Followers

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Shadow for Sunday, Nocturna for Real Toads

Richard Schear photo, Cinque Terre, Italy, 2013

is this single shadow all by itself
on the pink of the larger rock below?
no, other shadows lurk, up on cliff shelf.
centuries of water eroded walls
into safety of caves where seabirds know
they can build their nests with less chance of falls
by newly-hatched young who, blundering blind,
into wild waves and the undertow,
erase years of reproducing their kind.

Posted for Shadow Shot Sunday
and for Grace's challenge at the
Imaginary Garden with Real Toads,
where she asks us to write a poem called a "Nocturna"
with nine 10-syllable lines and a rhyme pattern of a b a, c b c, d b d.

21 comments:

Kathe W. said...

stellar photo of those huge cliffs and I love your poem! Enjoy your day!

Maggie Grace said...

Lovely writing and gorgeous image. Reminds me of Calanques in Southern France.

kaykuala said...

Spot on with a somewhat difficult form. Both the poem and the pic jive very well together, Kay! Wonderful take!

Hank

Hannah said...

Well done...I often think of how difficult it must be for birds to continue...feels like they are in a constant struggle.

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Wow-and just look at that cliff behind it and the direction of it coming out of the water! Would love to know that geological story!

J Cosmo Newbery said...

Great message for survival. Nice use of the form.

Beverley Baird said...

What a gorgeous spot! Love the water and sky!
Great poem as well.

Rose LeMort said...

Beautiful poem to go with a beautiful picture!

Grace said...

Love the words and picture Kay ~ You got the pattern correctly, including the linked rhymed words: below,know and undertow ~

Thanks for linking up to Sunday's Challenge ~ Happy Sunday ~

Chubby Chieque said...

Breathtaking view. Love the natural beauty.

Happy Sunday.

Greetings from D´Box in Stockholm.
/CC girl

Marian said...

other shadows always lurk, right? this is excellent, Kay.

Susan said...

Very neat move from shadow to cave, one more step in the fight for survival. Living in the wild is so dangerous.

Kerry O'Connor said...

The pink of that rock is truly amazing, but all the rocks have amazing texture and colour. I always feel sad for the chicks that don't make it living so precariously.

Unknown said...

Great poem and excellent form!

grapeling said...

Fluid and vivid, and a concordant photo - well penned. ~ M

Unknown said...

That was sad, but I wonder about those shadows at the beginning, I feel like the baby bird isn't alone.

Gemma Wiseman said...

Amazing how with those wonderful, bold rock textures, there aren't more than one lurking shadow! Great coastal scene!

Susie Clevenger said...

What a beautiful photograph...love your take. Birds know where to build to insure their offspring's safety. Seems that is a lesson humans fail at times.

TCPC said...

a wonderful picture supplemented by splendid words!

Lolamouse said...

Beautiful nocturna and a lovely photo to accompany it!

Amrit Sinha said...

You drive home the message perfectly !!!