Busy as Bees

We were literally a hive of activity this week as we reflected on a sculpture by one of Artsenta's artists. This bee themed book sculpture by Trina was used as a prompt for our writing group. Firstly we were tasked with just describing what we could see in as much detail as we could manage. Then we wrote a second poem that included a more personal response to the object and what it might tell us or provoke in us. Thanks for the inspiration Trina!

DESCRIPTION:

The hexagonal hive sprays forth

a dozen

full flight, flapping (single wings).

Lozenge shapes loft (yellow, brown, orange, green)

over pale petals,

flowers written to the words of Only Love.

Page two hundred parts from two-oh-one (a separate leaf)

where woven ink-black ribbon divides

hive from flower.

Silvered soloist drones its double wings to its own tune.

Lost words in hexagons

replaced by floral foreign text.

INTERPRETATION:

Research

A hive is solidly geometric

Strangers not welcome.

Research is defined, with open boundaries

a droning, buzzing reality

a tight framework of knowledge,

in the open paddock of the unknown.

Workers bringing in facts as food, for storage;

Building, building a wall of interlocking pieces,

food of the next generation.

-Kate Jenkins

DESCRIPTION:

Pages of paper

An open book

Flowers a plenty

So take a look.

The hive sits waiting

Bees flying near

Some coated in pollen

Like clothing they wear.

Some lie nearby

Alive or dead?

We cannot tell

Till they raise their heads.

INTERPRETATION:

`Busy, busy, busy'

Busy as a bee

So the saying goes

Busy in the sun

Or rain, hail, or snow.

From flower to flower

They flit each day

Picking up pollen

As they go on their merry way.

We love them for their honey

But fear them for their sting

Something they only use

When frightened by something.

We steal the honey

They make for their queen

No wonder they get annoyed

When we take all we can glean.

As we kill them with poison

We forget that they provide

An easy way to fertilise

As they spread pollen far and wide.

Without the bees

And other insects flying through

We would not have the crops

That provide food for me and you.

- Christine Philp

Invisible Poetry

This week's activity was inspired by a poetry competition run by the Dunedin Public Library. One of the competition categories is 'invisibility'. Three variations on the theme were presented for us to write a poem about: 1. A time when you felt invisible, 2. Having the power of invisibility, and 3. Something you can't see such as air, sound, feelings or thoughts. Most of us managed to complete two of the three. The poems made very thoughtful listening. 

IS THERE A WAY?

Feeling invisible

Can be painful..

Seen t h r o u g h

Ignored

Safe

Hurting

And this hurt unseen

Un-held

Grows

Is there a way?

A middle way

To be hurt and held

And safe

Is there a way

To be hurt 

And hold

One's self ?

- Pauline

UNTITLED

There are things 

In this world

Unseen

Only sensed

Unexpectedly

The perfume

Of the

Unknown

- Pauline

FLAG

Hope hangs in the air, unlifted

An invisible flag on an unseeable flagpole

High winds and storms batter at life

Shaking the air into waves and funnels, 

Threshing up doubt, fear and resistance

And within this churning foaming maelstrom

Hope lifts and flies, rampant, moving, fighting

-Kate Jenkins

CHAGRIN

If I could hear what others say

in the quiet places of their lives

I would cloak my self in invisibility

and not return.

My ears would turn to stone and

no more tell my mind their tale of joy or woe

My mind would burn from too much pain

not seen before, not noticed, & joy not learned

Their eyes I would not face, for fear of seeing

the accusations which would burn there.

Curtail contact, curtail speech, 

feel now embarrassment, shame, alone.

-Kate Jenkins

OUR SYSTEM FRAMEWORK

What is your customer number?

He asked me on the phone

I don't have a number

I reply as I groan.

Why can't you find my name

Hidden in your system?

Don't make me play this game

I beseech and plead with him.

We need to fit you in a box

Within our system framework

He says in a tone that mocks.

What an f''ing jerk!

How else can we do this?

There must be a way

I really do miss

When I was a name!

- Christine Philp

MORE THAN ONE WAY TO SEE

I see me

You see me

The same person

Yet different seeings.

You see hope

And possibilities

I don't.

You see confidence

And abilities

I minimise them.

You see smiles

And laughter

I can, sometimes.

Sometimes I wish

You could see the me I see

But then you wouldn't like me either.

Other times, I wish I could see me

As you see me

And not `yeah but' all the positives you see.

- Christine Philp