Healing Words for Midsummer

I am planning a one-day workshop in therapeutic creative writing for anyone with an interest in the subject.  It will be experiential, enjoyable! and worth 4 hours CPD.
Please get in touch if you'd like to know more.  SG

Creative Words @ the Haven, Six Poets and Vintage Jewellery

For this ongoing series of workshops I decided to focus on one contemporary poet each week. So far we have looked at Colette Bryce and George Szirtes.   The work shown here was inspired by 3 poems by Colette Bryce - Wish You Were, +, and The Wearer.   The final poem was the result of the poet's work with the V&A and was based on a particular necklace from the collection.  See http://www.vam.ac.uk/
Fired up by all this people wrote about jewellery for "homework" based on a series of V&A postcards of vintage pieces.

Necklace

Pauline Apperley

Necklace like macaroni

Hair auburn red and wet

From the shower straight out of bed

Chunky, not sapphire or pearls

Ornament for young girls

Fashions change, we must follow them

To look attractive, keep our men

There is something to be said for looking good !

It does look good, I knew it would.

I had a garnet, ruby red

I lost it, that’s where it led

I look at the necklace, the one like macaroni

And wonder what its fate will be

The wearer likes green hearts and orangey beads

But the heart has a crack in it

As if the heart bleeds

A path lies ahead, entwined in this artistry.

The Brooch

Helen Crook

Dark green leaves given form and life, then enamelled

Varnishing them into timeless  suspension.

Pale luminescent cream buds hang bowed solemnly

Timed at ten past two. Closing my eyes you are here.

Your coat matched your lipstick,’ Moulin Rouge’.

The brooch resplendent against the blood red

large lapel of your capacious coat. My head held firm

embraced to your left breast, my ear imprinted with

Lily of the Valley, long after you left.




One more came in later from Annie who had a car accident after the workshop and had taken home a picture of a jewel from the V and A collection.  We all wish her well.

Jewel

Annie Booth

  

Women reach down through the ages

The really, truly sages

A peach of a protective pendant

Perhaps slumbering dormant

Come to me through five hundred years

And bringing with it what tears?

Chosen by me from many

Offering sisterly company

To see me through near-death

You do not slumbereth

From the other side of your work

You do not shirk

All the pain of your life

All the sadness and strife

I feel it as you reach out

This time - no shout

Just  - Why, why again?

Then peace I did attain

Thank you for my life

I am truly a wife

Come nearer, nearer, nearer

My sixteenth century wearer

Your jewel is called protective

Is that personal or collective?

Beauty on many levels

Shining through all the bevels

Angels must be time travellers

And another piece - a sort of prose poem by Sue based on a heart and key.

REGARD

Sue Davies

My eye is caught by the sudden glint of gold and flash of semi-precious gemstones winking up at me from the dark depths of my jewellery box.

How long have you languished there, hunkered down in that corner among soft red velvet? How long has it been since I last wore you around my neck, felt the warmth of you resting on my breasts?

I cannot bear to wear you, nor part with you; for I still like to fool myself into thinking that you were once given to me with love.

He said he loved me and proudly told me that your gemstones were so arranged in order to spell out the word ‘regard’.

Ruby, Emerald, Garnet, Amethyst, Ruby and Diamond.

I felt a twinge of nervousness when he placed you around my neck and kissed me, professing to love me forever. Regard seemed such a casual term, not that I wanted to seem ungrateful, but in all honesty alarm bells did sound.

I hold you in my hands and my warmth spreads into you making you feel alive.

I remember now why it is so long since I last looked at you, because the pain of longing for lost love pierces my chest, almost bringing me to my knees.

Enough, enough, I am still not ready to deal with this.

Back into the soft velvet you go, rest there until I can look upon you more objectively.  How long that may take in all honesty I cannot say, but who knows, one day I may be able to regard you in a better light.

Coming up - Carol Ann Duffy, Kathleen Jamie, Brian Patten and Maura Dooley. 

Side Lines, Colour and Winston Roeth

This series of workshops are based on the theme of colour inspired by a visit I made to the marvellous Ingleby Gallery in Edinburgh. I asked permission to take photos so hope no one minds if I include this here.  It shows part of an exhibition by the contemporary American colour artist Winston Roeth.  You have to see them for real - virtual reality can't do justice to the beauty of his work. This collection was "tempera on slate tiles" in all kinds of colour,shade and finish variations.  A very good analogy for writing.
Below is a poem from our red session by Yvette.  The poems we used were - Canticle by John F Deane, Red Gloves  by Andrew Motion and Now to the Banquet We Press by Gilbert and Sullivan (complete with music clip). For "homework" I suggested that people write about a Red Letter Day.  

Red Letter Day

Yvette Sutton

The knights stand strong and tall

Metal gleams in the sunlight as the horses, toss and tear

At the screaming leather.  This is the season for feast  and fighting

And a time to stand and be counted in this day of knighting.

The fair maidens are blushing with pride as their colours are worn with pride,

For them romantic thoughts, no climbing upon the horse

As they float in silks and brocade and watch a colourful parade

For one proud knight this will be his red letter day

Illuminated in glory by the setting of the sun

The killing has to be done

Both battle and maiden he will have won

 

Some green thoughts....

Stephen Parrott

Going green

Green with envy

All that green living

Smiling green frog

Cheers the mind

Warms the heart

Green money

Greed and gluttony

No happiness

Green pastures

Sweet green tea

Green letter day

Feeling green

Decidedly ill

My time is passing

A poem by Rhian

Shining Through the Centuries

Rhian Morris

(written in the foyer of the Museum Resource and Learning Centre, Hereford, one early morning in May 2011)

It was absolute bliss just waiting there

I had time - for once - to sit and stare

To look around at the history

Herefordshire history laid out for me

A chance to discover the things to be found

If we just take our time to look around

Resting, relaxing ‘mid cream and blue

Where ancient and modern combine, for me, for you.

The silence was golden as the sunshine creeping through

The panes in the rooftops, the glass displays too.

Shining on the silver trophies and displays

The laurels crowning the emperor in purple array

Italian, Greek pottery, Delftware drug-jar

Stalactite, minerals, jewellery from afar.

Weapons forged and used by men of long ago

Protecting friends and family from every kind of foe

A collection of beetles - I’m glad they’re in a cage

Not my idea of fun at any price or age!

I felt more at home with the grand old clock and doll’s pram

Yes, it’s absolutely lovely, I’m happy where I am.

This course begins Friday 13th May ( a good date) and takes place in a lovely venue (next to Cafe Green). Open to all.

This course began April 28th and there are still places available if you'd like to join us.  Open to all.