The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
Robert Frost, Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
The last month has been a whirlwind of goodbyes, hellos, with dashes of controversy and a sense of disorientation. I have felt upside down, round-a-bout, and back to front. I haven’t even been taking photos*. Its been unfamiliar, and familiar all at once.
I walked along the St Kilda esplanade one evening and watched the sun set over the water, trying to re orientate myself to my new home. Brilliant tangerine, it lit up the wisps of clouds that gathered above the bay, gently feathering the sky. I watched a legion of people point their cameras towards the last gasping rays. Like zombies they stood and recorded the hues of tangerine fade into a colour I liken to fluorescent watermelon. The sun sucked into the horizon by some hidden vaccuum cleaner, teasing it in like a stray marble lost under a bed.
I realised as I walked amoung the rollerbladers, backpackers, dogs, families, prams, runners, seagulls, pensioners and cyclists enjoying the fading warmth of the day that I grew up with sunrise rather than sunset over the ocean. That while the beauty of the sun setting made me twinge with regret for not grabbing my camera for my walk so I could join the legion of zombie photographers it also made me feel like I wasn’t quite at home. Funny that a simple thing like the setting sun can disorientate you so much.
I feel at home now in this new city. Not at home like seeing Mt Warning appear over the horizon on the return to Murwillumbah, and not at home like lying on my sisters couch, or being in West End. But I’m home. My new home, where the sun sets over the ocean. The tiny waves ripple, pitching seagulls from their perch, the sun disappears below the horizon and I walk in the cool blue light as people pack up their beach day. I walk home.
* These are some of the very few photos I have actually taken in the last month. The poor camera’s are gathering dust.
Beautiful gems. I love the shot through the rainy glass. And the one of NR of course. And I love you x
you write so beautifully gemma love, i think about you over there on the south side, you making a new home there for awhile, me up here on the north side making one for me. we have shared so many places from similar distances have we not? i feel something akin to the security of family knowing you are there. x nunu
Lucky you are a Monkey!