Passion Thursday

(x = space)

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Passion Thursday

(Maundy Thursday)

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1

I am poor

I would love to be invited

To supper with Jesus

Because I’m hungry

And sometimes I am afraid

For food

I’m sorry

I want to hear the story

But all I can hear

Is on the inside, now

Maybe afterward

Or during

It’s rotten evangelism,

I guess,

On my part

Wanting the real food, first

Yes, there is a question

Of what’s real,

I’m certain

But feed with food, please,

First

Then I shall listen

To anything

Especially the truth

Sorry for the truth in

A yowling stomach,

In an actual meal

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2

Who knows where they were

Or how many

What they ate,

If it was a meal of tradition

Or what was at hand

The way a meal is sometimes,

Checking our cupboards

And the refrigerator

Looking at the oven

Being hopeful

(hopeful people

hopeful oven)

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Was Mary there?

Were any of the Marys there?

Not to serve but to take part

In equal parts

With the rest?

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And why did Jesus call it new?

A new commandment

That was ancient,

Love one another

Exodus and Deuteronomy

Along with whose house

Shall we serve

And how

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What might be new

To me

Was to call them friends

Upgrade from disciples

Friends

A loving term

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Maybe the love of God

Between people and God

Was renewed

There was a person saying

You can know this God this way

You don’t have to wait

For the appointed time

The proper time

Is now

Kairos

Along with chronos

Love God anytime

As if at table with you

All of you

Any of you

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C L Couch

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Photo by Hennie Stander on Unsplash

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Easy Errantry

(x = space)

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Easy Errantry

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God grant

Peace for friends

And good days

Well-deserved

Because they are

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No pre-requirements

Beyond existing

Now

On Earth

Today, hopefully

Into tomorrow

All right, so an anti-disposition

Toward causing pain

In others

Wouldn’t hurt

x

But beyond that

Simply be today

And have good days

Without because

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C L Couch

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Photo by Alberto Zanetti on Unsplash

Krafla, Islanda

when I first saw the image, I thought it was upside-down; on second glance, I thought it was a painting

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Missioning

(x = space)

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Missioning

(for Mandy Shunnarah)

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It’s Wednesday

And a hump day

Too many cases breaking out

Al-Qaeda talking up Afghanistan

Fires in California

New Apple phones

Unveiled there

I need shoes

More importantly a place to live

Local friends are helping

And good thoughts

Come from everywhere

Faroff family stands by

I’m eaten up with nerves

They eat me

Consume the calm

Like the noise above

That means I’m leaving

After many years

Too many jobs

That took up all

My energy allotment

Concentration

And my attempts to rest

And now

Semi-retired

Accosted with all that

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My heart needs fixing up

x

This should not

Be all for me

Too many people

Have revocable need

I pray

Others help

With worldly substance

So much more than I have

But this should not be for me

In what I cannot do

It’s to put out fires

Help first-responders

Let go those

Who have no perspective

Build up health

Yes

It’s true

And I must ask

For all of us

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C L Couch

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Mandy Shunnarah has been writing about skateboarding and skateboarding—forthcoming book, Midwest Shreds: Skaters and Skateparks of Middle America from Belt Publishing (fall 2022).  Hers is a positive, inclusive, encouraging voice.

https://mandyshunnarah.com/

https://www.offthebeatenshelf.com/blog

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Skateboard on Dry Lakebed

Photo by Kelsey Dody on Unsplash

Alvord Desert, Oregon, USA

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You Know

(x = space)

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You Know

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I don’t know

I should have something

More to say

How are you?

What’s up with you?

What have you read

Or heard,

Seen or

Smelled, Tasted

Or touched?

How is the world for you

These days?

I hope you’re well

And having a good day

You deserve it

And to be told so

Many times

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C L Couch

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Friends

Photo by Joel Muniz on Unsplash

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Thought-Powered Words

(x = words)

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Thought-Powered Words

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The results were not good

I don’t mean to diary about it

But another organ is in trouble

I mean, I feel it

I thought it was gas

(hah)

And now I feel slowed-down today

In fact, since the phone call

Yesterday

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Pray for me, friends,

As I pray for you

Though it’s not a deal—I

Pray for you anyway, and of course

I’m not sure what you do

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But love has different kinds,

Hasn’t it?

We have ways to regard each other

Respecting who we are

What’s going well,

What’s not

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I’ll take a good thought anytime

And be thankful

The words without thoughts don’t rise

As Claudius confesses

(Hamlet doesn’t hear)

But your words are thoughtful

They soar

I know,

I read them all the time

Then watch and hear

With the inner parts

Of eye and ear

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C L Couch

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citation

Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 3 (last two lines)

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Photo by Rafik Wahba on Unsplash

Cincinnati, OH, USA

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Aphoristically Yours

Aphoristically Yours

 

Friend,

 

You know more than I

So I’d rather listen

If you want to hear from me

That’s all right, too

 

Some would say

And they are wise

This is the definition of

A friendship

 

Some might say

It is a paradox

There would be too much silence

For the talking

 

Well, embrace the contrary

If everyone is listening

There might be fewer words

But greater truth

Prevail

 

C L Couch

 

 

Photo by Trung Thanh on Unsplash

Kim Lien High School, Vietnam

 

Surprised by Grace

Surprised by Grace

 

God

I love you

And I wish for

I don’t know

It’s not as if you’re in a lamp

Three wishes?

Not enough

So grant me what you think is best

The million tax-free dollars

Will wait

Unless

Unless

How about some love today

Unbidden, even without

Expectation?

Actually, it happened

Yesterday

Someone brought some

Food, not because

I was in trouble

But because of plenty

And of friendship

That’s love

For a story

Maybe for a

Thousandth night

 

C L Couch

 

 

Image by miniformat65 from Pixabay

 

Toast

Toast

(lids on hot food for now)

 

I woke up with a cold

I don’t care

I have this hour

And a day that could go twenty-four

Or become an age

As in day of the dinosaur,

Which is a really long day

 

You woke up this day with what you have

I hope it’s good

And if it’s not,

I hope it gets good and even better

For the hardship

 

We are awake

We have today

There’s sunshine somewhere

And out there the stars are turning

Movement proves life

Be easy

Or be crazy

Have a thought for someone else

And what she’s going through

 

We’ll see each other soon

Dancing in the skies

The circle won’t be broken or

Truth made out of lies

 

Now thinking-reverie must pause

Because there’s food and drink somewhere

And labor must be easy for a time

I hope we find the feast

Thank the host

Thank the guest

Hang on, if we must

Go in, because we can

 

C L Couch

 

 

Photo by Mark Cruz on Unsplash

New York, United States

 

Friday Felines

Friday Felines

 

I will see cat-friends tonight

They will ignore me

I’m not feeding them

They’ll act as if they do not play

Though I know it’s different

 

One friend

Erstwhile Pennsylvania Quaker

Might decide it’s time for

A first-floor chase

Or to jump on me, reach toward my

Ear as if to say

Quietly through sharpened teeth,

Feed me

 

C L Couch

 

 

Photo by Sam Lee on Unsplash

2 Chome-4-8 Daiba, Minato, Tokyo 135-0091, Japan