A street singer in Santa Monica serenaded folks enjoying their meal at outdoor cafes just steps away from the sea. His relaxed tunes wrapped us, and the child, in a blanket of serenity. The
Poets and Storytellers United prompt, "losing track of time" is exactly what transpired in those moments when it seemed all clocks had stalled. Time, however, did not lose track of
us, as I lament in the verse below.
I felt as tiny as the seahorse printed on my t-shirt, by the sea, yet also part of some large majestic scheme. The waves cast a cheerful spell in the sparkling sunlight and I took many pictures. But now these same watery images evoke agitation, too, when my thoughts turn to the colossal incompetence of leaders that resulted in thousands of unnecessary drownings in Libya of people who might have escaped if warned or
if dams had been properly maintained. Complacency is the evil that corrupts common sense and humans settle in vulnerable places. Personal immediate needs prevail over the long haul yet we must also consider the greater good and the future. The proactive know time is a gift and opportunity that expires too soon to whatever waits outside the hourglass of our existence. Bliss balances the me and "we", the now with what will be.
beautiful images of the beach
ReplyDeleteI think the sea kind of unites with the eternal. At least that is how I am thinking right now.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful sea and skies, but I just adore that photo of the singer an child.
ReplyDeleteGorgeous photos! I really like the reflections off the water (last photo).
ReplyDeleteGood post.
ReplyDeleteYou words and your pictures are beautiful You are a real artist
ReplyDeleteBeautiful images of the sea, sublime sunset, mysterious patterns on the waves, and you, Maria, as a part of it. Yes, the floods in Libya is not simple natural disaster. Large part of it is man-made and the damages could be decreased a lot.
ReplyDeleteReally like the poem, especially the phrase "Captive in an hourglass not of my making" Yes, indeed... And footprint photos too... :)
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos of you and the beach. Lovely capture of the singer holding the child. I like the seahorse shirt and your poem. Lovely sunset. Take care, have a great day and happy weekend!
Time seems to rush by like that last photo. Feeling small and part of something bigger at the same time is happening more and more for me. I love the idea of our bodies as hourglasses. The hourglass half empty or half full, grains of sand that slip through our hands.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed your pics and poem and the sombre tone...Glad you mentioned the Libyan situation....Complacency and indifference are indeed the enemy of common sense and decency...Enjoy your lovely holiday ! Rall
ReplyDeleteI love every part and parcel of your post. The poem, sentiment, insights, photos ... you do delight us!!
ReplyDeleteJust lovely!
ReplyDeletePenelope, you lead a charming life, I love your pictures, always. And yes, it does slow down. And your hour glass figure fills as your accomplishments narrow.
ReplyDelete..
Bliss balances the me and "we", the now with what will be. - beautiful...
ReplyDeleteI remember my Grandma, when I was a little girl, saying she thought greed was the cause of most of the evil and suffering on the planet. Now I am even older than she lived to be, and I'm afraid I have not yet found reason to contradict her. That being said, evil and suffering are not the only things we experience; I enjoyed the beauty of your words and seascapes.
ReplyDeleteThe tragedy in Libya is so enraging. Complacency and greed are a global problem too.
ReplyDeleteThe shape of your poem is sweetly whimsical while its words are sobering.
Delightful!
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteIt seems tragedies are happening more often, more people are suffering. I feel for the homeless, housing and rental prices are ridiculous for the average person. I love the beach images, the beach is one of my favorite places . Sunset are lovely and a pleasure to our eyes. Your photos are gorgeous. Love you in the seahorse shirt, looks cute. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
Gorgeous post and photos and always thought provoking ~ seashore is such a gift from nature ~ Xo
ReplyDeletePS ~ Great photo of you too.
Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Hour glasses fascinate me. I LOVE "The Seahorse Trainer".
ReplyDeleteWow, that is so cool that you watched it and loved it. Very good to know. :)
DeleteYes, time slips away like sand in an hourglass. Your words beautifully capture the paradox of time. The photos are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteGreat words and images, the last of which has a mesmerising sense of the movements of time. A thoughtful, graphically pleasing post all round. ♥
ReplyDeleteWhat gorgeous photos of the ocean! WOW!
ReplyDeleteHello :=)
ReplyDeleteYour beautiful photos of the beach and sea are on equal footing with your words of wisdom and poetic turn of phrase. I love the image of the man holding the child, the foot prints in the sand, the sunset with the solitary figure, a moment in time captured in all it's fleeting beauty. Time is indeed a gift Thank you for your lovely post.
My best wishes
Sonjia.
I think the rhyme of "breaking" and "making" pulls the irregular lines together.
ReplyDeleteYou got some lovely photos. The third and seventh are my favorite.
ReplyDeleteStupendous pics of the sea and touching pic of the man with child....also your lovely poem ....not of my making.....an artist indeed
ReplyDeletePenelope, thanks for stopping by my blog. I am pleased to meet a writer who is aware of the climate crisis - there are some of us online writing about it frequently. Suzanne at Wayfaring is doing a series of essays. Rajani at Suspension Point is doing a poem series on the topic and is inviting poems. Thanks for the good work you are doing.
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