Wednesday 27 February 2008

Coded Messages


The eternal lapping of the sea
lulls this bay. Rock pools
are lacy with fossil leaves -
a record
of species lost.

Perhaps a warning
of our fate.


photo taken by my partner in Orkney September 2007 (click on it to see the fossils)

A Scribbled Message for Totally Optional Prompts

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a gorgeous pic! And very apt words too. Perhaps we should all take note of that :o)

SandyCarlson said...

This seems to me to be a subtle reminder of the subtlety of change, even radical change. I like it very much.

God bless.

Janice Thomson said...

What a great find Julie, seeing a huge amount of time compressed into a stone - makes one realize the insignificance of ourselves against the power and vastness of nature. Loved the title of your piece too.

Janice Thomson said...

I meant of course Juliet :)

polona said...

a wonderful find - love the photo and thought-provoking words

goatman said...

There is a pleasant wistfulness to your work and your last poem about the skies caught my heart.
Thanks for visiting. I am new at poesy and find it difficult to say what I want in a reasonably timely manner (for me).

Anonymous said...

Lovely poem. Those fossils are amazing, the rocks using their permanence to preserve the fragility of the ferns, nature conspiring.

Anonymous said...

This made me cry with its beauty and its message. Statistics have just come out from the Australian Conservation Foundation stating that Australian native mammals are the most endangered mammals in the world, mostly due to land clearing. It's so upsetting. I'm going to work as hard as I can to raise awareness to save them, especially as they are completely unique to this country. You are such a fabulous poet and continue to inspire me!

Anonymous said...

Intense words-- so full of beauty.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps a warning..

I suppose that too...

shadows and clouds said...

i like the words lots and i like the pic lots too. fossils are mesmerising!

Andy Sewina said...

That's a great message for all of us. Great picture too, the fossil record is a message in itself..

Anonymous said...

Nature's messages can sometimes be subtle but are always worth listening to...done so well..

paisley said...

or a natural continuation of the evolution process......

anthonynorth said...

Beautiful words for a simple scientific concept. And, indeed, a warning to us all.

Tumblewords: said...

Perfect message! Love the picture and the words.

myrtle beached whale said...

Very nice poem. Simple and elegant. I loved the photo too.
myrtlebeachramblings.blogspot.com/2008/02/totally-optional-prompts-22808.html

Anonymous said...

A beautiful image. And then you take us back to the not so pretty big picture.

Yours truly Mason said...

this to me felt very powerful and beautiful at the same time thanks for the read

Linda Jacobs said...

"Lulls" and "lacy" are such beautiful words. They lull the reader in and then, bam! you hit us with reality! Excellently done!

Rae Trigg said...

Your poem paints a very poignant image. Let's hope we all don't just become another historic footnote as well.

Cynthia said...

excellent photograph and poem
with content, love lacy and rocks,
such opposites co-mingling together

writerwoman said...

This poem is very fitting for our current state where global warming is such an alarming concern.

Stan Ski said...

Rotting vegetables and stubborn stones in a pool of ever-fresh water. Some think ignorance is bliss. Preview of fate or live coverage of apathy?

Anonymous said...

I love your poem. It's a strong message.

Ciao, Milou

Poetess said...

Hello

Thanks for visiting my blog and leaving a message.

Lovely poem and pic. I always think a pic enhances poetry.

Poetess