This challenging form is called a sestina. This is the second I’ve written in response to a dVerse prompt. This one is focused at the beauty and power of the Pacific Northwest, the land that I embrace, and dearly love. My home! The region is a soul stirring, life transforming miracle! I’ve opened the door — take a look! You can click at the bottom of this post if you would like to listen to the soothing sound of the stream, and bird songs.
my searching spirit slips along its rivers
spellbound by the vastness of its forests
its ancient secrets whisper on the breeze
echoing in the treetops like quiet song
to resonate forever my beating heart
to this mystic realm I lost my heart
awestruck by these majestic mountains
rushing whitewaters serenade with song
roaring over rocks in crisp wild rivers
‘round each bend stirs a freshened breeze
wafting through timeless emerald forests
breathtaking — these pristine forests
unspoiled natural beauty steals your heart
fragrant conifers intoxicate the breeze
sun rays fall dreamlike on the mountains
sparkle diamondly on cold chop-water rivers
beauty so glorious as to celebrate in song
bles’sed mornings I wake to nature’s song
cradled joyful beneath the canopy of forests
dreams dance crisp clear waters of the rivers
nature’s energy excites the rhythm of my heart
resonant as root-chambers in old-growth forests
“be glad” breaths the quiet voice of the breeze
a treetop osprey’s cry echoes in the breeze
beautifully eerie this raptor’s haunting song
it seeks prey in the waters of these mountains
as the airborne master fisher of these forests
doing battle with a wild trout is in its heart
I use a wooden boat to fish these rivers
my imagination flows free as these rivers
life’s become light as a soft evening breeze
I hold this special place close to my heart
my spirit soars like the melody of a song
ever captive to the mystery of these forests
enchanted by the wonders of these mountains
the rush of wild rivers is like a brightening song
carried on the breeze through these ancient forests
my heart’s song resonates in these mighty mountains
rob kistner © 2019
I would love to get lost in that mountain, river, forests – and forget the outside world.
What a special place this is, filled with serenity and specially:
now my spirit soars like the melody of a song
I think you are getting better at it Rob, smiles.
Thanks for joining in.
You and me both Grace. Thank you for your kind words! 🙂
Magical words to compliment the title. A beautiful place to hold dear.
Thsnk you Astrid!
A loving, spiritual tribute to your sacred space. Your sestina sings its praises!
Thank you Lisa… 🙂
You are welcome, Rob.
🙂
What a place! You wove this beautifully.
Thank you Vivian! 🙂
Hurrah, brother, you removed tongue from cheek, got your mind right, and dove right into the form foray afresh–and as testament to your poetic prowess, you’ve dazzled us with Nature’s ballad, with a heart song, with a spiritual word fest; big congrats, sir–so impressive.
Thank you Glenn! Turning to my love of nature improved my resulting sestina — but I still will never write anotha’ brotha’… don’t like the form. 🙂
I’m in awe, Rob. Having the joy of living in the Sierra Nevada, I so appreciate this setting, your descriptions, the love of nature’s beauty that pours through. What you have done with this is the reason I care a lot about this form that really isn’t that hard when you zero in on a theme. Com’mon, admit you had fun with it.
OK Victoria, it was a challenge, and I am drawn to confront challenges. They are part of my complex daily drug and injection regimen at the core of my everyday life, in order to maintain measured health, in the face of my ongoing pacemaker-sustained heart failure and continued monitoring and treatment of my brittle diabetes. So yes, there is gratification for me in completing an undertaking Victoria! It is proof to myself that I can do it successfully. The stumble for me lies in my deepest reason for writing poetry, which is to free my demons, to stay balanced and centered — to stay sane. Writing unencumbered in a type of stream of consciousness, gives me that release. I have to work too hard with the sestina, so I get satisfaction in completing the challenge — but not the emotional release. I give myself ongoing creative challenges through the creation of my 3D mixed media art. That is how I achieve gratification of completing a creative challenge. But I want my writing to be a release, to flow to a release naturally. I construct my art, I don’t want to construct my poetry. Don’t know if that makes sense for you — but there it is V. 🙂
Late in my response, but, yes, it makes a lot of sense. I, too, prefer free verse, a sort of unleashed creativity. However, this form helps me sustain a certain discipline that I need, especially when I’ve put my writing on a back shelf as I have–also because of some health issues and remodelling. I’m grateful you shared these thoughts with me.
I enjoyed it Bictoria…
love the flow beauty and serenity of this one, well done Rob!
Thank you so much Kate… 🙂
The natural world is well suited to the repetition in this form I think. A reflection of beauty.
Give me the natural world every time Kerfe, it can even inspire a sestina… 🙂
For not liking the form, this is gorgeous, Rob!
Thank you very much Lynn — but I am still not fond of the form… but I will always be fond of writing! 🙂
What a gorgeous descriptive piece!
Thank you Rosemary! 🙂
I do love the wonderful walk you take us on in this wonderful landscape. I think there are some similarities to the landscape.
It’s quite beautiful Björn… 🙂
I felt uplifted, wandering the mountains and forests with you, Rob, and loved the sounds throughout your sestina.
Your poem drew me into your beautiful homeland. I forgot to even follow the sestina scheme! So you made it work for me, just beautiful to have a form to keep the beauty of nature flowing.
Thank you Georgina, I am most pleased that this piece carried you into the part of our natural world that I love so. I find the form challenging, but it lends itself quite well expressing nature.