Posts Tagged ‘tragedy’
La Nature du Feu
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, dark, nature, photo, regret, tragedy, wisdom
…per this week’s prompt at Big Tent Poetry, this is a gentle rewrite of a poem of mine
originally published in the 2010 RWP Anthology…
La Nature du Feu
The Nature of Fire
A Poem Using Three Lines from Norman Dubie’s “Of Politics & Art”
(the borrowed lines are italicized)
•
here
on the farthest point of the peninsula
an office building is burning
ignited [...]
The Mourning
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, dark, homage, love, memories, tragedy
The Mourning
•
the hollow wallow
aglow in the spotlight’s heat
to boast odes of praise for him
in death
who had few words of warmth for him
in life
while those who love him
pay true tribute
with searing tears
of silent grief
• • •
rob kistner © 2011
Wedges
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, dark, horror, mystery, tragedy
Wedges
•
he was slicing wedges
prepping for the night crew
when the stranger entered
walked quietly to the bar
it happened fast
no one saw him draw
the shot traumatized the patrons
no one saw his face
he vanished into the evening
before anyone comprehended
the frail thread of life
severed in a heartbeat
• • •
rob kistner © 3/1/11
…written for Magpie Tales
Panther
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Haiku, Image, Poetry, beauty, courage, dark, horror, love, memories, mystery, nature, photo, regret, tragedy
• this is the final in a series of edits of a poem I first drafted in 1997
it was born of my contempt for the barbarous act of caging wild animals in a zoo •
this final edit inspired by prompt #24 at Writer’s Island,
prompt #23 at We Write Poems,
and prompt #74 at Carry on Tuesday.
…a [...]
No First Ink
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, courage, dark, humor noir, mystery, photo, prayer, satire, stream of consciousness, suspense, wisdom
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 Taste
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Haiku, Poetry, courage, dark, haibun, horror, love, memories, mystery, prose, regret, sensuality, tragedy
This type of poem is known as a haibun, and combines prose with haiku. It is offered in response to the September 20th prompt at Big Tent Poetry.
The Taste
•
It was an embrace I’d wished had been endless, at our tearful farewell – your body supple and warm, pulsing with life.
lips lush as cognac
open softly to [...]
Mute
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, dark, love, mystery, photo, tragedy
This piece is offered in response to the September 13th prompt at Big Tent Poetry.
Mute
•
there is no half-eaten answer
with which to embellish
or to skirt the evidence
the stench of truth
permeates the debris of proof
in a swarm of crusted guilt
the orphaned child of supposition
abandoned on the dock of iniquity
impaled by the chant of sterile innuendo
wearing a temporary [...]
Believe
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, dark, love, mystery, photo, photorendering, prayer, tragedy, wisdom
This piece is offered in response to prompt #19 at We Write Poems
and in response to the visual prompt Mag 23 at Magpie Tales seen at bottom of post.
• image entitled “Weary” - colorized, digitally rendered by: rob kistner 2010
Believe
•
I’d like to make myself believe
the dream I dreamt as a young man
that we can change [...]
Final Sentinel
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, dark, horror, nature, regret, tragedy
…this piece is in response to the 20th prompt of 2010 on Writer’s Island,
prompt #232 at Sunday Scribblings,
and prompt #133 at One Single Impression…
Final Sentinel
•
I watched
as generations
moved forward
as civilization
painstakingly
progressed
set foothold
knowledge
unfolded
slowly
I observed
the millenniums
of human endeavor
as they awakened
to self-reliance
less dependent
on hive mentality
mastering machines
eliminating conflict
striving for truth
ever evolving
I saw
nature
the world
reshaped
tempered
resilient
proud
I stand tall
thrust skyward
closer to heaven
than any living thing
a [...]
Mother-less
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Poetry, art, courage, dark, horror, memories, mystery, photo, photorendering, rant, regret, tragedy, wisdom
This piece is offered in response to prompt Mag 31 at Magpie Tales
Mother-less
(bastard’s lament)
•
undesired
discarded
thrown away
though whole
sound
and useful
no matter
labeled mistake
misbegotten
unfortunate
shown the back
outside
looking in
left behind
alone
by the side
of life’s road
to endure
the harsh weather
of abandonment
tried
convicted
sentenced for life
to suffer confusion
shame
the sorrow
of the unwanted
condemned
guilty only
of the crime
of inconvenience
• • •
rob kistner © 2010
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 [...]
The Box
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Image, Short Story, action, beauty, courage, dark, dark drama, love, love story, memories, mystery, photo, regret, sensuality, suspense, tragedy, wonder
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 [...]
Old Man’s Prayer
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Image, Poetry, art, courage, dark, love, memories, mystery, philosophy, photo, prayer, regret, rhyme, tragedy, wisdom, wonder
…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
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Essay, Free Verse, Image, Poetry, Tanka, art, collage, dark, humor, humor noir, love, mystery, photo, photorendering, rhyme, science fiction, suspense, tragedy, wisdom
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
Posted by Rob Kistner | Filed under Free Verse, Image, Poetry, art, collage, courage, dark, ecstatic, joy, love, memories, photorendering, suspense, tragedy, wisdom, wonder
…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 [...]
