Sonatas XI-16 (The Awakening)

“Come now,” I say, “they’ll lead the way to Rock Face - follow me!
Now gather your things, on feet with wings, for we must go speedily”
“At least, that’s what these Faeries say,” Rae Anne echoes me
Her voice suffused with wonder, filled with joyous glee –

Cecil, in sarcastic form, or maybe teasing play, says
“Oh, so now whimsical Rae knows what Faeries say?”
His barbed voice so filled with snark or doubt, until
A stray breeze filled with leaves in his face does smack and spill.

Then, running after me, the four and I by Rock Face land -
Beside him in the cliff two more faces stand
Faces that my earlier pictures never saw
“I think his mouth is different,” Cecil whispers then, in awe.

“Why are you whispering? He hears everything
And don’t cower! The Rock Face is all knowing
He can easily read your mind, heart and soul
You cannot fool Rock Face at all, for he is so very old.”

The Rock Face laughed and sent us on, but he only spoke to me
They heard his laughter, saw his face move, when he said:
“Someone else will talk with them, they’ll hear and learn and see.”

“Why not you?” I ask Rock Face, “I really thought you would”
Rock Face laughed again and said, “Believe me, this is something good”
He said, “They will catch on as they see, and they’ll learn as they should.”

The photo was taken in June of 2019 with a Minolta X-570 35 mm SLR equipped with a 50 mm f/1.7 Minolta MD lens on Ilford FP4+ film. The negative was enlarged optically with a Beseler 23CIIXL enlarger and a 50 mm f/2.8 Schneider Componon-S lens on Ilford Multigrade FB Classic Double Weight Fiber Base silver gelatin photo paper. Processing was done archivally using Kodak chemistry, with a final toning with Kodak Rapid Selenium Toner, treated with hypo clearing agent, and washed in an archival washer.

All aspects of this print were handled in an authentic, pre-digital manner. Archival processing will ensure the maximum life span for this print.

This print (1/25) on 8” x 10” paper is available for purchase, mounted or unmounted. Please contact me if interested. Thank You.