That Part’s The Same (Reflection On Tao Of Photography – Intro)

That part’s the same –
     We walked that road
          From Brownie
              (Special)
                    To old
                         Hand-me-down
                              With fold-out
                                    Frame –

We cranked film
     Through by
          Miles and miles
               Once cottoned to –

Bulk film;
     Home process;
          Blowing up
               Our pictures
                    By the box.

Then shift
     To slides
          When darkrooms
                Slipped away –

Then back
     Again,
          Like walking
               On our
                    Way –

One step –
     Then right –
          Then left.

We learned
     Ourselves –
          Read every book
               They had for loan –
                    Three sections
                          In my
                               Case –

Then girlfriend pix;
     And pix for work;
          And yearbooks’
               Clammy days
                    Of others’
                         Now-stale
                              Chemicals,
                                    Left stinking
                                         In their
                                              Trays.

Spot courses here and there –
     And camera clubs
          With “model nights”;
                And pictures in the
                     Night.

And excellence –
     Such excellence
          Of craftsmanship
               They had –

Then video
     On porta-packs,
          And editing
               Of sound.

The shift to film –
     Then shifts in labs;
          Big projects
               Moving
                   ’Round.

Then
     “In or out” –
            Frost’s summer woods
                 Behind –
                      Now place
                            In life.

Take hold –
     Let go –
          Take hold –
                Let go –
                     Fresh tools
                          To face each
                               Night –

Then ministry
     Of media –
          Calamity,
               And turbulence –
                  “Where now,
                          O Lord,
                               Where now?”

“Eight hours a day” –
     Assorted ways –
          Take up –
                Lay down –
                     Take up –

Then done
     And gone
          The quest –
               Freed up
                  “Do one of those” –
                       “Okay – you’re
                              On” –

Then, there it was –
     Augmented text –
          A blend that’s
               New yet
                    Old –

That thrill
     Returned
          In newer ways;
               More stable
                    Now –

But yes –
     Our journey
          Is quite
               Similar –

For all of us –
     Or most at least,
          Who grew up
              After
                    War.

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