Month: February 2024

∴ forgotten chasm, torch & blade in hand |
where cairns dissolve, paths slip away |
stone glyphs won’t murmur, maps play hide-and-seek |
nature leads, step by step, into unknown |
·
bounding cliffs, nimble as goat-kangaroos |
past cairns, past clear paths, animal trails we traverse |
canyon challenges, primal & treacherous |
stone walls witness, rugged contours guide |
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at the summit, glimpses of a distant tale |
ruins unveil remnants of a culture-defying time |
communal voices linger, echoes of rites of passage |
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time to vanish, torchlight cuts through night |
a leap off the edge, rappelling into the abyss |
into darkness, where another adventure awaits ∴

∴ at the frontier’s edge
choral hymnals resonate in the boundless expanse
mountains rise and fall—an orchestration in stone
winds swirl and gust, in minuet and trio
rivers ebb and flow, a rondo alla sirocco sonata
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beyond all constraints that tightly bind
in the darkness, the musical calculations silently spark
a delicate equilibrium,
may it move through, above, and below us
as we stand unwavering, conduits to the limitless symphony ∴

∴ hear the hurdy-gurdy’s play
thrum through urban hustle’s fray

listen to the complex rhythmic score
nuanced notes, unheard before

forty-two tones, a scale that’s vast
modulations swift, keys changing fast

harmonic sophistication in every chord
a melody unique, a creation adored

i toss in my coins, then go on my way
looking forward to tomorrow’s hurdy-gurdy play ∴

∴ My camera and I chased capuchins all through the jungle on another amazing day. The evening’s reward for my exertions is the bioluminescence setting the whole coast aglow. What a view! At night though, rest eludes me. With no imaginable endgame, kinkajous pelt my hut with all manner of missiles – seeds, rocks, nuts – you name it. Cheeky little buggers. Morning comes too soon. I wake disoriented, though the blood of a long line of naviguessers courses through my veins. Endless volumes of picture-perfect maps are stowed away in the recesses of my brain and yet I bungle about, searching for the morning blend that will surely get my GPS back online. After a nearly futile attempt to recalibrate my internal compass, I throw back my last gulp. Armed with determination and accompanied by my trusty hat, camera, and waterproof notebook, I am ready to dive back into the foliage. 123rd day of venturous monkey-chasing and I’ll be sure to sleep tonight! ∴