A mighty lash
We had to write a poem on the theme of a gift for a poetry group I attend. We've had some really bad gales this month, so I thought I use them as the basis for my effort:
Gift of Janus
Chimneys, door jambs, closes
howl. Sleep turns to sleep-
lessness. Letterboxes,
sashes, slates lift,
then fall and clatter.
Drunken cans stot,cartwheel
up the street. Blinds at bay windows
screen triptychs of demented,
writhing trees. Plastic bags bloat
and rise, then pulse away like
ghostly jelly fish plunging down
some surging trough.
A mighty lash sent to test the strong,
cull the weak, to scarify and sweep.
Oh and I got a request to do some B&W veggie prints for someone who saw my leek triptych for the lady in Edinburgh.
I produced 5 prints in all, here are three of them. They are now off at the framers.
And I've also been asked to do a wedding later in the year, but I'm not sure I have the bottle or the skill.
PS if you get the chance listen to this, the story behind the song House of the Rising Sun. It reminds me of why we all used to love America.
posted by apprentice at
2:12 pm
12 Comments:
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Well good for her. Although NED is NED, it is No evidence of Disease, it does not mean you're cancer free - just that currently, within the scope of the tests they've run, they can't dectect it.
I don't have the energy to read her whole story, but two go arounds with the disease in 18 months is pretty rough.
To be honest much will depend on the grade and stage of her cancer.
I'm at the stage of staying in touch with girls who came through it at the same time as me and offering help to any newbies who ask. I don't look at the support boars much any more. There you're either newly diagnosed, worroied or dealing with a recur, merifully I'm none of these things.
There was paper this week which said that the 3 year follow up in England and Wales is inadequate, 70% of all breast cancer recurrences occur after 3 years. The report concluded that ongoing mammos should be based on individual cases and that women should be able to self refer after a primary occurence.
I hope Lucy at Box Elder read this storm poem; I think she'd appreciate it.
"stot" Perfect.
I could see it, like that *clicks fingers*. No having to read it a few times to form a picture, I was drawn right in as the chimneys howled.
Do the wedding! It might be a new form, sort of, but it'll stretch you, be a fun learning experience and, no doubt, highly rewarding. There can be no higher praise for a photographer's work than somebody wanting her to take their wedding day photos. And bloody well done! That's terrific!
Glad you're picking up Grace's story!
Writer’s Island… come visit.
Thanks Jan, hope you're feeling better.
Sam you're an inspiration, thank you. You always "get it", which gives me hope that I'm actually saying something. I think the second line needs a tweak though.
Hi Rob, thank you. I've sent something off to Seamus, it is short and sweet but hopefully it will help the plot.
Congrats on the leek print sale! I like the triptych you show here.
As for the wedding, if you know how you prefer to photograph it (and, conversely, exactly what you would not feel comfortable promising to cover, i.e. formal group shots, cake cutting etc) and the person requesting the task of you is in accord, well why not? Agree a fee in advance to cover the time you take shooting and doing post-prod, agree also what your client will get for their fee (how you will make the pix available, who to and when), and go for it?
Fingers crossed then. I think its great that you continue to support the ones you know.
Thanks f:lux. I learned today tat it is a two location wedding, first bit is in Key West, no offer to fly me there lol! The second is a reception at the Zoo for family and friends, so it should be fun, especially with the kids.
Pat it's a kind of muskateers situation with those you do treatment with. And it is rough when you watch other grapple with the latter stages, especially once the pattern becomes known to you.
A wedding? I think I'd run away!
Your poem is just spot on. I love that word use 'dreich' for the rain and wet of winter.
I love the poem, and theat last couplet really packs a punch!
The wedding is a quite scary prospect, but just snap like mad and enjoy yourself, probably the first few minutes'll be the hardest.
Hey, it sounds like it could be a really fun wedding! Shame about the Key West bit though... :)
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