Kookaburra Shakes photo by G Bryden
tolerance
together in this world
sometimes we get soaked,
shake and laugh it off
sitting together,
shaking spray without thinking,
a price is paid
a stranger shakes
water from a deep well,
kookaburras laugh
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Note: Australian author and editor of Overland literary journal Jeff Sparrow has written an excellent article in response to the recent violent protests by Muslims in Sydney and around the world asking ‘Why should such a shoddy piece of amateur filmmaking become such a flashpoint?’. Of course there is more to this issue than an insulting film (but going by many simplistic articles in the press, you mightn’t think this was the case). His article published in Counterpunch ‘Ignorance on Parade: Islamophobia, Left and Right’ can be found here.
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Nice work, I like these very much…
Thanks Carolyn
Thanks for the read. The photo is awesome (just at the right moment). Ties in well with the last line too … although I would almost say it us laughing at the kookaburra in the photo. Great theme for the poem and if only more of us had such an attitude.
Hi there withheldindarkness
thanks for stopping by and commenting – I was fortunate with the timing, that’s for sure!
Nice, Gabe. Very nicely done.
Glad you liked them JdUb
Good series of haiku and a lovely photo!
Juliet
http://craftygreenpoet.blogspot.com
Thanks Juliet – I do love my Kookaburra’s (or Kingfishers)
Great poem Gabe. A very creative commentary. Love the photo too.
Thanks tricia
The poem came out of the photo!
Food for thought.
In the final analysis, though, it is all about which side of a boiled egg to crack open, as in Gulliver.
May the big-endians rule – who in their right minds would be a little-endian (off with their heads) she grumbled intolerantly
scambled eggs anyone 
thanks colonialist
Words and photograph an excellent combination, Gabrielle.
Thanks Martin
Good analogy in words and photo (excellent – the dry kooka even looks as if he’s leaning slightly (to the left haha).
Have you read this commentary by Waleed Aly?
http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/politics/the-incredible-muslim-hulk-proves-to-be-no-friend-of-islam-either-20120916-260e8.html
I watched a BBC doco the other night called ‘Surviving Progress’ and all it did was strengthen my view that we humans are just inherently selfish and stupid, living with our heads up our bums and beyond help. Reductionist, yes, but we are definitely not evolving on the tolerance and living-in-peace fronts.
The kooka certainly looks like he/she is leaning away slightly bluebee – haha. I did read Waleed Aly’s article – it went a bit viral on twitter. It’s hard to frame human activity and thought in a positive light, isn’t it – I don’t have any answers and I think any solutions will not be made by humans – they may however be generated by humans (eg., global war which will reduce the size of the population to a manageable level). I fear it will be a dog eat dog world in the near future (even those of us who don’t like to eat dog will be forced to partake).
It’s easier to shake and laugh it off when there are two of you. Lovely picture and poem, Gabielle.
Ah yes, a lovely thought Kate
Oh yes, some wells are too deep to easily see the limits. And laughing it off is really no longer an option. Like the well, your poem is deeper than it might first appear.
Thanks Stafford – yes, it is one of those mutating poems which changes form everytime you read it (and also if you don’t read my note at the bottom and just read it as a haiku with the kookaburras as inspiration – which it is legitimate as well). The Kookaburras can’t help but laugh – humans can respond in many ways. I think the Muslim world definitely feels many Westerners are laughing at them. The film was designed to provoke – completely ignoring it would have been a very effective strategy (just like ignoring trolls and bullies).
Excellent analogy, Gabe. You say it so well. We still have so much to learn….
Human ignorance is as deep as the well of hatred from history. Thanks Selma
But this is happy Monday so my next blog post might have to be a joke – haha
Indeed…sometimes it is best to just shake it all off…hopefully not soaking your neighbor too much…a most pleasant read to end my day…thanks!
Thanks Charles – sweet dreams up there in the Northern Hemisphere
Love this post and the images of this bird posted on your site. I had never even heard of Australia, much less knew what a Kookaburra was but when I was in elementary school a teacher taught us the “Kookaburra” son and to this day I remember it still.
Wow that’s terrific Renee ‘Kookaburra sits in an old gum tree, merry merry king of the bush is he, laugh, Kookaburra laugh, Kookaburra gay his life must be’ – that the one!
That is the one! I loved that song and still do way over here in the USA.
Gorgeous sequence Gabe. Such a beautiful bird!
They are so beautiful and full of character – definitely they think they are the king of the bush – haha – thanks Grahm
Wonderful poem and wonderful poem illustrating it. Your nature poems are some of my favorites. We learn so much from looking at nature and thinking about it. And you find amazing words and word structures when you look.
Thank you kindly Aletha – if I can’t think of what to write I often will go through my wildlife photos and usually get some sort of inspiration.