Fire & Water

Words: Michael Callanan
Photos: Johannes Laumer & Noah Berger

FIRE

In the embers

Of limbs that once creaked in the wind

Like the arthritic elbows of gnarled, well-weathered old men

In the embers 

Of limbs that once bathed, outstretched in the rain 

Like the birds who called them shelter 

food

home

In the embers 

Of the fallen descendants of their ancient ancestors 

Who too were embers

Who too were watched 

By mesmerised eyes of the ancient kin of us

Generations falling in succession 

Only to rise from new seed 

In the embers 

Of a dying world 

Some stoke the flames 

Some blow on the coals with love and hope 

And for them we keep the fire alight. 

WATER

If life were a liquid

oh, but it is!

oh, but we are! 

Listen to your heartbeat 

When submerged in the bath

In the dark

When alone

To hear the Universe’s drum

Ba-boom!

Ba-boom!

Ba-boom!

Ba-boom!

The Universal beat, our collective percussion

We are water

Is it not strange

To hold water under water? 

That beings of water can drown? 

Either way

Like water

We find our own level in the world 

We find our own level in the cosmic pool

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