Category: Antarctica

Antarctica enshrined by treaty
signed in 1959 by 12 nations
the 12 Apostles
well-placed for the afterlife.
By Article 9
resources must be protected and conserved.

In the mid-1980s
the ninth article was like sometimes faith
or road speed limit
observed when convenient
or display required.

Rubbish terminally useless
bodies with nothing to sell or exchange
pyramided on frozen ocean
vehicles, refrigerators, transformers.
The close sun flexes new found muscles
the cold is stared down
ice returns to water
the debris falling from sight – and mind.

Bill was larger than life
figuratively and literally
always good for a drink and story
homeward from the bar
he waved an arm at the horizon
“ it wouldn’t worry me
if this whole place was wall-to-wall oil rigs.”

A stern reprimand
and lecture on environmentalism.
“ Well,” a nose nodding toward piles
of soon-to-be submarine rubbish
“ could it be any worse than that.”

For the back story click Backstage

Sunday evening. Steak and lobster
everybody and their sister comes to supper
Sunday is for church and rest
except essential services
water plant, power plant and kitchen.
The unblessed mess workers
the socially averse, the shy and the misfits
rewarded with duty at the busiest meal
on the busiest day.

2000 steaks 1.5 per person
1000 lobster less than one per person
should either be depleted. Riot.
best not to think about. Or hide.
After cleanup
dishes washed, tables wiped, carpet vacuumed
the weekly science lecture.

Visiting experts talk of research
the secrets of
Antarctic marine life, geology, magnetic physics.
A man walks to the front
taking the microphone from the guest speaker
“ they’ve found them.”

Droning cacophony of kitchen
cocoons worker bees from bush telegraph.
Two employees of the civilian contractor
taking a Sunday afternoon walk take a short cut
depart from the flagged route
and vanish.
Searchers find footsteps
freefalling to a python squeeze crevasse.

17 hours were needed to extract one
23 hours for the second
both died shortly afterward.
The season is three weeks old.

For the back story click Backstage

Veterans were acknowledged with the verbal suffix OAE
OAE: Old Antarctic Explorer
four or more
three seasons the average life cycle in McMurdo
before the pathogens
and
           “Thank you for your application.”
Monotonous.
Drunkenness.
Pissed Offness.
                “We wish you good luck …..”

Our boss had completed 10
“ no come to think of it 12.”
A real OAE
he said a problem thought of, would not become one.
At the arrival briefing he outlined
to the unfamiliar, the familiar
the idiosyncrasies and peculiarities
the traps and the trapdoors.
Been there done that. He had seen it all before.
But this one he hadn’t.

Mail was going out
but not coming in
almost a month of five flights per week
only a sprinkling cards and letters.
No one knew why
shrugged shoulders and upheld palms
from the postman, “shit happens man.”

After 10, no 12 seasons
uncharacteristically at a loss for explanation
unable to offer solace to one young charge
a first timer writing love, to his love
receiving nothing in return
wonders if she still does.

He is moved to easier duties
better accommodation
the boss good with these things
workmates told to look out for Charles
to ask about Susan – discreetly of course.

The monsoon arrives
cloudbursts of letters
equilibrium is restored – a sigh heaved.

Perhaps it was a challenge
young men hunters by nature
and here with so few women
a chance to be an alpha male.
At the end of a five-month season
Charles had spent three in a knowing bed
I wonder if he still wrote to Susan.

For the back story click Backstage