Unamused
hot against my temple
elbows on my cluttered desk
eyes droop and flicker
aflame with spoiled sleep
skull upon the finger bones
in weighted indecision
where art thou fickle muse
will no fresh ink be shed this night
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2018
Unamused
Unamused
hot against my temple
elbows on my cluttered desk
Ah Rob….glad to see this post that is indeed a quadrille with the word “spoil”.
Love these words “skull upon the finger bones” — they are such an apt description of the poet, waiting for the muse. Sometimes the muse hits and runs ideas and words through one’s head and the pen cannot keep up with the creativity! And other moments….it’s like this!
Thank you Lillian, and sorry again for my mess up on the link…
I can identify with those eyes aflame with spoiled sleep, Rob, and love the lines:
‘skull upon the finger bones
in weighted indecision’.
So glad the muse helped you shed fresh ink after all. 🙂
Thank you Kim! Ah yes, the proverbial writer’s block… 🙂
“spoiled sleep” – such a bane. Hope your muse shows up soon
My muse visits from time to time VJ… 🙂
A giant message in a pool of brevity. You hooked me with that last line. Sound like insomnia is a house guest for you; bummer. Ill health and stress and depression leads the way to such nastiness; had a bout that lasted a month this year, but got meds and whipped it (7 years for you–wow?). Got behind the wheel for the first time since January; using a 4-wheel walker habitually–2 bum knees and lousy balance.
As I commented to Lillian, it’s part of my life now Glenn. I take so damned many meds for heart failure, HBP, diabetese, depression, and neuropathy that my sleep patterns are fucked. The pacemaker from last year makes laying on my left side uncomfortable, and that was my sleeping side. I get exhausted after 4-5 days, then crash for 12+ hours. Ambian doesn’t do shit for me, but I get a lot of writing done… 😉
the last line gets me here
Glad you like it Jade… 🙂
I definitely can identify with this.
An unfortunate commonality for writers Ken. I create 3D mixed media art which flows effortlessly, so when writer’s frustration peaks, I turn to my art for release.
Nice line: “where art thou fickle muse” There are times I wonder that as well.
Excellent choices on the end words, Rob. Reading down the right side is like a poem unto itself. Clever title!
Thank you Jilly… :-). And thanks for visiting and reading!
Frustrating as hell sometimes Frank…
At least you manage to produce poetry out of it! I just lie in bed swearing.
Sometimes the words flow, sometimes it like pulling clay through a soda straw… as I ease into my 70’s now Jane, I have this unreasonable, though chilling fear that perhaps one day the words, the inspiration will be gone – so I write more and more. I have over 400 poems in draft stage. I am driven to pursue every new idea thst pops into my head, to the point I am not finishing work. Oh well, gives me something to work on if my muse ever abandons me permanently…
I think your muse came through quite nicely. I liked ‘spoiled sleep’
Thank you Mary… 🙂
Ha…love this painful poem about poeming… not easy to find the right way to ink sometimes
Bjorn, thank you. As I commented to Jane, as I journey through my 70’s, and even having written lyrics/poetry since I was 16 – I have this paranoia that the inspirstion may someday disappear.
This is the blessing and curse of prompts. If they don’t inspire me or for personal reasons, I find them moderately distasteful ( like the word “spoil”). I just can’t get past the obvious and trite to “fresh ink.” I like very much how your whole poem is surrounded by a miasma of frustration and determination. Stubborn grit is a must if we intend to court the muse.
It sure is Christine. Been wrestling with it for more than 55 years, and it still puts up a fight at times… 😉
It is a profitable exercise to write about not writing. But this is so much more than an excercise, it is a little immersion into this corner. With ya on this one Rob. I love the imagery of killing ink.
Hi Lona, glad this resonated for you… 🙂
i feel the frustration of spoiled sleep and a reluctant muse, your quadrille is pure and smooth
Writer’s block is no fun Gina. Thank youu for visiting and reading… 🙂
I love “skull upon the finger bones” and “aflame with spoiled sleep” – Wonderful poem, Rob!
Thank you very much Sara, I appreciate your kind words…
🙂