SEA, STONE & STRAW

Budva town walls by the sea - with pink stone towers.

cold stillness

and old incense

spun in swirls to the dark ceiling.

a portico

and me,

standing on the edge,

inhaling as if I could breath that smell into

the vaults of my memory

.
. . .
.

THE SMELL OF THE INCENSE :

charred bracken

stained wood

lavender fields

and musty velvet.

.
. . .
.

there was hay on the floor,

like a carpet of gold threads -

worn by shuffling feet, till the warp is all bare.

A small gold mosaic tympanum shows three angels in a pink stone wall.
Straw is laid on the floor of the church in Budva, Montenegro.
Rocks and plants by the shores of Montenegro
Budva town walls by the sea, Montenegro.
a rocky coast
Terracotta roofs in Budva.
A stone wall, a wooden door, a mosaic and an olive branch.
Paintings of saints, icons and angels in primary colours inside the dark church.
A beautifully colourful church interior, Montenegro.
The small island of Sveti Stefan, under the sun's rays, Montenegro.
A twisted old olive tree outside an Orthodox church with its gold roof gleaming.
Bronze doors with an Orthodox relief, Montenegro.
Two flames join from two prayer candles.
Bronze door handle.
Incredible church interior - painted saints and blue walls, Montenegro. 
A fallen orange, leaves attached.
A field of bare orange trees and a carpet of ripe oranges.
olive leaves
Our lady of the rocks, Montenegro.

BLAGAJ

Blagaj Tejika - a sacred spring in Bosnia and Hercegovina.

A SULTRY LOVE POEM

 

sunset on the spring turns the waters dark,
- black silk pouring forth from a low cavern.

lights are kindled now, in the dervish house,
- golden orbs that lay bobbing on the water.

and from some hidden balcony, a man's voice sounds the call to prayer,
- honey toned melancholy, trembling in the night air.

 

I could have embedded myself in the rock wall,
listening, sustaining myself with the sweetness of it all.

The black and blue waters of Blagaj in winter - near Mostar.
Water springs from the cave of Blagaj.
Blagaj Tejika - a small islamic center sits above the dark waters of the spring at sunset.
Lights in the building.
Lights spring out over the dark blue waters of Blagaj.
sunset over Blagaj and cliffs.