deep and still
as if spread by star clusters
it blankets
our high-mountain meadow
in crystal down
this night
fell quiet and crisp
a great white owl
echoes
through frosted cedar
we linger
and listen
entwined ‘neath winter’s window
awaiting the solstice
hush
it approaches
rob kistner © 2018
wrapped you tight
in a healing warmth
kissed away your loss
whispered my soul
into your empty spirit
took your fear
in loving hands
hurled it far far
into yesterday
stirred the dieing embers
of trust
to reignite a flame of faith
embraced your spark of life
help you nurture it
in safe shelter
’til vital yet again
feeling strength surge
a core power awaken
so you would not
extinguish it
ever again
what if
rob kistner © 2007
(revision © 2018)
~
moonlight
keeps dark at bay
pressing in
as night wind stirs
like mocking breath
of life now lost
to light-less realm
beyond the chill
encircling me
I ache
to feel
your tender touch
the warmth
but naught
my heart
cold
and empty
to remain
no emotion
save grief
apples spilled
on broken stair
where rail eluded
grasping hand
no voice came
to futile cry
those lips
will not know again
sweet fruit
nor love
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
This poem is as a 21st century haibun hybrid, and just as a traditional haibun, it combines prose with haiku. In this case 2 haiku. This particular piece features an opening free verse prose stanza, complete in its thought. A closing free verse prose stanza, also complete in its thought. Then the 5 middle free verse prose stanzas, which could stand alone as a free verse poem. The overall piece flows as a whole. The two haiku are both in italics. It is offered in response to the November 26th prompt at dVerse.
It was an embrace
I’d wished had been endless
at our tearful farewell
your body supple and warm
pulsing with life
the taste of your kiss on my lips
I passed through security
turned and fixed on your gaze
praying it was not the last time
I’d look into your beautiful eyes
I wandered dazed down the ramp
to the jet that would take me
to the fury of hell
I locked your face of love
deep in my heart
That cherished image
proved my grasp on sanity
through two years of horror
through the sting of separation
the bitter taste of war
the foul stench of death
I return this day
facing reality at 30,000 feet
the salt of sadness on my cheeks
bitter on my lips
not of my making
but I feel the guilt of war
I’m frightened to see
to touch you again
but I burn to do so
I’ve been waiting so long
I fear a kiss
from my killer’s mouth
will forever defile
your precious lips
lush as sweet cognac
that day we parted.
~ ~ ~
Imelda at dVerse asked us to address “waiting”. Waiting is a terrible component of war. Those in combat waiting every terrifyingly tense moment after tense moment, praying to remain safe and alive – and hoping they never need to kill someone. Then the soldiers excrutiating wait to go home. And the families, loved ones, and friends painfully waiting, not knowing if there loved one or friend will make it home. War is terribly unsettling waiting, interrupted from time to time, by pure unadulterated hell!
More waiting at dVerse:
https://dversepoets.com/2018/11/26/haibun-monday-waiting/
the words you’ve spoken
have left my heart broken
you say you regret it
ask me to forget it
I feel your apology token
you swear you love me
place no one above me
how can that be true
when you say what you do
leaving less and less of me
Now in tradtional iambic…
the words that you have just spoken
have left my tender heart broken
you say that now you regret it
ask me to please just forget it
but your apology’s token
you swear to the stars you love me
that you place no one above me
but how can that really be true
when you say the things that you do
words that leave less and less of me
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
Today’s dVerse prompt, from Grace, asks that we compose a Quintain. In Spanish they’re called Quintilla. I have stacked two Quintillas here, referred to in Spanish, as a Copla Real. Click below to see more at dVerse.
Weightless
move boldly through your life
be not anchored by expectations
remain ever filled with wonder
always open to miracles
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
inconceivable
that such a structure
can be so wholly engulfed
but the fire was too fierce
and the distance too great
for rescue
but what of the fury
in that single first flame
to have leapt so viciously to consume
to ravage
to devastate so absolutely
like the rage of a repressed
and violated being
too long held down
unjustly deprived
confined
all potential denied
where there is great potential
spirit squelched
where there is great spirit
sometimes a whole civilization can be dying
until finally a single incident
the spark
unleashes a righteous inferno
that has no bounds
all around the good people gather
stare in disbelief
how is this possible
out here
out here on the peninsula
not realizing that such power to combust
to blaze so brilliantly
can only be suppressed for so long
it’s always there
ready to explode
like the fury in the head of that match
and when the smoulder becomes full flame
all will burn
out here on the peninsula
and in here
at the still and protected center
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2010
revised © 2018
Get fired up at dVerse…
~
his stern face
stern smile
stern voice
stern eyes
his subtle wink
the taste of his kiss
she adores the touch
of his strong stern hands
warm sure hands
so too
she loves his cane
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
the sunset gun is readied in his grip
quicksilver moon has set a hurried course
the golden orb has wearied from its trip
all is poised, his eyes fixed on the source
gaia reaches gently, into quiet space
while he locks her broad horizons in his sight
gaia pulls a veil of stars slowly ‘cross her face
but he has one last task before its night
he must set the sky ablaze, then he can sleep
broad strokes of coral orange and crimson red
the pattern must be bold, the color deep
so he aims the sunset gun, and blasts it overhead
in a brilliant flash the heavens light with fire
in rich and vivid hues, as if burning with desire
the gumasters succeeded but tomorrow he returns
to rise the morning sun, till then the nightsky burns
Get fired up at dVerse…
I am bathed in sin
in need of love’s salvation
come sweet angel please
wrap your silken wings ’round me
sweep me off to paradise
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
As this is Thanksgiving Day in America, the undeclared celebration of overeating, thought I’d respond in kind to today’s dVerse prompt, from Grace, that we compose a Quintain. I have stacked two Quintains, in the spirit of a limerick. By definition, a humorous, frequently bawdy or tasteless verse, often of three long and two short lines rhyming aabba, popularized by Edward Lear.
YOU WERE WARNED! This is tasteless humor, but not meant to offend large individuals, as I am myself, but rather to suggest to folks like myself, to exhibit some dignity, and not go parading around in public in Spandex. As you can see from my friend pictured here – it is certainly not flattering.
it’s amazing what spandex can bind
no matter how huge the behind
they mash and they they jam it in
they grunt and they cram it in
it’s enough to make you want to go blind
then they stuff in their gigantic belly
looks just like a balloon full of jelly
then off they do waddle
thinkin’ they look like some model
to buy chocolate ice cream at the deli
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
A Clearing
often when you’re away
a calm settles over me
I’m filled with a warmth
a peace
a joy that is my love for you
the storm clouds of anger
part
the fog of life’s distractions
dissipates
the veil of pride
of insecurity
lifts
I see with great clarity
how real
my love for you
how true
my bond of fidelity
how remarkable
our relationship
how certain
I would give my life for you
in these precious moments
emotions overwhelm me
I vow I will share with you
the depth of these feelings
holding nothing back
baring all
then that fog creeps back
I am again shrouded by insecurity
by frail bruised ego
courage stumbles
precious opportunity fades
expressions of love falter
foolishly
I fall mute
so my love
forever see these words
as a clearing
where you alone can visit
to be nurtured
a private
wonderful place
you alone can go
to truly know
these treasures in my heart
____
rob kistner © 2018
~
straplened ankles fragile turned
stiletto’d rise
on carpet soft
emblazened vixen
forward bent
availed so boldly
flush with craving
graceful face
brazen aglow
comely raised and tilted back
my fingers tangled in your hair
lifting firm
yet luscious slow
swept away in lustful swoon
forearms rest on velvet sheets
eyes aflame in sapphire need
blatant in your fetched seduction
Hedone’s daughter lush with Spring
smouldering
in golden light
that folds upon you soft as satin
‘cross nape of neck
arched silk desire
down glistening back
that tempting tapers
to the tender
warm and sultry
wonderland for fingertips
to touch
and tease
and tantalize
to explore
your quivering body
soul-addictive
luscious
grand
divinely-pleasing sculpted vessel
brought forth by Aphrodite’s hand
virgin fruit swells full and ripe
flesh silhouette to hypnotize
enticing in the candle’s flicker
fondled by my hungry eyes
they stroke and tweak
the blossomed berries
that burst
engorged with passion’s heat
that taunt my tongue to twirl ’round
my teeth to nip in playful tug
draw to my lips
now lewdly moist
to take
and taste in eager suckle
willful hands
of pleasured probing
wrap slender waist
then slowly slide
‘cross pleading hips
of sensuous rise
to fall into erotic folds
molded from the charms of Venus
’round dual swells of burning myth
that writhe
atop two lathen’d stems
long and lithe
as liquid love
turned by pleasure’s gloried angels
tempered in a sacred fire
stretched taut
raised high on tips of toes
proud
defined
and goddess buff
enough to make one
want to stuff
to thrust and thrust
in randy lust
’til passion’s seed
has turned to dust
and wanton
carnal
flames
are snuffed
spring’s sweet madness
full rebuffed
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2010
(revision © 2018)
_____________________
lost meditations resurface
in these november years
reflections of mysteries once pondered
beauty beheld
of veiled truth pursued
in quiet depth
disturbed only by faint breath
beckoning me inward
to the bright center of joy
where a flutter of understanding
in a snap-flash of oneness
shudders me conscious
in shivering anticipation
of that which is not known
that which cannot be named
in the twilight of this finite
as threads of evermore
bind fast my dreams
to carry them onward
effortlessly
I gently surrender
as lost meditations resurface
in my november years
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2008
(revision © 2018)
__________________
Today for dVerse Poetics, Anmol (HA) asked us to explore desire. I opted to be inspired by sensuous music. This piece was inspired by listening to my 1974 vinyl record album entitled “Mysterious Traveler”, by Weather Report. On of the most sensuous albums ever recorded. It sets the imagination ablaze!
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 and flame
the mysterious traveler
~ ~ ~