Murray Robertson (photography & poems)
I make photographs and poems to please myself (and share them to please you).
my grandfather's
uncle saw the green
and said so.
since then we too
have learned to
see the green;
it surrounds us
and many of us see,
but some don't;
or they say that
they don't see,
denying reality.
some green things
are terrific, and
feed the world.
but others are
very deadly,
poisonous,
as are some
toxic people,
denyers of
the green.
from here
it looks
so different,
and it seems
like another
world, a wonder.
someone thought
its name might
frighten tourists.
so they put a
different name
on the map.
local people
laugh about it.
they know that
rattlesnakes are
native too.
they are not
overly sensitive
about it.
and if tourists
are too scarey,
a good bite might
set things right!
Something Old
parking is
uncommon,
beside such a
popular
coffee shop
cars almost
outnumber
coffee drinkers.
it is a near thing.
a beautiful old
building shows
amazing age.
such character
as well!
paint helps.
mute evidence of
long ago eruption,
cooling rocks
swim in warm
pacific waves.
a thousand
miles away
a gentle breeze
stirred a sea,
and pushed a
surface droplet
against another
and another.
the pile rose
and now waves
wash over
these dark rocks,
we watch their
rhythmical arrival,
hear a pattern
of splashes.
they could be a clock,
dividing our days.
we might live
between wave peaks,
resting in valleys.
and how the sun
burns down on us.
Beach House Memory
more than a hundred
years have passed.
these lava rocks:
a high foundation
on sea's edge.
high up, it had to be,
because rogue
waves are real.
and in the time,
more than a hundred
years, many rogue
waves have washed
such lava foundations,
belief systems have
collapsed and
been replaced.
some events can
never be foreseen.
beauty in a tropical
garden, warm space,
very cool spot to be...
looking at exotic
colours, rich purple
and vivid green.
looking at her face,
(a pretty little girl)
she told me she
was ugly, her skin
colour wasn't white.
the air was thin,
and dizzy on my feet,
i found true
words to say
this child was
too sweet,
to hear or say
such evil.
i had to say,
"that isn't true".
she was sweet
as sweet can be.
someone filled
her mind
with evil lies,
things she must
not believe.
beauty in a tropical
garden, warm space,
very cool spot to be...
looking at exotic
colours, rich purple
and vivid green.
March Lilies
falling snow today,
almost thick as fog,
reminds me some
of worlds
i'd like to see.
but i can't see
the far end
of kalamalka,
and my naked world
has visible edges
thin snowfall
has me thinking
as I get my shovel,
how good it could
be to see the lilies
again, next march.
but now, there is
only falling snow.
i heard it said
tree heliotrope
is throughout
much of oceana.
so many places
i have not been!
toxic, they say,
in large amounts.
nobody would
eat that much.
crooked branches.
who could build
with such tangled
wood as that?
but trees like this
are fine, so fine,
for creating shade
beneath a south
pacific sun.
African Tulip Tree
once they borrowed
this invasive tree,
brought from afar
to hawai'i.
it was imported
from a world away,
once transplanted
it just got away.
spread like disease,
among a flock,
we heard it so.
so many things
we do will fail us.
time will bring
surprises that
we cannot
understand.
our great works
impress us so.
new evils
seem to
surprise us;
but we may
still endure.
white coral sand,
wet black lava,
tropical seas,
the summery sky!
every day seems
a wonderful dream.
we eat shave ice
but not much
ice cream.
a secret beach
seems such an idea!
down a private road,
(we asked the young
guard for access,
quickly granted)
we were on our way.
a narrow road on
white coral sand,
a gift from the bowels
of many parrotfish,
and we are grateful.
a wonderful
uncrowded beach.
we carried on,
to welcome shade
beneath hot
sunny skies.
in black and white,
feeling, no surprise.
Murray Robertson (photography & poems) 