Author Archives: Steven Schroeder

martyrs

In a coffee shop on Michigan Avenue, a man stops and stares and shares his amazement that I am using a pen. I thought no one still… he says. Then, in a palace that was built for books, a photo … Continue reading

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Mississippian

The firmament opened near Tulsa today loosing water above to fall to water below across half of Missouri. I was ready to wait it out, blinded by water like a wall. But the sun rose again, and I drove on. … Continue reading

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flint hills

Two old roads in low fog burning on flint hills this morning while sun rises the way heat rises. Coyote scampers across the road a few miles before El Dorado, plain as day. Edges sharpen as the way leads to … Continue reading

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first thing

1 First thing: Chicago, two mallard ducks two houses down roost on a chimney to keep warm, surprised by the sudden turn to cold everyone expects in March after a taste of May they came to take for granted after … Continue reading

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remixes

If I am to believe the bright orange mug I sip my bottomless coffee from this Easter morning on Lafayette Square, “Good, good, good.”® is a registered trademark. Though I have faith that oddly plural god’s tov, tov meod was … Continue reading

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for wisława szymborska

In our planning for tomorrow, it has the final word, which is always beside the point.      -Wisława Szymborska, “On Death, Without Exaggeration” as long as I can remember death has always come in time inexplicable in a moment in the … Continue reading

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in memoriam

There is no reasonto believe orchidsin New Jersey moreelusive than sometruth about Trotsky. There are circlesthat sew truthsany one of usmight have foundinconceivable. No use waiting for a guided tourin new terrain. You aredrawn by circles of conversation. [This was … Continue reading

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first day of december

1 The Brownian motion of a mass of childrenyou might mistake for random dancingcold beside a line of still buses waiting on the first day of December. 2 A woman counting out loud to a known numberI do not know … Continue reading

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meditation on a sermon of John Donne

god could not contain himself andso he said and so it wasand then he saidthat this isgood glad of the seaglad of the earthglad of the sunglad of the moonglad of the starsglad one by one god said of every … Continue reading

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bird’s eye view

Pigeons have no idea wings meana point of view to be desired.They fly to get from here to therewithout thinking what the means implyfor vision. They fly to imaginea color world of fours divided bythree, wonder if being bound to … Continue reading

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