Resonance
II
During
the past 20 years while looking for surf, I had climbed over much
of Big Rock and knew of a strange hole-like structure at the very
end and also a large hollow opening on the Ocean View side of the
Rock. I was convinced that one of these must be the cave that Baxter
spoke of and yet when I spoke to a long time Brighton resident,
Tommy Thompson, there was a third opening that was less obvious
and was indeed the cave that Baxter spoke of. On the other side
behind a flax bush is an opening that leads to a small cave just
large enough for an adult to crouch in. It provides a perfect view
out over Brighton Bay towards the domain and yet conceals the occupant.
It appeared so hidden that Baxter could well have been the last
person to reside inside, and yet I visited this cave twice and between
the two visits there had been another occupier. For strewn there,
near the back of the passage was the evidence of another juvenile
user: a bunch of burnt matches and a cigarette packet. It was a
very small space and very difficult to take photographs in as I
could only guess at the image the camera saw. It was a darkened chamber, with an aperture to the world outside.
Compared to the bright daylight on beach there was little light
inside and I used a small flash to bounce light off the back of
the cave and give some illumination to the entrance.
Map of Brighton Bay indicating where the image Resonance II was taken from
enlarge map |
James K Baxter - Poem
references
I
climbed up to a hole in a bank in a hill above the sea, and there
fell into the attitude of listening out of which poems may arise....
The Cave 1948 CP
The
whole weight of the hill hung over me.
Gladly I would have stayed there and been hidden
From every beast that moves beneath the sun,
The Party 1966 CP
A
kind of a cave - still on the brandy,
and coming in from outside,
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