Beach Comber
Water rolls in with the moon at high tide, as stars flicker behind a curtain of space.
I can sleep through this dream until morning, then collect seashells and treasures of ships sunken centuries ago.
The beach is my tomorrow. The moonlight, a distraction.
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I have a friend who is a gifted & imaginative writer. She also is often a source of inspiration for me to write poetry, including the following…
She Writes From The Heart
Putting pen to paper she writes
Words flow from her creative mind
Imagination without limitation
Always, one of a kind.
From deep in her heart, filled with love
Her life experiences teach
With wisdom and inspiration
She shares advice but doesn’t preach.
A humble woman with courage
She’ll tell you to believe
She knows the best is yet to come
Her goals set to achieve.
I’m so grateful to call her friend
Yet sometimes my heart skips a beat
Her eyes and face, so beautiful
And precious soul, so sweet.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Her Hand In Mine
If I reached out and took your hand,
Would you take it back or squeeze?
Would you tell me where I could go,
Or move closer, as you please?
If the former,
Then please explain –
My heart is in your hand.
If the latter,
No need to talk –
Your wish is my command.
I want to make things right with you,
And drift into the night.
For both to share our love as one,
Until the morning light.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Photo Credit: this is a modified photo from unsplash.com.
I was inspired to pen this poem after reading a writing by a friend…
In My Heart
Her eyes drew me in to a soul I found pure
Very precious and rare, of that I am sure
Not cut as a cookie
Her beauty unique
Both inner an outward
Distinctive and chic
A place in my heart very special to me
This spirit-warming love which will always be
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Photo Credit: this is a modified photo from unsplash.com.
Keep On Moving…
Her eyes look right through me
As if I wasn’t there
It’s not the way it was
In fact, she used to care
But times have changed, today
More folks have come along
No longer a bright light
She’s found another song
I guess that I should go
To find a pretty face
Another girl to meet
And welcome to my space
Be grateful to share smiles
And break bread together
Write poems and laugh anew
Nothing lasts forever
It sure would be nice, though.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified photo from unsplash.com.
With a love of hiking & the great outdoors, I was inspired by the beautiful words of a friend’s writing, “Trees Are The Poem The Earth Wrote To Heaven“, to create this poem:
Of roots and trunks and branches, too
And don’t forget each leaf
With bark that’s better than a bite
More sun is warm relief
Let’s not discount the rain
It’s most important, too
Each season brings real change
In sum, that’s how I grew
The sky above has quite a view
With colors close to ground
Each forest has so many trees
Go hike, and look around
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Photo: I took this photograph last autumn at the Fall Creek Falls State Park.
Saying Goodbye To A Ghost
Simple themes on a canvas –
on the wind, a transient cloth
Like a dream or ghost in my heart.
A weight of emotional scale –
From equilibrium, light rises to dissipate
An apparition of appreciable bearing.
In likeness absent chamber –
A transcendent mirage, untimely and apart
Goodbye my beautiful little ghost.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified photo from unsplash.com.
Based on a recent comment I made on the web site of a friend, I wrote this short story this morning. Entitled, She’s A Dream, I hope that you’ll enjoy reading it.
I rested on a tropical sandy cay, comfortable in a low seat with my bare feet in warm, shallow water. Small waves carried the tranquil and continuous rhythm of ocean currents on shore, breaking into sand and drowning in retreat.
With a cooling but mild summer breeze rustling palm fronds through the trees on shore behind me, I dreamed I heard a British woman from the past – Clementine – sounding a conch shell from a hillside in the distance.
I was at peace as the sun grew old, slowly dropping from the sky, setting colors of gold, orange and peach in brilliant illumination across scattered clouds on the horizon. Then, on the edge of time, sunlight refracted through a level plane in the ocean, casting a bright, blinding green flash!
Moments passed into minutes, until my sight returned. And, then I saw her – the silhouette of a beautiful woman slowly walking along the shoreline in my direction. Long, flowing hair wafting on thermals, hips swaying slightly with each casual step, I could tell that she wasn’t very tall, and watched closely as she approached.
She was barefoot with a lovely figure, suntanned, wearing a bikini top and fishnet skirt, and also wore a small diamond piercing on her nose. Immediately, I was drawn to the most beautiful pair of brown eyes I’d ever seen…she was a goddess!
I was captured by a vision of her beauty, when suddenly she spoke –
What?! I’d never seen this woman before – though very much wish that I had. Who was she? I was on a remote tropical island in the Caribbean… At that moment, a small coconut detached from a palm tree, dropping on my head and knocking me to the ground.
When later I regained my senses, I was alone and realized that she was only a dream.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified header photo from unsplash.com.
Inspired by a friend, writer Carla Milho & her recent work, “Rest In Peace” – where she discusses the gift of life, present challenges, and an optimistic future – I wrote this short poem in response…
The dark corners of empty rooms
Negative events of the past
I’ll put aside such memories
Like ghosts not meant to last.
Instead, the sounds of happiness
From friends who really care
This miracle of life, so grand
It’s mine – to live and share.
My dreams ahead, pursued with hope
I’ll focus on the positive
Because the best is yet to come
And, yes, I’ve got so much to give!
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified photo from unsplash.com.
If you follow my site, you may know that I have a friend from Lisbon, Portugal, named Carla Milho. She’s a wonderful writer and often a source of inspiration, including this recent poem of mine…
Before I Go
She doesn’t like when I say it,
But knows damn well it’s true.
I love her with my heart and soul,
So what am I to do?
Ok we’re friends let’s keep it cool,
I understand your choice.
I’d like to kiss but we can talk,
– So says my inner voice.
I know that she may never change,
But know I love her so.
So beautiful this chance I’ll take,
And wait – before I go.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified photo from unsplash.com.
After reading “Lost In Time And Space” – a poem by my friend & writer Carla Milho – I was inspired and responded by writing the following poem…
In the depths of despair
When time had no hands
Her clothes tattered and torn.
She questioned, “why me”?
Searching deep in her soul
Found hope and love reborn.
Now upright with courage
Each step purposeful
The Red Warrior roams free.
Named Carla Milho
Her friends celebrate
The life which has come to be.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Modified photo from unsplash.com
Time Will Tell…
So high,
The cost of weak moments.
So low,
Introspection ensues.
Where is the middle ground,
When there’s just too much to lose?
Please tell her I care,
When no words make a sound.
When night comes too early,
And loneliness abounds.
Friendship,
I’d like to stay with you.
Forgiveness,
Is something you can do.
The rest is a dream,
And it’s not yet complete.
Hoping you read this,
Sent by email and tweet.
© 2021 Phil Perkins
Beauty in her eyes,
On the eve of this new day.
Another glass is lifted,
A toast is underway.
May your days be merry,
And your nights be bliss.
Let’s finish this glass,
In time for a kiss.
© 2020 Phil Perkins
This is an original poem which I wrote & posted this evening on the site of Carla Milho.
© 2020 Phil Perkins
I’m a photographer, designer and artist. And, from time to time, I indulge myself with words. I’m not a poet, per se, but there are times when I do enjoy the creative process of writing short poems. Yet, to do so requires a source of inspiration…
Fortunately, I have a good friend named Carla Milho, a gifted writer from Lisbon, Portugal, with whom I converse on a regular basis. I’m grateful for her friendship, and always enjoy her writings – some of which have inspired these poems as my response:
Were the day night, and night to be day,
The tables changed of linens and wax.
A challenge of discovery,
Unraveling to be my task.
Response to “Uncover Me If You Are Able“, by Carla Milho
The story you write in the book that you share,
the smiles and the laughter contagious.
True friendship with Carla is really a treat,
her sense of humor outrageous!
Response to “I Already Know What I Need…A Pinch of Salt“, by Carla Milho
Beauty in the pen,
Through the hand,
From the mind.
To share inner thoughts,
Conscientious and kind.
She writes from the heart,
Thoughts collected
By choice.
Her topics refined,
Developed and with voice.
Response to “Muse“, by Carla Milho
⭐ A light to the east,
After dark
In the sky.
🕊 A dove is released,
And my wish
Came to fly.
🙏 Bound for the heavens,
With trust
In a prayer.
❤️ The woman I love,
With hope
We will share.
Response to “Make A Wish To A Star And It Will Come True“, by Carla Milho
Originally, my intention was to comb the rock bed along Richland Creek. Given low seasonal water levels across the Cumberland Plateau, I hoped to observe interesting underlying geological formations. However, things changed when I arrived.
You’ve probably never heard of Paine Creek. It’s a rather obscure creek streaming down a mountain side along the Laurel-Snow Trail, in Dayton, Tennessee. I’ve visited this park before, and traversed the rocky field of boulders along Paine Creek, though always wondered what was beyond the last waterfall.
Early into the hike, I approached a small wooden bridge over Paine Creek. Built upon stone columns erected in the early 1900’s by the Dayton Coal & Iron Company, the area has many remnants from that era, including old mine entrances into the mountain – one of which is situated directly under a waterfall. Once again, I opted to follow a trail spur uphill along the creek, beginning what would on this occasion become a 7-hour journey.
There are several small waterfalls upstream, each of which becomes increasingly difficult to access. Boulders ranging in sizes over 20-feet pepper the landscape, requiring hikers to go around, climb over, or, in some cases, traverse narrow passageways. It would be necessary at times to backtrack, as ones line of sight forward is often imperfect, routes of which subsequently proved impassable.
In addition to sufficient footwear, physical conditioning, food and water, I would suggest that perhaps the most important element for a hiker in such circumstances is discretion – knowing when to say no, so as to more closely examine secondary options. The cost of bad judgement can be high, and slippery moss-covered rocks were a dangerous and constant concern.
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Here are a few photographs of small waterfalls along Paine Creek –
The following photographs feature the furthest waterfall which I’d previously visited, until this hike. In this area, high walls of the gorge envelope the falls on both sides, while the ledge above the falls is beyond reach. A particularly interesting aspect to these falls is that, with the exception of high water levels, the flow of water originates solely from the interior of an old mine entrance. As I would later learn, water from the creek above seeps through an underground passage into this mine. Having a look inside, I could see the front edge of a pool of water, and the footprints of a small animal. Fortunately, no bears!
After enjoying this setting for a spell, it was time to move on – what was above this waterfall? As noted, I wasn’t able to climb the front of the falls, and, the gorge walls stood approx. 50-feet tall. So, I backtracked a short distance to the trail and continued uphill.
After a period of time, and with temperatures approaching 90-degrees, I began to wonder how much further I’d need to travel along this trail before reaching the top. It seemed as if I must have already ascended an estimated 300-feet in elevation, far more than I’d earlier assumed would be necessary.
Onward and upward, I continued my trek and would soon encounter a 30-foot climbing rope secured to a tree on the cap-rock above. After evaluating the scenario – assessing surface conditions as being slippery for footholds, as well as my tripod continually catching the underside of protruding rocks – I opted to remain on the trail, shortly thereafter finding a better way to the top.
Finally on top of the mountain, the trail continued beyond where the climbing rope was affixed, to a ledge with an expansive, scenic view across the valley.
The view was great, although, however faintly, I could hear the sound of water in the distance – downhill, beyond the forest. This was my goal, and so I soon continued along the edge of the mountain as far as I could. At a point, though, massive cliffs forced me into the forest without any path to follow, moving cautiously through the trees, vines, and – oh, joy – a seemingly endless quantity of sharp-thorn bushes.
I was constantly having to untangle myself from the plants and trees, often needing to remove my backpack – again, my tripod was an issue – and, at times, both climb over & crawl under downed trees.
Patience. In such situations, it’s easy to become frustrated. However, rather than plowing through dense foliage to save time, it’s important to remain patient, particularly in an unfamiliar environment. Case in point – on two occasions, reminding myself to slow down allowed for an opportunity to observe rock ledges hidden behind bushes…so, heads up!
Albeit gradual, the sound of running water began to intensify as I continued downhill, until, finally, I could see the creek through the trees below! There was, though, one last obstacle – an 8-foot high ledge with no obvious safe path of descent.
At 56 years old, weighing 235 lbs., and with bad knees – as well as experiencing fatigue from the hike – a drop from that height would be ill-advised, potentially injurious.
Hence, I began searching back and forth along the edge of the ledge to assess my options. Of course, this entailed dealing with more difficult foliage during the process, but I soon found what I considered to be a safe means of descent. I determined that if I sat down on an appreciably steep area of the hillside – covered with a thick, relatively dry moss and dirt – that I could control my speed by inching forward to contact a closely situated tree using my feet. Thereafter, grasping the branchless trunk to climb down.
As anticipated, I moved slowly and the process unfolded without a hitch. It wasn’t until I set foot on the floor of the gorge, however, that the thought crossed my mind –
I really hope there’s an easier way to leave when it’s time to go.
Beyond The Last Waterfall
Yes – I’d finally arrived and there was in fact another beautiful waterfall tucked away in this isolated, pristine gorge! My first order of business, however, was to locate a hand-towel from my backpack, wet it in the creek, and wash away the sweat, debris, bugs, and – caused by the thorns – blood on my legs.
Soon thereafter, following a careful walk-around to survey the area, I heard a rumble of thunder. A light rain followed, lasting for nearly one-half of an hour, and so I took refuge under a tree and rested while enjoying a snack I’d brought along. I didn’t mind the rain, but realized that all rock surfaces would now be extremely slippery and that any steps in the gorge must be undertaken with heightened deliberation.
This video begins by overlooking what would be the spillway above the top edge of the lower waterfall, were a high-volume of water present. Next, a view of the upper waterfall is shown. Last, it finishes where the creek vanishes under a rock wall and into the mine below.
As it turned out, there was a 20-foot uphill scramble across the creek to the left of where this video concludes. Fortunately, the water was low – otherwise, access to this return route would not have been possible. I hiked into the forest, and, eventually, down hill and back to the Laurel-Snow Trail along Richland Creek.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this recount of my recent Adventure At Paine Creek. Thanks for visiting & enjoy the great outdoors!
Phil Perkins • Photography 