Idō _ Movement
artwork by Athiba Balasubramanian
Striving for balance in these uncertain times with a 3rd invisible element that seems to be teaching us a lesson on priorities, life, and nature.
An inclusive independent journal with a focus on literature & art
The Coastline Paradox
poem by Nicki Blake
my footprint cartography makes it clear
that I will not be leaving this place soon
I have walked this edge around, around -
stepped out the realisation of being marooned
I’ve found no way by which I can escape
no causeway, raft, or other means to leave
no other human voices can be heard
no other living presence have I seen
(though yellow eyes have watched me in the night
when, by my campfire, I have tried to sleep)
I find no comfort in the depthless stars
or from the moonlight dancing on the waves
I wake from fitful dreams that chill my bones
into the nightmare of a life alone
and each day, as I walk around again
to force acceptance of my loneliness,
I think about another life in which
I was told that shores were measureless -
that demarcation of the littoral sands
disappeared in geodesic spans
and every island, though it seemed confined,
had a coastline that was without end -
its limitations therefore limitless
holding infinity in its compass
yes, I think this as I make my way
mapping forever, day by silent day
wondering if I should even have to fear
being castaway, if eternity is here
Nicki Blake is an emerging poet and writer of short stories who is based Western Australia. Her writing focuses on themes of identity, inclusivity, the natural world, and the interaction between people and their environments. As a teacher and student of languages, Nicki draws on her lived experiences of working with words to inform her writing.