Old Poems, or thoughts, from Blanchisseuse Beach, Trinidad

My friend Adam just found these poems, if you could call them that, which I wrote in 1999-2001 while living on the beach in a 500 person village at the end of the Northern Main road in Blanchisseuse, Trinidad. I had a Fulbright Fellowship to photograph religious places in Trinidad and then extended it to live there longer. During that time I had no phone and no TV, only a 4x4 truck, my surfboard, and my 6x7 camera. It was the happiest time of my life. Oh, I just saw the movie Into the Wild, it reminded me of this time in my life.

After you read these enlightening poems ;) you might want to check out this small photo gallery from a recent trip to the Blanchisseuse village. (and a few old classics of me!)

Sept 19 2000

I walk in D road barefoot
Everywhere I look is a view
Everytime I turn I want to capture a photograph

The water is so refreshing
All it touched was my feet
But all it effected was my soul.


Oct 8 2000

I feel like I'm in some room in heaven
Everyone has no worries, only smiles
Bodies floating around with no gravity
Everyone jus freein' up dem self

I love hanging out with elder people
Trinis are so alive, relaxed, and full spirited.

Watching this old man sway slowly back and forth
Singing as only a man of his age could
I feel for love
Though watching/witnessing, being a part of today makes me infinitely
happy.

Being here, I am so lucky and fortunate.

I smile while wanting to cry.

How music touches the soul.

#3

Rain, Rain, Rain
Gray, Gray, Gray
It's not that I'm in pain
Just feeling some way
Is it because of the day?
How people wish to be here
I don't wish to be "dey".


#4

To be free
In NYC
One must have money.
Can one have money
In NYC
and still be free?

Or will one be a slave
Every morning having to shave.


Rules to Life

Stay in shape
Eat properly
Be spiritual not Worldly
Do what makes you happy
Don't do things for security
Live by your own rules
Make your own rules to life, don't follow the ones Society already set for
you

Help others
Make an impact on your world, no matter how small your world is.


Oct 7th 2000 Am I?

Am I happy?
Am I lonely?
I hear the sea.
Why can't they see what I see?

It is night.
I should not feel fright.
I shouldn't fight.
I don't have THE sight.

Am I content?
Will I ever be content?
Can I be Content?
In the Ocean I am.

The waves hit me with freedom.
Freedom from the past
Freedom from the future
They wash thoughts from my mind.

They give me a priceless present.
The present.
It and only It.
What joyful peace it is.

I wish it didn't end on land.
But change is in my hand.

Island People Mas - Trinidad Carnival

I just returned from a two month trip to Trinidad by way of New Orleans (shooting for Newsweek) and Tennessee(shooting the new Gray Fossil Museum). I was in Trinidad preparing our Carnival band Island People Mas for our 2008 presentation which is called Animal Instincts. Not sure if you new I am part owner/creator of a Carnival band in Trinidad. We create the costumes that people wear throughout the two day "parade", as well create the theme and provide the music trucks and free drinks for two days. I shot a New calendar of our new Carnival Costumes and we have already sold out of most of the costumes in the band. But you should take a look at our site.

I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO COME "PLAY MAS" IN TRINIDAD'S CARNIVAL WITH ISLAND PEOPLE MAS IN 2008. It will be one of the most amazing experiences of your life!

islandpeoplemas.com

MS Bike Tour

Last year I joined the Aardvarks bike team and rode my bicycle 30 miles in the MS Bike tour to help us raise over $5000!!! I want to invite YOU to join our team and ride with us this year on October 14th. Or if you'd rather just donate money that's great too! The ride is so beautiful because they close off the West Side Highway and the FDR and you do a whole loop around Manhattan. It's soooo beautiful and it's for a good cause.

click the link below to join the team or to donate $$$

https://www.kintera.org/faf/search/searchTeamPart.asp?ievent=226878&team=2052630

Barack Obama - wow!!!

So as you all probably know, I've never been too interested in Politics. Yes i vote when needed but that's about it. But last night i had the opportunity to attend "Barack on Braodway". an event hosted by many talented Broadway performers. The performances were great! but best of all was seeing and hearing Barack speak in person. I have to say, I was REALLY REALLY inspired and moved. This guy is amazing. and although i was already going to vote for him, now i really think it's important that you all do as well. Or at least go see him speak in person and listen, really listen, to him. It was amazing!!! seriously.

So he will be having a rally in Washington Sq Park this Thursday in NYC. for more info click this link. A few of us are already going so if you want to come, let me know.

http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/semnycrally?source=SEM-event-google-newyork-site-national

My 32nd Birthday Party

We had a GREAT time at my birthday party at the Yard at the SoHo Grand Hotel. Here are some photos

OPENING RECEPTION PHOTOS FROM PEER GALLERY

If you missed the opening reception of AFTER at Peer Gallery you can get a glimpse of some snapshots from the night. The show closes May 12th 2007

SEESAW ONLINE MAGAZINE

This was from some time ago but have a look if you haven't seen it. SEESAW is a great online photography magazine.

The Hungry Hyaena Blog Reviews "After"

This guy is sort of an idiot in my view but you take a read and see what think of his review. He chose the Ninth Ward (my least favorite, most typical photograph) as "my successful".

VILLAGE VOICE BEST OF SHOW - April 17, 2007

R.C. Baker was kind enough to add our show "AFTER" to the Village Voice's Best of Show column!!!

Baker writes:

'After'
The environmental holocaust sparked by ill-advised Soviet-era irrigation projects has left the once thriving Aral Sea practically a desert. Radek Skrivanek's warm-toned black-and-white photos of rusty buoys and abandoned boats listing on dry, scrubby planes limn the ongoing ruin. In contrast, Wyatt Gallery and Will Steacy document the drenched aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Gallery captures the devastation wrought on buildings, his saturated colors bringing out blooms of mold on the walls and reflective puddles covering the floors. Steacy discovers pathos in anonymous snapshots snatched away by the deluge—his poignant prints of stained, crumpled prom photos, wedding portraits, and family pictures are fossils from the flood.

THE MORNING NEWS INTERVIEW

This is a very interesting interview about the exhibition AFTER featuring fellow photographer Radek Skrivanek and myself. If you would like to know more about why I photographed the Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina and what my thoughts are regarding these disasters, please have a read.

Zone Zero features REMNANTS by Wyatt Gallery

Take a look at this really well designed web page on Zone Zero which features my series REMNANTS: After The Storm. Photographs from the Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Hurricane Katrina in The Gulf Coast.

Mike The Suit's 27th Birthday!!!

It was a great night as you can see in this photo. Enjoy the photos :)