“Darkness came, full of moths and beetles. I was oppressed by the velvety emptiness…” – Laurie Lee
shrouds — choking in tight
cold as an old tundra witch
charred as sooted slag pitch
the foreboding ice moon
stabs a sliver of gloom
through the heart of the trees
where I tremble on my knees
trapped in unanchored dreams
my forsaken soul screams
lost in a tangle of fears
I am adrift on my tears
smothered by this emptiness
rigored by my loneliness
this void smuggles my breath
I pray for sleep — deep as death
rob kistner © 2019
Tundra Witch
Hi! I’m Edgrrr, rob’s shih tzu.
Rob, this has got to be the darkest, and scariest poem I’ve seen you write. It strikes a chill in my bones. You went to a dark place to retrieve this!
From time to time Lisa, my inner demon pokes his dark head up. He was created in my childhood, but I ride herd on him almost always. But every now and then I need to purge the vitriol, lest I choke on it.
adrift on my tears…that captures emotion so well. You’ve also captured the dark.
Sp glad this resonated for you Kerfe! 🙂
We all have experienced some dark night of the soul and wished to sleep in death…powerfully written, the angst is palpable.
Life gets heavy at times Lynn, but we go forward with courage.
this reminds me of Leonard Cohen line – ” you want it darker” as you certainly took LL into the depths here – your choice of rhymes are very good and do not hinder at all – I especially like the more unexpected adjectives
“trapped in unanchored dreams
my forsaken soul screams
lost in a tangle of fears
I am adrift on my tears”
Glad you found your way into this prompt after all – thanks for joining
I appreciate your kind words Laura. I love Cohen and like the focus of that dark song.
“You want it darker
We kill the flame
I struggled with some demons
They were middle class and tame”
You are welcome. I was eager to find the thread of inspiration I needed. There was so much to choose from, and I have always analyzed things to a pulp. If there is a lot to examine, I cant put it down until I have found the satisfaction. Got a bit of ADD and OCD mixed in there I believe. I found my path into Lee, but it was darker than I expected. Although, I have to admit, I find it equally enjoyable to write dark, as it is to write love. I like visual poems of natural place and atmosphere the best. Gary Snyder is my favorite poet. Well, I have jabbered on here Laura. I liked the challenge you gave us this week, thanks… 🙂
Beautiful imagery and your squeamishness is evident but your alchemy transformed LLs prose so well!
Thank you Kate! Creepy crawlies in my sleep have always gotten to me. When I am awake, no big deal. I walk away. But I am trapped in my dreams.
This is powerful writing, which conveys the mood so well. Well done, Rob.
Thank you Sherry! I was inspired by the line from the Laurie Lee poem which introduces this post. It is dark so I carried it darker. It was liberating to write this piece, appealing to a dark place that is implanted in me deeply sincd my youth, and which I knowingly keep suppressed. But at times I find it quite therapeutic to purge it through my writing, especially my poetry. It permits me to hold it up, look at it, and acknowledge — yes it is still there, yes it is still dark, and yes I still do and must control of it. It does not control me. I know because I can and I do now write about love, joy, beauty, and wonder. Those four concepts and related emotions were not readily available to me in my youth. My adoptive father, who has long passed and whom I so miss and love dearly, kept me connected to them by encouraging and supporting my now richly cultivated imagination — showing me how to use its creativity to recognize, express, and control the fear and anger associated with this darkness. As I began maturing, his untiring love and guidance planted the seeds that enabled me to learn to re-embrace them effectively. Now the light is fully as much a part of my soul as the darkness, and in healthy balance. It does occasionally haunt me, but I deal with it in those periods, and do not allow it to seriously leak out, and impact those around me — most especially the ones I love.
Rob, this is so dark and foreboding. Well done!
Thank you Linda. I enjoy dark, in my poetry and my chocolate… 🙂
This is so very dark… the use of a winter night really gives the right mood for depressive thoughts.
Glad this worked for you Björn!
The first stanza is so awesome – tundra witch and slag pitch (!!) and the ending where we just want to curl up … I also really admire the rhyme.
Thank you Margaret, I genuinely appreciate your gracious words! I have now included an image of a Tundra Witch with the piece.