“I was leaving Amsterdam and moving back to Paris, having been in London before that, Paris even before that and years before Ireland so there was this questioning of why don’t I stay put, what was the attraction of the next step, had I really carved my footprint into where I was before looking out for where the next footing was…”
“…but in the end, I figured, like the water, like the tide, there is a constant movement and it doesn’t mean you lose anything, in fact you just gain more, learn more, witness more. Sometimes the movement slows to a gentle breeze, other times it’s a whirlwind where you can’t catch your breath.”
— Damien B. Donnelly (conversation via blog comments)
With permission from Damien and Steve I’ve taken Damien’s original poem post and teamed it up with an outstanding photo of wild waves taken by Steve Schwartzman
Damien B. Donnelly blogs at Deuxiemepeau (poems, photos and more)
Steve Schwartzman posts nature photos at Portraits of Wildflowers
Click on photo to enlarge. Pacific Ocean waves breaking at Rancho Guadalupe Dunes Preserve. Photo by Steve Schwartzman — from: California and Texas
HUNGER IS NOT A HARBOUR
— Poem by Damien B. Donnelly
Running
to all that is new,
to all I have not yet seen,
attracted to the covered corners
the light can not carve comfort into…
Running
to all I don’t yet know,
to all I have not yet called by name,
haunted by the houses not yet home
and the whispers not yet known…
but what of where I have been,
what of the comfort once created,
what of the stories already told,
what of the lives I held once,
for a time,
in my hold?
Am I bold
to this running,
this longing to be always
up and leaving,
shunning reason
for this constant craving,
for another corner to caress creation,
to suppress starvation?
But hunger is not a harbour,
it is not where still waters rest, still.
It is the rest…
the current
carving chaos
into the crest, craving,
the waves
rushing up and over,
always and ever further,
from the shore.
Photo by Damien B. Donnelly (header for the poem in Damien’s original post)
Posted by Liz; Exploring Colour (2018)
Poem and shore photo by Damien B. Donnelly
Photo of wild waves by Steve Schwartzman
Exploring Colour 
Beautiful words and waves, Liz.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Tanja! When I lack courage this poem helps me to be braver. I don’t exactly “crave the waves” but the idea of “carving chaos into the crest” has its attraction! When I ponder on these lines it helps me develop a more robust mentality 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s a good point, Liz. At times we need encouragement to be bold!
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a huge wave!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes it does look huge, and the whole wave looks so solid! I love the way it smashes down. And there’s something going on at the right-hand side that really does look like the current is carving chaos into the crest!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This was a wonderful post. Thank you so much for this thoughtful jewel to ponder.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its lovely to hear that you enjoyed this post FlowerAlley and given that I treasure this poem, I was delighted that you used the word “jewel”! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is amazing Liz, Steve’s photograph is astonishing, the strength and beauty of the wave is incredible and the blog conversation at the beginning really gives a background. You have made me very happy and I humbly say thank you so much. I just added a tweet about this, especially about how inspiring you are. Huge hugs 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Its wonderful that you’re so happy with the presentation of your poem Dami! And you appreciate the dramatic wave just like I do – stunning. I’m certain I’ve never been the subject of a tweet before, that’s new. Thank you! 🙂
LikeLike