A Place at the Table for Peace

Setting a Place at the Table for Peace
Rachel '18

Good morning.  For nearly a month (if you include pondering, pickling, and perambulating about it), I have been working on a new piece.  It's evolved slowly, as do most of the larger art I do, but the slowness gives me both leisure and pleasure to pursue (and accept and appreciate) the visions that create themselves.

Art isn't about explaining, so I won't.  I will give you a little tour, however.  The base is linen, cut and edged to be a table runner, on which five places are set, each with a place card centered on a mat.  Each place card is a book, with a collaged cover, a handmade paper title page, and a printed poem inside which the image inspires. 

So that you can see at least some detail...cover, title page, poem...I've photographed each book.  I'd love to know, as always, what comes to your mind, too.

Book i:  Inspiration

Watch for the moment

when wings open and soar

above prisons above

calumny and misdirection

(the winds howl, the winter's bite)

above the hiss

of fiery tongues who blister

what we hold from harm

Remember where we

come from

the pure spontaneous

AH!

Rise!

to the occasion

to compassion

to care

Book ii:  Song

An old melody floats

above our drone

we reach into the notes

and entwine one another

in harmony

Here is music to encompass

the music of the sphere

the symphony of time

of far thoughts riding

a beam that carries across

land and sensibility

Sing!

our voices carry more than words

Book iii: Insight

There is dark

there is light

not only on the first morn

but every breath

which ignites

(and extinguishes)

life

We draw awake in

the dawn each

soul brings

What brilliance!

and see in its glass who

we are

Book iv: Hope

My sister sees it first

the silver bird aloft

above wisps

of something

we have yet to name

Yes! we call

Yes!

Oh carry us

wise spirit

to 

peace

Book v:  Generation

Our seed springs forth, sets

birds flying crawling things

afoot swimmers awash

Leaves sprout at our touch

fall not in peril

but protect us from

the grief of dying unclaimed

Is the earth

remembers our names

nurture

our return...listen

we grow again

______________________________________________________

(Cathy Burnham, bless her, came with her more professional eye and equipment 

to photograph the whole piece at the top of this page...many thanks!)