Beast of Verse

Poetry, so too music, are the best, highest level of the human mind,
expressed by the sacred voice of the soul.


Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Beast of Verse” by: rob kistner © 1/9/24

 

A beast of verse
a seeker of my soul’s expression
stalker of the proper
the perfect turn of phrase

poetry’s ever my obsession
ever my prize

it haunts me
taunts me
relentlessly I seek it

in the voice of a breeze
stirring the trees
in forest high canopies

in the rustle of leaves
and dried conifer needles
underfoot
hiking

in the drumming
of my footfalls
on old growth root chambers


Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Root Chamber Rhythms”
by: rob kistner © 1/9/24

in the crackle
of a chill
still
late night
campfire

in the cries
calls
chuffs
growls
and belling
of wild nature

it arrives in the roar
of the pacific ocean

rolling waves
crashing on a rocky shore

or relentlessly pounding
sheer cliff facades
that flank
the coast

soaring skywardy
from the ocean floor

it reveals itself
surprising
in a captured glimpse
of the midnight moon
rising


Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Midnight Moon Rising”
by: rob kistner © 1/9/24

in the shimmered beams
of golden sunlight
drifting down dreamlike
to fire the forest clearing

it is the song
of the soul
played to the music
of the spheres
in the chords of truth
that every angel hears

it floats
between the notes
of a mellow jazz tune

and in the mist
that veils the
early AM moon

it murmurs in the ripples
lapping my drift boat
as I fish
afloat
a high mountain lake
seeking my take

it comes enwrapped
in the sounds
that abound
in pacific northwest
wilderness


Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Quiet Contemplation”
by: rob kistner © 1/9/24

it comes unbidden
quietly hidden
dancing elusively
in and out of my thoughts

it comes in the quiet
of warm firelight
deep in the night
when all else
has fallen away

I reach out
to embrace it
in the hope
it will stay

it whispers to me
drawing me deeper
into the mystery
of it all

I hear it call
coaxing me to the edge
of almost comprehension

yet leaving me aglow
needing to know
in brilliant bewilderment
warm in the embrace
of bewitching wonderment

a beast of verse
compelled to write


Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Compelled To Write”
by: rob kistner © 1/9/24

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rob kistner © 2024

Poetry at: dVerse

 


26 thoughts on “Beast of Verse”

  1. I’m speechless, Rob, the mixing of the concrete and mystical call of the “beast of verse,” the relentless drive to poetry, is powerful. Where do I start? Every stanza conjures a resonant image, but I was especially struck (dumb) by “in the drumming/of my footfalls/on old growth root chambers,” “in the cries/calls/chuffs/growls/and belling/of wild nature,” and “it murmurs in the ripples/lapping my drift boat/fishing/a peaceful mountain lake.” The compulsion towards mystery, discovery, and wonder and a measure of comprehension is so appealingly rendered. Simply brilliant, Rob.

    1. Thank you so much Dora. I am humbled by your gracious words. This was me embracing both my love nature and my love of poetry, so it was a pleasure to write my friend… 🙂

  2. A beast of the mind, raging with words from wild nature to expand into your hands and your pen… mangificient.

  3. A beautiful beast of a poem, Rob, its muscles rippling with imagery. I love the phrase ‘stalker of a perfect phrase’ and the lines:
    ‘in the drumming
    of my footfalls
    on old growth root chambers’
    and
    ‘it reveals itself
    surprising
    in a captured glimpse
    of the midnight moon
    rising’.

  4. Beast / Verse ~ how often have I felt that frustration, nearing anger. How dare you verse become my beast I shout!!! This is an amazing reaction to the challenge.

    1. Thank you Kerfe… 🙂 …the natural world is my muse. There is very little that is inspiring about the human hordes that are cities. In these days, cities seem mostly violent, discordant, diseased piles of disagreeable homo sapiens — no thanks.

  5. I like that you’ve included poetry’s movement all around us (drifting down, floating), especially the repeated idea of poetry rising, and find this an interesting insight into your writing. I especially enjoy/relate to these lines:

    “stalker of the proper
    the perfect turn of phrase”

    “soaring skyward
    from the ocean floor

    it reveals itself”

    “I hear it call
    coaxing me to the edge
    of almost comprehension”

  6. Rob I love how you characterize yourself as a beast on the prowl for verse in your favorite hunting ground. Have you seen that netflix show, “Alone” yet? I’m watching it right now and your poem immediately brings it to mind.

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