I've had just enough time to... ponder on how many bags to carry -
Taken in the wholesale market in Myanmar where this is a common sight...
Stacking bags as high as they could to save a trip...
Sometimes, that did not paid off and everything comes tumbling down...
A bag
more or a bag less
It is
hard to know
The
difference that will make
Experience
may help
Or lead
us astray
When the
scenery’s the same
But the
terrain differs
An extra
bag may carry us
To our
destination
Or
exhaust us
Along
the way
With their combined weight, they tried to upright the cart...
But it was not enough...
I looked
up at the weather
Then
search my strength
Take on
that extra bag
And pray
–
I do not
stumble along the way…
So they have to un-load and re-stack them all again...
Very Interesting! Well captured sequence.
ReplyDeleteIt's a job that calls for judgement, maneuvering skill and balancing act. Real life acrobatic act just to erk out living.
No Oouch? Perhaps the dejection to start all over masks off the pain of the foot.
ReplyDeleteA 1000 Reasons (busy... slow)
I was walking along the wholesale market off the outskirts of Myanmar among large trucks loading and unloading goods. It was a very busy place with many coolies transporting sacks of goods with their physical strength. These are back breaking works. They will wait with their simple carts waiting for one of the warehouse or transporters to signal to hire them. Thus, they will sprang to work, loading the sacks onto their carriage and dragging it from warehouse to trucks or vice versa. Sometimes, I wonder why they stack it so high like this one which are precariously perched. And there were 4 people to accompany each cart (you can see this in my blog). I was travelling with my boss but I quietly dropped behind the group and shot these series of photos while working at the same time. :) Not easy but being a quick shooter helps. :D
bloodybee
beautiful daily capture!
vignettes_IND
Much appreciated...you don't only take good pictures, you are also a good writer...keep up the good work!
A 1000 Reasons (busy... slow)
As feared, the cart was unbalanced and at one point; the whole load came crashing down. Here in this picture, the two of them tried to use their combined weight to try to upright the cart. However, they were unsuccessful and they were forced to unload and restack the whole load all over again. It is a hard way to earn a living.
vignettes_IND
You did manage to get the motion right in still photography...that's truly an achievement , my friend..
★vignettes_IND added this photo to her favorites.
ReplyDelete★ineedathis added this photo to his favorites.
ineedathis
The burlap bags once staple on all bagging here its very rare you see any,
Lovely shot my friend!
have a wonderful Sunday evening.
Rajagiri
Powerful street shot. ...."with many coolies transporting sacks"........I feel rather uncomfortable seeing the term " coolies" here. This term is considered derogatory and offensive by many in Asia. These people are unskilled daily wage earners.
★Geo_grafics added this photo to his favorites.
Always a fine line looking for the last straw ;)
Thanks for taking us along to the wonderful place !
★ΞSSΞ®®Ξ added this photo to his favorites.
sethph88
honest but hard job... excellent
oola *
Michiko Dead
He manages like somebody carrying a box
that is too heavy, first with his arms
underneath. When their strength gives out,
he moves the hands forward, hooking them
on the corners, pulling the weight against
his chest. He moves his thumbs slightly
when the fingers begin to tire, and it makes
different muscles take over. Afterward,
he carries it on his shoulder, until the blood
drains out of the arm which is stretched up
to steady the box and the arm goes numb. But now
the man can hold underneath again, so that
he can go on without ever putting the box down.
~~Jack Gilbert
-----------------
that poem is actually about grief... but it is visceral .. for both ideas
Amg80
Fantastic shot
★Flamarion N. added this photo to his favorites.
Axa_Sofia moments
Preciosa toma, encuadre y luz !!
Saludos.
A 1000 Reasons
Dear Rajagiri, thank you for your comment and I share your sentiment totally. I hesitated when I deliberate whether I should use coolie to describe their job knowing fully aware of the derogatory connotation. And decided to go ahead anyway to reflect the harsh reality (they are doing an animal job (with no disrespect to animals)) but they are suffering human beings forced by circumstances not of their choice or their control. The term is used not for insult but to say "look, for our long period of civilization; coolie still exists". Yes, they are doing honest work but they rather be paid decent wages whatever we call them. Unfrotunately, because I've to keep it short whether in flickr or my blog; I could not explain my poor attempt at subtlety. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to dwell in it with a bit more detail :)
henrhyde (gill)
Beautiful , but sad presentation . very thought provoking image , of a culture that shows the struggle , of these "workers ".
ShambLady
many people have such a hard time to make ends meet and create a living, but streetlife is so interesting because of this, I feel sometimes bad taking pictures - when they see me as a foreigner, knowing that I am better of then them....
ShambLady
I looked at the others too, great series .... :)
Very nice series! great story as well ;-)
ReplyDeleteGreetings from the Netherlands,
DzjieDzjee