THE GREY ALBUM
PHOTOGRAPHY & STORIES IN PROSE
by Christopher Kay
The first step was taken towards a new path.
She had seen this type of path
many times in the light of day,
but in this instance,
only fragile illumination existed.
Her foot quivered as she took her second step
towards the truth she'd always asked for.
The darkness in the distance
made it impossible to know what lay ahead.
Each archway looked the same as the previous,
and the further she forged ahead,
the more infinite the path appeared.
But then something changed.
She looked behind her and
realised how far she had come.
The path ahead, albeit unknown,
was much shorter than what was behind her.
Confidently, she moved through the door
into the unknown,
and now understood
exactly what she needed to do.
-1-
ANDRON
He is an artist.
In body. In mind. In spirit.
But necessity had led him down
quite a peculiar path indeed.
He had to pretend he was something he was not,
ensuring his bread and butter was earned
so that he could live a comfortable, solitary existence
in his little corner of the Earth.
As he hid amongst the collars of white,
his artistry began to break through the seams.
A fire would still idly burn
in the darkest parts of his eyes, and bring
an extraordinary brightness to his entire demeanour
whenever he spoke of ‘art’.
Yet under this new identity,
he was constantly sought after for his gifts,
and had felt used by those
whom would never really know the real him.
They would fly him everywhere
in order to tap into the brilliance
that he was trying to hide from them all,
and on that fateful day of inevitability;
the sun was setting, the plane touched down
and the taxi ushered him to his tiny hotel room
complete with single-serve mini bar.
He stood on his balcony and with a clear sky
and an even clearer mind,
and he finally remembered
that all of this was only a detour.
-2-
quest
A night of Wagner.
The sounds of the orchestra
elegantly filled the gaps
of conversations about the beloved Cosima
and inspiration for Siegfried Idyll.
The Winter’s night felt deathly cold,
but the attraction between them
had grown to beautifully terrifying proportions.
Both had come from places of pain
and emotional trauma
and hadn’t forgotten how to love,
but had simply forgotten to love.
The last few weeks had left them tightly wound,
things unspoken, things untouched.
He set the mood.
Warm pools of light filled the room
and reflections of candlelight
danced majestically on the walls around them.
It was then that she revealed her grand gesture.
Something to relax.
Something for warmth.
Something Japanese.
-3-
z
Freedom in mind and thought
are the most imperative structure
in the evolution of the human spirit.
When every definition of the word
is called into question
and begins to transform into
a privilege rather than a right;
be on the side of the good fight.
Seek those who also have the courage
to stand up against enslavement
and injustice with all their might.
Find the specs of light
between the gaps in the cell,
and follow the vibrational frequency
from the inside out.
-4-
ELEFTHERIA
At the time they didn’t know,
as it was just another day.
A crisp winter breeze awoke her sweet tooth,
but in both their hearts, an underlying bitterness.
The warm, sweet smell of macarons
poured out of the door enticing them in
to enjoy a romantic moment together.
Through the motions they went
with an ever-pending blade dangling above them
threatening to separate them forever.
The bite sized dessert morsels were light,
delicate, made with care and love
Things that they both knew deep down,
they were not.
The ship of their relations had leaks
that had been patched over too many times.
It was the last time they would ever share
a beautiful moment.
At the time they didn’t know,
as it was just another day.
-5-
BELLE
At times, we are too human.
One must overcome the feeling
that decisions made are incorrect
or that they are a magnet for damage.
We can all make the wrong choices
and sabotage our own existence;
we can hide behind a weakening fear
because strength is too hard to search for.
There is a side of us never satisfied
and we can look for the next thing
to fill the hollow void of discomfort.
Though if we don’t acknowledge karmic lessons,
we are doomed to wither into nothingness,
forever repeating a destructive cycle.
And once we realise fulfillment
comes from our inner nature
therein lies growth,
against all odds.
-6-
STAMENTIA
It is light, life, the sun;
an emblem of purity and perfection,
of invincible spiritual power.
But she wanted more.
Commitment, faithfulness and promise.
His hesitance provided her
with the deafening silence
that became an answer within itself.
Alone, the silence came back to haunt him.
Darkness set.
As he moved to the front porch,
he lay to rest on the decking.
His eyes drifted upward
to a completely new perspective;
and he finally realised
he had to love himself
before he could even think about
loving anybody else.
-7-
ADAMAS
What began as distraction,
ended as inspiration.
With every stroke of the brush
the overwhelming fractures of his heart
were painted over and forgotten.
Upon stepping back to revel
in this pouring out of his essence,
he knew he had chosen the right muse.
Loyalty. Honour. Strength.
Not only the qualities of
his oldest companion,
But also the qualities of his
own Zen-like soul within.
-8-
FUSHIKA
She reflected on the entire historical drama
that lay in her rear view.
The patterns became so obvious,
but none of this epiphany
could be executed in hindsight.
Love was there for the taking,
but she just wasn’t ready for it,
that was, until it was gone.
As she embraced this necessary crisis
by the equally calm river-walk,
a visitor emerged.
It carried itself proudly reminding her
that she too was now filled
with the same ancient wisdom.
If something was meant to be,
it would return in time.
-9-
PREHISTORIA
There's no such thing as an ordinary person,
only the ordinary path of a life
spent chasing illusory distraction.
When this realisation comes
leading into internal seeking,
a staggeringly profound knowledge
emerges from our higher self.
The physical vessel and
spirit mind become synergistic.
The vibration is true.
The energy is forcefully lifting
and transporting you
towards something bigger.
Every thought, word, emotion
and choice of free will
carve out the very existence
in front of our soul-kissed vision.
And in that moment,
you are the creator.
-10-
FORGODDEN
A beautiful frequency danced across the night air.
As all in the room became centered,
Mother became their true north
leading with light, guiding with love.
Just like her mother before her,
her graceful calm was a gift to the collective.
The lessons were simple
for those ready to receive them.
As silent undertones of oneness swept through the room,
the calming foliage caught alight
and a delicate smoke surrounded them.
It resulted in a delicate nudge into
the direction they should have always been facing;
‘Within’
As the haze of clarity dissipated
and they returned back to the third realm,
a state of love and calm remained.
Something they knew they would have to
continue to carry in their hearts
if they were to survive the often dark depths
of the human experience.
-11-
INTENTION
A hijacked history hidden in plain sight.
Awakening led to questioning
and with this, theories rather than answers.
But no matter how egocentric his emotions,
the deep questions of the past
kept him in a state of ascension.
A simple stroll through any city young or old,
would cause feelings of déjà vu.
Tartarian structures and sublime architecture
disarmed of their true purpose
and now, veiling a folkloric corruption.
But with the death of one civilisation.
comes the birth of another.
Never to be unseen, once truly questioned.
Emerging through the trees and
understanding the edifice that lay before him,
he wouldn’t be fooled again.
History was just that – his story,
And he could rewrite any way he felt.
-12-
CRYPSTONE
EVOLUTION
As the collective observed
the singular entities in the crowd,
the grid shifted into a new energy field.
Love vibrated through the echoes of the chants,
even when wrapped within elements of disdain.
The people stood united.
Races, religions and creeds melded together
in a sea of oneness and song.
Their feet stomped rhythmically
sending messages directly to Mother Earth.
A father was not just dad that day.
He was a freedom fighter,
Not fighting for freedom that had been taken,
but fighting to always keep the freedom
he would forever carry in his heart; his son.
A generational gap away
lay his father who had seen it all and more,
and in a relaxed state with a wry grin,
could visualise the outcome and be proud
that his strength of character
and lion-hearted integrity
would forever carry on into a positive future.
-13-
With the stripping away of the programmed self
came a deep state of mourning.
As its ebony feathered wings
drew back to its sides
and with its footing firm and still,
a once negative portent
became a positive path forward.
Through its magnificent eyes,
a sharp intelligence and ethereal wisdom
poured out in pure energetic waves,
providing the perfect example
of how to proceed.
Akin to an apocalypse,
this wasn’t just the death of an old way,
it was the birth of something new.
-14-
AUGURY
It is never more apparent
than in a seemingly perfect union.
Through our most intimately mirrored connections,
when honeymoon moments become fleeting
trauma will rear its head
resulting in a pattern disrupt
in the pure flow of love consciousness.
It is a beast which
we will never truly be rid of.
Hence, we must acknowledge its presence,
opening up streams of communication,
integrity, onus and courage
which in turn then adapts and flows
around, over and through the traumatic.
And in that delicate yet powerful flow,
we have truly surrendered
to a mutual inner-standing.
-15-
SADAMA
The universe had other plans.
A recent soul bond of deep connection
had flashes of veiled tears and heartache.
Obstacles and trials had attacked
from every conceivable angle,
and unbeknownst to them
it was for their own good.
Each was an intricate mirror
of self reflection to the other,
with glimpses of the deep-seated work
still left to do in this realm,
so as not to default to past behaviours.
Their souls had a contract
well before their convergence.
Their faith was strong.
They had to trust their intuition
to move apart in order to truly unite.
And with the grace of self-healing
they could continue the union
that was their ultimate destiny;
moving towards the purest light together
with shadow selves behind.
-16-
KIN
Like clockwork,
she awoke before the sun rose
but instead of joining the slave ships
on their inevitable journey
through the mouth of the beast,
she took to a different vantage point
for a true change of perspective.
Through subtle polluted clouds
and the thick blanket of motorised noise,
a feeling of lucidity flowed through her soul;
the programming now instantly recognisable.
The organised chaos of the urban jungle
would always continue on
without her participation or presence.
But she knew she had to participate
in a forward motion of action
in order to reach her true destination
and rewrite what she once thought was her destiny.
Mother Nature waited patiently on the horizon for her,
as she had always done.
-17-
SCAPE
In a plateau of declined health,
he remembered his vow;
‘to heal thyself.’
And as he reflected on his journey
through what was his darkest hour,
her advice echoed through his soul;
‘to observe the natural world.’
As he sat wistfully in his new habitat
alongside his favourite flora,
the forager bee continued her tasks,
not quite grasping the value she brought
to the overall structure of the natural world,
but imperative to it in every way.
As she climbed each tier,
nectar the sweet reward
ensuring she fed herself before her kin.
And with this observation,
he knew he would do the same,
having the strength once again,
to give everything he could
to those who mattered most.
-18-
ACANTHUS
The universe provides keys to a new life
at any moment of our acceptance.
In the right light, we catch a glimpse
of the wounds of the past
riddled across our surfaces.
Seemingly worn worse for wear
we continue to stand solid,
our overall structure forever in tact
no matter the storms gone by
or the inevitable ones on the way.
Scarred, hackneyed and sheltered,
we must still remain open
in order to continue to receive,
creating a portal of opportunities
that evolutionarily leads us
to higher states of consciousness,
and an ultimately true existence.
-19-
SANCTUARY
