To Ishmael

(x = space)

x

x

To Ishmael

x

What will be left

Between

These two countries now?

What of Isaac and Ishmael

Of neighbors

And of families?

How will they get along?

Whom will they know

To trust at all?

x

Will they come to a table,

Meet in a field?

Shall the words of Mizpah follow

Or better

An embrace?

x

We have these words

Restoration

Reconciliation

How will we enact these

Make them manifest?

How might peace abound

While the search

For food and intact buildings

Is abundant?

x

They came together

To bury their father

To bury death;

Nothing more

Broke out between

Them, then

x

Might generations know

Viable forgiveness

Dead anger

Such as render borders blurred

In teary vision,

In homely

Transactions:

Dinner by

A fire that heats and cooks

With chairs left out

For friends

x

C L Couch

x

x

Photo by Gradienta on Unsplash

x

Visit to a Third Planet

Visit to a Third Planet

 

Who’s hungry

Raise your hands

Now those of you who have

Extra food

There are millions of you

And we’ll take it one by one

Find an outstretched hand

Take hold

Place food in it

If need be, help with preparation

Then be pleased to sit

At the table

 

Anyone who’s cold

Millions of you with extra blankets

One by one, gently and firmly

Place them

Around

 

Anyone who’s thirsty

Is a bigger deal

Because we keep poisoning the water

But for now there still is more

Pass it out in safe containers

To those for whom

Answering thirst is life

 

Who needs shelter

Millions of us know how to

Build roofs and walls

And bridges that will get

Each one security

To home

 

Now who’s lonely

Who’s afraid

Who needs countries that provide

They’re here

They can help

 

Can all the multitudes

Nations and people

Provide assistance

Well, we can

I think we know

That we can

We shall

 

C L Couch

 

 

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