Homage

he walks upon the dusty earth

so as not to disturb

those that have gone before

lest they no longer

guide the footsteps

of the generations

to come

cut off

in clad feet

we attempt to stamp

it in to

submission

***

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Author: Jo Bryant

I was born in the land of Banjo Paterson, gum trees, and weather extremes. I am a freelance writer. I live in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, but still like to claim my Australian heritage. I graduated with a Bachelor of Communications in 2008. I am writing my first novel. I love to write poetry, short stories, and also write for the web. And there is nothing that is on a par with a sunny summer's day spent at Waihi Beach.

44 thoughts on “Homage”

  6. This is one of the rare pieces that really move a person. Visually it is brilliant because of the picture but take away the picture and it still speaks volumes!

    How is your novel coming along?

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  8. This poem may be short, but carries a powerful message…Beautiful, Jo. I also noted the copyright on the photo…Did you go to Africa and took the picture yourself? If so, it must have been a very distressing, but also emotional trip…

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    1. Thanks Didi – yes I did take that myself. It was actually a very heartwarming trip. The people we met along the way were so generous and full of life…I learned many lessons about living in Africa.

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      1. I am so happy to hear that! It sounds like a trip we all ought to make to free ourselves from the prejudices and preconceptions we’ve been feed for as long as I can remember. Unfortunately, Africa is all too often depicted in our mass-media is as a place of famine and desperation and nothing else.

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        1. Africa certainly has its deprivations and there are many aspects that need addressing to better the lives of those that live there – but there is a great deal of joy/optimism/generosity of spirit…definitely one of my favourite places to be…

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  14. There for the Grace of our Creator we could be walking his path…. A very touching poem.. We should all look to such and give thanks for the paths we tread…
    Much love to you Jo, and I wish you a wonderful weekend…. Sorry I havent been around much lately… but your posts are read mainly via my phone.. love and Light xx Sue~ Dreamwalker xx

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  20. Short and to the point, but thought-provoking. I like what you captured in the photo – the older child is hard at work while the younger one almost seems to be swaggering around like he’s trying to be an adult. šŸ™‚ I had a friend who lived there and have another one at present who used to…it amazes me that even with so little (compared to the rest of the world) they still manage to be such happy and resilient people. Perhaps they know the secret to happiness is not about “things” but about connections.

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  21. One encounter we had there has never left me. We stopped on a dusty road for lunch where there was a ‘house’ on one side and a cooking lean-to building on the other. A truckload of people who could afford to travel, had food, equipment, more money than sense half the time, and these wonderful people – this family – brought out all their chairs from the house for us, were insistant that we use the cooking facilities they had, even tried to give us their eggs. They were generous with all they had, and all they were. I have never forgotten it.

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