One of my friends is a poet, and a social worker. She has spent years dedicating herself to the wellbeing of the people in the locality where she works, a place where poverty and violence have taken their toll, creating tough lives. She witnesses people’s skills and talents in the face of difficulty and enables the bringing into existence of new connections, new skills, new capacities and new lives. She helps those who must escape violence to make that difficult, vital journey into new lives without abuse. I am full of admiration for all that she can do and all that she is.
She has been facing some powerful challenges of her own in the face of government budget cuts and policy changes. I have been thinking of her a great deal. There is one poem in particular that brings her solace. I decided to embroider it for her. It has been a pleasure to spend so many hours thinking of her, holding her in my heart and wishing her well. I’ve stitched the words on hemp dyed with indigofera australis and thread dyed with indigofera for blue and silky oak for yellow.
Local & Bespoke 