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
uncommon unsense
the prophet helps
a widow
and
when the prophet needs
ravens helps with food
making up for that business
with the ark
all the people needed food
and so food
fell
needed water
too
which poured for them
from barren places
and so
wandering the wilderness
still cannot
be comfortable
but
at least keep folk alive
meanwhile
by
basics
David thinks he needs Bathsheba
though that is
another kind of interest
not
like food and water
whatever the king might feel
he needs
as he wants
food and
drink
from her
blind
needing sight
the lame to walk
the awful sick to have some healing
that
provides a reason
there are stories
too
of prodigals repenting and returning home
of
good Samaritans while
Samaritans are not credited
so much
of parents withholding stones from children
so that giving
bread
has fulsome space as
well as love
need
and response
and
I suppose when honest
still the answer might be
no
or no
for now
frustrating how the interactions
go
in our relationship with divine
whose terms are
to
keep the evidence
of such
unseen or
otherwise unsensed
c l couch
photo by Vadym on Unsplash
permission to pray on our own
I might not have said of
God
directly
how many pages should be read
and then
recited
for the people
what colors robes
to match the season
or may I say somewhere
dear God
say what is real to me
and
then
amen
however I should say that
given language
dialect
or situation
and between these
will you hear my love
of others
and
respond
accordingly with my knowing or
unknowing
what
or how
c l couch
photo by Roman Melnychuk on Unsplash
Dragobrat, Драгобрат, Zakarpattia Oblast, Ukraine
Mister Lennon Speaks
(and is wisdom)
Love is all you need
Though I suppose
A budget helps
While on Earth
There are the bills
While there are bills
And the next generation
To support
Later engage
And then the war of worlds
Because the world
Will not have peace with us
And then it’s over
We move on
Leaving to them
What’s left
And all there is
And it is great for life and love
C L Couch
Photo by Behnam Norouzi on Unsplash
On Waking
How do I wake through prayer
Or other measure
How do I know that you are there
Providing
Yes
Providing
In the pit of pain
Along an indifferent street
Or here
Surrounded by the stress of other people
While my own seems
Toppling enough
Be with me
Lord
And all of us
I must ask you to give
I guess the daily bread
Knowing
The cross should be enough
When I think on that
And sorry
I must ask for more
C L Couch
Photo by Syed Ali on Unsplash
At Last for Farmer’s Exigency
I hear
Thunder
There is wind
Pushing dark-green leaves
Around
Maybe the sky is
Bullying
Or maybe
There’s an announcement
Only
That the sky isn’t falling
But the water table’s
Rising
C L Couch
Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash
Open Air
(a day for independence in the offing)
The wars go on
The war at home
Matters of manipulation
Clearly
We are way too comfortable
To bandy with the truth
Rather than considering the need
In each other
Then
Over there
Wherever there
We know
Might be
And if we don’t feel right
Inside/outside
And
What have you
We could always pause
Easing up
To take a breath that isn’t pressed upon
Free to assess
Who’s and what’s important
To find it isn’t politics
Pretenses toward power
But that the real
That isn’t on a screen
Or in an ad
Involves
Instead
A word
An act
Toward love
The smallest thing to do
To make a difference
Sometimes accumulative
A cascade formed
Like the surprise
To hear in water
Over rocks and such
Inside the forest where
Truth is kept
Inside the given
Green and blue
The authenticity in
Nature
Even though it claws
Sometimes
In truth
For protest
Of destruction
Life
Actual hurt
Real need
We can live for these
To answer these
With practicality and
This
Not politics
Or profit
Except
To serve
Rather
To call it love
C L Couch
(on 2 July)
Photo by Bri Tucker on Unsplash
(Holland, Michigan)
(x = space)
x
x
Good Time, I Hope
x
God
May I talk
With you
x
My health might be improving
Just a little
By just a little
And I thank you
In part because
I want to make a lot
Out of a little
x
I want to ask your pardon
For my sins
Though really
I want to assume
Upon a doctrine
Not to have to talk them out
Remember things
With you
x
Or again assume
You know them
Anyway
And will excuse me
On my asking
Even broadly
x
Clearly
By tone
I think I’m wrong in that
x
But for your pardon
Even with my fractured approach
I thank you
And I love you
Have I mentioned that
x
I feel confused
About what’s next
x
I mean
I know there’s heaven
Though I don’t know
Heaven
But honestly I mean now
The now that I know
As best I know
And what to do
I don’t mean tired questions
Lived for decades
Without answers
I could grasp
x
I mean today
And for a little direction
Into tomorrow
x
Could you help me out
If I’m feeling better
With a little better-ness
What shall I do
x
Keep healing
I suppose
Try to bear
And wear
Virtue a little closer
Then to
Try to be positive
And send positive
All the while
x
That is
Maybe for a change
Keep doing this
x
Now
It seems
I hope
I hope I found a little something
This time
That had been piecemeal
Over time
And now should be
Seamed together
For a broader cloth
You might accept
For a flag
Or coverlet
Or on the table
Where we gather
To remember
And negotiate
Earth
Or
Eternity
x
You’ve been listening
Over years
You have been listening
I’m thankful
x
Even in pain
Your presence
For my life
Since when there’s void
There is too much
To bear
x
Well
Thank you
Lord
I’ll keep working
As it is
And feeling
Of your presence
More than doctrine
In my life
x
C L Couch
x
x
This is personal
And cosmic
It’s for you
All verse is for you
Food
For ingesting
Water
For the thirst
You maybe did not know
You had to have
Me
Too
All to have
In being
x
Photo by Immo Wegmann on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Plain
x
Sigh
It’s Friday morning
We’re told
The heat is crested
So low 90s today
Which still is hard
For those of us
From here
Above equators
(there are two
you know
tell Ecuador)
And the tropic lines
x
We’ll breathe into Saturday
Be grateful
When it rains
Maybe too much
But they will break
The drought
As well
x
And these are
My
And our
Issues
Over here
How is it where you are
How is your health
And your family
How is your neighborhood
And any community wider
You are
Or must be part of
x
I am perforce
American
Though America is huge
And we tend to take the name
And then apply it
To one part
x
You are French
Or Nigerian
Or Indian
Chinese
From idealized Tibet
From Ukraine
From Russia
x
You might be from the South
Or the Northwest
Or the Northeast
Maybe all the way up
(we say)
To Maine
Maybe you know
Or encounter at the supermarket
Stephen King
x
These are places
In the USA
In France
You have
The Côte d’Azur
In Greece
Santorini for an island
(that might have been the home
of Atlantis)
In Egypt
The upper Nile
Into Ethiopia
That was Nubia
In China
There’s the Gobi
The severest place on Earth
x
And there are the people
We are people
There
x
Inhabitants of the world
The team of Earth
One people
Now we’re leaving it
And shall need identity
x
Should we live in peace
Appreciating our diversity
All
The shapes and sizes
In our making
And our choosing
The lives we have
That is
The lives we make
x
And we should make them well
And have the freedom
To do so
Too direct
Too easy
Maybe
x
But too bad to be good
Sometimes it’s easy
Put it down
The weapons
And the prejudice
Evil conditioning
Perhaps
Somewhere inside
Take up something better
Food to share
Safe water
The love of life
You know
That someone else
A group perhaps
Might need
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Yuriy Bogdanov on Unsplash
x
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