I have neither and I cannot escape gravity
so bird, fly for us both — my heart will soar with you
Yellow dirt near the walls
where curious crows carous
they caw caw caw as they creep
then fly to gingko tree boughs
the Qin river girl is creating
beautiful brocade with her loom
the emerald yarn is mist like
the crow’s shriek hits like a fist strike
abruptly, she stops the shuttle
and sadly thinks of her long lost love
she is lonely here in her room
her tears like the rainy gloom
but alas I see you crow
in the carrion half-light
of this midnight caisson
up to which you creep
this funeral hearse
where my world
does sleep
as you cluster
with your murder
in this chilling rain
to defile the entity
drawn in this caisson
I celebrate
that you cannot
the living presence it bore
is greater than you
your gluttonness lust
might pick the meat clean
pick the bones dry
but the soul it carried
has gone its bye
yes — this being
has lived well beyond this muscle
beyond this sinew tendon and bone
these were its limits
now it is gone
now it is set free
so help yourself brother crow
sister raven
birds of black
help yourself
the spirit here
will not be back
this essence has gone beyond
far beyond
to become infinite
pure thought
unbound energy
completely free
what you pick apart
is the afterimage
of a mortal
now eternal
so take your fill crow
have your way raven
fat black bird — do your best
engorge the inglorious
the rest has left
then be gone
scatter
and far off
this caisson
has delivered its miracle
and still she mourns
she is lonely here in her room
still her tears just like the rainy gloom
*
rob kistner © 2021
Poetry at: The Sunday Muse
Poetry at: Poets & Storytellers
Poetry at: earthweal
Poetry at: mindlovesmisery
You have woven quite the story here Rob! I love how it circles back to the girl in her room with tears and the rain. Sad, yet lovely.
Thank you Carrie. 🙂
I LOVE this, especially the stanza that begins “So help yoursef brother crow.” Yes, the spirit within has already flown……..
Thank you so much Sherry, I appreciate your enthusiasm? 🙂
What an epic existential poem, Rob.
The spirit moved me Lisa… 🙂
Reminds me a little of Tennyson’s Lady of Shalott who “weaveth steadily” while her thoughts are on a vision in her mirror.
Very cool, thanks Shay… 🙂
the energy have I got
to write an epic like Shallot
it would surely be an awesome thought
but considering — it seems that I have not
Nicely done, Rob! A tad chilling… just like the image.
Thank you Charley… 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and yours Rob ! Love Rall.
Thank you Rall, very much. 🙂
An eerie poem, love the way the woman grieving seems to be weaving the mist itself and the idea of an afterimage of life.
Makes you wonder if she has special powers to be so in-tune with the crows? How did her lover die? Why? What is she weaving in her grief? Why emerald and not black? So many questions. 😐
Fine story Rob, I needed one. Your mention of the yellow floor beneath the crows reminded me of how glad I was when we went to the penguin pasture in the bogs at the Falkland Islands that we had brought plastic painter’s foot covers. They were disposable, others had to wash and disinfect their shoes or else discard them.
..
Thank you Jim, fascinating story.
Some times we must eat crow … other times the crow eats us.
So true my friend…
Rob, this grips hard and doesn’t let go. A huge wow and well done from me this morning!
Thank you Helen… 🙂
This is a great one! It reminds me of “Death Be Not Proud,” even though you wrote this poem in a completely different form.
Thank you Jenna, I will have to look that one up, don’t think I know it?
This is a mesmerizing poem, Rob:
‘the emerald yarn is mist like
the crow’s shriek hits like a fist strike’
I just love these lines! But there is so much to love. Haunting and liberating.
Thank you Ingrid.
This is a masterpiece, Rob. Every emotion is called upon. Outstanding!
Thank you Sara, very much. The piece was a most fulfilling write, and evolved from two separate concepts over time through rewrites which lived as unfinished drafts. This photo prompt was the spark that united the two into one draft, and inspired the final write, which you see here.