Archive for the ‘Free Verse’ Category
October
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, beauty, food, gratitude, homage, love, mystery, nature, photo, prose, wisdom, wonder
NOTE: To celebrate this day, I have re-published this piece I originally wrote in 2008.
It is entitled “October”.
___________________________
October is upon us, as we enter our autumn season here in the Pacific Northwest. The cycle of renewal will begin in western Oregon, where I live. The summer’s dry period has ended, and agricultural irrigation has [...]
Images - a ten year vigil
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, courage, dark, dark drama, homage, horror, introspection, love, memories, photo, prayer, regret, tragedy, wisdom
…lest we ever forget
Images
•
images
unreal
unfathomable images
the graceful glide
engulfed by the spire
in a roar of golden orange
horribly beautiful
perversely mesmerizing
obscene
devastating images
torrents of humanity
raining down
desperation their only escape
masses of humanity
racing
to outrun the unbelievable
praying
to be delivered from the inconceivable
traumatic images
shrines of free commerce
consumed
by the unbearable weight
of their fragile significance
plummeting to earth
in a cloud of self-destruction
heartbreaking images
screaming
dazed
terrified souls
consumed
by the unbearable weight [...]
Disappearing
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, dark, philosophy, regret, wisdom
Disappearing
•
I now move in the world unseen
I am transparent
a fading glimpse
caught in the darkened corner
of an ever dimming eye
where once I blocked the sun
I am but a shadow
moving between shadows
at the edge of light
without form
once a voice
that thundered ‘cross the distance
called all near to listen
in doing so was heard
now hardly just a whisper
my footsteps
shook the [...]
Bogged
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, courage, dreams, ecstatic, mystery, regret, wisdom, wonder
Bogged
•
that’s the thing about ruts
the longer we remain bogged
the harder it is to escape
•
stopping is no option
to lose the way
is to keep going
keep moving forward
lest one be rutted in uncertainty
rigid with the rigor of fear
bogged down in despair
paralyzed
stalled in hopelessness
the giving in
the giving up
caught in anguish
the rot that sets
with the loss of wonder
when grip lets [...]
Spared
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, dark, joy, mystery, photo
Spared
•
how I do long
for the damp dreary days
of deep december
when my fallen face
of melancholy
is commonplace
when no one intrudes
to question what’s the matter
because all around
are caught up in the blues
oh if only
you could find it
in your heart
to forgive
this sadly lost
and broken man
who much too late
understands he was a fool
and in his sorrow
understands why you refuse
but how [...]
Vanished
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, dark, regret
Vanished
•
and he saw them leaving
and he opened his mouth in farewell
but only dust escaped
and broken dreams
and a spoiled promise
from long ago
left too long on the shelf
so he raised his hand
to gesture a wave
but he was rigid
and could not
and they did not hear him
and they did not see him
for he had already vanished
• • •
rob kistner [...]
By These
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, introspection, wisdom
By These
•
melancholy’s grey
the black of loss
fear’s dark ebony
the violet of regret
the purples of pain and anger
sorrowful blues
peaceful greens
golden joy
laughter’s bright amber
love’s ruby red
the scarlet of passion
the white of knowledge
painted by the brush of time
these are the colors
of my life
blended in the palette
that defines my essence
by these
you know me
• • •
rob kistner © 2011
• linked at [...]
Marked
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, gratitude, memories
Marked
•
time has etched a patina
on the heart of the sun
and marked my soul
with the scars of love and loss
equally deep
equally cherished
• • •
rob kistner © 2011
• linked at Magpie Tales
Sea Song
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, art, beauty, courage, dark, love, memories, mystery, nature, prayer, regret, tragedy
• this poem linked at Writer’s Island and One Single Impression
Sea Song
•
sad she comes
everyday
to these empty shores
on wings of memory
to serenade this sea
a song of longing
bowed on strings
of a broken heart
mournful for the one
lost to these silent fathoms
her tears
steady as the mists
relentless swept away
by these cold
indifferent waves
only they
know where her lover lies
so everyday she comes
taunted [...]
And So
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, beauty, erotic, love, memories, mystery, photo, sensuality, wisdom, wonder
And So
•
and so
I think of her
and wonder
what was the fire
that burned so bright
and raged so fierce
as to consume complete
our essence
embered char
smoldered ashen
that in its heat
and fury
could not sustain
and I fall upon
the tender strains of youth
the satin skin
the comely gaze
the velvet touch
a silken voice
rising
to lust and longing
to impatience
to immortality
its soulful siren
seductive
the nectar of all forbidden
the moaning [...]
The Sync
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, collage, courage, dark, mystery, philosophy, wisdom, wonder
The Sync
•
connection
to make contact
searching for the sync
the heart of the matter
in this solitary journey
from womb to tomb
a stranger
on the bus of days
seeking distraction
chatting them up
to suppress
the voice of isolation
immersed in the small talk
of love
and accomplishment
to drown
the incessant murmur
of alienation
the chant of abandonment
ever there to remind
that we board alone
to make our way
toward an enigmatic destination
clinging
to a [...]
Scorched
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, art, collage, dark, regret
Scorched
•
the landscape
losing its gild
mottles
in gunmetal grays
fractured storm clouds
churn
in huddling menace
brightened breezes
that sizzled in the aspens
build
buffeted by the angry front
thrashing
into brittling winds
the world
tumbles towards darkness
my heart
shudders in deep shadow
mourning love’s devastation
scorching words
bite and sting
where they sizzle still
blistering my careless tongue
would that it rain
drown the lands
that I might
turn my face to the sky
flood my foolish mouth
charred by [...]
Heartfire (redux)
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, beauty, erotic, gratitude, homage, joy, love, memories, music, mystery, sensuality, stream of consciousness, wisdom, wonder
…I did a gentle edit and rewrite of this poem from a year ago,
in response to the May 2nd prompt at Big Tent Poetry…
HeartFire
•
the velvet nape
of your slender neck
swept with wisps
of silken hair
the tender swell
of your pouted lips
blossomed full
in comely glisten
your quiet sighs
of smouldered passion
hushed and low
in twilight deep
sterling moonlight
that fondles you
in slumber nude
‘neath midnight’s [...]
Breathless
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, beauty, homage, memories, nature, wonder
Breathless
…inspired by Dean Koontz’s “Twilight Eyes”…
•
across the chasm of time
and great distance
memories unfold
like elaborate origami sculptures
I see soaring ramparts
of sky-piercing mountains
forested tier upon tier
with enormous sitka spruce
scattered brewers
known as the weeping spruce
the most beautiful of the conifer
whose branches in summer
display sunlight
as a jeweler’s velvet
showcases gems
the whispers
of wind-stirred
lawson cypress
towering ponderosa pine
and douglas fir
waft down emerald climbs
tangerine-scented [...]
Fret Not
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, NaPoMo 2011, Poetry, courage, gratitude, homage, introspection, mystery, philosophy, wisdom, wonder
…written for Day #30, NaPoMo 2011…
Fret Not
•
people are consumed
by endings
speak of their finality
their permanence
their absoluteness
but I say no
in this age of recycling
repurposing
sequels
syndication
spin-offs
botox
rogaine
viagra
endings are not absolute
eventually inevitable
but in that
they are not so special
not unique
beginnings
these are unique
these are absolute
they only happen once
they are not inevitable
not guaranteed
they require a complex
independent
set of variables
to come together
perfectly timed
properly executed
and in that
they [...]
