tender plumped folds
new-formed
glisten with dewy nectar
luscious form
and ripened blush
delight the eye
a gentle touch
parts silken petals
revealing the inner bud
swollen with the urgency of life
bringing face to flower
pleasures the senses
with heady fragrance
intoxicating
to breathe such vital beauty
consumed
one savors gently
slowly
exquisite
this young flower
full bloomed
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
precision brings the willow’d shaft
high above my shoulder
rod flexing expectantly
a flick of my wrist
and the line arcs forward
increasing the pressure
on my fingertip
as it rolls ahead
accelerating
then
a careful pluck
like a string
on a guitar
it is released
the golden lure
at line’s end
sails silently
into the squinting summer sun
with a subtle plick
the barbed hunter disappears
slipping ‘neath the sparkle
of the undulating steam
seductively
with quickening pulse
eagerly visualizing
I retrieve the bait
craving the strike
patience draws the lure
dancing ever nearer
I long for the sharp
powerful tug
for the slender thread
unreeled before me
to rise
and dart away
in a sliver of silver spray
for my heart to jump
as a proud trout
breaks water
victim to my seduction
in this moment
mind focused
breath steady
senses heightened
awaiting sudden contact
I reflect
there is a simple truth in fishing
as in life
the sweet anticipation
can be as rich
as the reward
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
with open heart and thoughts of possibility
remembering when dreams were young
the breath of life so warm and fresh
beauty was in all we touched
love filled us overflowing
trust real as sunlight
truth was bedrock
tomorrow was
a promise
kept
rob kistner © 2018
here time and place are of my making
these winds of fate in my control
every pleasure for my taking
every rule just for my breaking
embracing secrets of my soul
here I live a life enchanted
here no fear of any threat
sorrow is by joy supplanted
no limit to desires granted
what I want is what I get
by fantasy’s elaboration
up through stars of wonder I ascend
soar in sweet hallucination
in ships of my imagination
oh, would this voyage but never end
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
This poem is written in the rhyme scheme of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”, namely: A,B,A,A,B. It also, like Frost’s poem, is four stanzas. I have always liked that particular piece by Frost, but ironically, the matching rhyme schemes and stanza lengths, are purely coincidental.
More magic at dVerse…
his youth snuffed out by someone’s mindless deed
if debt is owed please I will make amends
if life be want mine now I do concede
consuming grief upon my life descends
if debt is owed please I will make amends
anger fills me like a poison seed
consuming grief upon my life descends
my soul is crushed my heart begins to bleed
this anger fills me like a poison seed
god tell me, did I somehow offend
my soul is crushed, my heart begins to bleed
a blackness here within me does distend
god tell me please, did I somehow offend
this cannot be the horror you intend
this blackness here within me does distend
god this can’t be the way his story ends!
rob kistner © 1995
(revision © 2018)
you were there
the disapproving guest
at the final edit party
you took his cues
took his keys
took his shoes
took his leave
you took him for a fool
it wasn’t you didn’t want him
you said
you simply saw yourself
in a different movie
with a different ending
no broken hearts
at least
not yours
and the stranded man
in the leather chair
had my face
had no expectations
made no demands
held you responsible
for nothing
and you left the table
cashed in your winnings
climbed the winding stairs
silk purse in hand
his heart in your pocket
to place it at midnight
on your balcony sill
to watch it wither in the moonlight
he had no need for it
nor most certainly
did you
and the night lark sang
and a silver tear
fell hard as steel
from his crystal’d cheek
which you collected in a sterling box
and tossed into the sea
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2011
(revision © 2018)
to face a barrage
of flying knives
isn’t really that unreal
to leap through the fire
of a flaming hoop
the warmth is kind’a nice
jumping giant chasms
on two-wheeled fury
sure – let’s do it twice
to be blown up
in a speeding car
sort’a turns me on
falling 20-story
from a skyscraper
I’m up over and gone
riding upside down
on an airplane wing
it’s the only way to fly
the high trapeze
without a net
I wouldn’t bat an eye
buried alive
in a padlocked tomb
count 10 and I’ll cheat death
chained in steel
tossed in the sea
no need to hold my breath
the sphere of fear
the dome of doom
the bungee-cord freefall
to walk blazing coals
swallow deadly swords
no sweat — I’ve done them all
almost nothing scares
this bold daredevil
I am very proud to say
save the single thing
of which I’m terrified
to give my heart away
~ ~ ~
Touch of Love
~
three decades ago
in the shadow of the tall ships
nestled inter-coastal
on the outer banks of Beaufort
our passion burst to flame
we bound that flashpoint moment
in a promise of forever
and a band of abalone
I found there in that sunset
on the Carolina sands
as ever-precious
as the diamond ring
that now encircles in its stead
that pearled bit of shell
immortalized our pledge
even to this day
it rests next to your heart
where it falls true and warm
on links of purest gold
my constant touch of love
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
these are some ingredients
of my wonderful life
…my secret ingredient:
Infamous Last Words
~
besides
it’s a new era
the era of the woman
cheer up
their candidate’s a fool
no way he’ll get elected
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
Go here to dVerse to get cheered up:
Book Of Days
____
found here in the pages
of the book of days
the neverending story
of fathers and of sons
in the book of days
clearly it is written
the father must move behind
as the child moves beyond
this is as it has been
since all of time began
the child growing stronger
becomes father to the man
and per the book of days
this is the way of nature
as the son becomes the father
the father bows away
yes, in our book of days
as it has been written
my time is growing short
I’ve less and less tomorrow
our space between grows greater
our time together lessens
as you pursue the future
I slip further into the past
yet in this father’s dream
our time would linger further
to soothe the mounting pain
of bittersweet farewell
I pray our book rewritten
to bend both time and space
and decree our time together
stretch beyond that far horizon
____
rob kistner © 2018
(original version written 2011)
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