I saw the latest Harry Potter movie today. That viewing, for some reason, inspired me to offer this image and verse as my post.
Author’s note: Welcome to my nightmare!
THE NIGHTMARE
•
Dark laid and down, with drum-thrummed head,
steep-steers the black nocturnal nest,
perversely born fantazury,
fresh hatch this night’s menagerie.
Scream-bringing hoard of twisted truth,
zoom-zooming in this blue-black world,
called forth to gorge in ghastly feast,
first stir, they roust then gore the beast.
Distressing visions overflow,
stabbing with a brain-jolt pierce,
disgusting curiosities,
brute-flung to hideousity.
jerk and lunge these soul-cleaved demons,
death scratch-scratching through doomsday’s door.
Perverted serendipity,
they swarm in horrorifity.
Flaying bone-toed my synapses,
hell’s fleshless hounds devour my peace.
Mind-ghouls shake and shiver me.
Oh gentle morne, deliver me.
…
rob kistner © 2007
________________
The artwork for “The Nightmare” is a disturbing image. Look into its center and you will see the wicked and hideous scream-bringing hoard coming quickly, zoom-zooming up out of the blue-black world of hell. The style is abstract-fantasy, and was created by my son, Justin Kistner.
Love the creation of words in there (in particular fantazury).
Horrendous beast but great poem.
Nathalie
Nathalie –
Creating the ‘new’ words was fun, and they seem to ring true.
Glad to offer a little scare! 😉
Hi Rob — This will probably give me nightmares — it’s 12:30 in the morning here and I’m about to (try) to go to sleep! Seriously though, your poem is incredible. The way you phrased words and created other ones is genius, and the violent actions/verbs are ghoulishly powerful.
Your son’s art is truly amazing, too — like a Dante’s inferno mandala!
very effectively nightmarish!
montrously beautiful. Ghoulish images in there perfectly done..
Yes, a nightmare of epic proportions, wonderfully told. The art is beautiful too, in a dark, terrible way.
Shiver! That’s very compelling, Rob. I love “horrorifity” – what a great word!
Nice job Justin!
The poem reminds me that one person’s nightmare is another person’s reality these days
you’ve captured the potent energy of words in your use of them. awesome!
ps- i’m going to work on a blogroll for my poetry blog and hope it’s ok i’m adding you. 🙂
Terrific. Frightening. Word perfect. I’m glad there are 12 hours of light before I try to sleep!
Clare –
Thank you… you are generous as always!
My son thanks you as well.
Sweet dreams, my friend… 😉
Juliet –
Thank you, I’m pleased it affected you!
Gautami –
Thank you my friend!
I hope the writing of this piece has finally purged some of these images from my subconscious mind — once and for all time… 😉
Tara –
Thank you, on behalf of myself and my son!
I, like you, find this piece of art wonderfully engaging, and deeply disturbing… but utterly fascinating.
Hedwyg –
Thank you, you are most kind with you compliments!
I am very drawn to and affected by sound, including the sound of words. These seemed to roll naturally off my tongue as I was writing this piece. Don’t think they’ll make Webster’s though… 😉
Ascender –
I thank you, and my son Justin thanks you!
I felt Justin’s art piece supported perfectly my poem. They are now forever married in my mind.
Anni(e) –
I appreciate your very kind words!
Please feel free to link to Image & Verse, thank you for doing so… 😉
Sue –
Thank you so very much!
I do hope you sleep well. I find reading always helps me fall asleep. Perhaps a little Stephen King… 😉
Harry Potter must have torn you up :-). Good work!
Dani –
Thank you!
I think the visuals of the film somehow sparked my subconscious memories of nightmares past? And I hope they remained past… 😉
jeez! I’d be afraid to go to sleep! Between the picture and the words, you’ve created a vivid dream!
Pauline –
I appreciate your kind words!
Yes, sleeping can sometimes be an adventure… 😉
Your son would be proud of what you did here. I’m seeing a very talented family here. “Skinless hounds” was a scary image.
Tammy –
Thank you very much!
I am very proud of my son Justin’s creativity… 😉
Most of his portfolio of abstract art was created a decade ago, while he was still in his late teens and early 20’s. The demands of his career since his graduation from college, have drawn him away from his muse. I keep encouraging him to again create art for his portfolio, but he is deeply immersed right now in creating interactive projects for his clients.
I am going to pull a reasonable selection of Jus’s art together, and create a post to feature it here on Image & Verse.
Rob,
It continues to amaze the grotesque images and plays the human mind is capable of creating. This poem, excellent in every way, describes a nightmare in all it frightening realness.
rel
Rel –
Thank you my friend!
The mind is a thing, far more complex, I feel, than we have yet to comprehend… or likely will ever understand — because I don’t believe an entity cannot fully realize itself.
Perhaps that is the ‘god’ essence?
Goodness! How dark, mysterious and lovely! You use such wonderful guttural sounds that lend to the nightmarish tone of the poem. Nicely done!
Holly –
Thank you!
The ‘sound’ of the words in this piece was as important as the meaning — in some cases, more important, as I invented words for their sound.
I am pleased it impacted you…
Love it!
Alex –
Thanks dude… 😉