Archive for the ‘gratitude’ Category
Two Moments
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, courage, family, gratitude, joy, love, memories, wisdom
These are two poems about two powerful and indelible life-moments I shared with my son Justin.
The first “Night Sky” is about the courageous moment he chose, at age fourteen, to leave his mother’s home to move across our country, to live with me in Oregon — through the years of his high school [...]
Wonder
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, beauty, courage, dreams, fantasy, gratitude, humor, joy, love, mystery, philosophy, whimsy, wisdom, wonder
Wonder
•
to grow up
is to chase off
our innocence
our naïve belief
in the world as a beautiful place
to harden against the magic
of our childhood dreams
but if by chance
we can cling to just one
perhaps we can hold on
to our precious sense of wonder
• • •
rob kistner © 2011
• photo: “Alice in Wonderland” by Yuki Valentine
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 [...]
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
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 [...]
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 [...]
Time Traveling
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, NaPoMo 2011, Poetry, gratitude, love, memories, wonder
…written for Day #16, NaPoMo 2011…
Time Traveling
•
tonight
careful hands
peel back cracked
and yellowed protectant
from dark and aging pages
soured
in long-ignored
dusty albums
my wife is liberating memories
life moments
immortalized
faces and places
call from another time
a beautiful young bride
a proud new husband
our sweet children
living
and not
family and friends
here and gone
other visuals
strangely vague
yet hauntingly familiar
draw me
spark warm recall
remembered laughter
tears gratefully less bitter
captured images
collect on [...]
Pepper Head
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Image, NaPoMo 2011, Poetry, art, dreams, fantasy, gratitude, homage, humor, introspection, joy, love, memories, music, mystery, rhyme, whimsy, wisdom, wonder
…written for Day #5, NaPoMo 2011…
Pepper Head
•
I was the walrus
the fool on the hill
I was the nowhere man
perhaps been nowhere still
but when they took the stage
and raised their voice in song
they roused my golden slumber
my spirit sang along
I strolled to strawberry fields
along sweet penny lane
and when miss Rigby died
I felt McKenzie’s pain
stowed in the submarine
and [...]
Limitless
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, courage, gratitude, homage, joy, memories, music, mystery, photo, regret, tragedy, whimsy, wisdom, wonder
…limitless talent, unfathomable spirit…
Limitless
•
• written for Writer’s Island
Equinox
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, beauty, gratitude, joy, love, mystery, nature, wonder
Equinox
•
winter’s journey ends
lengthening light bears witness
spring crests and breaks
here at the equinox
life bursts forth
poking through pliant soil
unfurling on barren branch
here at the equinox
nature stirs in song and call
celebrating new birth
sustaining the cycle
here at the equinox
my heart leaps
my spirit dances
to this rhythm of renewal
here at the equinox
• • •
rob kistner © 3/20/11
Evening Grace
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, beauty, gratitude, joy, love, music, mystery, nature, photo, sensuality, wonder
…this poem was inspired by prompt #139 at One Single Impression.
Evening Grace
•
as dusk descends
my stride holds steady
buoyed by the gentle embrace
of the downing golden sun
early shadows fall soft
vesper’s velvet blanket
drapes ’round my shoulders
envelops me in calm
there is still road to travel
eager to keep the journey
I’m drawn by the beauty
of the rising moon in sunset
coaxed by [...]
To Soar
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, american sentence, art, beauty, ecstatic, food, gratitude, joy, love, memories, music, nature, wonder
This poem is offered in response to prompt #23 for 2010 at Writer’s Island,
the Ginsberg ‘american sentence’ is offered in response to prompt #136 at One Single Impression.
To Soar
•
to feel the warmth of early spring sun
to wander through old growth
to see the sunset into the pacific
to breath in the fragrance of summer
to see joy in [...]
You & Me
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, beauty, courage, dark, gratitude, horror, joy, love, mystery, photo, photorendering, regret, rhyme, tragedy, whimsy, wisdom, wonder
…I offer this piece in response to prompt #69 at Carry On Tuesday,
and prompt #18 at We Write Poems,
also the September 6th prompt at Big Tent Poetry,
and the September 8th prompt at Three Word Wednesday…
You &Me
(a poetic quadratych)
•
The Secret
what I said was
don’t touch
go away
leave me be
while inside
I cried out
draw near
stay with me
you are light
you are [...]
Breakthrough
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Image, Poetry, courage, gratitude, joy, love, photo, prayer, rhyme, tragedy, wisdom, wonder
…this piece is in response to the 19th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island,
and offered for prompt 132 at One Single Impression,
and for prompt 231 at Sunday Scribblings….
Breakthrough
•
rise up
clad in colors of a joyful life
rebuke the strife
tilt against convention
the prevailing norm
is a toxic storm
buck the winds of rebuff
ignore the false contention
stare down the face [...]
True Work
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Haiku, Image, Poetry, Tanka, art, beauty, courage, dark, gratitude, love, mystery, nature, philosophy, photo, tragedy, wisdom, wonder
…I offer this piece in response to prompt #67 at Carry On Tuesday,
and prompt #16 at We Write Poems,
also the August 23rd prompt at Big Tent Poetry,
and the August 25th prompt at Three Word Wednesday,
and prompt #18 at Writer’s Island,
and finally prompt #131 at One Single Impression…
______________
AUTHOR”S NOTE: I had this incomplete 3-year-old draft of [...]
