by Steve Tanham
Part one: eternal stone A canvas on which the far future writes. Part two: life abundant, free divergence. Part three: Fragment of a moment in which intelligence passed this way, a quarter-second behind reality. ©️Stephen Tanham, 2025
by Steve Tanham
“You’re staring at that lamp.” “Yes.” “You’ve been staring at that lamp for twenty-three minutes, now.” “Twenty four, actually. I’m counting as well as staring at the lamp.” “Why are you staring at the lamp at 11:30 in the evening when we’re on holiday in Dublin?” “Because it’s a peaceful shape with soft curves and relaxing shades of white, grey and silver.” “Just because … Read More Silly Shadow
by Steve Tanham
What secret value do I hold That this – with dying seconds – Bestows its once-glory on my eyes And now on yours…? —- What is this act of seeing That knits the view and viewer new In such a way and with such love They were not ever two but twin? —- And yet… —- And yet kaleidoscope of ‘it’ Mocks egoscope of … Read More The Afterwhere
by Steve Tanham
Above the folded, faded parasols Long-closed as dripping bathers left To lave and lather sun-screen From bodies exhausted with indolence. Abandoned paperbacks part-read discarded, folded with sticky fingers in pages marked for tomorrow… Point, mute, at the sky. +++ Where +++ Patterns like wild beasts’ pelts stretch From Africa to seas once crossed by Portuguese navigators whose outer space Was ocean, vast, un-mapped and … Read More Virgin sky
by Steve Tanham
The ‘gentle autumn’. It’s a phrase you might find in a poet or painter’s description of their work. As far as I know it has no official meaning. But for me, it’s quite specific, and describes the period in which the end of summer and start of autumn overlap. That time when there is still heat in the air – at least once the … Read More Start of the ‘Gentle Autumn‘
by Steve Tanham
The Old Bridge mills once formed the heart of Kendal’s industry. They have since been converted into offices and other commercial properties. The River Kent flows right through their heart, providing a dramatic urban landscape which can be seen from the castle, a twenty minute walk away. The height of summer is a good time to reach into this landscape and capture its lushness. … Read More The river and the old bridge mills
by Steve Tanham
They last for minutes … sometimes seconds. A long, sunny day gives way to the start of twilight. And then the special colours begin. There’s little time to do anything but stare. Words are inadequate and would not assist the mind to grasp the beauty. It’s simply there to be felt. Nothing can be said to add to the ‘beingness’ of the moment. ———————————- … Read More Coral reef in the sky
by Steve Tanham
📩 110 words, Poetry, a two-minute read Within the evening’s petals shone, Like breath for eyes emerged from night, A brighter hue of rays to come A soft caress, like parted lovers write Way-stations of the coming sun All held within the form and fold Of snowdrops growing pearls within the night. ©Stephen Tanham 2024 All photos taken and processed on an iPhone 12 … Read More Twilight’s Pallette
by Steve Tanham
‘Our life-force begins its journey with the instincts.’ Hearing that stopped me in my tracks. It was so exact, yet, at the same time, so counter to what I would have written on my own. Prior to this, I would have considered the life-force to be somehow ‘higher’ to the instincts; the latter being the pesky habitual appetite-related objects that get in the way … Read More Where the rocket fuel is (2) : astonishing structures
by Steve Tanham
©Stephen Tanham 2023 Stephen Tanham is a Director of the Silent Eye, a journey through the forest of personality to the dawn of Being. http://www.thesilenteye.co.uk and http://www.suningemini.blog
by Steve Tanham
The small village of Skelsmergh lies at the end of one of the long, twisty lanes that follow the valley of the River Mint and eventually merge onto the A6 trunk road: formerly the main highway across the Shap Summit to Penrith, then on to Carlisle and Scotland. The M6 motorway reduced the A6’s critical role … but left it much less frantic for … Read More Long and winding road
by Steve Tanham
There are photos that epitomise some particular quality of the natural world. January has a dearth of such moments. Its light is so thin that composition – outside of the contrasts of monochrome – is practically a matter of pot luck. But I was lucky. This part of the promenade at Grange is one of the coldest places you can be at this time … Read More Epitome
Sun in Gemini 
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