passages of last events
could we line up
then
like the song about the sword and shield
by a river
bring our weapons down
set
them on the ground of history
let Armageddon use the angels as
it must
not they’d take a cue from us
but
shall have their orders
I suppose
and what shall it
take
for good to exist
evil annihilated
as
the promise
and now
for all
maybe we cannot miss the battle
but
maybe by the time it comes
with all signals
sent
we near the center of the valley
and
so tired of death by
propaganda
simply
stop
as if to say we’re tired
and we’re sure no good
will come of this
we’re going over there
both sides
to have a parley though really
to have something
like the truce
at
Christmas
1914
and if there must be Armageddon
and
there’s insistence we take part
you’ll forgive us if we leave
the angels to have the final battle
work out
the absolutes as they
know and they can
then
maybe all of us
for good could meet up
after
discussing blame one final time
and then consider
feasting on
arrival
if the leader over leaders is
all right with
that
c l couch
if I may then for Memorial Day in the USA and all remembrances of people and of strategy as well as what has been secured
“Down by the Riverside”
Revelation, last book in the Christian Bible
photo by National Library of Scotland on Unsplash
"It was the job of outposts like this to send back warning of any enemy movement."
any day to represent the world
for Imbolc and Saint Brigid
the Irish in me skimmed the day
for appreciation
drafted a brief
verse
then thought
there is
so much more
how about the circles
the circle of faith
and
following
with Brigid
the ancient feeling
old
pleas for growth and life by
spring
that is Imbolc
the events with
character
personae
to match the green and orange
the art
the music
violin and
dance
and all the troubles
punishment
endurance over
being
free
and I don’t know what happens
with the north
except
warring should end with
peace waged through economy
human strategy
and
the belief that each one matters on
the land
circle of
faith
circle that is the Earth
that is the spirit that contains
each one of
us
our systems ‘round as circulation
circle that moves
as circles should move
even
to link with others
so
that here
Imbolc and Brigid’s day
should join
at least
to Venn
then the circle that is Europe
then a hemisphere and hemisphere
round quarters
come together
so
much that comes together
we are part of
and so
to have humanity
and I would add not meaning to alienate
but
it gets added generally
that all of us should happen
be complete
all points
and arcs
under God
or at Patrick should claim
God every preposition
every direction
for us
c l couch
photo by Patrick Metzdorf on Unsplash
all is bias
(all is leaning)
the eyes are too big
in
the portrait
but
everything is bias
everyone
we lean
as the body’s not symmetric
neither are we
in
our views and
causes
and this is what we have
with
no objectivity
rather
wondrous in diversity
no weight to give to false claims
of
reference or authority based
on who we’re not
and
how the world
isn’t
find and claim
our bias
let it matter
then
together
all our views with all our
angles
add up to three-sixty of a planet
of ourselves
and
yes
to know the cosmos better
in the health of all
pluralities
nothing to win
or lie
rather
let an honest process have us understand
express
and progress
toward what’s distinct
and
what’s the same in
us
as
well
everything
when bias is applied
of course
to gain points
or
win the day
we could lie about our biases
to say
I’m with you when
not
as in
politics
or the political
way
to accomplish
anything
until it changes is made
up
and for a style of
lies
c l couch
photograph by Juan Cruz Mountford at Unsplash
radiating
on their way to Bethlehem
liturgically
the two
and nearly three
magi farther
off
according to prediction’s navigating
shepherds waiting
and the elf on the shelf
so many things
so many qualities
combine
anticipating majesty and bringing
along our silly
notions
and our gifts like cherries or a lamb
or
all of us
acknowledging
respecting
changing
by one event
this one event
the search for accommodation
which
might be the easy part
with
facing all the labor
then
all the labor
then the one
and three
and more
so many more
attending
until everyone on Earth
and ringing out from
heaven
should know
announce
transform in a new season like
a planet
going another way
c l couch
(examples of gifts recalling The Second Shepherds’ Play)
photograph by Pascal Debrunner at Unsplash
newly
I’ve been drafting for hours
and keep coming
back
to something like this
the Earth tilts
as it tilts
and we may claim distinction
of
the days
this
season counted
for example
is the new year for the church
having
started some days
ago
other years have begun
and others will begin
with
the world’s big one
or big night for
it
coming
in some
weeks
sip
of champagne at midnight
all I need
(sorry)
all
these beginnings
and often
we’re glad
maybe relieved
to close what has gone on before
behind
locked
what our psychologies
might need
but this is time
and
our inventions
and they’re interesting
(time
and
inventions)
anthropologies for an Anthropocene
age
and as we have new starts
what shall we count
anew
and could it be
unusual
as in
say
feeding the whole world as it can
be fed
by all of us
say
if most of the Earth’s children
might not have to go to bed
when hungry
and
the world might have safe water
and actively believe
in
the elimination
of
diseases
maybe we could say
like beginning at a crossroads
as at railroad Xes
(if
trite)
to stop
look
and listen
then when all clear move along
and
having stopped to get
to know
to hear
we might go in clarity as well as
specificity to help
roofs for homes for
all
some real
open moves toward peace
that don’t involve threatening
so
much
or
even victory
then there’s the chance
to learn
secured for all
maybe
at any are
and
I keep drafting about new years
and seasons
and
keep returning to the theme
of need and meeting
need
which is its thesis
too
and could be our own
a direction
an action plan
what have you
for
counting
uncounting new years
and
all the seasons
all of this the time
to help
I guess that’s all
except
to say
yes
we’ll make mistakes
but we’ll be
building
rather than hoarding or tearing
down
c l couch
photo by Ravi Kumar on Unsplash
gray time
it’s gray
as if the lightest fog in front
so
light’s ironic
without evidence
but
knowing that it’s time
Earth knows
while
it’s whole around the sun
fractured
since making and
in time
shall have the splinters going through
the core
and
all of us
gray like these days
shall hopefully have left
gone
to
another world that has
tectonically
so far to go
c l couch
photo by NASA Hubble Space Telescope on Unsplash
one forest remains
energy needs more than air
leaving machine world
c l couch
photo by Maximalfocus on Unsplash
circumference
things
have happened
I don’t know
we’ve talked about some
but
sometimes
closer in
closer in takes over
and the world might still matter
but for a while is encircled
by
loving arms that
must
then
be letting go
c l couch
photo by De an Sun on Unsplash
two poems about me, all of us
a story for me
(and you)
let’s
see what I recall
she asked me
do you know what your name
means
and
I said
yes
it means cross-bearer
to which she then asked
do you
know the story
and I didn’t
there was a wide river
and a man who
for a living
carried people to the other side
one day then
a child
came to the man
the child requesting
to
be carried across the water
and
so he took the child on his shoulders
and proceeded
and as they moved
it seemed
the child got heavier to bear
and then
heavier
the current of the river and the distance
made
everything more difficult
though it was the weight of the child
that mattered
most
so that the man
said to the child
I feel as if
I’m carrying the weight of the world
to which the child replied
you are
and that’s the story of the saint
named Christopher
and
I’ve kept that story from
my teacher
when in school and to
this day
so
I know there’s much to write about
about
earthquake and war
fire
flood and strikes
and such
and not
to dismiss
anything in the world with which I often
feel
uncomfortable
and yet
must love so much
but
sometimes it is me
as it is you
and we are one by one
as well
as
together
and each one matters
as
togetherness matters
and sometimes
you know
there is the day and only one soul
then
another
and what happens from inside to
the outside
through one and then another
to
the world
eventually
is what we have
one
two
together
more
the world
forever
c(hristopher) l couch
photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash
“long exposure image of a river flowing in the forest”
clcouch123 
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