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prismatic day



what if racial

were delightful

what if I

delighted

found deep pleasure

meeting you

or passing you

and

exhaling

with deep pleasure

such an

interesting world



I know

I know

this nation

for example

started in

a backward

human way

since owning people

is reverse

of what God wanted

what God made



if only

in Africa and Europe

and then here

we had

I don’t know

let it go the other way

reasonably

let Blacks own whites

upon the block

at auction-time

and in the fallow

fields

needing crops



I know

I know

those made

and make

an even Biblical

argument for ownership

maybe for skin color

too

and white-righteousness

but I think we could

we could

agree

agree

that in the present context

of the way we live

today

today

such major points

made of minor insinuations

are wrong

at least wrong-headed

and frankly

evil

to have practiced

and to practice

now



I don’t know

call me a lover

I have had

my encounters

as have you

if you have



the world is the world

I guess

and we should take it

as it is

but never

never

leave it there

the unjust parts

the evil parts

the sinful



we have long ways to go

long ways

before we like each other

in the meeting of each other

superficially

then there’s the depth

of skin

beneath the skin

to plumb

in our knowing

of each other



there are the other differences

too

that cause disruption

disequality

disliking

so far to hating

ultra-hating

in some parts of us

here and there

(and sometimes there

is huge)

while these are the very things

for liking

for the difference

for how we are

and we contribute

differently



so much a fearful world

and there are fear-mongers

who profit

from the fear

who delight

wickedly

from the control

the very thing that’s good

turned bad

for perception

for agenda

hiding behind

(not underneath)

the skin

also

the skin of things



so much fear

so much fear

and fear turns into hatred

turns into anger

turns into righteous crime

as rationale

for hurting

for robbing

and for stealing

and a plan

an expectation

to get away with it

for righteousness



God

is righteous

we

are not

and in my doctrine

God as Christ

had to die for this

to open up our

pretended righteousness

to life anew

having surrendered that



while in your doctrine

God is also good

and God is

great

or there is no God

and still you wouldn’t justify

the taking

and the killing

for another’s difference

which could

and should

add to yours



meaning there is reason

as well as doctrine

for the liking

of each other

out of

foundational love

in the creation

and the molecules

of everything

which makes love deep

and practical

and liking

at least good for style

and really so much more

for meeting

and transaction

in the world



so shall

we give the world a chance

maybe as is

as well as it should be

colorful

shapeful

a myriad like prisms

in spectrographs

a miracle

perhaps

but a real delight

as in the taste of

good food

and good company



though there is

the matter of need

though there is

the matter of need

and shall we say

that matters

for deliberation

more importantly

for practice



it could make for

a separate economy

if need

here’s an economy for need

here’s the economy

for money

stocks

commodities

and bonds



the need is filled

on its own

with those devoted to that

the rest might be

for profit

as it is

(though I’d prefer

less life-sucking

if not less

murderous)

so that

we have a world

that might drink and eat

have shelter

and the chance for learning

which would make us

better

less war-like

having less need

for war



an argument

for economy

and peace

and the meeting of each other

in better forums

and

to say the least

more promising



you know

I have been sorry

say I’m sorry

every day

and in sorry

there might be change

maybe stepping toward

contrition

repentance

compassion

(then)

and empathy



like listening

like listening

there are skills

to learn



and a world to see

or without seeing

hear

and more than senses

have some feeling

for a world

that is our world

really

without destroying it

our world



c l couch





today begins Black History Month (the inspiration)



photo by Denys Nevozhai on Unsplash