Wisconsin Photo Blogger - Recent, Random Observations
With June coming to a close, I feel like the spring we look forward to so much in this climate was gone in a flash. Winter lingers, but spring pops up and makes a rapid passage to summer's warm and humid days. This collection of photos is tied together only by the fact that I took them over the last two months in Southeastern Wisconsin. Enjoy.
The interior of a 1946 Nash. This car (at a car show) had every option imaginable including a swamp cooler which channeled air across water covered fins and supposedly kept the interior 10º cooler. Also a cigarette pack holder!
Short lived moment just before sunset. Washingtn County, WI.
After a rain. I had to chase this down. Monches WI.
This old graveyard is up on a hill out in the country and provides a great view of storms coming in. Rubicon, WI.
Dragonflies provide good subjects while waiting for other things to happen by.
This family of Sandhill Cranes strolled by last night. There was another juvenile just outside the frame.
I was not expecting to see a Bald Eagle around these parts but there he was, majestically awesome! Along the Bark River in Merton, WI.
This pair was curious to see who was passing through their territory.
Nocturne / for Albert Ayler
1.
for whom
were you
waiting brother
waiting
at well
with eagles
stretching wings
sieges in hell
2 .
begin
keep on
going
formidable force
of fluid
passes lips
praise tongue
immolating
on ice
far out
there
pole
to pole
meridian
in mouth
clenching breath
then beating
it
free
it free
brother
3.
come
come
to convert
poison
4.
albert's pulse'
remembering
sound
of slaves
steel
against skin
leather
against skin
backs
bending
slow
vertebrae becomes viper
clunk
of chains
against
timber
sweat squeezing
song
from
thorax
threnody
only threnodies
knots
ìn knees
shoulders
hands
name
nocturne
night
still
remembers
5
smolder
speak only
to spectres
long
gone but running
within
wind
wind
you are
permitting
to pass
ghost's
lips
6
burning birds
above
bring
tune
into elaborate circles
of your living
time's
soul
so it is
said by
by brother
don
turning trumpet
ìnto barbed wire
trapeze
two
of you
tied
to one
mother
choir
chanting
against chant
crying
into lake
7
gaze
with eyes
closed
threnody's thread
first
to las
weave
soul
in field
in forest
somewhere
outside stockholm
8
resuscitate
remains of memory
forgive flight
sorrow
dwelling
detains
you cry
& kneel
far from sea
dance
deep
in
valley
with your horn
9
death
speaks her name
from surface
of hudson river
over
& over again
time
turns
against you
turning
skin
beautiful
blind
broken
so little surrendered
in sickness's song
breathe better
brother
despair
danced élicate
weep
with wing
wind
you
be
above
burning
birds
endless echos
tune you taught
beautiful bellowing
better than speech
10.
gloriy
ghost to be
go to ghosts
garden
grown by ghosts
give
ghosts
give
ghosts
edifice
ghosts
working on wheel
ghosts wake
call out
to corpses
chant
ferocious flowers
grow into ghosts
Wisconsin Photo Blogger - Things are breaking up around here
It's been a long dreary winter here and frankly I've had enough of it. I'm ready for something different. I shouldn't complain, it's not like it was when I was young and winter meant snow and cold guaranteed. These days winter might be -10º one day and +50º the next. Last week we broke a record and hit 71º in February! Of course that can really mess with many things. Plants start buding and turtles come out only to be hit with freezing temps the next week. The Sandhill cranes have returned and I don't know what they'll eat until the real spring comes around?
Like the political climate these days, I don't know what's going to happen from one-day-to-the-next. Nothing surprises me any more.
Here are a few of my latest images. Please enjoy.
Great Horned Owl.
This abandoned spring house was once the source of Mininehaha Spring Water. It was once part of Paradise Springs Resort Hotel which was torn down in 1970. Near Eagle, WI.
Interesting Ice formations along the Bark River.
A sunny day in January illuminates these old bottles in my window.
A Cedar Waxwing.
A pair of owls at twilight.
The Sandhill Cranes have returned about two weeks earlier than last year. I hope the weather doesn't turn too cold again!
Detail of an old stone building in Waukesha, Wi.
cain 3
cain
burning
sun
for solace
go
earlier
story
sung
cantata
cling
to tale
march
towards figures
in landscape
horses running
into dark
sun
slip
speaking
in dead languages
benefit
breath
i don't
have
thread
family
shadow
hide hair
under pillow
begin
with blood
shed
go
into room
of remains
place
time
concepts
so specious
we
won't go
waves wipe
away
weeping
beautiful
& gaunt
apocalypse
entire
dragged
through
filth
stay there
later
lead
refuse
specialist reflecting
who
in hell cares
for consequence
thing
object
matter
matter
worth wait
sleep near
volcano
stay
innoculate
innocents
wondering
isiah
addict
recuperate
names
entered in registry
burn
to skin
flesh
manuscript
want
guardians
ventriloquists
time
history
abandoned
vocabulary
frame
endless
detail
here
look
condemned
in enclosure
chosen
terrain
overcome
all
gestures
watch
fall
of a species
seething
spectacle
cain
body
back
to brother's
back
bend
time
for water
conceal
cloth
conception so
clear
shelter
smell blood
& bones
mouth
full
beatific
basic
night
you want
cain
clearly
beautiful
cataclysm
born
want
to
go
down
diminish
end
grieve
down to ground
zero
close
exact
alarm
simple
pursuit
to bottom
weight of years
broke
bones of belonging
descent
deliberate & complete
covet
cranium
conceal
corrosion
perfect master
pig
legends
languish
when monkeys make
up mind
waiting for
blind
remembering
sleep
last
instance
sing
long after
your gods
go
in
the shadows
of their shame
© Natasha Williams - 2015
Sangre Pura
There are three strains
of blood which flow
Within these veins of mine
I know
Tossed by chance
like a throw of dice
On an isle
in paradise.
Its evidence isn’t hard to see
Go ahead take a look at me
With skin that’s brown
or white
or cream
With eyes jet black
brown
or green
Hair that’s blond
black
or ‘fro
It is I
was man’s first rainbow.
Now clearly listen
to my voice
Your ears shall have
no other choice
But to hear a sound so bold
‘twill make you think
‘Tis Spain of old.
Changó, a god from across
the sea
Came to me
chained in slavery
His Africa gave me
drums to play
And this love for freedom
I have today.
The Taino Native is hard to find
you must look between the lines
The lines are those
in the songs I sing
That speak of love
and eternal spring.
So now you see
I’m very sure
That my blood
is very pure
For if you haven’t guessed by now
soy Puertorriqueño
Free and proud.
Originally written in 1971
Published in El Boricua a publication of La Casa de Puerto Rico, June 1994