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Canon DSLR Challenge | all galleries >> Challenge 44: Collective Nouns (hosted by Michael Puff) >> Eligible > A Silence of Stones *
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21-JUN-2005 Mikel Featherston

A Silence of Stones *

Fort Rosecrans, San Diego, CA

In memory of a friend lost long ago...


'Here in this graveyard it's still no man's land,
The countless white crosses in mute witness stand,
To man's blind indifference to his fellow man,
And a whole generation that was butchered and damned.'

from 'The Green Fields of France' (also called Willie McBride, or The Ballad of Willie McBride)


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alexeig25-Jun-2005 23:07
This has a great impact. I feel that uncropped version is superior
Guest 25-Jun-2005 20:56
Beautifully done, Mikel. Wonderful title for a silent but movingly expressive image. -Michael
Canon DSLR Challenge24-Jun-2005 18:34
That's a very eloquent title.
Guest 24-Jun-2005 11:52
Great compo, excellent BW.
Mikel Featherston23-Jun-2005 04:55
You know, I am looking at a cropped version of the image, and I just do not like it as much. I appreciate the input, though. You can view it here:

http://mikel.oakmoon.net/gallery/currentchallenge/silenceostones2
Mikel Featherston22-Jun-2005 22:38
Note that there was no connection between my accident and Jesse ending his life. They just happened to occur closely together. The bed of the truck detail sticks in my mind because another friend was in the truck with me, and had considered sleeping in the bed, but didn't. Thanks to that choice, he is still around.
Mikel Featherston22-Jun-2005 22:36
Jesse was a high school friend of mine. I can remember when I last saw him. It was near 15 years ago, and he was visiting home. I can remember the gang going out for a day at a nearby paintball field, with Jesse and another friend riding in the bed of my pickup truck.

That detail sticks in my head because around a month or so later (time has blurred the edges of my memory), I rolled that pickup truck and broke my neck. Sometime shortly after that, Jesse lost the fight with his personal demons, and killed himself.

So that part of the song does not truly apply to him. But I could not help but hear those words over and over as I stood in that graveyard yesterday, visiting my friend for the first time in several years.
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Jun-2005 22:29
Thank you Mikel for posting this image and in particular, the portion of the verse you've lifted from the song - but, please tell me, who was Jesse?

Of all the things a good photographer can do, none is more poignant than to touch the spirit of another person. Beethoven is credit with the quote: "From the heart it is born; to the heart it shall penetrate" and it comes to mind looking and thinking about this image.

I'm not sure I agree with Gayle, although understand well her point through scrolling the image up enough with the browser. If anything, I think... I'd like to see the tops of those trees - but more craving have I to see the dates below Cate's name - to know in which field of blind indifference he fell.

Maybe more images like these will help to diminish man's blind indifference to our fellow man and further butcherings.. maybe.

Peace.

Kelly
Mikel Featherston22-Jun-2005 19:27
For those interested in more information on the full song from which I quoted, you can find the rest of the lyrics, as well as some background information here:

http://www.aftermathww1.com/mcbride.asp
Shu22-Jun-2005 12:01
Very silent, very silent indeed. Your dark treatment of this has emphasizes the fact. Shu
Canon DSLR Challenge22-Jun-2005 11:38
This is a powerful image, Mikel, and very well composed but I think it would have more impact if it was cropped at the horizon. It would neaten up the whole frame and give the headstones the drama they deserve.
Gayle