Photos and occasional pomes

Haiku Blog – Pictures and Words

  • Waiting

    The lifeguard watches,
    Ensuring the surf is safe.
    If anyone turns up.

    The Pembrokeshire coast in Wales has some superb sandy beaches. Some of them, like this one, being the first to receive the Atlantic swells, provide excellent surfing. This may or may not be a selective viewpoint, and there may or may not be a few surfers out to the right and out of shot. you will never know. Why risk spoiling the Haiku with facts?

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  • Contrasts

    An autumn carpet
    Amber against summer green.
    Two seasons in one.

    This is not two photos merged, it was actually like that. The dead pine needles covering the river bank, and still dying on the branches, whilst the deciduous trees were in full leaf. Another image from the walk along the River Derwent. Glad I took my camera.

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  • Reflections

    Warm afternoon light
    Reflects in the still waters.
    Peaceful and calming.

    I found this house on a recent walk along the river Derwent in the Peak District, at Calver, Derbyshire. Apparently it is called Shuttle Cottage, and used to be a sluice keepers cottage in the 18th Century. It originally housed the machinery that controlled the sluice and water flow into Calver Mill. The mill, a former textile mill, relied on this water flow for power. And now you know.

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  • Obsolete

    The barge lies rusting
    The power station shut down.
    Soon these will be gone.

    Ratcliffe was the last of the coal fired power stations in the UK. Before it gets pulled down, I went to grab some shots. The chosen viewpoint was at a nearby marina, which has a huge area of abandoned, broken and, in some cases, rotting boats. The fact is that neither seem likely to last much longer.

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  • Childhood

    Childhood memories.
    Thrown high to fly like a bird
    And caught by safe hands.

    This bronze statue is located in the Abbey gardens on Tresco in the Scilly Isles. It is actually called “Tresco Children” and depicts the three children of the owners of Tresco island. Apparently there was some controversy as the child in the air is portrayed as naked.

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  • Thinking

    What’s it all about?
    I’ll just sit here and ponder
    the meaning of life.

    This fine young man was found in the Museum of Somerset in Taunton, just sat still, quietly thinking. Well, not really. Clearly he is made of stone. Or fibreglass, I can’t remember. Anyway, he kept still for his photo, which is all that counts.

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  • A gift

    A gift from my wife
    Now I know the safety word –
    Hippopotamus.

    Came home yesterday to find my wife had bought me a very special t-shirt. I love it. Unfortunately I am hopeless at selfies, but I think it tells the story.

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  • Escape

    Crawling on scarred knees
    over cold and hard flagstones.
    Escape to the light.

    A bit of a downbeat haiku, but it reflects the feel of the image. Another from Gloucester Cathedral.

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  • Wing Walk

    Seats are for inside
    Not sat up there on the wing.
    More courage than sense.

    On a recent holiday we were passing an airfield when we spotted a plane on the ground, and someone clambering up on top of the wings. We waited, and watched, as the plane took off and performed aerobatics with a brave soul strapped to an outside seat. I now have a granddaughter who wants to do wing walking and sky diving! Nutters.

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  • Normanton Church

    The church on the lake
    Ethereal survivor
    of a flooded land.

    Rutland Water in the East Midlands of England was formed by flooding and damming the Gwash valley, covering two villages in the process. It is the largest reservoir in England by surface area. When Rutland Water was created in the 1970s, the church was partially submerged, but it was saved from demolition due to public protest. The lower level was filled with rubble and concrete, and a new floor was created, making it a unique landmark that appears to float on the water.  History, Haiku and a pHoto.

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