SPC ~ found patterns

The Stolen Camera

Since the camera was stolen,
everything is a photograph -
pink bloom against white stucco,
serious face of the potato chip man
leaning over his cart.

In the square, gypsies with brilliant skirts
twirl among palm trees.
I reach for the camera, to hand it to you,
but it is gone, stolen by a thief
who knows nothing of lenses.

Are you thinking of the camera?
I ask you once,
and you nod.
You will not mention it.

Two days ago you caught
the shrivelled saint who kissed your hand,
the twins of Bougainvillea laughing
in their windowsill.
Your camera had careful eyes,
and now the pictures are stolen inside it,
babies who will never be born.

How would I feel if they stole my pens?
My lips would go on making words,
when I crossed the dappled street,
words everywhere, steps
or yellow leaves.

Today we pass the monastery silently.
maybe we are soaking up light,
brief angles of sun on stone.

Mabe tonight when we sleep
all we have seen will arrange itself
inside us, quick trails of stars,
and we will wake glowing,
the world in our eyes.

Popayan, Colombia

~ Naomi Shihab Nye, from Words Under the Words

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Comments

[becky voyles]

For a moment I thought you were writing about someone actually stealing YOUR camera! I have had this happen to me but luckily I got my Minolta back. They also stole our video camera which had the tape of my sons birth on it which makes me sick every time I think of it. My son & I talked of if we could go back in time... if I could go back, I'd go back to that morning, take my camera & the video cam with me as well as all my jewelry. That may be my post for today so thanks for the inspiration.

quoththerav3

[kristen]

this is a gorgeous photo and the words are so evocative. i need to find a book of her poetry. xoxo

[mia]

So poetic photos and they work so well in black and white. Very nice!

[Star]

Cute shot of the photographer up top; I love the pattern of the lilies on the pond below. I would never have thought to make the pond shot black and white; the blossoms really stand out white.

[Amber]

That is some poem. I like it, like a story...

OX
:)

[melanie]

love that poem, your photos are just lovely!!!

[Colorsonmymind]

Beautiful you....and your photographs are just so stunning.

You are amazing.
Love you

[luzie]

so very lovely. xx

[susanna]

Oh I love this poem! Especially the first line and the last paragraph. Perfect.

And your image is just as poetic, Susannah.I love the connection between the two images. In three more weeks I will be kayaking among the lilypads on a lake next to a family cottage. I'm sooo looking forward to it. The last time I was there I noticed that the top of the lilypads are green but underneath, they are a deep, deep red. My two favourite colours.

[dandelion]

fabulous patterns!...x

[Jemima]

That poem made me want to write verse. This is fairly remarkable, so thanks for that. The "quick trails of stars", yummy words, I want some of them. So long as I don't have to lose my camera to achieve this ;-)