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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Poetry Friday: Poetic Motorbikes

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One thing I wonder at every day here in Hanoi is the way motorbikes are used – as family vehicles (amazing how many people can ride on one bike!), as shops, as taxis, even – to my amazement – as beds. I have seen many riders stretched out on the back of their parked bike fast asleep.  But the use that amazes me the most is for transportation of stuff. I wish I had started photographing these sooner – photos I didn’t take included a whole single bed innerspring mattress being carried on the seat of the  motorbike and a piano being carried in a tiny trailer behind a motorbike.  I was also delighted to see a boy sitting on the back of the bike driven my his mother. He was not holding on – because he was too busy reading a book!

Anyway, I have started collecting photos of some of what I see being transported, which has made me ponder even more the very exact art of  loading,  and securing that load. And, of course, wondering how often loads come loose or the whole bike topples. I did pass one bike on its side outside a shop, with the shop staff unconcernedly carrying the various scattered boxes into the shop.

 

As I thought about how to put all this into a poem, it occurred to me that the art of loading a motorbike is very like the art of writing a poem. So here’s what I came up with.

Poetic Motorbikes

Loading a Hanoi motorbike

Is much like

Writing a poem.

First you collect

All that you want to include

Then you carefully

Add and layer

Layer and add

Shift things round

Balancing

Balancing

Balancing

Then, when you are done

You take off

Hoping

It reaches

Its destination.

Sometimes it works

And sometimes

You have

gone

too

far.

(Poem Copyright Sally Murphy 2018)

That’s it from me for this Poetry Friday – but don’t forget you can see what other poetry lovers all around the world have posted today by visiting the Poetry Friday Roundup, hosted today by the wonderful Tabatha at The Opposite of Indifference.
PS. This post, and my visit to Hanoi, are made possible by the amazing Asialink Arts Program, and with the funding support of the the Western Australian Government through the  Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Comments

  1. I like the ending of your Hanoi motor bike poem,
    “Sometimes it works

    And sometimes

    You have

    gone

    too

    far.”
    So true. Yours definitely worked here Sally, swimmingly. Loved the mini movie you made too, thanks!

  2. I love it! Those photographs are amazing. Your poem reminds me of the poem “Unfolding Bud” by Naoshi Koriyama. I used to use it as a mentor text for my students to come up with their own metaphors for reading or writing a poem. Yours would be a great addition!

    • Thanks Tabatha. There is apparently a coffee table type book filled with photographs of things on motorbikes in Hanoi. I haven’t seen it yet.

  6. Your motorbike observations evoke strong memories Sally- and like you I found myself capturing images of gravity defying feats in the transport of goods and people. Such determination and problem solving. During my time in Hanoi I saw a fellow attempting to attach a double bed mattress to his motorbike. Never found out if he succeeded…
    I get the sense, impossible is nothing.
    Enjoyed your poem and the analogy between writing poetry and loading motorbikes. Keep the images and observation coming.

    • Thanks Alan. My observation of an single inner spring mattress proved that it was possible though I didn’t get to see where the rider ended up sitting. Thanks for visiting.

    • Thanks Buffy. they make me nervous just looking at them – I’d never be brave enough to ride with those loads.

  8. I love your sharing this glimpse of what you’re seeing in Hanoi, Sally. Wow, those girders! And love the connection to writing a poem, ha! “Hoping/It reaches/Its destination.” Keep having fun & sharing!

  9. Sally, you pack so much FUN into your posts. I am reading about motorbikes in Hanoi….but remembering my time in China. I have photos of unlikely loads of stuff on bikes and hybrids of bikes and trucks or scooters. I was so entertained! And, what a brilliant connection to building a poem. I really like that analogy. balancing, balancing, balancing. Practice makes perfect doesn’t it? Wonderful post today.

    • Thank you, Linda. Yes, I have seen photos from other countries of this kind of transport, but not really seen it for myself. And thanksfor your kind words.

  10. I have been loving your motorbike posts on insta, Sally. And your earlier chairs… 🙂 Looks like you’re having a wonderful time, layering words and images.

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