Uninspired

A poem about writer’s block, and a steamy night!

Author’s note: Just couldn’t get in touch with my muse the other night. It was a bit warm and humid, extremely unusual for this part of the world. This ‘inner-talk’ kept rattling around in my head, interfering with the voice of my muse. Then I realized — it was my muse. This is what came through.

Uninspired

•

relentless whirr
cycled pulse drones
overhead

coarse whisper from above
promises relief

in vain

blades disturb page edges
at rest before me

in irregular rustle they taunt

impatient
untouched

virgin
undefiled

ignored

no burden of remorse
no weight of mystery do they bear

no sting of anger
no wink of mirth
with which to be dispatched

no coin of phrase to spend

dissonance spills through the open window
the buzz, chirr, and leggy rasp
muffled keens, distant yelps

the edgy din of crawling, prowling night

intrudes in damp insistence
to fill my head
and leave not one small space
for wit or insight

all in vain

there is no relief

nothing clever
or profound in the air this night

hot, sticky, thick

uninspired

…

rob kistner © 2007

Uninspired

a relentless whir
60-cycled hum

pulses and drones
overhead

this coarse whisper
promises relief

in vain

this place
soaked in midnight
clings to the soul

blades whirl and whoosh
a quiet thump

whump
whump
whump
whump

pointlessly
they cleave the swelter

and rattle pages
at rest before me

in irregular rustle
they taunt

impatient

untouched

no burden of remorse
no weight of mystery
do they bear

no voice of reason
or ring of truth

no sting of anger
no wink of mirth
with which to be dispatched

no coin of phrase to spend

nocturne
spills
through the open window

cacophonous

the buzz
chirr
caw
as twilight fades

the leggy rasp
muffled keens

darkness deepens

the stalking growls
distant yelps

low rolling howls
echoed cries
rising gibber

the edgy din
of crawling
prowling
night

intrudes
in damp insistence
to fill my ears
crowd my mind

to leave not one small space
for wit
or insight

all in vain

there is no relief

nothing clever
or profound
in this dissonant tropical night

hot
sticky
thick

uninspired

rob kistner © 2007IMG_8609 IMG_8610

33 thoughts on “Uninspired”

  1. Even when feeling uninspired, your poet’s mind spills out these little gems – just look at these lines!

    “no coin of phrase to spend”

    “the edgy din of crawling, prowling night”

    “dissonance spills through the open window
    the buzz, chirr, and leggy rasp
    muffled keens, distant yelps”

  2. Hi Rob,

    Nice poem! Your words-‘just could not get in touch with my muse’ remind me—my muse is a girl who lives across seven seas and doesn’t answer my emails/phone calls. 🙁

    I have not used your image ‘Path to realisation-web’ that you gave me, for my post ‘The Journey’. I felt I should just leave the spiraling galaxy with a well lit galactic centre as the image for this post.

    But I am thinking of using ‘Path to realisation-web’ for my upcoming post on enlightenment, a sequel to ‘The Journey’. Will let you know in advance.

    I just added a new blog entry, which, in my view, proves beyond doubt that the intellectual approach to the ultimate truth (if there is one) is not enough.

    http://vikram-madan.blogspot.com/2007/06/psychosis-or-transcendence-probing.html

    Have a nice day!
    Vikram

  3. Let me know what you think of my art,(if anything!!!) at the blog-link I just posted, in my last comment, a few minutes back. I am an amateur, this is my first attempt at photo manipulation. Thanks.

  4. Morning Rob,

    Every sunrise is a new chance for your Muse to taunt, err… tease. I mean help you, yes guide you in the ever flowing mystery that is poetry.

    I must say though, this is a very good piece you have here today. 😉

    Rose

    xo

  5. Hi Rob,

    Great picture of a humid-can’t sleep-can’t read-can’t think-night as a fan adds nothing.

    I’m a Portlander, too, and it was muggy the other night!

    Well done. I like it.

  6. “dissonance spills through the open window
    the buzz, chirr, and leggy rasp
    muffled keens, distant yelp”

    Wonderfully inspired by those words!

  7. For one so “Uninspired, you inspire. This is a wonderful poem of words, sounds and images. Thoughts in the dark of night when our mindsrewind the day. Very well written.
    I have not been here before but will return to this uninspired poet.

    love-bd

  8. Well that’s the most inspired “uninspired” piece I’ve read in a while. It reminds me of growing up in the South, before air-conditioning was installed in our schools. It was hot, humid and miserable – so much so, that some days in our Advanced English class – in which we were supposed to write a 500-word essay every day – the teacher would tell us just to put our heads down on our desks, because it was simply “too hot to think.” And she was right!

    And I’d love to be in Portland this weekend, drinking iced tea, eating delicious food and going out and about to all the events.

    And thank you for your really kind words about my poem. I especially appreciate hearing the male perspective on these issues.

  9. Pauline

    Thank you for your kindness!

    The words were hard won that night. I think my muse was as hot and sticky as I was… 😉

  10. Vikram

    Thank you!

    You must be patient in relationships. If it is meant to be. love will find a way. If not, you will find a way to love — someone else.

    Love always triumphs, even if the victory is not obvious at first.  😉

  11. Rose

    Thank you for your kind words!

    Yes, our muse — what a classic love/hate relationship. I wouldn’t have it any other way… 😉

  12. Juliet

    Glad you enjoyed!

    I grew up in the Ohio River Valley – summer was 95-100 degrees F, and 95% humidity. We never have humidity to speak of here in Oregon — so even a little taste, like the other night, gets under my skin now.

    But I remember lying in bed at night as a young man, stewing in my own juices — been a long time since anything like that.

    I’ve gotten soft… 😉

  13. Christina

    Thank you!

    Yeah — the ’empty’ page. Hard to believe anything some seemingly passive can be so damned cruel!! 😐

  14. Deb

    Thank you!

    Yeah, the weather is being strange — as usual… 😉

    I was having a brain cramp trying to write the other night, so every thing felt extra uncomfortable.

  15. Gautami

    Thank you my friend! 🙂

    Living here in the foothills in this old growth valley. it sounds like every one of god’s creatures who can make noise, are making noise — and all doing it at the same time!

  16. Melanie

    You are very kind — thank you for visiting!

    Please do come back.

    I will visit you as well — bd.

  17. WD

    You are here!

    This is Image & Verse, and this is the barbecue… an imaginary one! 😉

    But, now that you’re here — there are tini’s being mixed on the deck and brewskies in the fridge, help yourself!

  18. Tara

    Thank you!

    Yes indeed, I remember the later part of the school year in the Cincinnati, 95 degrees, 95% humidity, no air conditioning — whew!!!! No thanks! 😐

    Your piece was very powerful — I was compelled to comment.

  19. January

    Thank you!

    I have been lurking, admiring your work.  Thank you for visiting Image & Verse! 😉

    Sometimes, even swelled with feelings, words won’t come to define them. That’s what makes it so glorious when the words do flow!

  20. This is great, Rob. When all else fails, be inspired by the absence of inspiration! I think it’s a victory to keep writing when you feel nothing coming, and this is evidence that it will indeed bear (delicious) fruit.

  21. CG

    Thank you!

    I am glad you found this pleasing… 😉

    Getting to it for me was a bit like passing a kidney stone through my brain — it was painful, but there was comfort in the end.

  22. Question: what do you write when you don’t know what to write?
    Answer: what do you write when you don’t know what to write?

    Pretty stupid old joke of a sort, but it still makes me laugh. And, like your poem, it is precisely what is in front of us to do when we see nothing else. What else? A good description you did right here and thanks.

  23. Long time no see, stranger.

    There are times my head buzzes and I can’t pull any words out, although I am desperate to cock my ears to my muse’s lips and listen. Sometimes, I only hear whirring and feel buzzing. I really liked the pacing of this. (due to your line breaks and the spacing of your stanzas)…I got the definitely feel of thoughts buzzing while on a walk…

    -Nicole

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