Babcock Family Forum

We had a great, relaxing week on Raro before coming home. Here are some pictures. I'll work backwards, putting on some NZ and OZ pictures over the next week or so. We have to go out and put in the garden now!

Here is the poem I tried to download!

UNDER THE IRONWOOD TREE


The ironwood, like a weeping willow, forms a lacey canopy
‘tween us, the beach, lagoon, Taakoka Island, and the reef,
Where endless waves roll left to right. Through filigree,
Against the eastern sky, soft clouds, anticipating sunset color, wait patiently.

Two pure white terns swoop and chase, and as ripples swish in harmony with breeze,
And peach, then red, then purple scroll across the far horizon.
We feel we are alive inside a printed screen, made long ago by Japanese.
What more content, excitement would yet be, for two friends upon this island?

As dark gently covers our private world we receive, with almost disbelief,
One star above, then two, then unnumbered more, blinking down on lovers
Through the magic vault, and full moon rise soon then discovers
Ghostly galleons at sail where sunset’s spectrum once painted clouds beyond the reef.

Love needs no catalyst if strong and true, they say,
But we’ll forever love the more, reliving our island hideaway.



Russell C. Babcock
February, 2000