2 Points of View

I wrote these poems March 4th 2011. They were inspired by the photo included here. I was struck by the awkwardness of the bike in the water. There were so many energies that I felt when looking at the image; pain, confusion, helplessness.

When I contacted the photographer Gig Laurin to ask permission to post the picture on my website, she commented,

“Because I am also an artist I found this photo mysteriously haunting and beautiful. I may someday make it come to life in an acrylic painting. …It saddens me to think that some of our society has a total disrespect for the environment.”

That was exactly how I felt about her photo. She captured that mysteriously haunting essence perfectly don’t you think?

 2 Points of View

I don’t know what happened
I don’t think I did anything wrong
I was left in the rain and started to stain
Now I’m somewhere I don’t belong

When I was fresh and shiny
We’d go for rides all over town
But as my tires wore I became a bore
Then they threw me here to drown

The little ones who see me
Feel as distraught as I do
They point and ask why as they walk by
To the big ones I’m just a thing someone outgrew

We see you through our reflection
We’re aching to pull you out
But despite deep roots and strength
Our limber branches can’t reach that length

We can only sway in quiet vigilance
Over your tiny frame
Graciously bearing inevitable harm
Seems that only we hear the silent alarm

Your paint taints our water with poisons
Rubber and vinyl degrade our soil
Unseen venoms, into the blood they seep
In days to come more than we will weep

 

I don’t know if the little bike still lies at the bottom of that creek. I’ll have to find out somehow. Hopefully someone has exhumed it from the waters.

best to you,

Cindy
Dec 7, 2011

 

Dec 11/11
Closing comments, tired of spam. Many thanks to those who have connected in genuine interest about the topic of this post.

One Response to “2 Points of View”

1. Gig Laurin says:

   December 9, 2011 at 11:16 am

   I really loved your poems!!

   They have totally conveyed what I was feeling the moment I captured this photo. The bike is no longer there but in the Spring there will be a whole new story to be told with carelessly discarded items.