There’s a frangipani tree that hangs over the pool of our villa, which overlooks the beaches of northern Sanur. The frangipani is flowering white and yellow, except for one branch near the centre which flowers pink. We notice this, puzzle over it a while, and investigate no further at the time. Then a couple of days later, while swimming, I come right under the branch in question, and find there something wrapping around where it connects to a larger branch—the pink-flowering section grafted onto the otherwise-yellow-white-flowering tree.
Category Archives: Shoreline Poetics
Black Sand White Sand Sanur
Inside the Sanur reef the sand is all white—tiny pieces of broken down coral. ThIs can make it hard to walk on—hard on the feet, and with so much space between the grain there’s often alot of ‘sink’. In the more northern part of Sanur—on the other side of the marina—where there is no more reef, and the boats go out to Lembongan and the Gili Islands—the sand is black again, like the many rocks of this volcanic isle.
The Way Water Drains in Bali
Sanur and the water is draining slowly from the beach of small limestone coral pieces. It runs out on the outgoing tide in a kind of cross-ways patchwork almost parallell to the shoreline—and it gathers in the ridges left behind. Or almost—there is still a slight downward movement to the next intersecting line—to the next valley amongst the ridges, which takes the water gradually lower and further out to see, following the main line of the tide: criss-crossing, slowly moving, gathering, slipping, watering all.
And I can’t help being reminded, now, of the way the water moves down the whole island of Bali from the lakes and mountains in the north, slowly across all the rice paddies, gradually flowing lower, all of it managed, as it makes its way, slowly, out to sea…before it rises again, and gathers into clouds, which form and sometimes fall as rain over the mountains again.
Shoes and Dolphins
Walking far today on a new pair of shoes, feeling them on every step—their differences from usualness, including an arch too high…I think I’ll take them back, Then, out of the corner of the eye, as if to remind me, four to five dolphins go passing by, with two younger ones jumping clear out of the water, sometimes landing on their backs.
Quenda and Cooli
At the edge of the lake, between water and sedges and rushes and reeds, lives cooli the buff banded rail, and quenda the southern brown bandicoot. How similar they look: one with a long beak and short legs, wings folded back, rarely flying, mostly running—a kind of orangey and zebra black and white; the other with a long snout, strong back legs and short front ones (that it kind of hop-rests on), all browny black. They are both about the same size, both a very similar form, both living in this same zone by the lake’s edge; both fashioned by this same place, and fashioning it.
Turtle
Sitting on the jetty at the southern end of the lake: the sun is out. Suddenly there’s a break in the still surface water and something is poking through—a stick? Then I see it moving. I search for the corresponding concept. The small head of a long-necked turtle, and it’s gulping air. It then looks right at me…and goes quickly back under.
Shelducks and Raptors
Two shelducks in a mating dance, and shoo-ing kwirlam the swamphen. A bit later, all birds scatter and go on alert—wardong the crow is noisy in the trees; magpies too. Then a white bird flies out—a black shouldered kite?
If the Shoo Fits
At the lake today two swans dance near the gazebo—one breaks off to shoo a third swan away. Manatj the white corella shoos off a flock of small ducks—hard to see at this distance—most likely teals. Some other manatj swoop the purple swamphen. Even more manatj sit atop a dead tree within the lake. And then I see the faint hint of a turtle below the water. And, nearby, a male musk duck.
Birds of Water Levels
I notice that the early shovelers have gone from the lake as the water gets higher, while kadar the musk duck has arrived, diving down. With all this grass come many swans. Pacific black ducks and coots are here or there; the coots diving sometimes. Swamphens, rails, egrets rest or look for food on the side.
Musk
Sitting lower in the water, more fishlike, darker, rounder head, sleeker body, diving down sleekly like a rounded spear, or like water in water: the first musk duck of the winter season—the water deep enough now for diving of this kind. The bill is without the flap of the male. Female kadar.
John Stubley 