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.