Fantastique Mémoires from the Outer Space

to meet halfway

2011-04-02T00:04:00.001+11:00

Nearly sixty-five days and nights have gone by since the last time I posted a photograph here. It's been way too long and I missed Fantastique Mémoires incredibly. So much water has gone under the bridge and Southern winds have brought many changes and new challenges into my life.

Over the past couple of months I have returned to Australia and moved into a new place in a beautiful neighbourhood, where old wooden houses are delicately adorned with rose gardens and the streets surrounded by trees. I have spent a good while at home, nesting serious books by the bed and my collection of matryoshkas and Eiffel towers on top of the fireplace (also known as old brown heater).

I am once again working on my thesis and attending classes at university, so now I spend most of my time reading, writing and editing while drinking heaps of cups of ginger & lemon tea. This is the main reason why I have been away for so long. But I promise I will be more consistent in bringing to you the colours and shapes that have been embracing me so cosily all of these days (I still have many photos from my spring and summer in South America and new ones from autumn here in Melbourne).

I hope that all of you have been happy and surrounded by birds.

And I also wish to thank each one of you for your support, even while I was away. It was dearly appreciated!

Brazil

Soundtrack: The Cascades by Fleet Foxes.

Ps.: I have a few surprises on the way and I honestly CAN'T wait to share them with you ;)

redemption at fingertips

2011-01-27T05:22:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Teeth in the Grass by Iron & Wine.

love in slow motion

2011-01-22T02:13:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Anchored in You by Shawn Mullins.

heart wide open

2011-01-18T01:26:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Printemps by Coeur de Pirate.

to drown beneath dark clouds

2011-01-16T01:31:00.003+11:00

My heart is broken.

Over the past few days Brazil, my home country, has gone through what has been considered the worst natural disaster in History. Countless mudslides and floods in the South East region, where I am from, have devastated beautiful areas and destroyed the lives and homes of so many. Bridges were washed down, trapping people where new mudslides could occur at any time. And because they can only be reached by helicopters, they have run out of food, water, medicine and are in desperate need of assistance, especially to those who have been injured. Families have lost a large number of their members, one alone has lost a total of 17 people, and many are still looking for their loved ones, sometimes digging underneath the mud and what's left from their houses with their bare hands, hoping to simply find their bodies and give them a dignified funeral.

One can only fathom the pain of losing the ones who meant the world to them and the despair of having to start life again from scratch. My heart and mind are with them. Every one of them.

If you want and can help by making a donation to aid the ones who have been affected by the floods in Brazil, I have found two serious institutions online that will put your donations to good use:

Brazilian Red Cross

CARE

I can only imagine how it feels like to be in the midst of an even greater natural tragedy, such as the earthquakes in Chile, Tahiti and Pakistan, for example, or the tsunamis in South East Asia. I wonder how one can start over after going through so much pain and losing almost, if not, everything they loved. Where do they find the strength to move forward? Is it faith and the hope that one day life will be good again? Is it the support from wonderful human beings who donate their time, effort and so much more so that they will have a second chance at living with dignity? What is it that allows them to rebuild a life and feel happiness in their hearts again?

allured by nature

2011-01-12T12:39:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Me and You and a Dog Named Boo by Lobo.

to sail past ghosts

2011-01-08T11:55:00.003+11:00

Uruguay

Soundtrack: Sailor Song by First Aid Kit.

2011-01-01T18:10:00.004+11:00

♥♥♥ Happy 1^st Year Anniversary to Fantastique Mémoires ♥♥♥

Collecting have always been a huge part of my life. As a tiny person I would store in my bedroom all sorts of things, from dolls and ballet slippers to gemstones and porcelain dogs. Each had their special place both in my heart and between the pink walls at my parent's apartment. However, nothing would compare to the excitement of collecting photographs. Photographs of everything and everyone. No matter how inconvenient I had to be. Clicking my days away did not only turn me into a hazard for the ones around me back then, but also made me realize that such hobby enabled me to put into matter a pictorial archive of my family's collective memory.

As I have been spending quite a while with my family back in Brazil, where I was born, I had the chance to revisit the past a few weeks ago. I sat on my grandmother's bed and opened a box, probably heavier than me. It was filled with honeymooners in itty-bitty bathing suits, babies in the swimming pool, family trips to the farm and awkward moments some would rather forget. I was instantly back to the 90's, running around the house with my sister Isis. And to go back to one's childhood... feels as if Proust and I were sharing a sweet-and-sour caramel madeleine!

This is why photography occupies such an important place in my life. And that is the reason why I created Fantastique Mémoires a year ago, so that I could remember my steps and you could see what I have seen, as magically as I can capture.

I hope the images here displayed have touched your hearts and, perhaps, transported you to where I have been. Even if just for a moment.

Thank you all so much for the amazing support! And thank you also for your lovely comments (it may take a little while, but I always reply to every one of them!) and for sparing a few minutes each week to peep around Fantastique Mémoires!

And as if my heart and spirit weren't filled with love already, through the blog I also have met Thea, Hannah, Krissy and so many other beautiful girls who have so much to offer to the world. It's been a fantastic journey and without each and every one of you, it would have never been as blissful.

May the wind take you where all dreams come true!

Remember: There is always something magical to look forward to right around the corner...

♥♥♥

2010-12-30T12:38:00.000+11:00

♥♥♥ Happy New Year ♥♥♥

This year has gone by like lightning and I'm starting to think that the older I get the faster they will all go by.

I hope I'm wrong.

I wish you all a magical 2011, filled with love, peace, happiness, good health and prosperity.

May you be surrounded by family and friends, smiles and giggles, trees and mountains.

And I hope that each and every one of your dreams come true!

2010-12-25T23:42:00.001+11:00

♥♥♥ Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays ♥♥♥

I wish you all the happiest of times, surrounded by family and loved ones!

I hope that you've found what you wished for under the tree and that your hearts feel warm and are filled with joy.

an ending to live for

2010-12-21T14:20:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Westfield by The Salvadors.

... and with these flowers I cover the walls our dreams live within

2010-12-17T11:38:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Flowers in December by Mazzy Star.

to start fresh

2010-12-14T03:37:00.001+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: The Park by Feist.

breathlessly

2010-12-11T10:48:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Hear my Train a Comin' by Jimi Hendrix.

womb within heart

2010-12-05T18:58:00.000+11:00

An entire week has gone by and no photographs were posted on the blog.

I was away traveling through thick and thin beauty and had no opportunity to get connected to the rest of the world.

I thank you all for being so patient and promise to post more photos from now on, so that each week you too can see what I have seen :)

Brazil

Soundtrack: Earth Intruders by Björk.

nature's hunger

2010-11-28T06:00:00.001+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Piece of my Heart by Janis Joplin.

to read one's mind

2010-11-23T06:07:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Thinking Out Loud by Emiliana Torrini.

(to hope for) the deployment of distance

2010-11-17T06:01:00.001+11:00

Mar del Plata, between Argentina and Uruguay

Soundtrack: Distance Disappears by Bobby & Blumm.

the short life of shadows

2010-11-13T03:18:00.000+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Shadows by Au Revoir Simone.

reminiscence of one's youth

2010-11-09T15:55:00.001+11:00

Brazil

Soundtrack: Long Nights by Eddie Vedder.

september and october in 8 shots

2010-11-06T19:24:00.002+11:00

an end to every middle

2010-11-03T16:06:00.001+11:00

These are the last photographs from my adventures in Israel and in the Palestine. Although I was never able to capture with my camera the beauty my soul witnessed over there, I sincerely hope that the images I displayed here on Fantastique Mémoires brought to your hearts some of the wonderment I was surrounded by during this breath-taking experience.

From now on you may expect tons of photos I've been taking all around my home country Brasil, Argentina and Uruguay! I can't wait ;)

Masada - Israel

when looking back makes no sense

2010-10-30T19:08:00.000+11:00

desert between Israel and the Palestine

expanding reasons not to feel alone

2010-10-26T17:22:00.001+11:00

desert between Israel and the Palestine

between light and night

2010-10-22T16:55:00.001+11:00

Before arriving in Ein-Bokek to spend the day by the Dead Sea and watch the sunrise in Masada, we spent hours driving into the night. Surrounded by nothing but stars and darkness, we pulled over to photograph the moon. Just a few minutes later an Israeli army jeep stopped by, shinning a bright headlight on us. We heard a voice questioning our unusual nocturnal activity in the area, and after learning what we were doing, it simply vanished into the black. Zé and Thereza had walked towards a dark area and I was still back at the old gas station when I heard Thereza yelling and pointing at something I could not yet see. I ran downhill and as I approached them I noticed a dromedary tied to a pole thrown on the ground. Little did we know that by then another army vehicle was surrounding our car, which had been left with the trunk and the doors wide open. I had enough time to take only three aimless shots before I had to run towards the soldiers, who were now shouting at us. As they shone again a bright light on us, we could see nothing and all I could think of was not to be gunshot over a misunderstanding. They asked us what we were doing there. Perhaps our answer was not exactly what they were expecting, so we were questioned whether we were carrying any drugs, and since our reply was negative they asked us if they could search our vehicle. 'Of course', we said. Instead of going ahead, they simply turned around and left. And so did we.

somewhere between Israel and the Palestine

impressions on what once was

2010-10-19T11:25:00.003+11:00

Masada - Israel

amongst the weathered

2010-10-12T19:41:00.001+11:00

Masada - Israel

space x time

2010-10-09T12:57:00.001+11:00

view of the Dead Sea from Masada - Israel

heart in mouth

2010-10-06T08:52:00.004+11:00

Even before arriving in Israel, I knew Masada was one of those places where my heart would naturally take me to. And one day, after driving into the night from Jerusalem to Ein Bokek, the three of us had the chance to gather the little strength we had left and start our journey up the plateau. As we planned on watching the sunrise, we got to the bottom of Masada at around 4:30am. The climb was a challenge in many ways. I had not packed a pair of tennis shoes for the trip, so one could imagine how much I thought my thongs were not exactly appropriate gear for such a steep climb. And although each had a bottle of water, we all had forgotten a crucial item for our nocturnal adventure: a simple torch. Still, each of us managed to make it to different places that matched both our physical capabilities and a view that took our breath away, while still carrying heavy cameras and tripods.

The Judean Desert, the Dead Sea and all of the mountains that surrounded us were bathing in gold. All I could do was to feel my heart pounding almost right out of my chest, for words would not make their way through the lips.

view of the Dead Sea from Masada - Israel

do Earthly delights make up for Earthly sorrows?

2010-10-03T18:00:00.001+11:00

view of the Dead Sea from Masada - Israel

where life does not go below the surface

2010-10-01T15:07:00.000+10:00

Dead Sea, Ein Bokek - Israel

a chance not to hit the bottom

2010-09-28T15:29:00.000+10:00

Dead Sea, Ein Bokek - Israel

when sacrifice meets new crosses

2010-09-25T12:36:00.001+10:00

somewhere between Israel and the Palestine

the sun within

2010-09-20T07:00:00.029+10:00

Palestine

Ps.: Beautiful Jasmine from Tragic Fairy Tales - The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes has given me the Sunshine Award!

Thank you so much for making my day magically bright, Jasmine ;D

a pause... to blow a candle

2010-09-18T11:44:00.003+10:00

It was my birthday yesterday, on September 16th. And last week, as this date was just around the corner, I realized that ten years had gone by since my father gave me my first SLR, a Nikon FM2, as a birthday present when I turned 15. Until then, I had spent countless years of my childhood and adolescence photographing my family and stuffed animals with cameras I had either borrowed or stolen from him. I still remember combing my sister's hair before our photo shoots.

I'm thankful not only for everyone I carry around in my heart, but for all of the opportunities I've had so far to make my dreams come true.
And if there is one thing I've learned over these past 25 years is to never give up on what's sacred for one's heart.

For dreams are ours to live.

Dead Sea, Ein Bokek - Israel

against the odds

2010-09-14T19:00:00.003+10:00

Bedouin settlement on the way to Ramallah - Palestine

to touch the highest of clouds

2010-09-12T19:00:00.011+10:00

Akko - Israel

where the pirate and the gypsy fell in love

2010-09-10T03:25:00.000+10:00

Akko - Israel

when the sun whispers (eyes wide open, ready to listen)

2010-09-07T06:33:00.001+10:00

Akko - Israel

a view within

2010-09-03T09:28:00.000+10:00

Akko - Israel

july and august in 8 shots

2010-09-01T14:51:00.001+10:00

to bend straight lines

2010-08-30T03:03:00.000+10:00

Bethlehem - Palestine

adrift under blue velvet

2010-08-28T02:37:00.000+10:00

house by Mount Zion, Jerusalem - Israel

when science fiction is just outside the window

2010-08-25T07:05:00.002+10:00

desert in Israel on the way to Bethlehem - Palestine

Note: I am aware of the fact that some of the posts from my trip to Israel and the Palestine may present more of a descriptive photograph, documenting what I encountered there, rather than something which is more likely to take one's breath away. I feel an urge to share with you some of the things that made me stop and pay attention to my surroundings. Whether that is a beautiful door hidden away on a quiet street or a strange industrial sight in the middle of the desert, it is just something that perhaps you might find yourself drawn to as well.

amongst children and firearms

2010-08-23T17:24:00.004+10:00

I was letting myself get a mild insolation in the Old City of Jerusalem one afternoon, when I noticed a group of children being escorted back home from school by armed men. I didn't know whether that was standard procedure, but I couldn't stop thinking why those innocent creatures, who could barely reach my waist, needed such heavy protection in broad daylight. As I got down on my knees to capture that moment, the man in black turned back and stared at me for a second. I couldn't tell if he was just watching me photograph them or if it was implied that I shouldn't be doing such thing at that time. As you can see, I had already pushed the button.

Firearms are everywhere in Israel and in the Palestine. You see soldiers wherever you go and whenever you drive by a checkpoint to crossover the border. They all seem to do the same thing: stand in the shade, speaking on mobile radios and chitchatting to their peers.

As the sun sets just outside the Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem, the streets are taken over by a sea of soldiers. Young men and women, most in their late teens, who have just finished serving the Israeli army for the day. Olive-green warriors carrying machine guns while wearing thongs and hipster sunglasses. Quite a sight.

the Muslim Quarter

a universe apart

2010-08-20T13:31:00.000+10:00

One of the things that enchant me most about traveling is watching how other people lead their personal narratives in other parts of the world. I like observing them buy groceries at the local market, take their children to school, sit by themselves under a tree or share a meal with friends. That glimpse at their faces and the compassion I see in their eyes are what make me fall in love with mankind from time to time. Whenever I need to fall back in love with ourselves. All because some things are so unique to each place and each culture while others are universal and heart-stopping.

We are all the same and yet, a universe apart.

the Armenian Quarter

behind lace, a secret

2010-08-17T13:41:00.000+10:00

the Armenian Quarter

silent tantrum

2010-08-15T18:40:00.003+10:00

Despite filling the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, each cat I glanced at appeared to be lost.

Juggling a pair of eyes seemingly directed inward.

As if drifting away in solitude.

the Jewish Quarter

to be saved by a mirage

2010-08-13T01:00:00.003+10:00

the Armenian Quarter

magic at your doorstep

2010-08-10T18:00:00.001+10:00

Old City of Jerusalem

the guardian of the Old City

2010-08-08T16:29:00.000+10:00

In Jerusalem, most of my time was spent wandering around, happily lost in the quiet alleys of the Old City. A place inhabited by cats who would guard the homes of the families who had been living there for generations, to say the least. They meowed their hunger away. A sad echo, which made me wonder how many cats were really there with me.

the Jewish Quarter

even in the Old World technology has its voice

2010-08-04T16:42:00.000+10:00

Old City of Jerusalem

where even cats feel like outsiders

2010-08-02T05:59:00.001+10:00

As you walk through the alleys of the Old City of Jerusalem, you find particularities in each quarter.

For example, in only one of them you see Israeli flags proudly displayed by its residents.

the Jewish Quarter

unaware

2010-07-29T12:31:00.001+10:00

the Jewish Quarter

In old cities buried underneath sand and blood,

there's nothing like the wanderer

passing by the eyes of silent watchers.

a-maze-d

2010-07-27T12:04:00.004+10:00

The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters: The Armenian, The Jewish, The Christian and the Muslim. Each has a commercial and a residential area. When you walk away from the noise and attractive colours of the trinkets happily offered to the tourists by merchants with mysterious smiles, you find yourself in a maze of narrow streets, surrounded by walls which seem to take you exactly to where you were five minutes before.

the Jewish Quarter

yet another wall to bring down

2010-07-25T11:59:00.002+10:00

Hello!

I am back home from Israel and the Palestine, but not entirely here yet. My suitcase is probably still there and so are the landscapes and the people in the dreams I have at night. I visited places full of wonderment, surrounded by magic and absurdity, places which could have easily come out of a Middle Eastern fairy tale. I explored the residential areas of the old cities, was nearly robbed and assaulted in a busy avenue by a boy ten years younger than me, drove through the desert in the middle of the night, hiked up Metzada when it was still dark just to watch the sunrise, floated in the Dead Sea in a 40°C heat...

Being in the Middle East was such a unique experience and it really did take me somewhere new and completely unexpected as I had hoped. Splendour was all around, nesting History, tradition and segregation. Sometimes the beauty was suppressed by the lack of compassion between people with so much in common and yet a world apart. Mostly separated by a wall but sometimes by a neighbourhood or even by a narrow alley. An invisible line created by men to keep other men away. A frontier, arbitrary or not, with checkpoints and their soldiers, deciding who could come through and who could not.

I still have a lot of impressions to sort out and will probably dream about these adventures for a long time. This is why I am so passionate about photographing everything that makes my heart pound almost out of my chest. It allows me to go through the same emotions I went through when the past was still present. I relate to those images as Proust would to madeleines.

The picture below is the first of many taken during my trip that I will post here.
I hope they can somehow take you to where I've been, even if just for a moment.

graffiti by Banksy on wall in Bethlehem - Palestine

Ps.: Thank you all so much for the lovely comments written while I was away :)

if the caravan fits your family, call it home

2010-07-23T01:00:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Caravan by Blur.

to sail all the way to Hong Kong

2010-07-20T06:00:00.001+10:00

I am delighted to announce that my work has been published on the 11th issue of Cha: An Asian Literary Journal.

Cha is the first Hong Kong-based online quarterly journal dedicated to publishing poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, drama, and reviews written in English, as well as photography and art. It has a strong focus on Asian-themed creative work and work done by Asian writers and artists. It also publishes established and emerging writers/artists from around the world. Tammy Ho and Jeff Zroback are the talented founding co-editors behind this amazing project.

And if you wish to know a little bit more about me and my work, you can read my profile here.

Thank you so much dear Tammy and Jeff for this great opportunity!

if only this tunnel took us back to childhood

2010-07-18T01:00:00.002+10:00

Soundtrack: Who Knows Where The Time Goes? by Sandy Denny (Fairport Convention).
Feliz aniversário Mel ♥ Te amo lindinho!

desire goes. memories come.

2010-07-16T09:00:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Je T'aime Moi non Plus by Jane Birkin & Serge Gainsbourg.

when finding sand is the only certainty. whether you make it or not.

2010-07-14T06:00:00.005+10:00

Soundtrack: Pocket Full of Rainbows by Elvis Presley.

on my way to the Middle East

2010-07-11T19:53:00.000+10:00

I'm off to Israel today. I've always wished to go there and wondered how a holy land, held sacred by so many in the world, regardless of being Christians, Muslims or Jewish, would be like. A place so close to some and practically out of reach to others. Where people are willing to kill and to die for, to remain within or to enter and stay forever. I never imagined, though, I would have the chance to land there so soon in life. In a way it still feels like a distant dream and I wonder if that time will really come.

The reason why I'm flying there is so that I can be with someone very dear to me. He has been there for 40 days now, directing a documentary and photographing everything he sees. From boys playing soccer with armed israeli soldiers to local celebrities, he captures everyone who has a story to tell. I can't wait to get there and photograph it all as well. And meet the lovely children I've heard so much about and all the people who are kind enough to open up their homes, shops and hearts to the members of a film crew they have just laid eyes on.

I hope this journey takes me somewhere completely unexpected.

A place where I can learn about things I am yet to fathom.

Soundtrack: Fourteen by Hanne Hukkelberg.

As I may not have much access to the internet while I'm away, I've scheduled regular posts so new content will keep on coming every couple of days.

Have a magical Sunday ♥

some cows would rather get a tan

2010-07-09T18:00:00.008+10:00

Soundtrack: Starving Robins by Horse Feathers.

to play with a prism

2010-07-08T05:51:00.000+10:00

Ever since I posted yesterday's photo, a few friends of mine asked me what I had done to create that multi-faceted effect on my sister's portrait. The answer couldn't be any simpler and really fun to try wherever you are as well.

No, I did not use any photoshop 'assistance' to produce such result. In fact, I am not a big fan of great edition interferences at all. What I did came from a much more organic, and real if I may say so, line of thought.

Isis was wearing a crystal prism around her neck, so we decided to play with it by placing it right in front of my camera lens while I moved both of them around, trying to find a good angle to capture the optical refraction achieved through our little experiment. When it comes to doing things like that, my sister couldn't be a better company!

I hope this idea can be an inspiration to your very own optical ventures!

♥

as long as they keep on smiling, little girls will never grow old

2010-07-07T12:35:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Lola by The Kinks.

for as long as we both shall live

2010-07-05T07:08:00.001+10:00

In December 1989, my grandma sat down with me in the kitchen and helped me write a letter to Santa.

Nine months later my present arrived.

my little sister Isis

Soundtrack: Please Sister by The Cardigans.

to perpetuate childhood dreams

2010-07-03T13:12:00.005+10:00

Soundtrack: Come Wander with Me by Jeff Alexander with Bonnie Beecher.
Happy birthday Bird ♥

june in 4 shots

2010-07-02T12:42:00.001+10:00

a taste of butterflies

2010-06-30T09:47:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Harmony to my Heartbeat by Sally Seltmann.

do Brazilian girls dream of winter nights?

2010-06-27T10:07:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Take it to the Sky by Tori Amos.

to be a gypsy from the sea

2010-06-24T14:05:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: My Home is the Sea by Will Oldham.

not yet gone

2010-06-20T05:08:00.000+10:00

Quote: Cegueira também é isto, viver num mundo onde se tenha acabado a esperança. - José Saramago

Translation from Portuguese: Blindness is also this, to live in a world where all hope is gone.

José Saramago was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1998 and was also known as the greatest contemporary Portuguese writer. As a Brazilian, I was first introduced to his experimental literature at an early age and fell in love with his allegorical narratives ever since. He passed away last Friday at his home in the Spanish Canary Islands, where he moved with his wife and translator after the Portuguese government refused to submit his novel, The Gospel According to Jesus Christ, for an European literary prize.

The saddest thing about an artist passing away is to know that their work is now limited to what has been created, found and exposed to the audience who loved diving into the universe they each imagined.

Please, give yourself the pleasure of reading any of his books and I promise you will not stop there.

Metropolis' fondest memory

2010-06-17T14:39:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Nature is Ancient by Björk.

when nature overrules one's plans and vice versa

2010-06-14T18:54:00.000+10:00

Poem: Touch Lightly Nature's Sweet Guitar by Emily Dickinson.

for a world of magic and surrealism

2010-06-11T14:48:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Judy and the Dream of Horses by Belle and Sebastian.

promises of birth. prophecies of death.

2010-06-09T15:42:00.002+10:00

Soundtrack: Nightmares by the Sea by Jeff Buckley.

to be illuminated is to know where to look at and when

2010-06-07T12:03:00.002+10:00

Soundtrack: All You need is Love by The Beatles.

may in 4 shots

2010-06-07T10:39:00.002+10:00

Spoonful of sweetness

2010-06-03T15:36:00.003+10:00

I have recently worked on a special photoshoot for the second issue of Spoonful, a magical Australian publication founded and edited by my lovely friend, Anthea Krook. Spoonful is a short and inspiring little publication which can be finished by the end of a train ride. It’s small enough to carry about with you, beautifully soft, and after reading will genuinely make you smile.

The second issue is out now and you can get this fairy-floss for the heart here.

we are all fairies

2010-05-31T01:38:00.003+10:00

Soundtrack: The Treehouse Song by Ane Brun.

when the State obstructs freedom, men often plunge into self-doubt

2010-05-27T11:48:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Le Labyrinthe by Colleen.

time. wasted.

2010-05-25T13:35:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Silence by PJ Harvey.

when even nature makes no sense before one's eyes

2010-05-21T07:00:00.013+10:00

Soundtrack: Fade into You by Mazzy Star.

the reason why thieves dream of escaping to Rio in the movies

2010-05-19T11:40:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: James Bond Theme by Laika & The Cosmonauts.

when one can't help it but smiling

2010-05-17T01:12:00.004+10:00

Tammy Ho Lai-Ming is the Founding Co-Editor of Cha, the first Hong Kong-based online quarterly journal dedicated to publishing poetry, short stories, creative non-fiction, drama, and reviews written in English, as well as photography and art. She is a talented Hong Kong-born writer and has edited Hong Kong U Writing: An Anthology (2006) and co-edited Love & Lust (2008). She also serves as an Assistant Poetry Editor for Sotto Voce Magazine. Tammy has a website and a blog, My Etcetera, where, amongst other things, she publishes poems she has written inspired by images she is fond of. Her latest poem was inspired by one of my photographs - When there’s no light at the end of the tunnel, bring a torch:

Bring a torch

By t

for Isadora Filković ¹

-
Because it was worth the trouble, all the trouble,
to memorise facial features you would never see again,
I asked him to bring a torch.

We tiptoed out of the house, where parents
were smoking & chatting in the hot parlour.
When each step we took became less shadowed,
he held my sweaty hand bejewelled with plastic rings.
His hand was small, too; but it cupped mine well.
I urged him to switch on the torch. ‘Not now,’
he said. He knew his maze-like forest.

That night, sitting on the dry grass, under a tree
that he said shall be named after me,
this stranger boy told me stories
of seeds bearing memories, volcanoes
that explode in people’s dreams, speaking cats,
fallen leaves that turn into fiery birds,
burning fountains inside our bodies.

Words. He said so many of them,
that I believed at the beginning was word.
Into the stuffy night he went on with his stories.
But I became sleepy, I begged him
to switch on the torch so I could look at him,
one more time, before dream took me. He did,
pointing it at me. Too tired to complain,
I let light be his face. Till day did we part.

I am sure if he hasn’t died,
he is now a man: his hands big and firm.
If he has stayed true to our childhood selves,
he might still be roaming in the wild, topless,
pointing a torch at something: better a wife
than a tree.

Tammy's poem presents a childlike sweetness which reminds me of my own childhood, it's the sort of purity one can find only in their deepest dreams. Thank you so much for all of this magic, dear Tammy. I can't help it but smiling.

to steal the wind's whispers

2010-05-13T09:00:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Rio by Hey Marseilles.

silhouette of a sunset long gone

2010-05-10T13:04:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Nasty Sunny Beam by The Cardigans.

the cows are always fatter on the other side

2010-05-06T09:48:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: No Ceiling by Eddie Vedder.

a bedroom with a view

2010-05-04T11:35:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Outside my Window by Stevie Wonder.

april in 4 shots

2010-05-02T21:00:00.001+10:00

an excuse to stand still and forget

2010-05-01T05:10:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Australian Winter by Sun Kil Moon.

to get along with someone's tears

2010-04-29T05:34:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Slow like Honey by Fiona Apple.

may forever be like today

2010-04-26T09:00:00.002+10:00

Soundtrack: That Time by Regina Spektor.

he walked in circles so the past would become the future

2010-04-23T10:00:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Good Times Gonna Come by Aqualung.

to wander about someone else's paradise

2010-04-21T12:51:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: One Step Inside doesn't Mean You Understand by The Notwist.

when goats stare back at you

2010-04-19T23:00:00.023+10:00

Soundtrack: Animals can't Laugh by Moriarty.

to soar through clouds of fairy floss is to be where one's heart is

2010-04-17T10:26:00.002+10:00

Soundtrack: Bouncing off Clouds by Tori Amos.

on the way to dreamland

2010-04-14T00:56:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Gobbledigook by Sigur Rós.

to photograph what one sees when their eyes are closed

2010-04-11T13:42:00.001+10:00

Soundtrack: Pink Moon by Nick Drake.

amongst the great we hide our littleness

2010-04-08T22:00:00.000+10:00

Soundtrack: Hidden Place by Bjork.