the hard and easy life
yet
God is not a spoilsport
as Liddell
says
if only in the movie
God likes
say
and when celebrates in muscle
and in mind
and in
fair conviction
soccer
the world’s game
Rook
the card game Southerners allow
the pleasures in a holiday
the love
we bear each other
God is the god of pleasure as well
as meaning
and simply pleasure to own
as
a creation and
pursuit
some
might say incidental or
byproduct
but
we know who created fun
and
yes
the good clean kind
c l couch
(line from Chariots of Fire)
photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash
2 poems about the new season (more or less)
Bouncy
God
It’s yellow Friday
With blue and brown
On deck
It’s
Spring and time
Not for the metaphor this
Time but
To really
Play some ball
Training
Then the opening
We each can do this
Batter
You know
Up
And I’ve switched audience
Though aren’t you
Always there
(for
an excuse)
Forgive me
And allow me to say
Maybe
To everyone
About
Gospel of play
And did you plays as you ringed
And then rounded
Creation
Maybe
Keep us
Safe
In this new season
Knowing that our choices
Make the difference
Even if
And when
We could turn our will
Toward yours
A wheel
And a wheel within a wheel
But I was thinking baseball
Pitches
Running
And then
The coming home
Green
Workaday
And extraordinary-day
New
Season to you
And to you
Amen
Freedom Ring
The Liberty Bell is cracked
And there were more
Bells
At the time
Ringing freedom
While now we have
The broken bell
For show
And there is wisdom
In admiring the broken
Toward
Kintsugi perhaps
Or to leave in
Pieces
Sometimes for further lack of use
Except in small beholding
Or
When a sizable
Cast bell
To dream on ringing
To dream really large
Sometimes
C L Couch
Photo by Joe Richmond on Unsplash
We Pray This Day
(to play)
God
Hear us today
We ask
In this gray day
Regardless
To have clarity
In you
Not
To know everything
But know enough
And suss
Enough
And feel it through
So that all of us
And
All inside
The major strings are played
And we make sense as
Instruments of
Harmony
To play for you in service
And in pleasure
Goodness(!)
Goodness
Pleasing you
While
Heaven’s performance
Shall be
So much better
Than our own and
Yet
Somehow
Coelic symphony
Conductor
To welcome
Someday
Our auditions
Amen
(and together)
Amen
C L Couch
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
(human epilogue)
Sorry
Children
“Play” above
Means
Play as instruments
As we are instruments
Of the will
And in service of
The Lord
But God is not thoroughly
A spoilsport
And neither should
Liturgical leadership
Deny
That the play outside
Or inside
For sport is
Sanctioned
Too
If not at worship
Well
Before
Or after
If playing well
And God-approved
(and so
this way in
play
we pray)
Amen
(play ball)
Unlikely Sabbath
(a kind of call to worship)
We
Understand
Misunderstand
(together)
The sabbath
As a time to go to church
To pray
Officially
For things we might remember
Afterward
Then be free of all of it
For food
For games
For preparing all the real time
To follow
The next day
Or
Instantly
As we might be driven
Driving
That is
Ourselves
But is the sabbath more than services
And really
Was it ever
Well
Ancient reminders
I suppose
The priests to the people
Saying
Or as if to say
By the tent
Then by the temple
In here is the
Holy of holies
Don’t forget it
Don’t forget
Our dedication
So
What is the sabbath
We might
Wonder
Being first
A seventh day
Created
A day for God to rest
And so
A model for
Ourselves
Modeled after God
After all
And so
First week
Completed
And so
Laid out for us
Six days of creating
Then a day
This day
To keep it holy
As in set apart
For
A spiritual reason
Like the fruits of
Field and vine
Set apart
For spiritual
Remembrance
And
I don’t know what
To say
Anymore
Except that it was
Said
Thank goodness not by me
To remember
As in have
The sabbath
It’s a discipline
To rest
An invitation
To play well
To remember
The source
Of love
And everything
That’s good
C L Couch
Photo by Sai De Silva on Unsplash
(haiku for fall, starting in a grumpy mood, I guess)
(1)
well that’s enough of
haiku play and fancy with
no work proof for pay
(2)
the hour is done now
leaves have fallen into water
growing into green
(3)
old and new worlds tilt
leaning could be tree-delight
as dancing solstice
(4)
water purify
as on our other planets
with true air command
c l couch
photo by Mathias Reding on Unsplash
(x = space)
x
x
the way of all flesh
x
I thought about the title
first
title of a play
before that
something scriptural
x
three to five acts
the sphinx’s riddle gives us
four
x
there are tickets
paid
throughout mortality
the kind that
with a kind of magic
should become
the summons
of a claim
on erosion
loss of property
with less
with which
to pay
for greater need
x
but who
will be our advocate
who
will pay
x
there is no way
in this
unless history
plus the present
and guesses toward the future
should break
for a while
then reassembled
with adhesion
in the blood
of reconciliation
x
the way of our flesh
fleshly
otherwise
prevailing
x
c l couch
x
x
Photo by jurien huggins on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
A Day with Rings
x
How is your day today
I want to know
Did you clean something
Or negotiate
With dust bunnies to
Back away with company
x
It’s the weekend
You might not have the weekend
Expectations change
Deadlines
And work quantities
This could be a day of play
The virtue of busyness
Our construct for a while
Notwithstanding
x
Whatever is involved
Have a good
Deserved day
Please
And thank you
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Giorgi Iremadze on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
August on Deck
(easy greetings)
x
It’s Friday
Anticipate a weekend
Late summer
Final trip before the school year
Work at home
Clean at home
Leave the home
For the park
For stores
For church
Find company
Leave company
Hours on one’s own
The quiet might invite
x
Or out into the world
A different way
A drive, a walk
To nowhere in particular
A new nowhere
Untried
Something heard of
Or an inviting opening
A path into
Some inviting part of the world
Keep safe
Why not
x
After the anthem,
Play ball
x
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Maksym Tymchyk 🇺🇦 on Unsplash
I look at this
I can smell the stalks, the petals
Memory, I suppose
x
(x = space)
x
x
Prayers for Alan Alexander
x
Yesterday was A. A. Milne’s birthday
I didn’t know
And didn’t learn
Before posting time
(which sounds like horses
on the track
sorry, horses)
Anyway and, oh, bother
For not knowing
x
Nothing new to pray for
Regarding supplication,
I suppose,
Except that A. A. be welcomed
Into heaven
And his boy who died some years
After and for us
Some years
Ago
And that both and all
Go on to play in
The Hundred Acre Wood
Until it’s time for honey
Then rest upon the bridge,
Followed by
Trudging up the stairs
To bed
x
C L Couch
x
x
Sunset in the forest.
Photo by Marek Piwnicki on Unsplash
x
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