TALKING PICTURES Poemlets & Moments From the Street
Bina Gupta & Paul S Donohoe
TALKING PICTURES Poemlets & Moments from the Street
BINA GUPTA &
PAUL S DONOHOE
Copyright © 2014 by Bina Gupta & Paul S Donohoe All rights reserved worldwide If you have been given this book, or you have purchased it, you are free to distribute it to friends so long as there is no commercial gain made in the process. Published by Paul’s Pictures
D E D I C A T I O N S &
T H A N K S
P a u l :
This book is dedicated to Pauline, my muse, my love, my friend. Thank you for it all and for everything. Thank you Bina for the honour you have shown me and my work, and for your astute insights into humanity as represented i n m y p h o t o g r a p h s . Yo u a r e t r u l y a p o e t . Last, and by no means least, I thank and dedicate this book to the people who shared a few moments of their lives with me and my camera. It is they who in reality have made this book, not us. Thank you all.
B i n a :
This is a salute to the human spirit—the extraordinary in the mundane. And as we say: 'beauty is in the eyes of the beholder', in this case Paul. He has created a work of art with his 'show and tell' pictures, capturing life as it is. Thank you Paul for graciously allowing the child within me to join your adventurous caravan.
A SHORT INTRODUCTION
A few years ago Paul and Bina met on Facebook and became friends. The exact circumstances of their meeting are shrouded and lost in the mists of time. As so many things are on the internet. Anyway, Paul was posting his photographs to Facebook and Bina started commenting on them. Her succinct and insightful observations took various forms: small poetic verses sometimes, other times simply a little quote (her invention of course!) in the voice of the subjects in the photograph. Whatever form they took, they displayed a fine-tuned ability for observing humanity with compassion and empathy. Witty, full of charm and often mysterious, Bina’s contributions really appealed to Paul and he said to her that it would be wonderful to put together a book, so they could share the results of this “accidental collaboration” with others. Well, here is that book. In ebook format, so that the sharing will come easier. The book is simply structured: Bina’s words on the left page, Paul’s photographs on the right. It is hoped that this layout will add to your enjoyment and perhaps encourage you to your own imaginings about both the words and pictures. If you would like to know more about us, you will find short biographical notes at the back of the book. But, please, take your time getting to that last page. We think there is a lot to see and reflect upon on your way there. We offer this book to you with love and with a hope for peace and understanding between us all.
tight bond physical and beyond
forget the arrows simply follow your nose !
moored by frail bonds one day we shall be homeward bound
boys will be boys playing ball big small
O God Have I asked too much from you? A fistful of sky and a bit of ground to call my own?
life on wheels wheels self propulsion compulsion
Life in reverse some times we are light other times we are shadows
reflecting on life visually twinned, reflected, served curved balls deflected
Carried on aroma waves of freshly baked buns Hastily crossed street getting off our bunns Aroma of freshly baked goods reels in everybody: young old, infirm, lady ...
got my cash face made up after mind make up where are you now?
mommy dearest you missed this one!
“What do you think of that new clown they've hired?”
Finally a summons from his holiness. Light at end of endless pleas funnelled.
endless wait tether's end at stake!
brand new mom with many things and charms but, alas, only two arms
picnic for two me and you you this way I that way
Collectively shocked, turning statuesque, we wait to come to ease! Captivated en famille. Wonder who stole whose thunder!
Should i post this message or not? Will it come back to bite? I wonder ...
togetherness with diverse eye catchers
a gathering of minds alike arrested hitchhike
fatigue and grief arrive as guests unannounced
birds of a feather dyed prettily hang together ~
maternal love's fabric tenderly woven
“Hi Dude! You made it too!”
Wow! baby stopped crying in your arms !
two of same blood worlds apart on same bench
Yes I too feel and share this incredible chemistry between us. No need to share your coffee!
stepping out zoom in zoom out lil muppet stepping out
this tattooed thigh is misfit to mine Oh my! Oh my!
strollers in Life's park embarked
Granny duty labor of love. Love's thirst slaked joyously
joy of color rainbowed in technicolor
strong arming left them scant choice
We've had our eats ... and fun What's next?
Life Moments playful zebra(ed). Life captured vertically aligned
Happy state of dishabille. Post sun and sand picnic
Making a splash, an emphatic statement . No mincing words for me. Check out my stud, my tats, the chains that make me.
"am really sorry what to do? I was in such a hurry, to get back to you that I forgot your gift in the bus! cheer up honey!"
~
at the fair fun and frolic and some target practice
Harboring grandiose dreams his Tee-shirt screams
Worry lines grief 's eyes has its own language ...
Nature knitted united whole. Let's hope time (the joker) never drops stitches
Wings. Babies and birds, charmers both, will duly fly away from nest.
Family Outing Each member has eyes on different things!
Gamer, not gamine simply a committed fan. Vocal local.
Oh no! Just when we were having fun. How can I leave now mom?
confidante secrets shared smiles doubled
Concrete Jungle. Time and tide wait for no one. Hop on train of life
Solidity at wall of planks to fashion daily plans
Couple? Yes we are an item. With it and traditional
World within world. My world. Ring in my palm. Close, far, far, near. Apart, partially hear (here)
father time passing time by and by
ABOUT THE AUTHORS Bina Gupta romances words serenely. Her most
recent book of poems Handful of Fireflies is available at www.amazon.com Bina lives in New York. Her work has been included in several publications, ezines and a short story anthology, Ripples. Most recently she has also featured in a bestseller anthology, In The Company of Women, released in early 2012. She has her own non-commercial poetry and short story website where she posts her work on a daily basis. www.binaguptapoetry.com
Paul S Donohoe is a Social Documentary & Street
Photographer, writer & blogger. He is a Humanist photographer: he sees his photographs as a way to celebrate humanity with its beauties & its brokenness. Paul & partner Pauline have been travelling on and off since they met, beginning their most recent, hopefully never-ending trip, in December 2012. As well as working at a multitude of jobs over the years, Paul is a published writer, poet and photographer. He has now settled into his true vocation: using photography and writing as a way of documenting the everyday life of the so-called “ordinary people�. For him there are no ordinary people, nor are there any ordinary moments. www.pauls-pictures.com