shall we let the shofar call
Sunday
sun rests behind the gray
while the rain
considers working
even
if Earth is called to rest
or call it Saturday
or Friday
night
the call to rest is there
cessation
take up each things
don’t drag the chair across
a dirt floor
not
for fear of retribution but because
of the gift of love
and
yes
there’s room for interpretation
as time and we have changed
though God
has not
and yet seems to meet us
where
we are
as we could track the visitations and new
miracles
a day
and if we turn recreation into a business
infested with the mock virtue of
busyness
then we should drop
those
occupations for another form
of work
and play without the need to win or shop to win
to take the rest
as we smart people
know
how it goes
an honest sabbath
day
that’s all
and should we have it
is
we know
so much
c l couch
photo by Leon Kohle on Unsplash
sabbath call
and Sunday is for God to rest
or how you count
could be
another day
the seventh
and I just heard it might be only once
for God
after creating
and
thus also
a model for the rest of us
once here to take that seventh day
ourselves and by directive
slowly
breathe
and without doubt
to
rest
and
well
I hope it’s God and us who rest
each time
since creating is a constant
and should not the breath of God
go easy for God
too
at
times
say
once a week
c l couch
photo by Frankie Cordoba on Unsplash
Pale Day
Pale blue
Pretty
I imagine there are
Even piquant clouds somewhere
Bouncing
Even though they’re still
Or moving slowly
To see them
Actually
Adding extra movement
To the elements
Because it’s probably happening
Out there
Up there
Down there
Anyway
And we take movement
All too seriously
As if to be still
Even to rest
Were tantamount to some kind of death
Before
The actual
And is that the antipathy
Toward rest
That it’s too close to resting
Mortally
Forever
I don’t know
It’s a pretty blue day outside
And I’ll think on all these things
And maybe you shall
Too
Blue is for rest
As well
And if it is
Or can be
Some kind of sabbath for you
When it’s time or
You decide
It’s time
Then my wish is for a day of blue
For you
C L Couch
Photo by Oliver Cole on Unsplash
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
(x = space)
x
x
Remember the Sabbath
x
To keep it holy,
That is,
Set aside
For a spiritual purpose
Take ordinary things
Like the materials
For temple and for church
x
Like rest and relaxation
Contemplation
Talking about easy things
As well
Easy play
The pleasure of your company
Ordinary things
Set aside in honor of creation
And creator
That’s all we need to do
One commandment kept
x
We may interpret;
We’ve denied it
And the consequences
Having been directed
Over ages
x
Ordinary set aside
It should be a good day
On another day, when scheduling
Demands
I’ve said before, but I didn’t
Make these things
That go on being made:
A new set of six days follows
Then a seventh
A new chance
Almost absurdity
Of reason
ETs will ask,
And you didn’t take the free
Day that your God directed you
To take?
We’ll be leaving now
x
Have the sabbath day
It’s good, clean fun
Let’s hope we could manage that
Against ongoing, human depravity
The other days
It is the easiest of hopes
And means
A sabbath
For salvation
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Heather Mount on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Virtually a Sunday
x
I pulled on a shirt for church
Only to have technology
Fail me
Or I fail it, more likely
Virtual church
I should walk down the street
Through wide doors
Greet people
Sit down upon the wooden and worn
Bench
Await the start of something formal
Or walk
And keep walking
Chill and sunshine
And have church that way
x
Pray as I go
There are things I want
To pray for:
My brother’s health
Cancer
My nephew’s healing
COVID
My neighbor’s heart condition
Another neighbor’s children
COVID in the world
(cancer, too)
The horrid war in Ukraine
War in other places
Where it’s horrid
(always horrid)
Yemen, Myanmar, Sudan
Or violence undeclared
Peace thwarted
x
For food for everyone
Safe water
Safe living
I guess I can pray all these things
While walking
Pausing for crosswalks
Maybe I prayed for them now
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Born Again in the USA
x
A sabbath time
To stop
To breathe
To wait for it
To be over
x
Counting the minutes
Of the homily
Or sermon
The teaching of the word
Waiting for communion
To be over
x
Now, where is the car?
How long will it take
To leave?
Thinking about
Food and rest and TV
After
The holy time
Set apart
Once a week if that
x
Bigger deal
Maybe wireless
For those who could
Be there
At Christmas and at Easter
What is wrong with
All these things
Is nothing
But set apart is set apart
x
Then the chance
To splice it
Graft it all together
Stronger, faster
Like the cyborg hybrid
Only real
Sacred and prophane
With blessings
Rain from an aspergillum
The scent of flowers
From a thurible
x
Sensations
Only God
Can bestow
In the world
And the world
Can respond
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Bas de Korte on Unsplash
“Storm in a few minutes.”
x
(x = space)
x
x
Apologies
(and Philippians 4:8)
x
Oh, dear, it’s Sunday
And there’s nothing in my
Sometimes Protestant, suburban mind
To share
I didn’t pay attention to the sermon
(too many points)
Or the meaning of the lyrics
(one broad and unconvincing point),
Though I’ll say the problem
Is inside my head,
What’s left of my heart
And there are those who had their
Sabbath, starting Friday,
And those who have a time for
Sabbath every day
I could envy
x
And is there something I can say?
Think on these things
With the Philippians,
Which might be a good list
For anyone
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Dariusz Mejer on Unsplash
x
(x = space)
x
x
Sabbath-Worthy
x
Today should be a restful day
There’s law in it
And lore
There must be allowances
For first-responding
Daily labors that utilities
And farms require,
And I hope they’re given sabbath
Time another time
Those who take care of us
So we might have time
To eat and think and play
In ways that still
Qualify as still, that is,
Sabbath-worthy
x
C L Couch
x
x
Photo by Liset Verhaar on Unsplash
x
note
And do I need to say this? (Maybe, if only for me.) Sabbath may happen on any day, as tradition or exigency requires.
x
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