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Sunday, June 10, 2012

For Real Toads: choosing Hannah's photos

Today, at the online writers' group, Imaginary Garden with Real Toads, our challenge is to write to the beautiful photographs of the lovely and talented Hannah Gosselin.
Several photos were offered for us, some exquisite, but I chose the photo below, which Hannah entitled Pier Post Persisting, because I always love a pier, especially the one at the beach in my home town, White Rock, BC.



Pier Post Persisting
Photo and title by Hannah Gosselin

Thousands of feet trod the planks of the pier
for many a summer, for many a year,
until the town languished, then shrivelled, then died,
and left the poor pier to the incoming tide.
The planks became rotten, then covered in moss,
then fell, and the posts left behind mourned their loss.
"Look here, don't you see? There was a pier here
where fishermen tied up their boats, got their gear
ready, then went out to fish on the river.
We posts thought the pier would be here forever."
*
The boards rotted, and fell, and they left the posts
to time and the tide, in their rivermouth host.
So, if you go down there some summer day
you might see the pier posts persisting today.

11 comments:

Kerry O'Connor said...

There is something wasteful about an abandoned pier. I like your use of rhyme in this poem.

Scarlet said...

Nice description of the forgotten pier left to the incoming tide ~ I am sure it has many stories to tell ~

Happy Sunday to you ~

hedgewitch said...

Great personification in this one, Kay. I remember many happy hours as a child running up and down the old wooden piers on Lake Michigan. I esp loved these lines:
'...The boards rotted, and fell, and they left the posts
to time and the tide, in their rivermouth host...'

Fireblossom said...

Why is it that simple structures that have been abandoned or have worn away, seem so romantic and interesting? I don't know, but they do, don't they?

Jenn Jilks said...

This is wonderful.
I've been so busy being new treasurer of our local provincial park, I haven't had time for such creative endeavours.
Thank you for sharing your work!

Martha Z said...

Great imagery in this, I can visualize the fishing village slowly fading away.

Laurie Kolp said...

Such a lovely rhythm and rhyme here... a pleasure to read!

Hannah said...

This flows like magic, Kay!! What a joy to read this and what an honor to be featured here among your talented work! I'm so glad this photo brought memories for you!

"The boards rotted, and fell, and they left the posts
to time and the tide, in their rivermouth host.
So, if you go down there some summer day
you might see the pier posts persisting today."

I just LOVE this, Kay!! Brilliant, truly!!

Susie Clevenger said...

I see a broken pier and I wonder if it was a storm or neglect that caused its demise. You have written of the life than life it shared with those who used it. Beautiful

Linnea said...

Now I know what happened. Very lovely poem! This photo must bring back memories to you! I hope your summer is off to a good start!

Herotomost said...

I loved that picture, and there is a loneliness and abandonment that underlies the beauty. You hit the nail on the head.