Advice to a Madman

Look into the sun
and you'll sear your brains.

Deep truth burns,
sets tender nerves aflame.

Better to look
at the dispossessed moon.

With reflected lies
she'll comfort you.

poem by Steven Federle
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Suisun Creek

Suisun Creek
flows
through
riparian forests.

Hungry trout,
liquid lightning, flash
as stonefly nymphs dart past
brooding periwinkle,
blackberry groves,

exquisitely
twisting.

poem by Steven Federle
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In the End

In the end
will my I rise
like cranes flying
through obdurate fog,
keen eyes splitting the milky sky,
swimming the windy sea
to clearer air beyond
high dawn's
looming
trees?

poem by Steven Federle
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Death Waits on the Shores of Tripoli

He scans the desert night
for apocalyptic stars
and shrieks with delight
when hurtling spears
pierce pounding hearts.

Desert sands
lust for blood;
life declines
to ancient dust.

poem by Steven Federle
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Sunset And Fog, Suisun Valley

blue haze
fast fading day
cut-paper ridges,
saw-tooth hills
scrape raw
the black maw
of space,

while pockets of fog
narrow valleys fill;
milk
for giants
in these sun-
set hills.

poem by Steven Federle
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Light, Directly Infused

Rising from the sea
death's veil
overcomes me.

Brief day fails,
fills the endless sky
with stars,

wandering planets,
moonbeams
cold and bright -

holy spirit
of faithful night.

poem by Steven Federle
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Starling Flight

Starlings whorl,
gyre curls
rise, turn, drop
to airy knot
rippling mist, round
folds, cloud
undulant

when, without warning,
they light and draw a tight
line of night
on thin wires.

poem by Steven Federle
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Angels

Angels rise to pure atmosphere
and call us to share
their freedom.

Hear how they sing
living spring
into our wintered world!

At last we rise
redeemed
to silver souls
in golden
light.

poem by Steven Federle
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Ruined

Soft and spoiled
apples cling to shifting limb,
foregoing taut skin
for molten brown,

when night winds
carry them down
to invest
with teardropp seeds
the unsuspecting
grassy ground.

poem by Steven Federle
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Fountain at San Damiano

Splashing like diamonds
water fills the bowl
spills to cool shallows
to darting larvae,
fetal tadpole.

A river falls
drawing grace
to darker pools
where pensive koi
deep waters
peruse.

poem by Steven Federle
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