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Flora and fauna

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Observations from The Burma-Siam Railway: The secret diary of Dr Robert Hardie, 1942-45

 

The earth became a swamp

of sticky, very slippery black mud

when it rained. But the soil was rich,

with banana plantations and fruit trees.

Beyond the confines of the camp

 

a riot of vegetation: papayas,

pomegranates, guavas, mangos,

pumpkin plants and cucumbers.  

And spectacular butterflies;

in the skies kites, eagles, hawks,

 

falcons, hoopoes, mynahs.

An electric-green tree snake

with wicked, diamond-shaped head.

Early in the mornings gibbons

raised a hullabaloo in the hills.

 

And on Sundays in the distance

the bells of the Italian Mission.

 

 

🌷(5)

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Comments

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Rasa Kabaila

Sat 25th Dec 2021 04:41

Beautiful Greg, thank you. Such rich imagery! And such an impressive bio-you contribute so much to the writing community, including this blog. Thank you 😃
Keep writing and smiling.
Best wishes,
Rasa

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Greg Freeman

Fri 12th Nov 2021 14:09

Thanks for your comments, Graham. A new poem, an old photo, my contribution to Remembrance Day.

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Graham Sherwood

Fri 12th Nov 2021 13:12

What a macabre juxtaposition. The Garden of Eden with the Death Railway running through it. This is good work, you can smell those bananas.

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Greg Freeman

Fri 12th Nov 2021 09:16

Thank you Holden, Rudyard, Stephen A and Stephen G for the Likes. The photograph of bananas was taken from the train from Bangkok to Kanchanaburi on a 'pilgrimage' to the Kwai bridge several years ago now.

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