Unexpected
of deepest night
it has come
without warning
bringing down the heavens
surrounding us
close and still
in our moonlit forest
midnight’s snowfall
shimmers like star clusters
under twinkling sky
on the ensparkled boughs
of old growth
it blankets
our high-mountain meadow
in crystal’d down
this night
fell quiet and crisp
a great white owl
echoes
through frosted cedar
lover and beloved
we entwine
‘neath winter’s window
with dreams
and one another
we sleep
in gentle slumber
we traverse time
and space
adrift
in random wonder
we breathe
the ebb and flow
of nocturne
but I’ve drifted
to a winter long ago
you
by firelight
warm and soft
in my arms
the night
that first we kissed
~ ~ ~
rob kistner © 2021
smothering damp and languid
dense with dread
ominous and dangerous
twilight having receded
moonlight labors hard
slowly shouldering its way
through the thickening shroud
gnarled shape of leaf-dead trees
their spindly spiked branches
thrust skyward knobbed and twisted
their trunks bent threateningly
muffled deep within my soul
a chaotic chill of seeming voices
shiver a darkling quaver
no no, no mo’ snow — please!
lakes bejeweled in crystal
winter’s dressing hand
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A great first line Rob, I don’t know whether to be worried or delighted – and it takes a while until I’m sure, and then that lovely turn where we’re back to a remembered snowfall. Lovely work.
Thank you Peter. I frequently try to use an opening line with punch, to draw the reader solidly in, and it quickly sets a framework, given the shortness of poetry — also, often I like to misdirect, for the surprise, even shock value.
The first part of this might well have described our night last night. We awoke to a pristine and sparkling world. As for the rest of your poem, romantic and tender. Great stuff!
Thank you Bev. I tried to redirect with the opening section, make you think it was an invasion. 🙂
I love this piece by Manhattan Transfer, listening as I type .. and beyond the end of my comment. Quite the lovely poem, Rob.
Thank you Helen. I love most everything the Transfer does!
So warm for it being such a cold night out there. So lubby dubby and tender <3
Glad you like Lisa… 🙂
That old romantic sparks till glows, brother. You are Mr. Nature and Lothario meets Robert Frost, with a pinch of Gary Snyder. Praise from on high, son. Can’t wait for you to read my Renga.
Thank you brother! I will be by to read you over the weekend. It has been chaos in this house of four adults two working from home, and my grandson Zoom Schooling — plus a work crew of 4 remodeling kath and my bathroom. Almost done, and it looks wonderful!
Winter can be cold…but not in this one. Great work, Rob.
Thanks Ron…!
Very well-crafted! The structure, emotion and progression of lines et al – Kudos to you!
Thank you Reena! 🙂
Each subsequent verse here pulled me in even further!
-David
So glad this resonated for you Ben! 🙂
How wonderfully romantic and heartwarming! A great winter’s tale.
Thsnk you Ingrid! 🙂
This is exquisitely drawn! I especially like; “we breathe the ebb and flow of nocturne but I’ve drifted to a winter long ago.”
Thanks Sanaa!
Your romantic poem warms up slowly from your stunning opening line with ‘the frozen silence’ through ‘midnight’s snowfall’ and blankets of ‘crystal’d down’ to firelight and that first kiss. Warmed me up too, Rob! It’s our wedding anniversary today and we’re expecting snow!
Happy anniversary Kim! 🙂
a delightful romantic meander with a monumental closing, sigh!
Thank you Kate.
I enjoyed the dramatic build up to the snow and romantic nostalgia. The form and flow were inviting in every verse. “Crystal’d down” is great wordplay!
Thank you Tricia… 🙂
I like your opening lines
“in the frozen silence
of deepest night
it has come
without warning
bringing down the heavens”
The unexpected arrives in the night. Nicely done.
Thank you Ali… 🙂
I do love the winter images… really wonderful (I think others might feel a bit scared by the cold… but not me) but nothing wrong to end up by the fireplace (where I sit right now)
Thank you Bjorn. I love snow, 1 day a year, for about 48 hours — then do same thing agian, the next Christmas… 🙂
I love this line, in particular: “shiver a darkly indecipherable”
Thank you Alex… 🙂
You romantic you!
Thank you qbit — but not always as evident in the second poem. 🙂
The first poem is softly inviting, romantic much like the snow, lovely verse here
we entwine
‘neath winter’s window
with dreams
and one another
The second poem seems to pose a new thought that perhaps, the snow has overstayed it’s welcome. This area is in a polar vortex and more snow arrives tomorrow. I long for spring.
Thursday I was feeling euphoric, today I’m depressed. Riding my emotional roller coaster True…
In “No No” the description of the trees stands out for me, rich and vivid. “Snowfall” is exquisite …..
Thank you Helen… 🙂
Just wanted to say I follow Tess on FB … she is doing well in jolly old England … let her dark hair go all silver and looks gorgeous, as always. I miss Magpie Tales and the Willow Manor Balls.
I will have to look up Tess, thanks for the heads up Helen.
No no, no mo snow is a story we are hearing a lot of lately.
I do like your first, “Unexpected”, the better. Those are so enjoyable, waking up in the morning or in the night and here it is!! We had a lot of those, afternoons too, in New Hampshire. Sooo very pretty after.
One morning a fellow from California was coming to work, up our New Boston Mountain, a Texas Hill, and slid into the ditch. A co-worker found him, unconscious. He also found a kerosene heater still burning on the passenger floorboard. His was a California 1958 Chevy with no heater.
..
Thank you Jim… 🙂 …the guy is lucky he didn’t burn up.
Love the romance. Love the gorgeous imagery and love the line no no mo snow!! All of these a delight Rob!
Thank you Carrie…
So beautiful, snow – at a great distance!
Snow is so magical Rosemary!
The first poem is just beautiful Love every line. My favourites “a great white owl – echoes -through frosted cedar” and “we breathe-the ebb and flow-of nocturne”
From the second I liked how the branches are spindly and spiked and knobbed and twisted. What an artwork this tree is
Thank you marja!
what a treat, 3 poems!
over at tropics here, i can only imagine what snowfall is like, but you have written it so well that i can almost feel the chill.
and did i detect a little sense of urgency in the second poem, that daylight should come fast? 🙂
Thank you dsnake! Spring always comes — until it doesn’t!
Like this: Bringing down the heavens, quiet and crisp. My first kiss was in November, under the stars!
Thank you Colleen!
I really like the haiku. Snow is beautiful and makes one introspective, I think.
Thank you Debi… 🙂
Wonderful, sensual, and dreamy. I could feel both cold and warmth. So well done.
Thank you Hazel!
Snow…sometime a big heavy surprise. Good to turn it into a poem.
🙂
Love your winter night – dreamy and delicious.
Anna :o]
Thsnk you Anna… 🙂
A hush and still in the mood of each of these. Nice!
Thank you Z!
I really like the ending of the “Unexpected” part, such tenderness… It left me smiling.
Thank you Magaly… 🙂
Love the various viewpoints you can have looking at the photo. Both poem and your haiku are wonderful.
Glad this resonated for you Sara. 🙂