Mid-Summer's Night
Glowing night,
clouds excite
the summer sky -
swaying limbs
in dusky shade
sing praise,
for All’s afire!
Stars tremble,
and planets gyre
but this lovers’ moon,
consumes
the shadowed earth
with passion’s
pure desire.
poem by Steven Federle
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Once It Begins
once it begins
i cannot stop
nor would i wish to
end the torrent of words
crush of photons
bright weight of day
driving dark worlds
through eternal space
trains howling
poems careening
through silver morning
where i sing
out my
warning
poem by Steven Federle
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Georgia Forest
This Georgia forest,
is sundered
by winding highway
into green canyon walls.
Dark pines subsume
the mid-day dusk;
black trunks thrust
into red forest floor
when, with sudden, golden shaft,
the faithful sun splits
its sullen core.
poem by Steven Federle
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Penitent
I burnished my heart.
Proudly trusting my love,
I generously gave it
to myself.
But still you embraced me
and beyond all reason
made of me
your golden lamp,
to shatter sin’s deceiving night
with your never-ending
reflected light.
poem by Steven Federle
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Rose at Nightfall
"God wants to know the divine goodness in us." Thomas Merton
Red rose flames
in shade of day's end.
night sifts gently
through dark trees;
but the rose!
the rose yet blooms;
defies the fall
of night's certain pall.
poem by Steven Federle
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Failure
The leaves are falling too early!
Strewn, green and pliant,
they drift to summer lawns
to wither and die.
Oh, heavily falls failure when,
not yet the season of death,
impatient winds tear and shred,
suck dry life's tender
breath.
poem by Steven Federle
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In Arching Waters
In arching waters
the black bird dances
with graceless step,
head jerks, probing soft soil,
penetrating wet grass
when rearing back primitive eyes
it raises ivory beak
and offers a shining prize,
living, writhing.
captive
to mother-sky.
poem by Steven Federle
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Anxious Day, Driven Leaves
Anxious day, driven leaves
clinging to summer’s
bright new dream.
I’ll let in the night,
make wide the door.
I don’t fear the dark’s
clawing cold storm,
for you I hear singing
passionately;
your endless love’s
my constant need.
poem by Steven Federle
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St. Sebastian
Slender arrows,
pierce me through.
I wanted to forgive,
but too quickly
they flew.
My mind fades.
I rise to you.
**
ref: St. Sebastian, Andrea Mantegna 1456-59, Kunsthistorisches Museum
(viewed at the De Young Museum, San Francisco)
poem by Steven Federle
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Fatal Night
deep in the night lights
rise and fall, convulsing clouds
fill the sky with death's
blighted breath, my heart
thrills, my blood fails and leaves me
undone, breathless and
blind, 'till in the dark
your eyes ignite and lift me
out of fatal night.
poem by Steven Federle
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