Shakespeare by the Sea, Plimmerton….in honour of the people of Christchurch

I first posted about Russell Plume’s creative use of washed up pieces of brick to form quotations from Shakespeare here here and here.
Here is a piece of brick in the sand from my wanderings today.

Just the same as those Russell has picked up in his wanderings and used to form the quotations.

Russell had intended that this quote be permanently placed somewhere in Christchurch to recognise the people there and all they had experienced and endured from the 12,500 (and probably more) earthquakes since 2010.

I follow the Shakespeare by the sea Facebook page and learnt a day or so ago that this setting of the quote has been erected on one of the sea walls along Plimmerton beach in honour of the people of Christchurch. From the Facebook page: What is the city but the people? Dedicated to the people of Christchurch. Installed January, 2014 by Porirua City Council. Many thanks to them and to the Mayor Nick Leggett.

This setting is installed on the fence at the property on the north side Queens Ave (go to the end of the street, walk down onto the beach, and turn right).

And so I followed the directions this morning and here is the quote for Christchurch.

Here are some of the other quotations Russell created along this stretch of my favourite beach.

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..”the centre cannot hold”…..with apologies to W.B. Yeats

The towering American Agave that I have been watching as I drive past it as I leave and return to my home has altered quite suddenly.

I first noticed the change at its base over the weekend when the weather was too wet to stop and take a photograph.

The phrase from Yeats’s poem “The Second Coming” was instantly in my mind “the centre cannot hold”…..but from when I wonder? I wrestled with analysing this poem perhaps in High School or perhaps University but despite my poor memory about timing, the phrase was instantly there and it seemed so fitting to describe what I could see.

Its lengthy flower head has withstood a myriad of howling north westerly winds in this changeable and frustrating summer we are experiencing. Despite the force of the winds the flower head continues to move from yellow toning flowers high above to now more finger-like growths which I presume are the seed pods.

But today I have taken these photographs to show how “the centre cannot hold” for much longer. The once tough, rubbery, wide, strong leaves have softened and droop noticeably now.
Up close there is more evidence of its succulent heritage and there are places where the gelatinous contents within the leaves are becoming obvious.

The wind today was a brisk and chilly southerly so the Agave had more shelter but to muddle Yeats’s work further “things fall apart” and I think that has begun as nature takes its course.