Archive for the ‘suspense’ Category

Hope

 
Hope

I lift myself quietly
very quietly
from beneath the sheets
soiled with neglect
soaked with my nightmares
I am again awake
from another dark night
that began with fear
fear I might not survive
and ends in sorrow
realizing I did
I rise
make my way carefully
past the shallow-breathed crumple
that lay milky-eyed
in a heap on the floor
un-moving
save a twitch of the head
a head which now harbors demons
where [...]

Slithered

The Snake Charmer, Henri Rousseau, 1907
 
Slithered

ever hissing ever hissing
the smooth slithered snake
stealthily winds its slender self
to slowly settle in the shadows
to set its searching sights
on its unsuspecting prey
an ever patient sentry
coiled to seize its precious prize
with surety of purpose
this silent sleek assassin
will strike swift and certain
never missing never missing
• • •
rob kistner © 2011
• linked [...]

Clown

 
Clown

I’m the sad little clown with the frowning face
the round red nose and the great big tear
this meek facade and silly sham
belie the horror that I engineer
life’s dealt me cold my hand is slack
not one queen no king nor ace
so violence now dwells in me
masked behind my woeful face
no one suspects the evil soul
that festers [...]

No First Ink

Offered in response to prompt #136 at One Single Impression,
and in response to prompt #73 on Carry On Tuesday,
also in response to prompt #189 at Three Word Wednesday.

No First Ink


I lean upon my folded fist
cool against my temple
elbow solid on my cluttered desk
eyes droop and flicker
aflame with spoiled sleep
face slacked
head now dropped
held in my hands
heavy [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Spellbound

…this piece is in response to the 15th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island
and further inspired by prompt #14 at We Write Poems…

Spellbound


poet
you are enigma
darkness and shadow
you veil and shroud
fire and light
you incandesce
torch my essence
burn deep my soul
trouble my spirit
unsettle my being
ignite my wonder
whet my seeker’s vessel
with need
to be filled full
at once familiar
yet
exotically foreign
wonderfully strange
wrongly [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Flash Dance

…response to prompt #21 from Magpie Tales…

Flash Dance
(version 1)

like a tiny universe
of noisy
newborn stars
exploding
with sizzle
and fire
in a plethora
of vivid color
a flash dance
of vibrant sparks
showering our dewy
midnight lawn
this cacophony
of celebration
and pyrotechnical
wonders
passes in
then out of existence
in but a moment
this magical night

_____________
(version 2)

a tiny universe
of noisy
newborn stars
explodes
with sizzle and fire
a spectacle bizarre
a flash dance
of dazzling sparks
shower the heavens
in [...]

Eve’s Eyes

• In response to prompt #5 of the newly opened We Write Poems, this is a surrealistic poem I created using a technique of creative omission called erasure. I am generally not a fan of fashioning a poem to or from a form or device — but this was interesting. The original poem I [...]

Lupus Luna

…I wrote this in response to the May 31st prompt at Big Tent Poetry…

 
Lupus Luna

wolf moon hangs heavy
in the damp night sky
I feel its powerful tug
bulbous moist pearl
rolling in a cold chromium fog
forging my steely urges
hardening my unspeakable needs
wet slivers of cloud
smear themselves across its face
irregular
dappling my perverse metamorphosis
translucent sacks of moonbeams
glide the blue black [...]

Trouble Comes to Dry Gulch

• In response to the 4th prompt on the newly re-opened Writer’s Island, I introduce you to my imaginary childhood friend. In the heart of a terrified young boy, he was more than real…

Trouble Comes to Dry Gulch

you were my truest friend
my steady rock of safety
my captain of escape
you were always there
the amazing man [...]

The Key

• In response to the 3rd prompt on the newly re-opened Writer’s Island, I offer a gothic tale…
• I also offer this in response to prompt #116 at One Single Impression…

The Key


I must move quickly from this light
that pools incrementally
in this long
pungent
segmented hallway
there is some safety in the shadows
that linger tight
to the arch walls
so I [...]