Poetry

Rainbows: A new eyeku , poem and some photos from my walk

colleen General, Poetry ,

 

Chasing a rainbow

out beyond the swales
where the sea ebbs and flows
keeping time
to the thrumming of the universe
a rainbow vibrantly
quilts the sky
each pleated pastel reflecting
down on the wave-washed sand
the archer bends his bow
and breaking waves
arrow the light

beyond the rock platform
waves crash into the edge
their wild cascade spindrifts
catching coloured molecules of light

in the rock pool
the dark swirl absorbs the colours
crabs come out to view the scene

it bows across the sky
pot of gold to pot of gold
and like a breath of air
this grand spectacle that filled my walk
disperses and is gone
leaving only a grey whisper of cloud

 

 

 

Splash, Slither, Squawk ed.Michele Bomford and Julie Thorndyke

colleen General, Poetry , , , , , , ,

It would be 40 years ago when Michael and I went for picnics along the Bell River near Wellington in western NSW and enjoyed finding good river bends to spot platypus. The thrill has been an enduring memory for us. We have always  hoped that our grandchilren will have this opportunity as well. Hence there is great excitement and pride to be included in The Society of Women Writers NSW new and celebratory Anthology  ‘Splash, Slither, Squark’ created for young people empowering  them to advocate for our wildlife and planet. It is full of hope for our future  and the proceeds  go to helping to restore our unique flora and fauna especially our wombats and our Bush Fire service.

Children including three of our grandchildren (during their homeschooling term) have  joined in illustrating the stories, poetry, articles and adding their voice to this anthology.

The home of  Society is The State Library Of NSW. Chief Librarian John Vallance is an amazing advocate of children’s book and we are proud of his support of the anthology.

Margaret Hamilton Wombat Care Bundanoon, NSW Rural Fire Service Lithgow, New South Wales Society of Women Writers Victoria Fans of SCBWI City of Sydney ABC Sydney Christmas Press Picture Books  The Children’s Bookshop ALT Media Jackie French City Hub Sydney RSPCA Australia Lisa Berryman HarperCollins HarperCollins Books Australia Pat Simmons Jacqui Brown Writer Tory Gervay

Buy a copy to save our wombats & support the bushfire appeal –

Splash, Slither, Squawk!

Edited by Michele Bomford and Julie Anne Thorndyke

ISBN  978-0-9808407-5-9 RRP  $20 https://womenwritersnsw.org/

Credit Card or PayPal: https://www.trybooking.com/BKXWO

To celebrate our 95th birthday The Society of Women Writers NSW Inc – the oldest association of women writers in Australia has collaborated to create Splash, Slither, Squark, and  anthology to empower our children to be advocates for the future of our planet.

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Contemplative photography . Finding moments of grace today.

colleen Poetry , , , , , , ,

Some moments of grace found on my walk today from Dolphin Court to Tuggerah Lake.

one of lightness of being and joy with a ‘feathered angel ‘  in my view and a later

in the week along Tuggerah Lake a new moment of grace. –one of beauty in light but darkness gathering.

The evening Eyeku of mine .

Remembering we are both  parched and quenched  by the illumining light  reminds us joy and sadness are both the flip side of each other.

I like Kahlil Gibran’s  words from The Prophet:

“Your joy is  your sorrow unmasked.
And the self-same well from which your laughter
rises was oftentimes filled with your tears. . .
Some of you say, ‘Joy is greater than sorrow’, and others say, ‘Nay, sorrow is the greater’
But I say unto you, they are inseparable.
Together they come, and when one sits alone with you at your board, remember that the other is asleep upon your bed.”

 

 

Making photo haikus or eyekus my new soulful art of creativity

colleen Poetry , , ,

Eyykus . Yes a new word for me. 

Words and pictures together are more potent than either alone. Haiku photography combines an image with a short poem to link the essence of nature with human life. It is not meant to describe but to allow the reader to enjoy a similiar experiemental feeling that  the photographer had. Hopefully some will open  new doors of consciousness.  They can be seen as a threshold  to another world often the wordless world .

Haiku invites us to obeserve the immediate moment with our full attention . This is in harmony with the essence of contemplative photography  and the mediative moment of transcendence.

 

This sunrise photo was taken from the balcony of The Dolphin Court apartment.

It could become the motif for every day . Look up even in lock down the sun rises in all her glory into a new day. It is up to us to ask

What is the most important Thing today. How can I make today count?

Soul Work – being creative reminds us of our place in the cosmos

colleen Poetry , , , ,

My new project . Uniting  three of my  favourite creative activities:  poetry photography and nature walking.  Each is a creative retreat for me  – restorative to body , mind, spirit and soul.I trust anyone who comes across them will poise and ponder  and praise the cosmos that gives us
life. The first photo was taken on my morning walk from Dolphin House to Shelly Beach where the ebbing tide gave me great opportunities to enjoy the pellucid sand.  Making photo haikus is not original. Some call them  an eyeku  and eyekus  and they need to be about nature and awareness complementing each other and each enriching the other a little deeper .

 

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John Muir Trust Writing Competition  – Wild Inside

colleen Grandchildren, Poetry , , , ,

Thomas Keating-Jones wins the Bronze Medal in the John Muir Writing Competition – Wild Inside for his poem in the under 18 year old section

 

 

It speaks as a 9 year old  boy in lockdown. 

I think this tree is smiling 

I think this tree is smiling 

With the light of the sunshine warming up it’s tiny new green leaves 

I also feel like smiling 

as the sun washes away the darkness in our hearts 

I think that tree is smiling 

With happiness and joy, as I look through a window

where the cherry blossoms danced in the wind

Gone now 

Time is passing

I think my tree is smiling 

As he knows his role in the world 

I can feel it’s strong branches 

It can feel my tiny hands 

I am up in its canopy hidden from the lockdown world 

My view is special and just for me 

I think this tree is smiling 

Smiling straight at me

I feel like smiling

I feel free 

Thomas Keating-Jones  

9 years old

 May 30th 2020

John Muir Trust Writing Competition  – Wild Inside

Under-18s Poetry

Winner: Jane

Linda Cracknell said: “This writer has created a great form for their poem,

 including lovely rhythm which makes it excellent to read aloud, 

and it’s clever, showing the human is clearly part of the natural world.”

Silver: Eliza

Bronze: Thomas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What must our world do to build up its resilience ?

colleen Grandchildren, Poetry , , , , , ,

Below is a video of  Thomas reading  his new poem . Press IMG 9763 to hear him with his purple hair being a wild child not only in ISO and in Lockdown loving home-schooled in England but  at this time being on a summer holiday.

IMG_9763

What must our world do to build up its resilience ?

For me the answer is Listen to our children. Have hope in our children. Believe our world will be in good hands.
This then will make us work harder NOW  to leave the world the best we can
so the children of tomorrow  can say
we see the way for on the shoulders of giants we stand.

 

Thomas inspires me with his thoughts and words and expressions .

His poetry speaks to us all.
His voice speaks to us in hope that our young are on the way to make a difference.

I

What might become of earth

The air is Her great breath of life
The waves and ripples are the folds of Her cloak
The trees are Her garden
flowering in Her loving care
demonstrating her ethereal presence.
The Sun is Her eye to Earth.
Her glorious gateway to our world
We are a small part of her creation.
If we stand for nothing what we we fall for?
If we do not say enough when will it be?
If we are never satisfied when will our planet be stripped bare?
Barren
A void.
On the winds of time now come the winds of change
Who knows what might become of Earth. 

 

Thomas doing what he loves to do, using his words and his voice to make a difference.

The waterfall today after the three days of rain

colleen General, Poetry , , , , ,

Waterfall in the remnant of forest  in easy walking from home. This is my air pocket in this city of 4 million people.

If you click the IMG below you will get an amazing 13 seconds of refreshing beauty.

IMG_9618

 

 

through the trees i glimpse a waterfall
and marvel to think it has always been here
carving musically into the heart of the earth
it has sung its song for aeons   (from new bush track)

I felt very energised after my walk .My first time to put up a video. It is only 13 seconds but amazing . I am so thrill to have this so close I can walk there and be in another world .

A poem that I wrote when i first found this place and it was published in Fire on Water 2016 publ. Ginninderra Press

new bush track

moving house means searching
for new wilderness
like a miner after an elusive air pocket

following a green area on a map
hidden by development
encroached to the edge
behind an old scout hall

a brambly track
winds me down
through a sandstone escarpment
the dawn-sun plays into the hands
of eucalypts stretched
to seek the light
yet their search for meaning
being found more in their roots
symbiotically curled around sturdy rock

here dew tipped casuarinas sparkle<
here grass trees verdantly splurge<
as if their whole purpose is to shine

self important palms push upwards
screaming rock stars

honey birds swing on rusty-gold banksia
magpies warble
in the whip-cracked air

this is the Australian bush
how it pulls me in

through the trees i glimpse a waterfall
and marvel to think it has always been here
carving musically into the heart of the earth
it has sung its song for aeons
it is the human in me that delights

nature just is
in its own world
whole unto itself
it doesn’t even know I’m here
there is a loneliness in this
yet lost from the world
i am found
and to the cadence of nature
i dance 

Counting dead women by Colleen Keating

colleen Poetry , , , , ,

We are only as strong as our weakest link. When there is a crisis like a pandemic the weakest links in the chain of society break.  When there is a crisis the cracks show .

Under the cover of Covid-19 counting dead women is not being given media attention, unless it includes children or there is a  family with means to bring the story to the fore.

The 30th woman  killed by domestic violence  this year has just been named . She was 44 years old. This is late July  2020. I found my published poem written in 2014 . That is 6 years ago . What has changed?

How can this be dealt with ? If it was any other statistic – measures would be taken.  Instead money has been withdrawn from safe houses and other womens projects. And covid is now called a ‘pink crisis’.

How long for justice. ? Presently at this time my research is about Herstory  and it is so important.  But we need herstory and history  to become linked making ourstory .  When equality is present violence will diminish.

Leonard Cohen shows us hope when he sing: there’s a crack in everything
that’s how the light gets in.

It is surely time to act. We are being given another chance, we are being reminded  to look at and  see inequity face on. Society can only be given so many chances.

 

counting dead women

i rose towards dawn
to sit by the big picture window

the sky black as raven wings
lay still and silent
like a dark night of the soul

i was desperately seeking
some colour   some hope
upon the dark edge of the world
where sea and sky meet

yet my mind kept scribbling
names of women      dead women
words of violence not erased

as the darkness of the morning news
counting dead women
crowds my mind
makes raw my heart
even as the breath of dawn
spreads its radiance

Colleen Keating 2014