Image & Verse

Like drizzled honey
the sun through the treetops
paints the tall conifers
that embrace our meadow
in golden warmth

in that moment
my thoughts drift to you
and the tall ships in Beaufort Harbor

their massive sails aglow
painted in sunset shadows
their masts and riggings
set in fired relief

you had commented how the patterns
reminded you
of abstract charcoal sketches
the artist in you
always interpreting your world

this day
sunshine makes radiant your gentle face
your green eyes sparkle

I reflect back once more
to seeing you squinting in those rays
of that past North Carolina evening

your smile
had shone brighter than the sun

I remember staring
captivated
watching your eyes dance
among the docks and ships
in that beautiful little harbor
that unfolded like a still life before us

mesmerized
I had watched your lips
sculpting your words
in gentle excitement

you’d said yes
accepting the engagement ring
I offered you
there by the tall ships

I had wished that moment
would last forever
knowing that it would not
could not

it was a singular precious moment
anchored forever in time

here now
on this anniversary evening
my thoughts amble sweetly
back through time

I find a joyful peace
lying here with you
in the cuddled light
of this sunset-drenched meadow

my heart adrift
long ago
in the deep harbors
of my memories

*
rob kistner © 1/17/25

Poetry at: dVerse

After your leaving footsteps long were silent
after the open front door caught no goodbye
after your front porch shadow faded away

after all our hope just imploded
after all our joy became a memory
after penetrating sadness collected day upon day

after the promises echoed hollow
after the dreams blurred to empty grey
after our days of passion had become the past

after the taste of regret grew ever bitter
after the loneliness mercilessly mounted
after sands in the glass spilled away to the last

what was once love’s rich blaze
had burned through the fodder
sadly all that remains is ash and char

our vision was most beautiful
our intention honest and real
its brightness so intense it burned out like a star

I did not know your leaving would set my soul ajar
I did not know your gone would be so final and far
I did not know love could become a haunting quiet
I did not know how deeply this silence would scar
 

Unknown artist — maybe Edward Hopper

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Gone”
(in Hopper style) by: rob kistner © 1/14/25
 

*
rob kistner © 1/14/25

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surreal art: “We” by: rob kistner © 12/3/24
 

Uplifting dreams for each other
our hearts joined — lover to lover
steadfast — we will prevail

in shadows — keep light shining
keep our love’s strength entwining
our dreams won’t derail

hands joined — journeying on
beyond darkness — we’ll greet the dawn
forever we — you and me

*
rob kistner © 12/3/24

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Being Right Is Lonely” by: rob kistner © 1/10/25

 
Once my truth was my only guide
a rigid compass of steadfast pride
my wisdom I wielded like a spear
to vanquish doubt — settle my fear
in every debate I sought to prove
that my rightness surely would move
your beating heart to my love train
fallacies squelched — truth maintained
to prove correct was my ironclad creed
the flawless path for our love to succeed

now I see my flaw in final glance
the hollow triumph of circumstance
my being right did break our bond
a bridge destroyed – a faith undone
the truth is cold — barren of care
its sharp precision a lethal rapier
to listen — to feel — truly connect
outweighs the pride of being correct
my insistent being right proved my fallacy
your tender heart broken — ironclad shut to me

 

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Lover’s Accusation”
by: rob kistner © 1/10/25

*
rob kistner © 1/10/25

Poetry at: dVerse

 
Even in chaos nature finds balance
violent floods beget fertile fields
one thing ends — another begins
when life insists death yields

life is a cycle of birth and death
untamed wildfire creates forest ash
the ashen remains nurture growth again

forged in the fires of living
born is the miracle of expanding life
one thing ends — another begins
nothing beautiful comes without struggle

hammered from the pain of learning
emerges the power of wisdom
it is there in the teaching hand

evolution is not a revolution
it is the byproduct of time
one thing ends — another begins
nature ever seeks the best design

in between the was and will be
is the chaos realm of rearrange
the molten crucible of change

one thing ends — another begins
in the caterpillar lives the butterfly
one thing ends — another begins
now and forever the Mandala spins

 


Original DDE™ surreal art: “Great Mandala — Still / Moving”
by: rob kistner © 1/8/25

*
rob kistner © 1/9/25

Poetry at: dVerse

Poetry at: dVerse

*
rob kistner © 1/7/25

Poetry at: dVerse

 
We will never lose vision
never let our soul dream die…

though they come
the hands without faces
the voices without logic
without truth

the ones who poison
the pristine air
to blind our sight

who turn our rivers
of communication
to shards of pointed glass
and tell us it is progress

reeking of entitlement
they do not knock

they seep through the walls
quiet as shadow
binding us with silk
that feels like comfort

we are taught to love the sameness
to celebrate the gray
while the fire in our chests
grows cold and hard

a stone
we no longer remember swallowing

they whisper to us
in a voice
that sounds like our own
over and over

…you are safer this way
you are cleaner
you are clearer
you are chosen
you are one…

and so we march
eyes forward

vital vibrant thoughts
funneled into neat canals

death ditches

where they are picked-off
systematically
helplessly
easily

the world around us
a hollow hum

even the stars
once sharp and burning
blur into a single smear
of fallowed light

but some nights
in the deep black
between their laws
and their lies
someone remembers

not a word —
a feeling
raw and jagged
like a thorn
caught in the soul

it whispers
there was more…
you were more…
remeber…

they cannot kill
what they do not understand

the lone sparks
of smoldering disgust

our hands
that claw at the sky

out voices
that crack the silence —

they rise
strange and terrible
dripping with the dark
heaped upon them

like gods
pulled from the earth
transfigured

yet…

still too
they come
with their rules
their chains
made of dead ideas

to scrape the truth
from our bones

let them try…

we will rise
in the ruins of their perfection
a tide of broken mirrors
reflecting only what they fear to see

that we are many
that we are their chaos
that we are truth
that we are infinite

…relentless…

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Changin’ Time’s”
by: rob kistner © 12/20/24

*
rob kistner © 12/20/24

Poetry at: dVerse

 
The great wheel of time
rises up through fog of history
midst missed-moments meadow
silhouetted by grey of mystery

this great wheel of time
turns ever slow and steadily
its fluid mass unstoppable
it revolves onward mightily

outlives the mortal mountain
bears the burden of potentially
sees ages and civilizations
borne and razed eventually

our frail lifetimes ride this wheel
how far — is not for us to see
with faith and fate, ’round we go
orbiting bold toward our destiny

as ever fragile temporal beings
of a most truly amazing bravery
we choose to dream of a tomorrow
for which there is no guarantee

though circling toward this future
of veiled and vague contingency
still, on we whirl — and dare to love
despite this vast uncertainty
enjoying the amazing mind-blowing ride
the sensations the emotions the mystery

*
rob kistner © 12/10-12/24

Poetry at: dVerse

Poetry at: dVerse OLN

 
Born to a pearl-grey morning
now nodding goodby
in golden twilight

that frantic
wonderful
precious chaos
that was my life

done…

this madman
ready to shatter
into a million shards
of shining light
shoot through the universe
n’reshuffle to pure energy…

(((bang!)))

…stardust again

*
rob kistner © 12/9/24

Poetry at: dVerse

I
want to
do my best
make an effort
to make no mistakes
counting the syllables
making sure I’m accurate
because I want this to be right
something I can truly be proud of
for today as well as for the future
so now
that’s done

 
—<§>—

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Hmmmph”
by: rob kistner © 12/5/24

*
I
am
…
yes
…
most
happy
…
almost
…
obeying
creative
direction
accurately
stubbornly
herniatingly
articulatedly
transfluxuated
||
OK
)(
SURE

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Say Wha..”
by: rob kistner © 12/5/24

 
—<§>—

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Kiss Me My Love ”
by: rob kistner © 12/5/24

 
OH
you are
my true love
my reason why
my morning sunrise
my brightly shining star
it’s in you I found my truth
you are the one guiding my heart
sparking my purpose to move forward
in you I have discovered life’s meaning
thank you
my always
 
—<§>—

 

Original DDE™ surreal art:
“Now That’s Just Too Far! ” by: rob kistner © 12/5/24

* * *
rob kistner © 12/5/24

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Regal Rag Man” by: rob kistner © 11/28/24

 
Rags-ole-iron, he called out loudly
rags-ole-iron, rolling down our road
collecting scraps of post World War II
gathered this’n’that in a recycled load

he had a slow n’steady way about him
from where he came — I never knew
he always seemed to me quite magical
a TV enchantment that had come true

he was such a mystery to this young boy
tattered mad-hatted wizard from the past
I’d hear his call echo between the houses
I’d rush to watch Freddie Freeloader pass

his horse clippity-clopped along the pavement
his bulged bounty clicked n’clacked n’clattered
he walked out of my TV then into my memory
always knew Fred’s mys’try mission mattered

time-to-time he still passes by in my memory
rumbling down that misty street of long ago
was it Mr. Freeloader who’d shuffled by me…
that boy from ‘52 prefers to imagine it was so

Red Skelton’s iconic 1952 B&W TV character, Freddie Freeloader

*
rob kistner © 12/3/24

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Fall Feast” by: rob kistner © 11/28/24

 
Got the turkey on the table
we’ll eat as much as we’re able
and sautéed green beans — man oh man
stuffing is a really big hit
sweet corn – can’t get enough of it
mashed taters made the dinner plan
we’ll wrap it up with punkin’ pie
rich whipped cream piled high as the sky
food porn with good wine — such a fan!

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Pumpkin Custard Cinnamon Chocolate Pie”
by: rob kistner © 11/28/24

*
rob kistner © 11/28/24

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Regal Rag Man” by: rob kistner © 11/28/24

 
Rags-ole-iron, he called out loudly
rags-ole-iron, his cart rolled our road
collecting scraps of post World War II
gathered in a this’n’that recycled load

he had a slow n’steady way about him
from where he came — I never knew
he always seemed quite magical to me
like some enchantment had come true

he was such a mystery to this young boy
tattered mad-hatted wizard from the past
I’d hear his call echo between the houses
I’d rush wonder-filled to watch him pass

his wheels rumbled quietly on the pavement
his piled bounty clicked n’clacked n’clattered
he came out of a dream then into a memory
somehow I felt his regal purpose mattered

time-to-time he still passes in that memory
rumbling down that misty street of long ago
where he came from and to where he went
truly a magical mystery I care never t’know

*
rob kistner © 11/28/24

Poetry at: dVerse

 
The dual suns
still above the horizon
warm me as I journey
casting the strange landscape
into stark vivid presence

planet Terrius

its orange suns
and black sky
make this alien world
startling
yet fascinating

I embarked at solar midday
senses alive and alert
consumed by the thrill of exploration
heady with anticipation of discovery

given the physical evidence
present on the planet’s surface
of seeming ordered thinking
I had set out today believing
or certainly hoping
I might make first Terrian contact

but it is day’s end
the suns are setting

darkness spreads
over this severe terrain
void of color

early shadows fall across my face
a veiled foreboding settles upon me

there are many shadows here
other shadows
odd shadows
unfamiliar

disturbing specters
that disrupt my nights
disquiet my soul
steal my peace

they come unannounced
almost imperceptible

but no time for worry
there is still far to go

I am eager to move
drawn by the need
to reach my ship

to reach safety

yet here I stand
momentarily motionless
immobile with uncertainty

yet captivated

captivated by the haunting beauty
that is this planet’s rising moon

Astarus

not unlike earth’s
but more harsh

Original DDE™ surreal art: “Astarus — Terrian Moon”
by: rob kistner © 11/26/24

a steel blue glow
with an amber aura

mesmerizing
hypnotizing

I shudder and sober
turn into the evening winds
and venture onward
across this foreign world

again the shadows shift

dull confusion finds me

I lose my pace
draw up in momentary halt

nagging concern engulfs me
panic pierces my solace
bewilderment grips me

unwelcome
it holds me
uncomfortable in my skin

these feelings sweep over me
clouding briefly my purpose
obscuring my destination

finally they waft

across the darkening valley
lies my shuttle craft
my safety

urgently I proceed
but again my mind fogs

I wander
and once more lose focus

an eerie mist
settles like a shroud

every night
there is a moonset
pitch black is coming
coming much too quickly

pitch black is lethal
save for my heated suit

the frightening night noises
unsettling dreams
squander my sleep

I am exhausted

suddenly
an alarm startles

my suit’s battery pack
has failed

my helmet beam
now inoperable
communications dead
suit heater disrupted

cut off
alone
I am in dire trouble

a sense of peril gnaws
builds

paralyzing fear

I have lost all light
oxygen tanks nearly spent
my suit temperature dropping
I fear I’ll loose my way

I will not make it back
before pitch black
consumes me
takes me
alone
here

so far from earth
so far from home
so far
from you

so far

*
rob kistner © 2024

Poetry at: dVerse

Original DDE™ surrealistic art: “Sacred Space” by: rob kistner © 5/7/24

 
Deep
in this primeval wood
secreted among the old-growth
nestles a sacred forest clearing

soft filtered sunlight
falls golden
gently through the canopy

let us go

walk with me my friend
but let us be quiet

let us listen
to the voices of nature

*
rob kistner © 2024

Poetry at: dVerse