after some hours at this today
it’s darkened
I should go for another light
the close work has
made my eyesight blurry
too
and my lower back from bending over
well
not blurry
well
maybe
as pain might haze ambition
and I have said
and say
all kinds of things
in
other verses
though the moralizing’s heavy
maybe
from blurriness and pain
sigh
what should you like to hear
not
to curry
necessarily
but
to meet and interest or a need
you know that God is love or should
since the message is
ready enough
available
do you know that you are love as well
or at least have it in you
to carry outside
to
have your life better
and the world
too
so small at first
and then who knows how
wide the circles go
and you might be close to all this
as well
catch it when you see something land
on the smooth water of
a pond when
still
or other
water
maybe it’s the gospel of the small
that isn’t nearly big enough
realizing
the inevitable
the practice we don’t get away from
or
even the accountability
that
the word
the act
change things from ourselves to the world
no
matter what we’re told we matter
in this way
and so do small good
a motto
how about a bumper sticker
or what to adhere to our hearts
(I have a machine
inside
that might have
a sticker-place)
not
because the words are mine
but that they’re wise
regardless
and promise for the Earth
what should be healthy things to say
and
do
for a change
(hale
changes)
c l couch
photo by Amy Humphries on Unsplash
on World Environment Day
on the day
World Environment Day
we may think of Earth
on our
reliance on the ground
even that which is
the solid planet
beneath
water and ice
and through and over air as well
and shall we keep it
Earth
sure
we are so used to it the firmness or
even the firmament by
Bibles
we step around the bad parts
don’t you know
the parts
that nature made
as can with
the bad parts made by us
if once
perhaps
by mistake and now
without doubt
by
will
and shall we leave our steps
reliant
the things we walk or ride on
too
the Earth whose sureness is in trouble
that splits
and lava-
magma-bleeds
and is
a hotter place than
ever
via human extractions
formulation
and how much do we believe in bunkers
really
that should protect us even
as the planet ‘round them
fails
there is no such protection and for now
nowhere else to go
except in orbit
maybe
where most of us will never go
and
can’t sustain itself for life
in body or
in spirit
meaning we give up on Earth
then
we are done
and other planets
other sentient species will
have to take
over
means for
foundation and if by
a change
benevolent inventing
and
no other
world kind
and yet
if we may style and make a world
and then a salutation
well
go
Earth
only and as
to cheer
for all
the elements that make
and keep
a world
made and kept anew
honestly and thoroughly
by us
c l couch
image by USGS at Unsplash
stuckpoint
do you get stuck
sometimes I do
and how hard is it
to move away
though sometimes
I stay there for a while
a place of excuses
justified
yet maybe an honest break
is called for
and then a ridge or a wall
or other barrier
maybe not so tall
to cross
but must be overcome
to get back out again
ever feel this way
sometimes I do
and if I parse myself
and we can do this
then part of me might
stay here for a while
and so the rest of me performs
or tries at least out there
c l couch
photo by Ben Hershey on Unsplash
simplicity itself
something
short and simple
if not sweet
for
God is long and complex
but likes short and simple
too
I’m thinking
I love you
I made you
I made you out of love
and now for love
fallen
as the Calvinists propound
and sorry that
that happened though
not sorry
for the will in your
and so
love struggles
not in me
though I mourn
and
yes
and anger in perfection
that is mine
still hoping for love
each time
on Earth
as is
and as we might be waiting
all of us
‘til time
c l couch
photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
last on (our) dying lips
when
we have killed all the bees
and there are no circles
left in which
to live
we’ll
have fake food
a while
and
then
the last
words might be I love you
said to someone
though there’s
only a dry
Earth
all around
and
the only one to hear be weeping there
and so not unhear
and would not anyway
have
believed
c l couch
for World Bee Day
(21 May)
photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash
“Bee in a Purple Field”
sun day
I’m supposed to write of God
today
it being Sunday
and I told myself
directly about spiritual things
on
Sunday
being the day
you know
for that
then what happens tomorrow
when
it’s Monday and the untrending grudge
(or is it grunge)
returns
with six more days
‘til another break
for heaven or
at least for
heavenly consideration
well
today I think on God
because by experience it’s obvious
and I’ll even think on church
though
that bond
over time as well as exploitation
has become more and more tenuous
and what of God
whom we don’t know
or even
intimacy with Christ
which hardly seems appropriate
to think
Christ is our pal
with ironically the Spirit
the closes part
of God
we know even less
which might speak to knowing ourselves
and yet
we have the caveat
not
to dwell on self against all other
preoccupations
and yet
two sides of the equation
to love neighbor
and self
preceded by the command
not
nice suggestion
that we love God first
which sounds like law
and is
though we know
well the only kind of law we get
on Earth
that sometimes is filtered
through mercy
as well as
justice
sometimes realizing these are the same
in fact
though mostly laws and lawmakers
who serve self
not the good self
or self’s
agenda
first
well
I started back on Sunday
and it’s
still Sunday
a day of value because
it’s the now
we have
and could be Monday
any day
that’s the now
we have
and God is over us
and as we want
God
through us
and how much
so very
agonizing much
must God
be waiting
for faith to start and also faith
to live
beyond the start
sigh
so believe in God
in spite of all our
well
things of us
that get in the way
of our being us
or things of the world
that do the same
and also
take us from
the love we have in God
self
and each other
about as
simple as it gets
really
God made everything
and us
and it as “good” by God
to have done so
or add an exclamation point by
James Weldon Johnson
and
things went wrong
and
don’t blame anyone but everyone
fell to the extent
that over ages
we’re still measuring
though as far as goes
can get up
whenever
meaning whenever
ask God
for help
and even for the life
and is in thanks
to offer service
to the good
as one is able
and let one work that out
with God
not for perfection
yet
but for redemption
yes
and also frankly
the delight
in the pleasures of the moments
with having the better way
for
the other moments
then on to delight
and
did God say
(and did)
peace and joy
even
now
if in irony with the world
the promises good things yet
does not
know them
really
but life with God
now
and was it mentioned
(and it was)
a life to come
that we should know has come
already to
the saints before us
and
small “s”
that is
for the sants among us
as us
now
c l couch
photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash
Grace Fully
So believe
If you will
And only as you will
Grace
That makes faith real
Is offered freely
And
Exists regardless
Believe in God or do not
Same
With the life of faith
After and
With belief
And
Don’t let any tell you
Another person
Anyway
That he or she dispenses grace
If only you subscribe
Grace
And also faith
Don’t work
That way
The first need being only
You and God
Should you choose
And
Should you accept
Then there is the life of faith
In which you might choose
Healthy
Earthly affiliation
And while to have and keep
Sadly
It’s not
To say the faithful life is easy all the time
While
Through it all
The obstacles
Worldly
Self-styled
Do promise
Spiritually
Well
The Spirit’s ease
And even peace and joy
Be the judge of grace
And faith
To start with God or
Not
And
Don’t let any other take the judging role
Except God
And then remember God is truth
And also
God
Is love
I heard once that church should be rejected because it claims to dispense grace—and also, as such, the church charges something (membership, money, doctrinal adherence) in order to receive the grace if offers, if not dangles. But grace is not or ever owned this way. (Or owed, either.) Grace is from God, and grace is free. It is the free means to receive the saving favor of the Lord. As means or to exist at all, grace comes at no cost of ours, the price for grace, so to say, having in fact been paid by God. We are saved by faith in God. And as if faith were great art, grace is the frame.
C L Couch
Photo by Eugene Chystiakov on Unsplash
“In the Park”
Kyiv, Украина
[haiku of the funeral]
common the remains
of by world and word a pope
framed in love to earth
c l couch
photo by Nicolas Weldingh on Unsplash
in waiting
waiting as in stillness plus
waiting as in serving
stillness
and serving
the God beside us
in waiting
is waiting
c l couch
Revelation 3:20
Revelation 21:5
photo by Yucel Moran on Unsplash
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