The Vast


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The Vast

~

standing at the edge
feeling far below
the great tides

the ebb and flow
the rise and fall
the vast undulation

sparkled golden
glinting in sunlight
like the windblown sway
of tasseled wheat
burnished aureate
rolling ripe for harvest

this is the come and go
of centuries
wave by wave
day by day

might incarnate
the power of indifference
the surge of perfect apathy

and I
insignificant
as a grain of wheat
in an unfurling field
stretching to the horizon

insignificant
as the grain of beach sand
bounced and tumbled
below me here
dragged helpless
in the relentless undertow

a froth-topped crest
translucent aqua
rises up in beckon

a silk of azure
slides smoothly
down its sloping back
as it dances
on the cerulean deep

how easily
I could slip in
slide seamlessly
into that fathomed realm

down down ever down
into the bottom black
into the waiting silence
without so much
a noticed sound

absorbed
into the churn and roar
without so much
a ripple
to disturb the steady surf

a subtle crease
irrelevant
erased
even as it came

~ ~ ~

rob kistner © 2020

 

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  • Time Traveling

    DC5FFD85-9624-4405-A4A1-3E2DF11AA08B

     

    Time Traveling

    ~

    careful hands
    peel back cracked
    and yellowed glassine
    from faded aging pages

    too often ignored
    this dusty photo album

    tonight
    I’m liberating memories
    life moments
    immortalized

    faces and places
    call from another time

    life’s had its bumps
    and its beauty

    bittersweetly
    I time travel

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

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  • Vigilant

    AAB38CC4-A6C8-445C-8B35-2641B5CF137D

     
    Vigilant

    ~

    I dwell still
    in the sky clouds
    above the first place
    above Anahuac
    above the valley of origin
    I am Xoloti

    Chimalma is another
    we dwell
    Chimalma and I
    and too Xiuhpilli
    Quetzalcoatl also
    we watch
    ever vigilant
    quiet and patient

    we watch by night
    watching with Meztli
    we watch by day
    watching with Tonatiuh
    we watch our people

    the sons and daughters
    of the Toltec
    of the Aztec
    of the others
    who were there
    we watch now
    how they are treated

    we are quiet
    and we are patient
    but we are not happy

    if our patience breaks
    so then too will our silence
    and we will send down
    the spirits of Cuauhmeh
    our eagle warriors
    to stir the hearts
    and ignite the souls
    of our peoples

    then there will be
    a roar of truth
    then there will be
    an uprising of justice
    then will we at last
    settle this

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

     

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  • Why Dog

    68A6307A-F8F0-453E-9668-46B87F855DBE

     
    Why Dog

    ~

    why do you find me dog
    why will you not let me be
    you belonged to her

    but she is gone

    you know this is so
    don’t you dog

    I see it in your eyes
    the sadness there
    sadness I recognize

    the sorrow
    pressing in
    as these night winds stir
    darkness pressing in

    but she’s gone boy
    lost into the lightless realm
    beyond this chill encircling us

    you shiver
    you feel it too
    don’t you boy

    but I’ve no emotion here
    save grief
    as is buried
    in your worried whimper

    I’ve no good comfort here
    but come
    come here boy
    that’s a good dog

    I know
    I know
    me too boy

    me too

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

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  • Le Filou

    5C61F453-A9CF-42FB-95FE-D056711981DF

     

    Le Filou

    ~

    when donned the mask
    the transformation
    smoulders forth the other

    the fantasy
    on wings of dreams
    your lovely le filou

    she is she
    yet too
    the other

    unleashed at light of passion’s moon
    manifest at your request
    sustained this night
    at her delight

    she is your isis
    she is your venus
    she is your every longing loosed

    and you

    her jester
    her lustful fool

    she brings everything in life you miss
    bestowed with aphrodite’s kiss
    but as you burn you should know this
    beneath the mask waits a strange abyss

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020


     

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  • Laughing Larry

    78D71FB7-D3E9-4AFC-8232-6F93DDFF8726

    …in keeping with my ‘dark’ suspicions about clowns…

     

    Laughing Larry

    ~

    “gaze upon me
    if you will
    my countenance crafted
    to fool
    and thrill

    I’ve spent years in greasepaint
    fear
    and sorrow
    I rue the past
    I dread tomorrow”

    they call me laughing larry

    it wasn’t intentional
    you see

    I only wanted her to
    hear me

    to know my heart

    but her laughter
    her hollow
    taunting laughter
    her laughter wouldn’t stop

    it wouldn’t stop
    and I needed her to hear me
    to understand how I felt

    but the laughing
    and laughing
    the incessant laughing
    I simply couldn’t have the laughing

    so I made it stop

    now I hide behind this painted smile
    now everyone is laughing
    and laughing

    but I no longer hear

    I’ll spend years in greasepaint
    fear
    and sorrow
    rueing the past
    dreading tomorrow

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020


     

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  • Broken Wing

    33EBD828-8A69-4640-91EC-169DA02CBB4E

     
    Broken Wing

    ~

    There was a time, not long ago, when I was proud of my country, this United States of America. My patriotism stirred when we were lead by a proud, intelligent, strong, black man. A man of principle and courage. A man who embraced truth. A man with a sense of decency, and a sense of humor.

    But then my country broke my heart. We elected Trump. On the heels of a time of light and possibility, we have been dragged down into a time of despair and darkness. We let ignorance rule the day.

    I still embrace the fading image of America. I still have hope. I still feel the reverberations of the time that was Obama. But now truth and liberty has a broken wing. When it is over, said, and done, it WAS a time — and there was never enough of it.

    ~ ~

    (Above is 144 words. Below are my fully expressed feelings)

    There was a time, not long ago, when I was proud of this country we call the United States of America. My patriotism stirred when we were lead by a proud, intelligent, strong, black man. A man of principle and courage. A man who embraced truth. A man with a sense of decency, and a sense of humor.

    It gave me hope that we, as a country, had turned a corner, and were going to move away from, and above the unfortunate and misguided hatred and stupidity that would rear its ugly head from time to time. That we were smarter and better

    But then this country broke my heart, and enabled a racist, a bigot, a misogynist, a spiteful demagogue to take power — it elected the utterly unqualified Donald Trump to be our President. On the heels of a time of light and possibility, we have been dragged down into a time of despair and darkness – and it’s our own fault. We have allowed ignorance to rule the day.

    I still embrace the fading image of America, but it is impossible to be proud of our leadership at this time in history. I still have hope, because I still feel the reverberations of the very recent time, when this country stood tall, when this country began to again lift and soar, the time that was Obama. But now truth and liberty has a broken wing. When it is over, said, and done, it WAS a time — and there was never enough of it.

    Sadly, not nearly enough of it.

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

     

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  • Not Wanting

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    Not Wanting

    ~

    when the human spirit learns to love
    and be grateful
    finding more joy in giving
    than receiving
    when all, even the least
    can live in dignity
    not wanting for the core
    of their humanity
    — then will we ride the saucers
    shining to the heart of tomorrow

     

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

     

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  • Arc of the Ages

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    Arc of the Ages

    ~

    do not hide
    from the great orb
    of unquestioning fate
    that spins in the spaces
    of destiny’s light and dark
    days of falter and fear
    approaching
    moving
    unsteady on legs
    of unquenchable doubt
    what your mind must
    conceal from the assassin
    of joy and forgiveness
    held pure
    tested
    by time and the hands of
    the waiting who cower
    yet smile
    singing truth through
    the hail and barrage
    ‘cross the bow mast of glory
    seeking broad measure and berth
    as all that you seem to
    desire slips slowly like
    rain down a vent pipe
    to plumb deep
    the black dreams
    such is the slag-shattered
    glass of the future
    that moves slow
    through the arc
    of the ages
    who’ve waited and
    watched ‘neath the moon
    of deliberate ancients
    that revolves in the
    void of the others
    that see what we
    knew to be ever
    the voice of the lost
    to the light
    of the dawning that
    heralds the word of
    this time that’s upon
    us and holds us at
    last in the fire
    of visions and
    longing for all that
    we are to be
    here in our heart
    of the moment
    that flees like
    a squandered teardrop
    forever away from
    our failing grasp

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

     

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  • Bloom

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    Bloom

    ~

    Turn away from things that can’t be changed. Forgive the foolish slights. Mend the wounds.

    Turn to the rising sun. Feel the warmth of the new day. Embrace it with a thankful heart.

    Be the cause of joy. Be the source of possibility. Make life better for your having been here.

    begin beginning
    don’t dwell fallen petals past
    nurture spring’s bright blooms

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2020

     

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  • Born Wild

    “A gift for my brilliant, beautiful, 47-year-old, financial-planner daughter.”

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    Born Wild

    ~

    a gift of freedom for you daughter Jeni
    though it’ll be one among many
    hope this one stands apart
    hope it revs your wild heart
    and boundaries — you won’t have any

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2019

    833DA5B1-525B-4A13-88F3-2B6852A7ADCD
    Gift: Ducati 73hp M797 motorcycle

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    Daughter: Jeni, Summer 2019

     

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  • Your Eyes

    “Otherworldly love poetry”

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    artwork by Kazeyo Fuyutama

     

    Your Eyes

    ~

    I have watched
    golden clouds
    waft the emerald climbs
    over Telure’s cerulean seas

    heard the haunting calls
    fill Droon’s violet skies
    as coral-winged Lellurts
    took to flight

    seen the copper hues
    of Parmus fronds
    fire indigo mists
    ‘neath Gemin’s crystal trees

    beheld exquisite beauty
    of bright new worlds
    but none so enchantingn
    as your eyes — tonight

    ~ ~ ~

    rob kistner © 2019

    ~<{:}>~

    203F8082-D106-43BC-A943-38EDB4BCBD17
    Cerulean blue and emerald of Telure

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    violet sky of Droon Cluster

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    a crystal tree of Gemin

     

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