In All Their Bright Colours
The Creative Continuum A Charnwood Arts project in collaboration with the National Cheng Kung University, Tainan on the occasion of their 85th birthday.
In All Their Bright Colours
a collaborative poem based on a short form poetry workshop
birds fly so high see, I have no wings but I am full of dreams they too will soar nothing is too steep or too tough for us to manage deep shadows two purple butterflies chase and chatter her smoke curls these dry brown leaves all face north
ancient trees he gathers in a harvest of dead leaves trees a large tree so green itself surrounded by grass old green pond he trains the turtle to follow his finger
in the trees they can make a living worms maps an old and long history that brings back memories a flat road the trees extend their branches into blueness
barrier, cannon time and flux no wall or war only tranquility, laughter and the soaring trees through the avenue the people cycle, at the end we see the light how great it was then now, barriers keep us out so busy with cars that the people wait
white car amidst green behind the trees stands a red house spark at the end of a straight road red taboo a woman catching Pokemon leaning on the wall alone is it her diversion from reality? or is she searching for a moment of peace?
roots of the banyan tree hanging - a breath of peace such hot weather inside the gate feeling cool white car leaving trees are still, windless in a picture, a memo
on the thick wall light reveals oyster shells under the tree’s shadow life is good an ancient map reveals our smallness the traveller knows all about the past and present and finally we know roots of the banyan tree blow in the wind on its last legs
these rivers of roots the earth is an ocean whose tide is endless under the tree’s arms travelling through time and space the peace of autumn bicycle wheels in the tallest of trees invisible birds
the great banyan shouting screaming laughing kids playing the young ones play in all their bright colours an ancient tree sensitive rain tree this mind so open to the light
tree, oh tree…tree….
Thank you to the Arts Centre at National Cheng Kung University for hosting this workshop and Professor Ming Turner and the students of ICID and Techno Arts courses for all their help in putting the extensive workshop programme together - October 2016
Photographs: Kevin Ryan