Accidents will happen!

This week's online poetry workshop was Theme Poetry and the theme was Accidents.

First though, we had a warm-up exercise to do inspire by a poem called This Poem Is Shy by John Foster.

Without Hope

This poem is forlorn
Tucked away at the back
Of the book, an afterthought!

This poem is woebegone
Regarded as worthless
By those who come before

This poem is dismayed
It wants to shout, to speak
Words of fulfillment

This poem is deemed faint-hearted,
Cowardly, as it trembles
Asking itself 'why?'

This poem wants to be brave
To shout, to speak, to entertain
To be remembered

As the reader
shuts
the book.

Sarah-Jane gave us various suggestions for thetype of poem we could write about accidents. I chose to write a poem personifying an item or object that had caused an accident. What would it say if it could speak, think, feel, dream like a human being?

Keys

Smashed! Not our fault
Cut off!  Really not our fault
SHe held us in her fist
Clenched tight across her body.

She tripped!   Not our fault
Her fist clenched tight
Hindering our escape.
Not our fault.

She landed on us, squeezing us
Into her hand, smashing
The fragile bones of the little
And the ring finger.

The swollen damage tightening
The ring's grip.  Cut off.
Repaired year's later to be worn
On a different finger.

We ride in dark pockets now
Only seeing light
When she reaches her car
Or her front door.

You may remember the piece of work I made based on the keys incident (see photos). It's called Hidden Support.

Thanks for joining me today
Bernice

The Vyne

For those of you who like armchair travelling!

Last week I travelled to Surrey as I had been invited to teach my Hanging Book workshop at Wey Valley Workshop.  I travelled down the day before and stopped off at The Vyne near Basingstoke.

I walked up to the house via the walled garden.  I love walled gardens.  There's something about red brick walls.

I wish I could have captured the aroma of the sweet peas.

The poppy heads were gorgeous. And I love the little narrow doorway.

And this was the Summer House!!!!

I eventually reached the house. This was the side where you exit the house after walking round.

Outbuildings

The magnificence of the front of the house.

I found some lovely patterns.

I really enjoyed wandering around the house.  The room stewards were friendly and really knowledgeable.  Probably the best room stewards I have met in any National Trust property.

Thanks for being here today
Bernice

Paper Play

Yesterday I spent the day at Littleheath Barn Studio doing a workshop called Paper Patchwork, Pockets & Pleats taught by Jennifer Collier.

We started by making paper versions of the Cathedral Windows patchwork/origami folded shape.

The centres were stitched down and the paper was scored and turned back on itself.  And finished with a button.

 

I machined stitched two papers together.

 

I also tried pleating with the sewing machine which I added to the papers above, with an added piece of wallpaper.  I had made a brown paper square and added another square to the 3 I had already joined together.

I may do some more hand stitching and possible cover up the green with paper that matches the wallpaper better.  I'll show it you if I do!

Thanks for being here today
Bernice