in the new age

in the new age, our worlds are small and do not meet

beset by tragic misfortunes we imagine to be figments

so real yet unimaginable we cradle them softly

and close our eyes

i walk through town following the reflecting sun

to the ocean at the edge of my world

tension makes a tangle

waiting for the wave ... we move tenuously through our daily routines with practiced niceties, trying to grasp our unformed apprehensions

a small office building on the coast

 a small office building sits at the tip of a land on the long island sound

 where pleasure craft gather together

 and afternoon scenes of pastoral ...

... serenity....

...abound

where a seagull nests on a skylight

behind the small building, a parking lot

as puffs of white float by

and whispers of waves can be seen on calm waters

in the summer months, time slows in the afternoons

every so often, ominous storm clouds blow through

winters are typical of towns on the north eastern coast

sometimes fair

and sometimes not

sometimes stranding one and all

and closing cafes and bicycle repair shops

just wandering along

 journeyed from the bustle and pollution of a crowded asian metropolis

 where hidden within lie luscious greenery and spectacular scenes of serenity

 back to where i had come from, back to familiar sights and sounds of beaches, steps from my abode

back to the warm desert breeze on an afternoon drive

with time and freedom, had a chance to visit a few places i had almost forgotten

 a resort on a tropical island with fine dining temptations

mesmerizing natural formations on a high mountain top

a dirt road running the length of a hillside ranch

hopping across the contiguous states on a commuter carrier

past the shops of  terminal 5

and the obsolete monument to luxury travel of a bygone era

 into a city filled with humanity forever pushing upwards to the skies

 humanity that forms lines reaching around the block for a bite of heavenly pastrami

 monoliths stand testament to the balance between gravity and the desire to build upwards

 and pickled herring in many delectable forms make up a lunch plate

 museums gifted with treasures from cultures recent past

and monuments dedicated to a moment of unfathomable grief

somehow found some time to travel along the coasts of thailand, argentina and chile

a sad moment - had to bid farewell to a pair of flip-flops that had served me well over the past few years

there is a place where a floating town - complete with mosque school and hospital - is anchored to a stately rock rising out of the ocean

 a majestic tree towers above the canopy of the forest, serving as a zip-line platform for adventure seekers to this island

in the middle of the ocean, a small island sits at the tail end of a small sand bar

 sunsets are beautiful and almost spiritual every evening of the week in this blessed place

 speaking of blessings, an extra spicy beef salad goes exceptionally well with a couple of pints of cold beer

muay thai boxers giving everything they to their art - lots of sweat, blood. and pain just for a few fleeting moments of glory

 small boat anchored off the coast on a calm cloudless day

 string lights cast a strange blue glow on the trees in this hotel courtyard

 seafood salad - thai spicy again

 a mother cat anxiously guards her kittens on some steps near a busy tourist thoroughfare

 the train track in the middle of this metropolis is surprisingly quiet and devoid of people at night

an extravagant gaudy cemetery for the most affluent families sits in the heart of this capital of a south american nation

rows and rows of crypts are painstakingly cared for by a small team of cemetery working 

no doubt this is a likeness of the dearly departed immortalized in copper 

commuters near the central bus terminal walking purposely without a trace of emotion

a gate to a gentleman's ranch in the outskirts of town

a horse spies a photographer and poses still for just one picture

commissioned graffiti in Montevideo Uruguay

that one will come up on some mountains if one continues down this road is a distinct probability

there are all types of seas and all types of skies - i had not seen this high cumulus formation before

a large luxury liner patiently docked under a partly cloudy sky

the inexplicable exuberance of a flightless bird running from one point to another

love ?

saw several chinese fishing boats docked for supplies and repairs in these southern ports

snowcapped mountains far yonder - past miles of sea and islands

the amalia glacier on an overcast day - still slowly retreating inlands as our planet warms

another unfamiliar cloud formation in the southern skies