to the center

Photo: Brian Federle, "Night", 2014


the

beat

steady;

constant hum,

music of days to

night fading; the right note, only

song you know; sum of your days, falling, falling to night.

so

go

to the

center, to

the black place to wait

for Him. Don’t call out in fear for

there’s nobody there but you and He, so simply be

and

hear

how His song

fills your darkness with

light; smile at Him, your familiar

bright friend, and no longer will you fear your emptiness.

(23 Dec 2013)

Psalm for the 4th Sunday in Advent

In the morning mist

the coastal hills wait, 

waves fixed, sea frozen

to solid rock, 

smooth

as rippled silk.

The mountains wait too,

but, closer to the sun,

they know more, 

and do not despair.

Soon heaven

will beckon them

to proclaim His peace

and plenty

for then will the poor 

have their fill

of justice.


(24 Dec 2011; 5 Jan 2019)

Invitation

Come into my night;
the darkness is so cold
that sparrows flee
my winter trees,

so I have closed
my windows and my doors
to horde my little warmth.

Crickets will not sing delight
and stars no longer glimmer
in winter’s dreary night.

O come,
O come, Emmanuel!

I am captive and dull.
I cannot see the flashing stars
that lurk beyond the cloud.

O come into my small house
my meager fire share.

O come, and bring fierce angels
to cut away death’s empty snare!

(30 Jan 2011)

I, John

Photo: Brian Federle, Desert Sunrise, Dec. 2016


I, John, declare.

Listen!

Can you hear?

Open your eyes and see.

With outstretched hands reach and

proclaim to the world of endless strife

the Word of peace,

eternal Life!

*

ref: 1 John 1:1-4

(23 December 2011)

Advent Wreath

The pale sun, gliding low,

refuses to rise into leaden

grey skies, so bleak night

inters our sinful souls.

Oh! break out the candles

and place them around!

See how their fires

consume the dark ground.

Bouquet of flame!

devour our sins,

and ignite winter’s night

in holy conflagration.

(12/1/2010)

New Wine into Fresh Skins!

Renew me, wash me
in deeper pools open my
righteous, narrow mind,

for your wine over-
whelms, rends ancient seams, blood streams,
my weakness reveals.

Make me a new man
and I'll hold your wine within
my fresh, new-made skin.

**********************

"...nobody puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise, the wine will burst the skins, and the wine is lost and the skins too. No! New wine into fresh skins!" Mark 2:22

(19 Oct. 2012)

Leap of Faith

You decided

that you want me,

and so commanded

flashing angels

to invade my night.

With blind bliss 

to contend,

and weary with seraphic strife

I gave in:

(a pious moment

here and there,

a sign of the cross,

a whispered prayer),

until, patient Father,

in bright dreams you called

and led me high 

up your holy mountain

promising

that I will rise

and never,

never fall.

(24 Dec. 2011)

In Contemplation of Seeking

….contemplation is simply the “experience” …. of God in a luminous darkness which is the perfection of faith illuminating our inmost self….. a flash of the lightning of divinity piercing the darkness of nothingness and sin. Not something general and abstract, but something, on the contrary, as concrete, particular, and “existential” as it can possibly be. It is the confrontation of man with his God…    Thomas Merton, The Inner Experience: Notes on Contemplation

+

In my darkness I seek you

through deep caverns I run;

my dying flesh yearns for

your fierce, piercing love.

Through darkness I see

you’re glowing so bright,

but always receding,

deeper than night.

I fear that I’ll falter,

betrayed by frail will

when softly you whisper

“my child, just be still.”

(3 Dec. 2013)

Transition

The generals line-up, war-plans

in withered hands, ready to strike

the children.

But do not fear this transition!

For above the black clouds, know that He lingers,

Ready to strike!

Then will the blind see and the deaf hear.

Then will we leap for joy

As the mute break forth

In song!

Isaiah 35: 1-6A - 10.

(10 Dec 2016)

silent night

stones in darkness

the cold wind sighs.

O hear my prayer

on this silent night!

the faint breath

of waning life.