Sitting on porch, a concrete slab with tin roof for shade – I observe

Old woman wakes from afternoon sleep.  She arises and as hunger often arrives after sleep, she indulges in last night’s left overs of raw fish, greens and coconut cream

Puppies seek sanctuary underneath car to escape the relentless heat and humidity, whimpering and fretting for their mother who has found her own sanctuary somewhere else.

Rugged stray ginger cat, with ribs exposed from lack of nourishment roams property looking for morsels of food scraps thrown out the night before.

Dried coconuts stacked under breadfruit tree waiting to be husked and grated to make the next batch of coconut cream. Old coconut husks piled high next to them.

Today’s harvest of corn, yams, tomatoes, chives, pawpaw, limes and silver beet lay on formica kitchen table to be prepared into evening meal.

Rusted agitator washing machine struggles its way through washing cycle – power provided by cable passed through window to socket. Clothes line strung together between coconut trees, its linen day and floral sheets blow dry freely in the sea breeze.

Mismatched jandals line the porch to slide into for outside footwear.

Next door, old abandoned truck rusts quietly beside old house slowly decaying.

Sitting on porch – I listen

Muffled voices across the road – woman talking in native tongue.

Dishes being washed and dried in kitchen.

Constant thump of bass from neighbours sound system.

Car engine starts and car drives along sand and stone road.

Rooster crows continuously.

Sitting on porch

I slurp hot tea made from tea bag, water and powdered milk, watching ants invade the crusts of my white bread honey sandwich.

Still air, wind halted, gardenia fragrance potent – unlike yesterday when wind sneezed and coughed all day, followed by rain

Sleepy dog scratches, puppies now reunited with their mother grizzle at the disturbance

Birds sing.  Woman laughs.   Rooster crows.  Car passes by.  Sea breeze. The rustle of coconut frond.

So much beauty in simplicity