August 2023 – Image & Verse

Taste of Autumn

”When you have wine, you have love.”

Original digital surreal art: “Love On the Vine” by: rob kistner © 8/31/23

Quietly
in this golden gloaming
enwrapped in a freshening chill
of dimming twilight
bountiful september
tumbles towards the equinox
a sacred period of change

Pacific Northwest Autumn

the holding warmth of sunlight
invigorates the coming bounty

a joyful time of anticipation
nature awaiting the change

the promised recovery and renewal
when the hand of rebirth
will sweep across the valleys
and up the mountain sides

but not just yet

flowering plants
are dropping petals

grasses gone late-summer golden
anticipate the approaching
nurturing rains of winter

mighty evergreens pause
deciduous trees burst forth
in equinoctial splendor

soon leaves will shed
all go dormant to rest

vast Northwest forests
enter a period of rejuvenation

it’s this realm in full glory

lush vineyards and berry thickets
roam the fertile rolling hills
heavy with grape and berry
ready for the bountiful harvest

Original digital surreal art: “Bounty’s Manor”
by: rob kistner © 8/31/23

wine country comes alive

apples, peaches and pears
hang full and heavy
laden with the final fruits
of seasonal plenty

orchard picking begins

wild nature exhales deeply
in this final moment
of deep calm

soon
the bustle and flux
of engorged autumn

water levels
having dropped considerably
river and stream
feel new life

autumn rains
replenish
flow and current

enlivened salmon
in autumnal runs upstream
begin their spawn

the cycle of life turns

trout and other species
revivified
as waters rise and cool

bear-deer-cougar-elk-coyote
pronghorn antelope-big horn sheep
eagle-hawk-and-osprey

the region’s plentiful wildlife
begin preparations for change

unique pre-winter rituals

warm september relaxes
preparing the step-through

autumn’s portal

this realm
begins to cool
slowly nudged
towards winter’s peace

regenerative calm
soon will lay
upon this lush land

season of sky-waters
soon arrives
quenching nature’s thirst
rejuvenating her energies
regathering strength

soon
all-consuming quiet
absolute stillness

from this deep silence
an imperceptible murmur
a breathless whisper
a hushed prayer

gratitude
for the harvest’s bounty
and a humble petition

return the light
bring blessings
fruitful new life
to this soon quiet land
at rest in time’s hand

Original digital surreal art: “Master’s Hands”
by: rob kistner © 8/31/23

S ummer takes its leave
autumn steps boldly forward
September watches

*
rob kistner © 8/23/23
Poetry at: dVerse

Vintage Kisses

A kiss is even more thrilling at higher altitudes.

Original digital surreal art: “Moon Mountain” by: rob kistner © 8/28/23

H ere in this moonlit forest, August midnight simmers, as through the silvery boughs of old growth, the big blue moon dances with the star clusters that twirl along conifer branches. This moon strides the night sky to watch over our high-mountain meadow setting aglow the serene lake like cerulean satin.

This night holds deep and quiet, save for a great white owl, echoing through the stately cedars. Mesmerized, I’m entwined with my sweet lover, wrapped in a pre-dawn half-wake, enchanted by nature’s late night spectacle, just outside our window.

I hear myself inaudibly whisper, “how long have we been awake? Are you warm love?” Theses questions seek no answer, as I do not want to break this spell. I’d rather lie back, here in her arms, swaddled in warmth, to fall once more into tender, gently moonlit slumber.

with blue moon and you
traversing this summer night
this space of dream time

Original digital surreal art: “Perfect Fit”
by: rob kistner © 8/28/23

*
rob kistner © 8/23/23
Poetry at: dVerse

Invitation To Fly

The only thing more precious than time, is the ones we choose to spend it with.

Original digital surreal art: “Crashing Time”
by: rob kistner © 8/22/23

Tonight
with careful hands
we will peel back
cracked and yellowed glassine
from faded aging pages

pages too often ignored
— our photo album
the chronicle of our love

tonight
my wife
you and I
are smashing the clock

we’re opening time’s window

liberating sweet memory
of our shared history
revisiting the magic
and the mystery

the captivating life moments
fondly remembered places
endearing loved ones
the true treasures
that the heart embraces

tangibly immortalized

let it be a symbol
of our enduring strength

of our courage
fully realized

we’ll squelch our fears
with quiet conversation
soft smiles
and gentle tears

some of joy
some bittersweet
some also sad

embracing it all
the good fortune
the wonderful times we had

faces and places
from another time
will reach out
touch our hearts

yes — life’s had its bumps
but also its beauty

it’s triumphs
and too — its tragedy

thirty six years
of us and ours

precious

unforgettable

captured
on these pages
in these folds of time
our time

also captured
though unseen

our deeply held hopes
for the future
our dreams

but tonight
my lover
we shatter
our temporal bounds
our physical limitations

let us soar
on wings of love

let our memories
be our invitations
to rise above
the weight of worry
make this moment — timeless
let us not hurry

through time and space
we will wind
traversing corridors
of heart and mind

alone
here
together

you and I

through time’s open window
this night
we fly

Original digital surreal art: “Through Time’s Window”
by: rob kistner © 8/22/23

*
rob kistner © 8/23/23
Poetry at: dVerse

https://youtu.be/9rMdEDZULbc?si=x1c4CK87r4_CF5LF

Wind On the Water

Original digital hyperealistic art: “Bearing The Sorrow” — Triptych

My valley life
was not kind to me
I needed to be free
…bottled up my sorrow
changed my destiny

so I came the river’s way
to find a better day
to set root and see
was this a home for me

so I put seed to field
hoping that it would yield
it took root reluctantly
with no abundancy

the river quenched
tilled earthen thirst
promise reigned true
…at first
but time did not deliver
the promise of the river

now chill wind
‘cross the water blows
not every blossom grows
I bottle heart ache now
because this truth it knows
regret is the seed
that sorrow sows

— and yes
ever the river flows

Original digital surrealistic art:
“River of Regret”
by: rob kistner © 8/22/23

*
rob kistner © 8/17/23
Poetry at: dVerse

https://youtu.be/uK6raGAPTZo

This last song has a once removed relevance to this post, as it relates to disillusionment and sorrow. I have always loved it since first I performed it with my band as a frequently requested cover — a way way way long time ago, when it was first released by Quicksilver. It has been on my mind in recent months. So very sad that 53 years later it rings as true and relevant as it did in 1970.

Comin’ Home

Original digital hyperealistic art: “Gettin’ All of It”
by: rob kistner © 8/21/23

M y hand gripped tight the pine tar
gonna drive this baby far

as the pitch wound to deliver
I felt muscle and sinew shiver

I swung a mighty swing
felt that subtle sting

crack!

the ball rocketed to flight
cleared the fence
— outta sight!

*
rob kistner © 8/17/23
Poetry at: dVerse

Mired

Original digital hyperealistic art: “Gears of Possibility Stuck In Sands of Time”
by: rob kistner © 8/17/23

I’d like to make myself believe
the young man’s dream I dreamt
to change the world’s heart
to one of love for one another

I’d like to make myself believe
people are by nature good
that we can live in peace
making the world a better place

I’d like to make myself believe
universal understanding
is a common goal
for this planet’s people

I’d like to make myself believe
we’ve not lost our faith
in the sacrosanct ideals
of an elevated life

I’d like to make myself believe
tomorrow can be a new day
but tomorrow finally comes
and it’s the same old day

I’d like to make myself believe
but empty runs the hourglass
and I’ve heard the daily news
once more — it broke my heart

yes, I’d like to make myself believe
I’d like to, really believe it
but sometimes I really wonder
if such hope — is simply bullshit

sure, technology is exploding
driven by a worldwide race
I refer to progress of the human
tech and gadgets don’t wear my face

why do the gears of this progress
seem so very mired in place
as if time itself has broken
human progress has lost its pace

surely there must remain
at least a few grains
in the hourglass
of possibility

but where’s the steady hand
of truth and wisdom
to reach and turn it
to make it be

Original digital surrealistic art:
“Broken Time”
by: rob kistner © 8/17/23

*
rob kistner © 8/17/23
Poetry at: dVerse

FYI : Below here is my digital abstract art piece, entitled “Folding Time”, whose core digital signature I code-manipulated, also employing additional verbal prompts, evolving it through a number of iterations, to create the two new digital art pieces you see above here, presented with my latest poem, “Mired”.

Beyond The Stars

Original digital realistic art: “A Love Beyond The Stars” by: rob kistner © 8/15/23

My love
we have both moved forward
into a definitive time
of critical personal transition

all we humans know
and perhaps
grudgingly accept
that we will
as it’s been said
perish from this earth

in our early lives
that hangs in the air
conceptually

it is not definitive

we need not move it
to the top of our
what’s next list
and certainly
not to top of the list
“when”

but for you and I
lover
that “what’s next” list
has a top
the “what” topper

for me
that topper is CHF
congestive heart failure

for me
it is the leading contender
for “what takes Rob out”

the “when” is still
not in black and white
but a dark grey — soon
is the odds on favorite
to top the “when” list

for you, dear Kathy
it is most possibly
your throat cancer
that tops your “what” list

though I have joined with you
in an ongoing battle
to forestal your “when”

make no mistake
we’re both on a fast moving
transition track
on a timetable of totality
and the clock is ticking
loudly

we both stand
fully in grasp
of this reality

of our transitions

we accept the challenge
in both our cases
and we fight on

to infinity
and beyond
to a timeless place
beyond the bounds
of temporal space

I want to applaud you
my bright star
for your courage
in this most difficult time
of our dual transitions

I want you to know
precisely — that

your courage
know wholly that

know that —
in your soul
my lover
my warrior

I am proud of who you are
and honored by your love

also
I want you to know
to feel

please hear
beyond just these words
because my deepest love
is in here — calling

I pray I can hold on
to the wonder of you
my love
for a lifetime longer

however long that may prove to be

please know
my beautiful warrior
that I have
that I do
and that I will forever
beyond the stars
love you
with all my heart

with all the essence
of my being

THANK YOU!

Original digital realistic art:
“Have You Seen The Stars Tonight”
by: rob kistner © 8/15/23

*
rob kistner © 7/24/23
Poetry at: dVerse

This one is just for you, my love…

Twilight Blues

Original digital realistic art: “Twilight Blues” by: rob kistner © 8/14/23

T raffic holding its breath, sky a tense diaphragm, dead calm envelops me as nothing moves on the bridge beyond. A damp vespered fog, adrift on the water, wraps ’round me like a cool blanket. It muffles even the sparse sounds of twilight’s industry, as if the whole world is held at pause, anticipating night.

Standing, watching the current, I am alone with my thoughts, enshrouded in a peaceful privacy. There is an abiding sense of safe anonymity. Secure in this emotional shelter, the regrets of this day dim and fade into the mist.

Was what was said too much, or was it too little, leaving the moment unpunctuated, lost in the amorphous blue-grey of personal misinterpretation. No matter, it truly is water under the bridge.

I sigh. This brief sanctuary is a soothing balm, so welcome at the end of this most eventful day.

A gorgeous live performance of “A Scarcity of Miracles” by King Crimson.

What Rain?

Whose lips in rain stir joy anew?
…kissing you
will footsteps in raindrops start hearts talking?
…storm walking
is pure fallen rain soulfully invigorating?
…stimulating

no time for procrastinating
we are here face to face
wrapped in the storm’s embrace
kissing you after storm walking, so stimulating

From Darkness

Hidden from the light of day
here your other self resides
though keeping to the shadows
you know your dark self abides
you feel him at times — don’t you
feel that his dark thoughts are true

a darkling essence
scarred and damaged
sometimes so strong
barely managed

begotten in another time
another life
rife with fear
with pain and strife

come from far away
from another place
but this dark entity
did wear your face

it is an anger
powerfully manifest
righteous
so long suppressed

that could not find effective voice
to save your ruined innocence
you had not the strength
not the choice

you were silenced
you had no name
for what you did not comprehend
you knew you must not shoulder blame
but you knew sorrow as a friend

now you realize
it was youthful trust
that was betrayed
in these ways
dark and insidious

sadly was this torment done
by the hand of an entrusted one
concealed from blind society
to inflict hurt and animosity

yet
why do we feel conflicted
why do we feel guilted

me
and you
the frightened child
that still dwells
in me

our dark self
we had to forge
in fire of dire adversity

hammered out a hardened soul
tempered by survival’s hand
by desperate necessity

look here
my other
look deep into our heart
and see

we rose and fought
that abject fear
cradled within our broken heart
lifted ourself from that veil of sorrow
clinging to peace of mind
to sanity
to see one more tomorrow

to embrace our courage one more day
to finally stand and say —

no more
no
more

so be quiet
no judgment soul
we finally emerged
and shed our shadow self
our young life tattered
but still in tact
the life he saved
in fact

these days
still drawn to darkness
my affairs with melancholia

am I hardened
when necessary
but I’m not stone

I’ve finally found love
not a life alone

when I look inside myself
I see beyond the shadows

I see a man
who better understands
we’ve shed the shadow’d shell
but this darker self
will always dwell

now that self’s
in our command
it no longer
has the upper hand

does this darkness
that coincides in me
cost us our dignity

it does not

I’ve a firm grasp
on our integrity

years ago
we closed the dark book’s pages
the storm no longer rages

so be quiet fickle soul
our dark self need not to be reviled
he saved us
and our wounded child

he fought to set us free
and saved our sanity

we owe gratitude
for his ferocious interlude

peace now

Our Escape

Would we’d soar free
high above the trees
undulating far below us
the constant rolling seas

farewell worldly anguish
we sail to infinity
beyond far horizons
upward steadily

like Dorothy in Oz
suffering ends today
dreaming my love and I
‘midst sweet poppy’s sway

Sweet Gold

Your essesnce unearthed in Corsica
off the western Italian coast
when it comes to sweet and zesty
you are by far the most

you crossed the mighty ocean
seeds in the pockets of Peter Pieri
then down a roaring river
to the land of columbia valley

loved for earthy sweetness
your round and jumbo size
so much were you cherished
you put tears of joy in their eyes

gently selected and coddled
harvested each year carefully
the Italian growers of the valley
knew what a treasure you could be

demand spread round the state
soon America knew of your fame
so important are you today
you carry the valley’s name

whether breaded deep fried or raw
you’re the gem of WA Blue Mts.
you’ve enjoy a century of ya ya
Walla Walla — ooo-la-la