What You Don’t See

, ,
group of Filipino kids sitting on a little bridge

the top of sugar cane plants
Photographing
the top of sugar cane
you can’t see

a group of kids
following me along
the hot road

running back
to a little bridge
when I turn around.

You don’t see
a man under that sun
waving in delight

as I photograph his
poverty, spraying
poison on the rice

without any mask.
You won’t see
the old woman

grinning in surprise
as I wander past
her tiny bamboo house,

or three men
in a tractor
towing a broken truck

waving and posing and waving
as my camera
passes by.

© 2017 Melinda J. Irvine

man spraying rice late afternoon

7 responses to “What You Don’t See”

  1. Three Cats Run Away – Melinda J. Irvine

    […] moxie cats flex their ambitions then run […]

  2. ostendnomadography Avatar
    ostendnomadography

    beautiful picture Melinda!

    1. Melinda J. Irvine Avatar
      Melinda J. Irvine

      thanks so much for calling by the blog. it was a lovely afternoon. mel.

  3. Ben Aqiba Avatar
    Ben Aqiba

    Great picture.Kids are great inspiration always 🙂

    1. Melinda J. Irvine Avatar
      Melinda J. Irvine

      The kids are always such a delight. They always surprise you, every time. Mel.

  4. kenneturner Avatar
    kenneturner

    As much as we may take pride in our photos, it’s always about what you don’t see — very good.

    1. Melinda J. Irvine Avatar
      Melinda J. Irvine

      thank you for stopping by and taking the time to read my poem. my afternoon walks for photographs are always filled with so many un-captured moments in the film an often have more meaning than the photos themselves. mel.