night, and I tell you true, when I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows – it hurt my prayer, sir, it hurt my prayer. I think, sometimes, the man dreams cathedrals, not clapboard meetin’ houses.
John Proctor
The Crucible
Act 2
x
(x = space)
x
x
What It Means This Time
x
Pilate asked
We may infer
He didn’t mean it
That the Romans
Took the truth
As they found it
As they made it
x
The modern person
Secular
Asking on occasion
Not waiting for an answer
Except the answer
As we need it for
Moment by moment
Justification
x
Then to wash our hands
As if
That made a difference
For the truth
As we need it now
And pushed into a new form
As we need it
Later
x
Behold your person
Who is your monarch
I have tortured
Beyond the law
And now the law
Is done
With this one
x
Say this is enough
I want other things
To do
And now you thread
Insinuations
Through the crowd
They murmur
And then roar out for Barabbas
x
Do you even know
Who that is
x
Well
I will release them
To you
Wash my hands again
Let go Barabbas
And then Christ
To indicate
Your will with them
One to roam
One to execute
With others for
Barbaric companionship
On crosses
x
What is in it
Water
There is salt
For exorcism
My excuse
Or it might as well
Be tears
For bitter clarity
Of what is real power
When they have it
When you
Have it
x
C L Couch
x
x
John 19:5
x
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Te Deum
x
I pray to God
And Jesus
Rarely directly to
The Holy Spirit
Sorry, Spirit
Though it seems
I’m talking with you
All the time
As an indication
A reality
Of indwelling
x
You are the nearest
The closest part
Of God
In fact, in me
While I know
It’s three in one
But for all I know
It might be
That you are the part of God
Who is the most patient
Part
(indwelling)
And who somehow
Loves me best
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Savvas Kalimeris on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Halfway Home
x
The sacrifice
Of your shed blood
He said
On our behalf
In prayer
His words the surrogates
A shadow
Of the death itself
x
Horribly
A bleeding body
Shed of its spirit
At the last
A life too pure
A sacrifice
For us
x
Yet there it was
In expiation
Half redemption
For our sins
x
The weight of everything
That hates
Crushing his body down
Pushing out his spirit
On to Hades
Or Valhalla
To Gehenna
Or to Sheol
As it’s understood
To name it
x
Half the promise
The brutal
Ugly
Barbarous part
Complete
And it is over
He said it was finished
Maybe it is
x
C L Couch
x
x
x
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