sunset cruiseship at 5:59 pm in the cayman islands on the day before new years eve 2014

an abandoned hotel (Tiara Beach) in cayman brac, cayman islands on a friday at 6:01 pm

Tiara Beach Resort in Cayman Brac was abandoned about 10 years ago and left ''as is'' with the rooms untouched and uninhabited.   Pretty spooky - as I took this photo right before sunset.

a bench on the beach in cayman brac at 4:01 pm on a friday

window of an abandoned house in cayman brac at 3:01 pm on friday

view from the window of an abandoned house on cayman brac, cayman islands at 1:01 pm on friday

boat on land in cayman brac on friday at 12:30 pm

sunset at 5:47 PM on a monday in grand cayman

looking thru 2 windows of an abandoned house in grand cayman at 1:59 PM on Sunday

Library in Grand Cayman on Sunday at 2:47 pm

An old one room traditional building versus a new bank building in Grand Cayman on Sunday morning 11:34 AM

pier at sunset in grand cayman at 5:53 pm on a monday

sideview mirror in the cayman islands 11:22 AM on monday morning

looking thru door of an abandoned house in grand cayman at 10:54 AM Sunday morning

abandoned house in grand cayman at 10:23 AM

looking thru the window of an abandoned house in grand cayman on monday at 1:23 PM

The house out of which this photo was taken was destroyed in hurricane ivan (2004).   the shell of the structure still stands and the view is - well it's still there.

chair on beach at 6:51 pm in grand cayman

seven mile beach, grand cayman, cayman islands

a windy day in grand cayman at 5:01 pm sunday

It's overcast and windy today (sunday 30th of November, 2014) - so this is the best I could get when the sun peaked out.  This is on the west side of the island - pretty deserted part of the island, but quite beautiful and untouched.

1:13 AM

marl road in west bay grand cayman at 11:01 AM

This is an old sand and gravel road on the west side of the island.  Many of these roads are the old walking paths before cars were around.  If you LOOK CLOSELY in this photo you will see a baby iguana in the middle of the road about half way up the road facing to the viewers right.

sunday morning in west bay grand cayman at 10:54 AM

Printers Shop in Grand Cayman

This is an old printer's shop in Grand Cayman.  There are still many traditional style buildings remaining on the island - and I hope to get some photographs before they disappear.

chair looking at pond in the evening at 6:12 PM, grand cayman

Deserted beach in grand cayman at 5:32 PM in the evening before sunset

Pier on rainy day, grand cayman, cayman islands

It rained most of today, but I managed to get enough light at lunch time.  This is towards the eastern end of the island where there are quite a few vacant piers.   (southern end of Frank Sound Road, if your resident).

STATUE OF LIBERTY

Memory Lane Bar and Lounge - a depressing entrance to a depressing lounge. Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands.

girl with colourful hair at pirates week

Manhattan Island, New York 3:22 pm

girl reading newspaper in hotel room, new york city, november 11, 1:14 AM

photo of Central Park, Gapstow Bridge, New York City November 11th, 11:21 AM

november morning in central park, the colours are changing nicely - clear day.  This bridge is my favourite in the park - it's surrounded by nice views of the park.  this photo is shot in f8

man facing parliament at 6:01 pm on friday in the cayman islands

Vidette's Grocery Store, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands at 11:51 AM on a Sunday

This is a traditional grocery store in West Bay, Grand Cayman.  I thought it would be a good idea to photograph the more traditional stores and venues on island - which, no doubt will be replaced by the very modern or franchised in pretty short time.  The photo was taken on a Sunday and it was a very overcast day - so challenging on exposures.  I like to keep include the modern in these types of photos - such as the car, to give the picture context and contrast.

small island, grand cayman, cayman islands

           Leave

In Brighton, a suburb of Denver,

at  6:03 pm on a Tuesday, a woman

in dark shades is seen careening through

a yellow traffic light turning red,

grinning straight into the windshield

days rerunning behind her:

41 Christmases, 3 mortgages, 4 cars, 5 dogs

7 expired drivers licenses

2 slippers under the bed

Days fill

Nights fill

Glasses fill

Calendars fill

Beds fill

She never fills

But what life did she expect?

An ant is crawling across the

knuckles of her driving hand

He knows the answer but

he's not telling her

Radio rising, orange tip of a

cigarette sparks the dark

out the window

a light beer in the cupholder

she eases down on the pedal

humming rubber on white concrete

going somewhere:

factories without smoke drowse soundless

ships sail from distant harbors

cars run silently at highway rests

numbered seats fly across time zones

the world continues to

be the same

without her.

          Night Scream

This night has nothing to be ashamed of,
and just staggered in this place at last call -
drunken and unshaven, a kind of fuckless orgasm
with no one to tuck it in bed.

This night has roamed across concrete,
faced neon beer signs in liquored mirrors
with hollowed eyes seeking reprieve in
thirsts and pleasures sought.
This night is curious.
This night is weak.

This night is drenched in vodka, diazepam -
forty miles from nowhere, wild and bewildered
in a ceaseless thrust.
This night aches.
But then we see this:

Two bodies galloping against each other under cool sheets,
a shudder, then a glow of silver on her thigh, drying.

A bond, however fragile. Until morning when it takes flight and then it's gone?

Oh, who the hell knows, but I do know this night will stay in bed.

Tony Walton is a Caribbean writer living in the Cayman Islands. His works have appeared in Storyteller Magazine, Moonkind Press, Whisperings Magazine, Mountain Tales Press, Out of Our Magazine, Poetry Bay Magazine, Burningword Magazine, Wilde Magazine, Nite Writers Literary International Literary Journal, Avalon Literary Review, Iceland Daily, East Lit Literary Magazine, Boston Poetry Magazine, Eunoia Magazine, Olentangy Review, Carnival Literary Magazine and Verity LA.

Article originally appeared on phantom kangaroo (http://phantomkangaroo.com/).

See website for complete article licensing information.

statue of jim bodden facing Parliament Building on overcast day sunday 2:01 pm

This is a statue of a Caymanian politician who was at the front of the development of the Cayman Islands in the 1970's.  The day is very overcast with little light to offer.  I will take a photo of it in better light see a different result.

island looking onto another island, grand cayman, cayman islands, camana bay on sunday 12:34 PM

I took this in aperture priority f8.  It's a well lit but cloudy day.  Nice view.

Nightclub Urinal at 2:01 AM

drunk on mary street, grand cayman 5:45 on a saturday

over exposure of bathroom,saturday 1:24 am

Boardwalk, Grand Cayman

Hell, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Statue celebrating Women's right to vote, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

This is a statue in George Town celebrating Women's right to vote and run for political office in 1959.  It had been in the works prior to 1959 for quite a few years through a petition.  It's quite late for universal suffrage but women played a prominent role in society, as many men worked at sea.

shade room, botanical gardens, grand cayman, cayman islands, sunday 6:24 pm

Seaman's Memorial Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands

Catboat Sculpture, Grand Cayman

This is a glass and concrete Sculpture at the National Gallery, Grand Cayman. It is based on the traditional catboat once very common in the Cayman Islands.  The two pillars represent the bow and stern of the boat.  The artist is Davin Ebanks.

hammock on seven mile beach, grand cayman, cayman islands, evening, 6:30pm

rain cloud over seven mile beach, grand cayman, cayman islands, evening 5:02 pm

footbridge, grand cayman, saturday 1:23 pm

paradise restaurant, grand cayman, cayman islands 10:23 am

freighter boat, grand cayman, cayman islands