Photo: abc.net.au
Tanka (5-7-5-7-7)
Those old corner stores
are slowly disappearing
empty and boarded
I could say the same of late
my bare soul needs resupply.
Copyright 2025 ©️Paul Vincent Cannon
All Rights Reserved ®️
Tag Archives: empty
Empty – a poem by Paul Vincent Cannon
Together
Augusta, the beach near Skippy Rock.
A plethora Black Nerita (Nerita atramentosa) a type of Mollusc or sea snail, lining the beach. Tough little shells, but such tender contents, surrendered to the ravages of tide and sun, or predators. Somehow, though they are a common and certainly not a beautiful shell, together en mass they make an eyecatching vista along the shore, one that pleases the eye and draws you to them. Wrecked, faded, empty, but yet varied, together a canvas of colour.
A single shell might go unnoticed, but no one could ignore a multitude. Together their faded, ordinary selves become something else, something to behold. Together there is a strength never achieved alone. What is singularly ordinary with many becomes a spectacle. As we approached this section the shells stood out boldly, and we stood for some time taking it all in.
It’s an analogy that works for me, the idea of being imperfect, a little broken, some faded, all different. That if we apply that to humanity, it works. Individually we are fine, but together we can be more, our colour shows, we are stronger, varied yet one in some ways. We complement each other, enable each other, provoke and challenge, support and carry at times. And we too are sometimes empty, broken, a little faded. Life can be awesome, but it can also be flat at times, and it can be painful too. Community doesn’t have to be clautrophobic, cloying, or homogenous. Like the shells that line the beach we can line each other’s lives with connection, closeness, time, support and more. Together we bring out each other’s colour.
sole black nerita faded, empty, washed up now we shimmer blue ©Paul Cannon
Paul,
pvcann.com
Filed under beach, Haiku, life, mindfulness, nature
Superficial
We enjoyed our breakfast, the staff were wonderful, attentive, good humoured, friendly. But every time I go out I wonder how much of this is put on, superficial behaviour, and how much is genuine (and I have met some genuine ones). After all, it is just a job. I well remember as a child of eleven, the insurance guy coming to visit and make sure we were “happy” with our payments etc. He had been attentive, friendly, supportive, as dad kept the premiums going even when we were struggling under a load of debt. But the moment dad wavered one year and looked to cut back, this guy, this “friend” turned ugly. As soon as dad relented and caved in to the higher payment, this guy was sweetness and light! I’ve had teachers, employers, clergy, politicians, even people I thought were friends (ha) who were this superficial too. To be superficial is to be fake, plastic, veneer, a user (and abuser), an empty shell.
For me the key word in life is integrity, if you don’t have it – then don’t come near, I don’t want your fake friendship, your fake values, or your pretend life, I want the real you, but most of all I want for you to be real. Integrity, not superficiality.
Paul,
#pvcann.com
Filed under life
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