for seasoning 2 poems for spicing
by c l couch
there was the ambulance across the street
watch over my neighbor now
who has been taken
blinking
somewhere else
and
must be to greater care
and
I could wish we knew each other now
from before
rather than indifference
irritated
through the ceiling and the walls
commencementation
rejoice
O young
in thy youth
and maybe
I don’t cite but leave
the song
the verse about the law of liberty
to consider
singing
standing
before owning
from what imprisons all
that
could turn
begin
the change
toward freedom as I’m wondering
through sacrifice
and
service
the youth could know
our world
your
inheritance and judge us
yet
expend the greater energy
fixing
up the Earth our habitat
for walls of wood
or
stone and planning rooms whose metal
rusts
and better yet
I have to say
the morals that sustain
us
yes
those
and maybe you’ll stop reading if
you got this far
but love must
say
and recommend
the way for
you
the last of us by which to move
to have our being
and live
(referencing an anthem that cites James; the book of actions of the Apostles)
photo by Nick Nice on Unsplash
a poem from pre-dawn with a request of mine, below
look up
who can and may
dark
rectangles
white
nothing else to be seen there
the lights are dim inside
waiting
like Lent
like Advent
in fact
for dawn
and a kind of dawn
that lights and then illuminates
the mind
after some moments by the spirit
alone
first
to know tht something extraordinary has
happened with the normal
change
still impressive
every day
break
from night with day
as if
the dark were ominous
as if there had
been
say
three days’ worth
and soon
surprising all the first
time
though there had been cues
that some could note who heard
and
made good guesses
amazing
guesses
of guards and a great stone
and a new emptiness inside
the kind that says
the world is dry
and clean
and might be filled again for the first
time
with just amounts of white and black and
all colors
and no colors
in between
a dawn to come today
far
as we know
as any other
with more promise as that new day had brought
and
new days each some different
now
c l couch
next week, I will have a procedure done near my heart (then in a month another); I am skittish over matters such as thin blood and claustrophobia and, well, heart disease overall
any prayers or good thoughts you could send my way for a smooth operation and a smooth me would be truly appreciated; prayer (and good thoughts) have power, and a blanket of such over me would help, I know; the procedure is Thursday (Maundy Thursday) April 2; I won’t know the time ‘til the evening before
thank you so much
Christopher
photo by Declan Sun on Unsplash
our time
empty the house
of sugar
and of yeast
or
do that mentally
I guess
even to sit and ponder Lent
and
Lenten matters
emptied so filled up
with
promises remembered
priorities
regained
the lives
to consider
and how precious they might be
and
yes
through flaws and
difficulties but
to live regardless
until heaven gained
then
after
to live with faith in only what
is good
not relative
but good
refocused some
re-anchored
or
whatever inner action
might
be needed
simple
renewal
as each day renews
yet
by what is good ongoing
as
are the teaching and reminding
of the seasons
learning to love
what’s new
and
lovable
and what should lovingly remain
a Lenten time that can be
for this
homely light
in shadowland
c l couch
photo by Yash Patel on Unsplash
2 poems for a Friday in Lent
the ungood Friday
well through Lent
it could be Good Friday
since it is
the season so we’ll be associating
anyway
and this is an irony of good as
well
as there’s a featureless covering of gray
lacking definition
and for a word
would mean no meaning
gray to hear
gray inside as well
there is no joy under here
we scurry
rather
not like rats
rats scurry like us
a blank day without mercy like
that good
day
enacted
coming in two Fridays or so
above all other
word
the word is genesis
to tell the story
and
to have the story happen
first enacting
word that makes
that made
and keeps on creating
the word that is a person
and a telling
with
an action
all words subserve
as all matter underserves the perfect
omnipresent
a word
who is
such power in a unit of some letters
though from the alphabet
of God and should
there be another word
well
there could be three words
to realize
all others
and
by way of existing first
for all should offer meaning
as
words do
though taking care
as these words insist
and if you want
read
the first of John and following
aware of oddity regarding
words that
act
with nothing but the word
to make things happen
one little word shall fell him.
4 That Word above all earthly powers
no thanks to them abideth;
(translated) Martin Luther contending with “prince of darkness”
c l couch
photo by Ivan Aleksic on Unsplash
God on rainy days
like weeping at Golgotha
all water for life
c l couch
photo by Alexander Mass on Unsplash
Appalachian Communion
not everywhere but somewhere
biscuits and water
that’s
what we have
and bless
the Lord
consume him in our church
at
the time
and
we trust the Lord likes poverty
to set us here
and
accepts the hard bread that we offer with
the water of
same kind we were baptized
in
when
choosing to believe
so keeping faith with his blood and body
best we may
c l couch
photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash
Billboards and signage near the Smokies.
a series of haiku in which nature is partnered with religion
devotion has it
we should love the Earth as God
has made all wondrous
breathing in and out
some days it’s hard for nature
thick by pollution
white and pink blossoms
Japan gives us cherry trees
to bloom in D.C.
shall the Earth give back
opens not what we deserve
receiving seasons
all the problems here
co-op of virtue and fall
first to third chapters
praying goes to God
not thought but by intention
doubt also received
responding to Claudius in Hamlet at 3.3.97-98
c l couch
photo by Yan Liu on Unsplash
first day after ashes
count forty without counting
cross ice and green times
c l couch
photo by Oleg Lang on Unsplash
2 haiku for Ash Wednesday
ashes to ashes
‘round rosies with the posies
cast east of Eden
Lenten rite with ash
as mortal if devoted
heaven bring us home
c l couch
(first haiku could stand a Works Cited or would it be allusions cited?—I will cite Genesis 3:19, part of the pronouncement of God upon Adam and, as far the new postlapsarian state of things goes, upon all of us)
photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash
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