Nostalgia and the poetry of a moment

I’m not a photographer by any means, but I do have a love for taking pictures, mostly because of the experiences involved in the outings. 

 

One of my favorite excursions was with my uncle while I was visiting he and my aunt in St. Augustine, FL.  We went for a drive, pulled off on the side of this dirt road, off of a main road and walked up to this fence.  It was completely overgrown with brush.  It was actually hard to see beyond the fence in most places because it was so thick with leaves and branches and the grass was so high.  We thought that there very well might be snakes creeping around in their little untouched playground.  But when we could see beyond the brush we found these…machines from the past.

There’s something sad and beautiful to me about the six dilapidated planes sitting there in this field, out in the middle of nowhere.  From their broken down orifices  you could see the vines and grass that had taken over and was spilling out.  Their windows broken, wings collapsed. 

 

These planes had seen their days, had been driven by their pilots and had carried their passengers.  We made up stories trying to place their whereabouts in their heyday of our history.  Were they fighter planes?  They say rescue on the side.  Have they been sitting there in that airplane cemetery since the 50’s/60’s?  What missions did they go on?  Why were they there?  Who did they rescue?

There, in the field, six sorrowful planes told a story and held their honor.  They possessed secrets and mysteries of the past that still to this day keep me wondering.  Their existence is poetic and their silence haunting.  And even thought I don’t think my photographs do them any justice, I’m glad that I had the opportunity to engage in the experience and take them.  Especially, now knowing that they may not be there tomorrow.  

 

History is so important for what we do as artists.  We’re affected in so many ways.  And taking the time to live these experiences is crucial.  Maybe one day I’ll find them in a painting.  Maybe one day art will allow them to live on beyond their time in history.