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from Earth to the moon

from Earth to the moon

I look at gray
a slice of
fall
rising through the tree
and appreciate diverse times
and tones of
voices
in
nature

variety out back and
how astounding
on
the Earth
and in your love
our God
you
give us
so much room with parts we may reclaim
from what you decide is challenge
and
also how we messed the planet
up ourselves

and now
what
to do

the model of your making everything
is to allow for differences
also
discovery through exploration
tolerant interaction
with ourselves
and with
all
nature here
and
as we dare to risk to go beyond and
find the cosmos more so varied if
as fallen
as we have it here

or
we could say with Lewis that
we are the silent planet
that the rest of everything
material
and spirit has been waiting for our carrying
a presence with
a
message and
so how
will be bear
what shall we say

well
the fiction is a calling to ourselves for
real
how we shall carry on the Earth
and to the moon
and bodily
to Mars
and so
with some hopefulness that we might respect
each other on our sphere
and
globally enough to consider
growth to own
with enough peace to
take us
up and on and it will have to be enough

until
we learn as Earthkind
to model
and to mirror
with
so many facets
and to like what we behold
and
care about needs and so
our voice

c l couch

the title references From the Earth to the Moon by Jules Verne; then cited is Out of the Silent Planet by C. S. Lewis; to get perspective on how to preserve planets, we might read The Word for World Is Forest by Ursula K. Le Guin

photo by Aashish Chandra on Unsplash

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some peace


some peace


some peace
please
some warmth though
let there be shade
some cool
as well

simple things
how does it go
a loaf
of bread
a jug of wine

maybe some cheese by good
negotiations with
some cows

and
who knows where we are

near a tree
under an arch
inside
in an acceptable place

and share
words of someone else
perhaps
and stories of our
own

we eat
drink
hope for the same tomorrow
in love regard the new day
the same


c l couch


A Jug of Wine, A Loaf of Bread—and Thou
from The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam (translated)


“Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!”
from Isaiah 22 (also translated)


photo by Mason Dahl on Unsplash

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near the jungle


near the jungle

I wrote about the wars
all
the wars
as there are three great ones now
and battles between
nations
besides and civil violent strife
as well
that I guess might be anywhere

I don’t record so much as encourage perspective
mine
yes
though more so yours for I’d like to raise the kind of
conversation that
could matter

that could lead to change

and
yes
I slant the change
desired
as everything is learning
all is bias
objectivity a tool
even
an aim
but not by impulse who we are
or Earth is
or
Earth’s God is

you see
the bias can be wonderful
we learn each other interests
and
agendas
no more hiding

we may think globally in terms of distinerest
which is not
un-interest
or
indifference
rather
a willingness to surrender one’s own interests first
in order to exchange
to have a dialogue
enact a plan that serves however one is angled
then
another

I wrote on war and will do so
again
and especially while wars are with us
which
speaking ecclesiastically
could be a while

a song of peace
after the borning cry
two
lines of contribution from hymns of Scandinavia
maybe reflects the attitude
after one invented destruction for the one
with others
lean in toward
offering
the prize for peace

think of all those who lived and
died
and lived
fighting
returning if returning
one way of the other

there are the poets
who
remember
and we read their work

there are the women and the men who served
beside
creating services
to keep bodies knit a while
at
least for triage
then ideally to get them home

civilian
scientists
inventors
medical people
and
those moved by cause and insight
say
that of Clara Barton or
Charles Drew

or you
or me
and us
contributing
describing
raising thought and feeling about war
frankly to get over it
and
finally to grow into something better
sets of skills and
fondness for the world
for
the alternatives
say
most of all
for peace

c l couch


photo by Zdeněk Macháček on Unsplash

I took the title from something else I was drafting; they are words with many more fine words and engaging notes that make the song “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” performed by The Tokens and written by Luigi Creatore, Hugo Peretti, George David Weiss, and Linda Solomon, according to Musixmatch

and I suppose the title’s not unique but a few words that anyone might assemble to make a point or set a scene; but I was looking at the song anyway and then, you know, it got in my head the way songs sometimes go winding through, know what I mean?

I worked on other things, shorter things, placid things; but this kept getting to me

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church and Venezuela


church and Venezuela

prayer
and a song for peace
and
how much more to say except
a war without
our Congress calling it
and certainly without invasion
first

so we’ll need to be praying
all around
in
mourning for the losses

frankly
against the greed
and
vanity involved
with something about more terms
in
office
deceptively in play

wartime culture to manipulate

while in the church we’ll pray
and serve for
cessation
by the forgiveness and repentance
of
a nation

c l couch


photo by Eduardo Juhyun Kim on Unsplash
Morrocoy, Parque Nacional Morrocoy, Falcón, Venezuela

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with those who go for peace this or any day


with those who go for peace this or any day

the afternoon is leaning
as we have this day
to mark
the birth of Jesus
Joshua
who saves

and we have holly
I’m not sure about the ivy
bulbs on trees
of
various materials
that among things
challenge
cats

we have presents out of boxes
or assembled
of a shape that
takes
a ribbon only

and we’ll have special food
that might go heavy
or
go light
so many cuisines practiced

and we could have thoughts for those
without
and go take care of them
or us
depending on our place
and situation

a secular or sacred
day
or how many traditions are expressed
as they are lived
and on this day perhaps
strange
harmony

to be believed
and shared

and those in trenches
of all kinds
though not unlike
1914
could have the adversaries join

or to face reality
we launch from afar
or
that sometimes the trenched place
is a city street
or division
in one
literal family

and then the metaphor
of family
as all of us who are the world
and how we fight
or
have peace
might be affected by a day
more
or less if happily
imposed

and I guess I’ve said
let the true test
go tomorrow
not
by angels though they referee
or act as ancient chorus
but
in the waking light
of culture’s normal day

could fight less
and make
peace
more not because the time of year
says so
but
in a timeless important day
we
say so

c l couch


I think maybe I repeat myself from yesterday—oh, well, eve and now the day—and Merry Christmas with wishes for each a special day!

photo by Ice Angel on Unsplash

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newly


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

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church time December 7


church time December 7

moonlight was used
against
its use
as there was preparation
near

sunlight
to betray as well
on
early Sunday morning

when order
and white uniforms
were torn
apart
and life a tissue by attack
and
everything exploded
while ripped-up men and women
with
children close by
tried to shoot back and
also
run

to stations
and to homes

the attack upon our useful soil
and beautiful
while
we thought
to live there and none
should
bother us by might
and
arrangement

and yet
and yet

empire and
democracy
too much to reconcile
too
divergent for our values
so we fought

with destruction
as the theme and total
the result
so
the agenda
and the strategy

the chaos of attacking
on all
sides

and so the President and Congress
said
this is officially declared
and so to the west
and east
and so many points on Earth
to
call the war
world

second Sunday in Advent
when
the candle’s lit for
peace
and on that Sunday
eighty-four
years the count
the awful
lively
living and the dying there
and then

and how might all politics and factions
reconcile
only
by tragedy

and where there is alliance
or
appreciation
now
new fronts are drawn
between
within

and these days
the radical
it seems
to keep value in the sacrifice
done
and remembered

and to apply
as we tend to think in reverse
reminding
and if owning
of
the greatest sacrifice
become
the saving doctrine

remembered by the seasons
then
and now

c l couch


photo by Graddes on Unsplash

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companion-able


companion-able

what may I give to you
this day

silence perhaps
a treat
of companionship

I’ll be there
or
nearby
in any of the ways one
might be near

and you shall have some
peace

look up to say something
I’ll be there

c l couch


photograph by Claire Ward at Unsplash

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devastating


devastating

we share the peace
in churches where we share
the peace
and
do we mean it
I think so
in the moment
anyway
then move on
through other liturgical obligations

then
there’s the peace outside
or lack of it
as
we know through local violence
and through war
wherever

in the heart that hates
justified by someone
for
some cause
and
yes
causes are important

but not the hatred
hatred’s not important

even though it causes loss
and
yes
destruction
of homes
minds
and hearts

and spirits can go wounded for a while
a long while

and what’s the restitution

we can talk reparation
but
what’s needing fixing is not money
or material
as I think you know

but soul
that needs repairing
by God and angels
though
while we’re here
through our pardon and our love
       love
       as pardon
for each other

and who can speak love
along bombed streets
leaning houses
if
houses at all

or what if the rival has learned nothing
in fact
in a state
keeping the world’s profit
even adulation
after all

after all the sacrifice
all the tortuous existence while conflict knew
its own
and took our parts of us
that
might remain wounded
even gone
for the foreseeable time

and
what does love call for then
while revenge
is warm
while damage is assessed then funded
and fixed
as best as can be done

and then tried patience for
the rest

but
that we try
on the gray days
with
autumn colors fading
barren winter
still
to come

c l couch


from actually inspiring events in response to the KKK intrusion in the town

Mechanicsburg Residents Pack Town Hall in Response to KKK Recruitment at Halloween Parade
story by Alton Northup
• 12h • [noon, 10/30/2025]
WHTM Harrisburg

and while reading “The Peace” by the Hermit Poet
at Edge of Humanity Magazine

photo by Patrick Fore on Unsplash

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