Dear Friends, tell me the honest-truth...
...what you think about railway tracks in a sunny, rural place where nobody seem to be?
In me mind, I see songs like Ramble Tamble by Creedence. I see men and women stowing away to freedom, hiding in cabins full o' cargo.
(We useta have trains in my lovely native land, but they disappear...that is a story for another day).
In this foreign land, when the afternoon sun shine hot and hazy, that time o' day back home when school is out and school children tumble out into the streets, I head down to the railway track not far from here.
Cars zip past, sometimes a driver smile and wave, then is only me, the sun and them things I stop to see.
To the bored eye, it ain't have nothing.
But for me, the road is a full-on nature ramble where me mind fly free.
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| In The Island, they call this Poor Man's Orchid. |
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| Back home, this is jumbie beads. (Jumbie...ghost). Craft people make jewellery with them. |
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Garland of leaves.
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Road to the railway track.
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A wall of flowers.
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| Wild flowers. Why do we want to kill them? |
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| A side track. |
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| Near the neglected orange grove. |
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| The oranges in the grove, neglected, harden. |
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Well, hello there!
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| I cross the road and come across this bouquet. Why do we want to kill wild flowers? |
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| Heading back home. |
One o' these days, when I got plenty o' time, I gon cross the railway track, go over to the other side of the 4-way junction, and flow meself along that long-long road.
But for now, I turn and head back home, stroll away from the railway track, turn right, head towards me mother home, past gardens pretty-pretty more than pictures, where magnolias grow big like plates, and jasmine and gardenia perfume-up the road.
I better go shower and make dinner for Ma.
Have fun in the sun, me dears, and find you' joy. Plenty lurve, neena. xx
How I loved walking with you. Many, many thanks.
ReplyDeleteDearest Child, thank you for coming along with me. You're one of the best travelling companions. <3
DeleteWhat do I think about railway tracks in a sunny, rural place where nobody seem to be? Photo opportunity! :)
ReplyDeleteKim, in a sense, we both think the same. You take picture-pictures, I store up word-pictures. I want to capture the sunlight, the warmth, the silence, the long track to somewhere.
DeleteI would love to stop and gaze for ages, but I tend to feel shy, because there's a traffic light nearby, and I'm conscious of 'others' noticing me.
I am much less self conscious at the idea of 'others' noticing me than I used to be. Somewhere along the line I realised that all I am is part of the scenery to them - a cardboard cutout that will be forgotten moments after they have passed.
DeleteOr even if, for some reason, they decided that what I was wearing, or the shape of my beard, was worthy of note, or harsh judgement, then the most it would amount to is when they got home, they would tell their loved one about this bearded man with the unruly clothes, and their loved one would nod, perhaps comment about someone they felt worthy of judgement, and then they would make their dinner and move on to other topics and I would be forgotten about.
To the rest of the world, outside of loved ones and close friends, we are just not that important. This revelation can be sad, but at the same time, quite liberating :)
Kim, that is LIBERATING.
DeleteBut honestly, if I saw a photographer out there, I'd want to run up and talk and ask questions, but I wouldn't, I don't want to disturb their creative mood.
Back to what you've said...one of the reasons I don't show my face out there.,,I don't have to worry about anyone talking about *me* as a person, who I am, where I'm from, how I'm dressed. That way, I'm free in a small, nosy society.
If someone came running up to me to ask questions, I'd be delighted to answer - but then I'm more extrovert than most photographers.
DeleteBut hiding away for fear of being judged feels so restricting.
I remember talking once to a friend who never looks up when they walk down the street - they fear they would see the judgement in others' faces.
I said the problem with that was they never saw the smiles either.
Kim, this is truly beautiful. I'd love if you could turn it into one of your blogposts and use it with your photos. I hope you don't mind me posting it on Facebook...your comment here, and of course I'll tell everyone it's you.
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