Archive for the ‘mystery’ Category

The Box

This piece is offered in response to prompt Mag 29 at Magpie Tales,
and the August 25th prompt at Three Word Wednesday,
and prompt #18 at Writer’s Island.

The Box
…a short story of intrigue…

“What do you mean Taylor,” Gwen inquired, the strain obvious in her weary voice. “Who exactly is going to confront Dylan… and why?”
Her voice trailed [...]

True Work

…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 [...]

Clarion Stones

…this piece is in response to the 17th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island,
and offered for prompt 130 at One Single Impression,
and for prompt 229 at Sunday Scribblings….

• photo of stacked stones above from Inkwell Whispers

Clarion Stones

all those years ago
in the time of dangers
they were placed in secret
as a silent beacon
in the realm of night
waiting [...]

Old Man’s Prayer

…this piece is in response to the 16th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island,
and visual prompt Mag 27 at Magpie Tales (see image at bottom),
also offered for prompt 129 at One Single Impression,
and for prompt 228 at Sunday Scribblings….

Old Man’s Prayer


successful as a younger man
the grind became my home
and I a conduit of worry
could I [...]

Machine Mind

This post is offered in response to prompt #14 at We Write Poems,
the August 9th prompt at Big Tent Poetry,
the August 11th prompt at Three Word Wednesday,
and prompt #65 at Carry On Tuesday.

“…scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could,
they didn’t stop to think if they should…”
Dr. Ian Malcolm

Machine Mind

you wink awake at [...]

Still

This piece is offered in response to prompt Mag 26 at Magpie Tales

Still

it sits
still
atop the corner
of our garden wall
just where she left it
how many lilies
did it nourish
how many fuscia
lilac
rose
and morning glory
did it quench
it dispensed its
life giving waters
so gracefully
in her hand
such a delicate hand
gentle in its task
of planting new growth
but rugged on the weeds
that threatened her [...]

Blood Moon

This piece is offered in response to prompt Mag 25 at Magpie Tales,
prompt #13 at We Write Poems,
and the August 2nd prompt at Big Tent Poetry.

Blood Moon

icy round
the wolf’n eye
soft and round
the riding breast
roundness
in the grande dame’s fear
a circle round
the blood moon’s crest
there are lies
within that circled moon
that surround
this cruel charade
they gather
and collect the [...]

What is / Continuum Redux

…I wrote this pair of poems inspired by the ‘We Write Poetry’ prompt #12…

What Is

yesterday is money spent
a corner turned
the choice that’s made
the tear that’s shed
the sentence spoken
the breath exhaled
the fuel consumed
it’s burned to ash
today is influence
momentum moving
the raindrop falling
hands on the wheel
the river flowing
the voice that’s singing
it’s face to face
it’s real time
tomorrow is [...]

Burn

…in response to the 13th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island, I offer a piece I wrote inspired by Joni Michell’s album entitled “Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter”. Embedded in this work is the title of every track that appears on that album / also for prompt #126 ‘Angel’ at One Single Impression…

Burn


come to me
talk [...]

The Quiet • The Strike

…I’ve written two pieces in response to Three Word Wednesday July 21st prompt • the first is entitled “The Quiet” • the second is entitled “The Strike”…

The Quiet

left like spent bait
in the disapproving sun
to rot from apathy
the carcasses of constituents
foolishly quiet
curl brittle and crack
victims of their trust
they did not jump
their chance for change
and so they [...]

Ardor

This piece is offered in response to visual prompt Mag 23 at Magpie Tales (shown below the poem).

Ardor

eyes dark and deep as nile nocturne
scorching as nubian sundance
this blackthorn rose
is the secreted passion
the sultry jungle goddess
inscribed in the book of ardor
fired in molten scarlet
woman forged of earthen bronze
ablaze in the sensual dreams
of writhing midnight
she is smoke [...]

Stream

…I wrote this free verse poem in a single-draft, stream of consciousness, surrealistic spirit, with minimum edits, inspired by the ‘We Write Poetry’ prompt #11 — hence the title.
I then re-imagined it from a steganograhic perspective, and added the flash fiction prologue, so as to also offer it in response to the July [...]

Always Options

…in response to the 10th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island, I offer a perspective on perspective…

Always Options


he came upon divergent ways
that stretched beyond the road he’d trod
he would go forth this was his mind
but had no notion which way that was
the pathway left was sparse with step
the roadway right was traveled plenty
leaning low to [...]

No Longer Imagine

…in response to the 9th prompt on the newly re-opened Writer’s Island, I offer a perspective on love…
…but first a short verse I wrote inspired by prompt #8 at We Write Poems…

see feel hear touch breath live
life is a sensual garden
no longer imagine

No Longer Imagine


I can no longer imagine
the heat of the red rock desert
soothing [...]

Extinction’s Shadow

…these are rewrites of prior drafts, edited fresh for the June 21st prompt at Big Tent Poetry
and strongly influenced by prompt #7 at We Write Poems…

Extinction’s Shadow

smothered by big oil
our blue planet is dying
greed’s shadow falls hard

future is mortgaged
to petrochemical lust
fatal addiction

mankind is drowning
in a flood of fossil fuel
black tide of folly
• • •
rob kistner [...]