THE BURGESS SHALE

Michael Edwards

 

THE BURGESS SHALE

 

Indestructible

where the misty mountains rise

over Burgess Shale.

 

Complex life captured

structures recorded in stone

within the strata.

 

Natural process

Captured for posterity

Deep in Burgess Shale.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Author: Michael Edwards (Offline Offline)
  • Published: September 19th, 2017 00:00
  • Comment from author about the poem: Written in Haiku format. The Burgess Shale is a fossil-bearing deposit exposed in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia. It is renowned for its exceptional preservation of the soft parts of its fossils. At 508 million years (Middle Cambrian) old, it is one of the earliest fossil beds containing soft-part imprints.
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 73
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Comments12

  • Goldfinch60

    Good write Michael.

    Love the abstract.

    • Michael Edwards

      Thanks Andy - just had the abstract framed - looks really good although my wife suggested it is a bit sombre.

    • orchidee

      A fine write and pic M. I shale commend this poem (corny joke there). Ahh, some of us saw it being formed originally, 508 million years ago. We were there. See, carved like a fossil 'I Woz Ere'.

      • Michael Edwards

        Are you a fossilised armour- dillo Orchi

      • Fay Slimm.

        Exciting abstract Michael and the three liners taught me yet another wonder I never knew. Great read.

        • Michael Edwards

          Thanks Fay - I was near there a few years back although it is fairly inaccessible and at the time didn't even know t existed.

        • BRIAN & ANGELA

          Thanks MICHAEL ~ good use of poetic structure ! Multiple HAIKU is an excellent way of presenting a serious poem in a digestible form. With most fossils the "soft parts" are often missing ! Please check my RICE PEAS 'N CHICK befor it all gets consumed ! BRIAN We are both on mega serious topics today !

          • Michael Edwards

            It's the fact that the soft parts are recorded that makes it so important - thanks Brian.

          • WL Schuett

            Good poem and good painting, a good way to start my morning

          • malubotelho

            Thanks Michael to start my day with info learning. I like the picture.

            • Michael Edwards

              Pleased you do - thanks for commenting Malu

            • myself and me

              Love the abstract.
              The imprint on the burgess shale tells where we are from. A beautiful poem about the ancient exist.

            • MendedFences27

              Excellent haikus strung together to form a larger piece. Very old fossils and modern art, opposite ends of the time spectrum. The painting looks oceanic to me, something blue-watery about it. I even thought I saw a dolphin. - Phil A.

              • Michael Edwards

                The dolphin swam away just before I finished painting him 🙂 Thanks Phil

              • FredPeyer

                Great Haikus Michael! And thanks for the history lesson. One never stops learning. Like the painting too!

                • Michael Edwards

                  My pleasure - pleased you like them Fred.

                • orchidee

                  It shounds like hI've had too many sherries if I shay 'Shale'. I could attempt 'She shells she shells on the shee shore' (She sells sea shells on the sea shore). Good acting by me, innit?! lol.

                  • Michael Edwards

                    I'm told you're always acting up - can't be that easy in all that armour.

                  • Christina8

                    Wonderful abstract! I learned some things from your authors notes and your Haiku were a great read!

                    • Michael Edwards

                      It's now hanging in the studio waiting for a buyer - thanks so much for taking time out to comment - so much appreciated.

                    • dusk arising

                      Reminded me of the man who ran up expenses of $2 million digging up old relics and finally found something rare. He made the Fossil bill possible.



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