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Blameworthy

(x = space)

x

x

Blameworthy

x

I can blame

I’ll take the side of Israel

Though this time ‘round

There were other people there

When they returned

Like the Canaanites

I suppose

From Bible school

x

And shall I blame

Hope for trumpets

Toppling Jericho

And fire from breaking urns

Surrounding Midia

x

Is it possible

To weep for land

For everyone on land

To have a home

x

I rent mine

It isn’t nice

But there are no explosions here

Unless the furnace blows

Or there’s a plane

Falling

Whose engine is the last thing

I shall hear

x

Meaning everywhere is delicate

I suppose

Everywhere is fragile Earth

With fragile people on it

Fragile war

That tears apart

The fabric of two people

Rent for love

Sometimes

Or satisfaction

Or in the ritual triumph

Of human judgment

x

But lives are torn

The limbs

Muscles

And bones

Organs shut down

Or live ones acting

To help the others

Shot

Or shrapneled

Or the everything

Atomized

Near the missile’s

Falling

Landing

x

I am frightened

So are you

War does not

In fact

Breed confidence

Fire a gun

Wish it were over

Launch a missile

Hoping that the war will end

With that

x

Our fluid thoughts

And justifications

But there’s real loss

To square

And for now

In this

Is anyone

Considering

At least the people

On all sides

Who want to live

And now

(700, 500)

Have had that robbed

Of them

x

Russia inspires

Perhaps

With current policies

That have led

To so many dying

Destroyed on either side

(worse in Ukraine)

And there

Are other nations

Backing

Sides

x

Our Congress is included

And the people

In our churches

In the streets

Who have a reason

To protest

And pinch

The politicians forward

x

And are there strings

Is there a puppet-master

I don’t know

I want it over

Punishing Hamas

And leaving people

Real people

To stanch the blood

Clean up the streets

Rebuild interiors

x

And somehow

Live together

And have life

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Pierry Oliveira on Unsplash

x

Live: ‘No electricity, no food, no water’: Israel orders ‘complete siege’ of Gaza

Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant on Monday ordered a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip, blocking the entry of food and fuel into the enclave and cutting the electricity and water supply. The death toll from the conflict between Israel and Hamas rose to more than 1,200, including around 700 people killed in Israel and nearly 500 in Gaza. Follow our liveblog for all the latest developments. All times are Paris time (GMT+2).

Issued on: 09/10/2023 – 04:41Modified: 09/10/2023 – 15:03

17 min

France 24

9:09 a.m. EDT

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1

at church in October in the Midwest

(x = space)

x

x

at church in October in the Midwest

x

it all seems soft

maybe it’s all the sweaters

the quieter voices

fewer musicians

I am not complaining

x

it’s an autumn form

perhaps

an instinctive response

to the response

we settle down

at least a little

like the leaves

upon the ground

we retune ourselves

for a new key

that is the winter sound

the keening through the trees

or soughs

over freezing water

as it takes its time to harden

to protect

‘til summer

everything that lives beneath

x

we live protected by the Lord

beneath

above

anywhere we live

slow or fast

we breathe

we try

we pause

to worship

to ask more of our protector

and to say thanks

thank you

Lord

for slower seasons

autumn into winter

for an hour

here and there

to stop

to understand

who is Lord

(who is not)

and why

x

c l couch

x

x

photo by Lucas George Wendt on Unsplash

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0

in a glorious church

(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

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0

Love Who What When Where and Why

(x = space)

x

x

Love Who What When Where and Why

(maybe you write about the How)

x

Like water

Love works

On everything

Though heaven

Weeping angels know

We try

To resist

To act as if

Hate were strong

Or acquisition

Better

x

We fight

And war

And ask amiss

Try to take

In fact

Without any asking

x

Sigh

Would relenting

Be so bad

It’s there

It persists

It takes

Maybe the problem is

It takes some

Too

x

Does hate do better

Greed improve

A refusal to surrender

Anything

While we believe that grasping

Has its way

x

We believe that love is weak

That is an ego-problem

Like fat

Round babies

Into angels

(thank you, Renaissance)

We miss the majesty

Deny the awful quality

As in filled with awe

Of love

x

The love that sires

Prophets

The pervasive strength

In their messages

x

That births

That follows us to die

When it is time

Sometimes in service

Or in sacrifice

x

Can one own so much

To give it all

There is nothing that is stronger

More impressive

Move over

Avarice

There’s something much more potent

That begins with one

And then with two

And then with three for family

x

The family of Earth

Nature providing

All the elements available

We don’t even have to war for it

Though we might need

A treaty

Like the covenants

x

Or let love be wild

A little

Let it pervade in forest

Observations

To let the group

Even the crowd

Break out in love

To celebrate

To show

Who is the real boss of us

And who would rather be allied

Than

Love mercenary

Ruled

x

For all affiliations

Love means freedom

It means energy

As Blake says

An eternal delight

x

Love is pleasure

Certainly

It’s sex and power

And everything

To share

The tyranny of love

Better poets say is wrong

Release obsession

As all we want unloving

But the guise

Be let go

x

Let love be true

Mostly restrained

By day

Modest in its style

Until safely

We let go

Or in our modest ceremonies

Affirm it is the best

And through it

Know

That we belong

x

 C L Couch

x

x

James 4:3

x

Photo by Linus Nylund on Unsplash

x

0

Love among the Ruins of the Nation

(x = space)

x

x

Love among the Ruins of the Nation

x

Oh

Gee

Let’s

Stop

Let’s love each other

In a real way

That could stop a war

From need

Of bids through Congress

Or parties

Lashing out

To topple strategies

Even the existence

Of

Each other

x

Punishing the dare

To compromise

x

Can you imagine

Love in Washington

D. C.

Love and then

Morality

To say

To say we argue

On our side

With angels

With drawn swords

x

Love instead

The red

The blue

The blue

The gray

The war we will not end

For equal living

Everywhere

x

Separate

But more equal

Come on

You know you believe

It is the essence

Of superiority

And you are

Superior

You know you are

As you are shameless

To the Lord

Whom you evade

By speaking loudly

To your party

That to your side

Deserves the spoils

After everything

Despoiled

x

Love among the ruins

Understood

For you

For us

Not romantically

(Victorian)

Rather too late

Simply

Ruins

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Lavi Perchik on Unsplash

x

0

What It Means This Time

(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

1

The Anchorite Paradigm

(x = space)

x

x

The Anchorite Paradigm

x

There is quiet

There is some noise

There is the right

Combination

Based on relative needs

And wants

So that the anchorites

Inside

Might thrive

x

I’m not sure

I can tell

Because I’m not she

Or you

Preparing for retreat

Or the quiet

Time

In every day

For God and one

And later on

A few more

Maybe many

If there’s a meeting

x

It has to be a merging

The world isn’t one thing

Or the other

Spirit

And flesh

Technology

Impulsive

Even pollution and clean air

Is the way we have things

Now

And for a while longer

Until something breaks

Like a good wave

And we have innovation

With tradition

And legacy

That’s in between

x

Breathe for selah

In our inventing

Wait a second for approval

Then move on toward

Another

Better

Newer

Defensible

Amen

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Mitchell Y on Unsplash

x

2

Speaking Simply

(x = space)

x

x

Speaking Simply

x

Who holds the tap

On grace

Like backyard water

Miserly barmaster

Rain

For life

On hanging gardens

x

Why

No one

Keeps grace tight

Or somehow

Unavailable

Do not let anyone

Inform you

x

Grace is free

We need to say this

While the only one who holds it

Lets it go

To pour upon the Earth

xxxxxLike rain or dew

xxxxxOr faithful tears

With salvation

Near

And all we have to do is to touch

To hear

To take it in

x

Let no one bill you

Teach you anything extreme

For expectation

God might like to use you

But will not

Should you ask for distance

Space

And time

x

The vulnerable should come to God

The children

God appeals

It’s open

No money or affiliation

Must change hands

x

The strong

Or strong supposed

May come to God as well

Those who like to lift things

Move things around

Or have them moved

Or who wish

In frustration

They

You

Were movers

x

God will take

The complexity of plans

xxxxxGod can handle

And would handle for you

While you learn

The simple

And profound

And the merely simple

Like the love of God

Be love

For every person

x

Love without measure

Meaning

Complete

For nothing

Everything

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Mitchell Orr on Unsplash

x

3

Left Over

(x = space)

x

x

Left Behind Over

x

I used to wonder

How I got it

Wrong

How I was tricked

By devilish

Personae

And didn’t get to go

Above

Beyond

Wherever all the heavenly

Got to go

x

I am on Earth

When it’s called tribulation

To be here

And to be here

I have to have my forehead

Marked

Be ready to pay

Bars of gold

For bread

And who knows

If any water

Anything is safe

While nothing is

x

I wish it hadn’t come to this

x

A savior

Styled by self

And people

Rises

A liar

Who looks

Oh

So

Well

In public

Yet drains us for itself

Ready to execute

The life from those

Returning

To the faith

x

And me

Should I feel the blade

Of death on Earth

For heaven

x

A heavenly force

Arrives

And all again is overthrown

This time for victory

Of belief

And real power

Manifest like matter

From creation

x

It has hurt

It has been trying

Life

And death for faith was awful

Now it’s done

x

And is it a dream

For sirens of

Earthly missiles

And a moment

To decide

x

So

Decide

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Cosmin Gurau on Unsplash

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