A Wall of Time

 

I stare at a wall,

Melanin black,

Proving its name,

Only that it is a stack

Not just of rocks

But also of time,

Where, millions of years

In symphony, chime

 

For when you look close,

Trapped in its layers,

Are shells and bones

Petrified wares

Staring back at thoughtful eyes -

Life in the rubble

From Permian  times

Trapped in a bubble

 

As if herein was the sea

A mass, alive

Herein they swim

Therein they dive

Primitive forms,

Frozen for good

Watching the aeons

As they silent brood

 

Whispering, if you hear

Time is a lore -

A frozen tale,

That doesn’t pour

And you and me,

Locked in its arms

Are fooled by the stars

And their swirling charms

 

The seas rise and fall

The skies turn blue

But we were forever here

And so are you

And this frozen wall

Is a crack on its face

Where time seeps out

And nights turn to days

 

The world forgets

The lands move on

And Pangea, Rodinia

Die to be born

Once in a while

Come visitors few

We start the charades

And start anew….

 

8^th October 2025

 

Black Head Reserve at Gerroa is especially well known for its fascinating rock platforms and fossil deposits, which make it a popular spot for geology enthusiasts and curious visitors alike. The headland contains layers of ancient sedimentary rock dating back over 250 million years to the Permian period, when the area was covered by shallow seas. Within the dark volcanic rock and sandstone, you can find well-preserved marine fossils such as brachiopods, bivalves, and crinoids, which give a glimpse into life from deep geological time. These fossils are significant because they form part of the southernmost exposures of the Sydney Basin’s ancient marine deposits. At low tide, the rock platform becomes a natural museum, where the patterns of fossil shells and sea creatures are clearly visible, making Black Head Reserve one of the South Coast’s most unique and educational natural attractions. These mid Permian fossils are significant as they represent a time just before the largest mass extinction event in Earth's history, which occurred at the end of the Permian period, leading to the extinction of about 95% of marine species.

 

The poem’s meditation on cyclical change aligns perfectly with the science of Black Head Reserve. It underscores Earth’s deep continuity and the way fossils serve as both evidence and story: it is is a lyrical celebration of geological memory, connecting human awareness to the enduring narrative locked in stone. It frames the rock layers not merely as inert stone, but as a repository of deep time, a “stack / Not just of rocks / But also of time,” reflecting the mid-Permian siltstone and its embedded marine fossils. The poet captures the timelessness of the fossil record, where shells, bones, and other “petrified wares” offer a window into life hundreds of millions of years ago, frozen yet alive in memory.