(x = space)
x
x
Ancient Chores
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I imagine
Standing vigil
Is no fun
To be a soldier
On the wall
Even with peers
And a fire
In a brazier
Now and then
x
Maybe we
Call out the hours,
Which could keep
Us alert
In counting time
And I guess
The fires should be
Shielded away
From away
So that we might
Look out upon the field
To suss what
Might be stirring
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But then
Comes the dawn
We are there
For the arrival,
Change in shift
Maybe change in orders
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And is this
Holy, set apart
For godly purposes?
Does God arrive
In the dawn,
Apollo in a chariot
As our neighbor
Greeks might say?
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Well, I should
Head back to
The space in which
I live
When I’m at home
x
This duty’s
Not so bad
Even as I wonder
Where is God
If in the sun
Or the chill wind
That blows
As if
Another wind
Had never
Crossed the yard
Before
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C L Couch
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Photo by Alex Plesovskich on Unsplash
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clcouch123 
April 25, 2021 at 1:56 am
well, you are an amazing person, I can tell, and I love your posts, but I think you think you can get through life without ever standing up for anything. REally. You call out obvious atrocities at times. that we all are horrified by. But you do that when it’s obvious we all would. You don’t really want to ever voice an opinion. I’m not sure you can do that. And I’m not sure even at the end of one’s life if it’s all that adimirable to always hold back. You can make an argument it is, though. Never say anything that isn’t constructive. I can see that. I, too, am not ever sitting on judgment of souls. I’d never ant to. Some of this stuff that happens is atrocious. But above all, we have to stand for human dignity and freedom and who we are or nothing else matters. We must be ourselves and stand for something? I think you are grabbling with that. And I understand wanting to look loving and all, to always look moderate, to always forgive. I totally get that. I don’t want to sit in judgment myself. I’m not sure that ALWAYS applies, though, even though I do understand that impulse to just drop out. To write that I’ve grabbled with that. And maybe that IS you. I can’t say. Just be sure you are you. Stand for something. Be you. We’ll all be happy to listen….Sitting the fence isn’t always virtuous… as amazing as you are to read at times, you seem very conflicted. Really conflicted. My advice; always give your opinion, stand up, but always be humble. At the same time. Allow others to speak, don’t judge souls, but call out things when they are wrong. AT the same time you admit you could be falliable. That’s the human condition. Your posts are hard to read at times because the angst is so palbable. Just be entirely yourself. whatvever that is. I hope you are feeling better. XO
April 25, 2021 at 6:55 pm
Lynn, hi,
Thank you. Your comments are sound. There are many things I don’t have an opinion about, and there are things I have opinions about and don’t think those opinions are all that important. I don’t think when I speak of hunger, thirst, and belief in God that I’m stating the obvious. I think if it or they were obvious then two thirds of the children in the world would not be hungry right now (without food coming their way), that the people in Flint would not have to worry about much less campaign for safe water, and people would be respectfully dialoguing about belief in God. It is a schismatic world right now with a great deal of greed and despotism. To this, needs need to be expressed time and again. At least for each generation that might not know where we have been and where we might go.
I have an intense interest in ecumenism. And I think, however this might be poor evangelism, that the world needs more respect than proselytizing. We need to come to a table in the world with all our differences and unique understanding, hear each other’s stories, and in the process try not to explode each other or the planet. I guess I’ll take the chance that I’m being obvious, if not trite.
I like your style and your voice. I appreciate the way you adapt in life as circumstances change or demand, and I appreciate the clarity in your writing voice. You do have many opinions I don’t share and not simply because I disagree. I simply don’t have an opinion.
As for angst, that is a telling response. I do think there is great pain in me and in the world. I relate in both ways of relating, I guess: I connect and I sympathize. But I’ll be thinking about this comment from you, most of all.
Apologies for anything I might appear to be (or am) misapprehending.
Thank you, again. I hope you and yours have good days ahead.
Christopher
April 25, 2021 at 8:11 pm
I’m not sure what motivated me to say it –and I was moved late at night by the extent of you pain– and obviously didn’t even proof-read my post –your obvious angst, I guess, prompted me. Confusion. Your pain seems to come from not knowing WHAT to think, it seems to me. Everybody should be a little confused–don’t get me wrong. Life has to be about framing the questions, not having all the answers, which is why I’m so upset and incensed at those who want to shut down debate and ideas–how dare we question the State –the ultimate evil it seems, what they try to do; nobody should have answers to it all, though. But there are some basic beliefs that also seem obvious. Don’t kill full term babies. Don’t kill people at all. Don’t shut down speech. Don’t take away human dignity–don’t tempt people to give up freedom and dignity of work by enslaving them with permanent monetary support. So obviously for power. They are willing to sacrifice minorities, permanently enslave them and that’s exactly what will happen if they give these people a thousand dollars a month for nothing and food stamps (and call it something virtuous like “reparations.” ) They will never be free again. Err on the side of freedom but try to help people get out of bad situations with extra education and that type of help. Do better at that. Don’t create racial tension like this on purpose for power. Spirituality of some sort seems right–never more so than now when it almost feels like end times–something odd for me to say who never believed in the Bible as a literal God-breathed document. There are truths in the Bible, of course. So I wonder at why you are so conflicted when I read your work. (I wouldn’t expect anyone to agree with me all the time, of course. Many don’t at all, of course. But I think that was what I picked up on — that you don’t have an opinion or are afraid to have one because you don’t ever want to judge–and at times this drives you crazy. Still, I love how humble you are and sometimes wish I had that attribute. Or more of it. I am all too aware that all humans are flawed. But I do think it’s ok to speak up against wrong actions and sometimes even separate from people, temporarily or permanently, while holding back from judging their souls or wishing them harm. Yes, the things you write about are obvious and why they are not rectified just as obviously is a mystery–however, so much of this seems obvious, as you say, and yet it persists. Our rights are given to us by God, or by some higher power, not by the State. It never had the power to “grant us rights” or “return rights” — like worshipping, working, not being vaccinated — the list goes on — again, those rights come from God. However one envisions that energy. Ah well, I’ll be thinking of you…
April 26, 2021 at 11:52 pm
Lynn,
Wow, your thoughts are good and so well-expressed. I mean, I suppose it doesn’t hurt that I agree. But with regard to the big things, shouldn’t most of humanity agree? And sigh, yes, we persist in talking the good game—you know, of feeding people and respecting human freedom and on—while in action it goes ignored by other, imposing agendas. Often hidden.
Thanks so much for your articulation and your effort, overall. You and your family will be in my thoughts as well.
Christopher