I’ve received a wonderful gift… Maggie Patching – who came on a sewing holiday in July 2019 – has sent me a poem she’s written, about the holiday. I think it’s just perfect – it exactly captures the weather and the corn, the harvesting crops…plus the time spent working away in the studio!
Le Jardin du Berger
Through patchwork fields of yellow
Their seed heads bowed in grace,
Enter the Shepherd’s garden
The low walls guarding space.
The warming sun caressing skin
And bees in busy flight,
With welcome cool of stone beneath
And dust motes catching light.
Listen to the humming thread,
Shift needle to and fro.
The murmur of the dusty breeze.
The pedal pulse below.
Creating form and taking shape
In concentrated peace,
The papered pattern pinned and still
The shush of blade release.
And when the fabric’s folded
And the needles neat away,
Take time to watch the set of sun
And keep the world at bay.
The sharpened light when sun is high,
The whispered air at morn,
The cracking ears of arable
As sun splits wide the corn.
Can you hear the combine thrum?
With swoop and dive, birds call.
Then silence as the barley dust
Lies thick on tree and wall.
Make memories to take away
And mull over and learn.
Fill suitcase full of thanks and love
With promise to return.
(Poem and photo by Maggie Patching)
