• one free verse poem
• one haiku
____________________________________
•
poet
do not weave
your fabric of myth
or speak to us in grand verse
telling of the song
of the spheres
or the days
before this dark time
help us see
the real place of light
hear the clear voice of truth
know the pure heart of justice
look poet
look at the terrible suffering
tell us where that is birthed
tell us how to see
with our own eyes
so that we might reach in
and tear out the pain
uproot the sorrow
crush the evil
you see many things poet
but you talk in riddles
you avoid the cold
and the hard way
for the soft path
of platitudes
and metaphors
of meter and rhyme
but this is not the time
look poet
look into the fire
feel it burn your eyes
char your soul
tell us how that feels
let us hear you scream
rally us
set us ablaze
lift your pen
like a sword
and strike down
the imbalance
show us the grip
and we will join the battle
but you must tell us
poet
tell us what is real
in the power
that is plain language
we will listen
• • •
•
fragrance of baked dough
aroma of warm butter
croissants tasty hot
• • •
poem and haiku by: rob kistner © 2010
‘Poet speak’ can often be tedious – plain English works for me. Well said!
Croissants… croissants (_8^(l) … especially pain chocolat…!
I like the sense of the poet as a mystic or high priest. I specially like the primal nature of your verse, down to the bone. Really enjoyed this verse:
“look poet
look into the fire
feel it burn your eyes
char your soul
tell us how that feels.”
Great stuff, Rob.
The croissant read and looked tasty and it’s not even breakfast yet on the west coast.
~Mark
As for me
I like my croissants
croustillants
Your lovely long poem speaks to me not in code (which much modern poetry is). My limited brain likes to understand what it is reading, and this stanza says it all:
but you must tell us
poet
tell us what is real
in the power
that is plain language
this line:
look at the terrible suffering
tell us where that is birthed
that caught in my throat. I think this is my favorite of all so far. Beautiful and telling – poetry does see the hard but show it soft, making it slide down easy.
Dear Rob:
To be a poet one has to do the following;
“look poet
look into the fire
feel it burn your eyes
char your soul
tell us how that feels”
It is true, a poet needs to be righteously fearless like a chilvarous knight with excaliber in stow.
Yes, the one thing that is most definitely a poem: the one thing that is definitively a poem is “truth”.
And truth unfortunately has a burdensome price and can be at times a terribly painful experience.
However, after the pain there are some nice hot croissants waiting for us in the lobby courtesy of poet Rob Kistner.
Thank-you Rob. Today I truly learned something about being and of becoming and trying to be; a poet. Merci beaucoup! jj
A number of excellent lines, Rob, as stated in the others’ comments. Poetry has power when it speaks universal truth we all can recognize. Very nice work!
I like the tone of the first poem a lot. Am not a big fan of center justifying poems, but I think it really works for this poem, “centering” upon how you want poets to be.
yep. we poets are guilty of riddles. 🙂
thanks for writing to the prompt! i enjoyed reading this.
Visually, your “Look Poet” poem is lovely and matches the content…how do you DO that? And please pass the croissants.
the sense is clear, but it’s the shape I love!
ahhhh love it
Deadline – Decline
another good one Rob
I am loving your writings. I think that you are a great poet. ‘Look poet’ – is an outstanding poem, the way you wrote it is very creative.
Rob, really like the narrator’s tone, reminds of William Stafford (from your neck of the woods) and how we would speak directly to poets in a big, declarative voice. This is powerful. You have a lot of momentum on day 12. Thank you.
“Look Poet” may very well be your best work ever. And I say that with no small appreciation for what you’ve done before. This is powerful.
Particularly compelling is the passage:
“you see many things poet
but you talk in riddles
you avoid the cold
and the hard way
for the soft path
of platitudes
and metaphors
of meter and rhyme”
I am awed, sir. This is brilliant. Bravo.
Well versed challenge and a tasty haiku. Loved them both. Thank you for sharing and challenging.
My favorite parts:
>look at the terrible suffering
tell us where that is birthed
tell us how to see
with our own eyes
and
>show us the grip
onwards.
a call to mentor the audience not spoon or sword feed is a rare message and appreciated.