ABPA - Australian Bush Poets Association

Well, here goes with the Kyrielle sonnet! Our recent voyage down the Irrawaddy River in Myanmar was by turn confronting and inspiring, and a rare chance to see a rapidly vanishing way of life. The most inspiring experiences involved visiting traditional Burmese villages where life goes on as it has for a thousand years. I hope more poetry will follow when my mind and heart has had a chance to digest this life-changing adventure.

Reflections on Visiting a Burmese Village

I left my footprints on your world -
a fleeting shadow - thus I came.
Your secret lives became unfurled
and I shall never be the same.

My laughter by the schoolhouse stairs
accompanied your children's game.
They sang a song uniquely theirs
and I shall never be the same.

O happy people - you seem poor
to us who measure Western aim.
Yet you will go on as before
and I shall never be the same.

I left my footprints on your world
and I shall never be the same.

© Shelley Hansen 2014

That is lovely Shelley - well done and sounds like you have enjoyed a wonderful trip.

Love this Shelley - you put it so well, and having been in Asia for so long I can relate!

Well done Shelley. You've got the reflective mood in that.

Beautifully done, as always, Shelley.

Cheers
David

Thank you everyone for your positive feedback. The trip to Myanmar certainly was amazing.

Beautiful Shelley. What an inspiring trip that must have been.
Wazza