by Steve Tanham
Even from a distance, it separates itself from the landscape that gave it birth. After two hundred million years, its many faces continue to laugh at the sky – in the defiant way that large rocks often do… or perhaps it is long-lost love… Its act of separation is not one of colour, for the hues are not dissimilar to those around it on … Read More Remarkable Rocks
by Steve Tanham
It could equally well be titled ‘The dark art of departure’, I suppose, but, in this case, it‘s not the act but the leaving which is dark… At the time of writing, we are about to leave Sydney, aboard a cruise ship: the Royal Caribbean ‘Solstice’. We’ve never been on a cruise ship before. It is only happening because two years ago, we booked … Read More The Art of Dark Departure
by Steve Tanham
I take a lot of photographs, and like to share the ones that move me the most. Looking back on these, there is a theme: they are, more often than not, a moment of natural beauty, defined by light on landscape, which could only be captured by camera or poem… so, here, for my less formal ‘Tuesday slot’, is picture and poem. Twin Guardians … Read More Ungrasped
by Steve Tanham
Sydney We are having breakfast at Charlie’s Foodamalloo, across the street from our hotel; the Ovolo. It’s a wonderful greasy spoon and reputed to be one of the best places for breakfast in Sydney – if you don’t mind the simple interior and the washed but stickily-aged wood and tiled tables. The Ovolo is located on the redeveloped old giant wharf at Woolloomooloo. The … Read More Antipodean Fragments – Foodoomooloo…
by Steve Tanham
How beautifully you say goodbye When damp of cold affects the eye When rustle shuts off bustle’s hiss And says ‘so brief must be our kiss’ How beautifully you say goodbye… ©Stephen Tanham
by Steve Tanham
Vast and swirling force, below How silently you flow round truth When hearts and minds let drift The shallow link of living life Between the tides of love and loathing ⦿ No fanfare; charge of war But grey and ancient mud, which Turning molten silver, deadly, Quicker than truth half-shaped Can lie its way to heaven ⦿ The visitor, swept beyond his depth Finds … Read More Quicksilver Tide
by Steve Tanham
In Part One, we looked at the implications of one of the hot topics in modern physics: that of Block Theory, and its two offspring theories – Expanding Block Theory and Evolving Block Theory. These dull names hide a very exciting and radical view of the universe – our world – and the dynamic part that awakened humans can play in it. We don’t … Read More A Chip Off the Old Block (part 2 of 2)
by Steve Tanham
We have a phrase in English; that someone is a ‘chip off the old block’. Its meaning is that someone of merit is continuing the ‘family’ tradition. I suppose it could also refer in a wider context to someone in a group or organisation doing the same thing. A group of scientists are promoting a ‘new’ theory: that of the ‘Block Universe’ or “Evolving … Read More A chip off the old block? (part 1 of 2)
by Steve Tanham
Inspector Sunday left the house wearing the leather backpack… containing the mysterious cat… Or did it? From somewhere in his fuzzy memory he knew this was a scientific joke… He came to a valley with trees and a sky. The sky tried to explain the geometry of it all to him, but it was too much. They walked on; Sunday, the backpack and, possibly, … Read More Inspector Sunday
by Steve Tanham
We stumbled upon the Preston Pele Tower, fifteen miles south-west of Bamburgh, back in February, 2018. My wife and I had seen a reference to it on a noticeboard in a cafe some distance to the north. It’s quite hard to find; tucked away down a tiny country lane not far from the A1 – the main road through Northumberland to Edinburgh. We’d never … Read More The Stone and the Pilgrim (5)
by Steve Tanham
“It’s as though… there’s something wrong with the horizon…” Barbara was speaking softly, giving voice to one of the defining thoughts of the day. Something wrong with the horizon, how true. Craster’s harbour was disappearing behind us, but the cut-up horizon was still far away. There is no other way to reach Dunstanburgh Castle than on foot; though, back in history, distinguished visitors could … Read More The Stone and the Pilgrim (4)
by Steve Tanham
Sunday went back into the house. On the settee where he had slept was a new leather backpack. As he gazed at it, suspiciously, the cat appeared, again… …And proceeded to wriggle itself into the bag… Until not even its tail could be seen. “Mow?” said Sunday, confused. ©Stephen Tanham
Sun in Gemini 
You must be logged in to post a comment.