Poetic Piece

"On a Sligo Hill" and the rest of the Deep Spaces exhibit has now traveled to Texas, but while it was hanging in the state of Washington, it played a role in the annual celebration of the arts known as ArtsCrush Weekend in Edmonds.  As part of the festivities, a group of poets (Floating Mountain Poets--isn't that a great name?) wrote poems about each of the quilts and staged a poetry reading with the exhibit as a backdrop. Now I have never had anyone write a poem about one of my quilts so I felt a bit special when I found out this was going to happen--and curious about what kind of poem my quilt would generate. About a week ago, my curiosity was satisfied.

On a Sligo Hill

by Tom Nivison

From the giant's apron

Boulders tumbled

And rolled

And opened a road

Into the essence of earth.

Gathered round

To tomb and womb

The rock told tales

Of weight and waiting.

Deep beneath the dead

The white way rises

'Til it crowns

With stones and shells

The hollow hills

Of Sligo.

I'll have to see what other surprises this quilting journey has in store. And if you are still with me, thanks for the company.