After the torchlight red on sweaty faces
After the frosty silence in the garden
After the agony in stony places
The shouting and the crying
Prison and palace and reverberation
Of thunder of spring over distant mountains
He who was living is now dead
We who were living are now dying
With a little patience
(T.S Eliot, The Waste land,1922)
rudzani, youre incredible. i have no words because youve been taking them away from me every day.
Shantih shantih shantih
ditto makhaya... captures words & images impeccably
i have fallin in love with the power behind ur pics....u r trully amazing...
i've never been comfortable with the capture of funerals. must be that whole "private vs. public" debate that's raging. but i do find that it's when people are most expressive.
and this. this is solemn
ngujaz --- I agree with you. I've refused to capture anything at a funeral --- in fact I refuse to capture anything 'sad/bad'.
I suppose it's like what you said: "moments don't last forever"
these moments --- should not last, I don't want to have to remember that in any other way, except in memory.
i love words n rudzani u dope jo.
Ecclesiastes 7:2 (New International Version - UK)
"It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart."
or as the Message puts it:
"You learn more at a funeral than at a feast—
After all, that's where we'll end up. We might discover
something from it. "
I have been comforted by the acceptance of this and life is just so more beautiful for it.
And hey, I am just a "khemera-man" too! But I promise to spare you guys in the future:-)
Ru (hope you don't mind me calling you that, I don't like my named shortened ;-)
No, I enjoy seeing good photography regardless of the 'context' --- I'm just not one to photograph --- death.
and I refuse to accept my mortality --- but I don't plan to live forever --- 50 would be enough (nicotine, alcohol and women would have taken their toll, I'd hate to repent my sins).
|-)
I never liked funerals - its always sad there
i was looking at my grand mother (from my dads side)
She's about 80 and i asked my brother "how many funerals do you think your grandmother have been to? and he said "too many to count" -
I can only imagine what goes thru her head when shes at a funeral
do they all look the same - does she cry anymore - or does she let it all boil inside.
*i wonder
totally agree with you lebogang -- that's just a moment that shouldn't last
and Ru -- if i'm busy checking out the house of death, when am i doing any living?
During my absence from this almost-a-cult of ours, for reasons I choose to put behind me. I was warned, when I do return, to look out for Rudzani…this is why.
LD, Jaz... turns out some people video tape funerals. I can't imagine sitting down with the rest of the family to watching a funeral.
While on the subject, I am not one to be spiritual or religious however and mainly due to my nephew… I hope there is a heaven or place similar to it after this life.
I know I won't be popping some microwave popcorn and flop on the couch to watch a funeral video. s'tacky
Jaz, neither am I. Sounds horrible. It is just that now and then a scene like this makes you appreciate the fleeting moments in time, "for we each owe a death".
yeah man, ur poem reminds of my poem i wrote for my late uncle.may their souls rest in peace who ever they may be!
