My friend Kim from north Norfolk, UK, recently interviewed for dVerse Poets Pub the accomplished poet Sarah Connor, who is on the palliative care pathway in her life.

As a tribute and support to Sarah and her family we are invited to share poetry that we have drawn from a selection of Sarah’s own well-crafted words.

For my attempt at this, I took as my first line (slightly re-ordered) this very beautiful line, reflective of the plantswoman in each of Sarah, Kim and myself, from Sarah’s work ‘The Art of Cutting Back’.

From ‘The Art of Cutting Back’:

“We write our poems, verses clear as gin,
and cool as ice, compact as cherry stones:
This is our craft; we cut, we prune, we thin.“

Sarah Connor

As you’ll see, it grew in a different direction, without my bidding. I share it hesitantly, and with gentle love to Sarah and her family.


		
the beautiful scars

This is our craft: we prune, we cut, we thin;
we make decisions, marking Out and In -
though others chide us, ultimately we
determine what is Other, what belongs to Me

Yet as we grow, and ripen, and perfect -
basking in afternoons of intellect - 
we open to collective laughter, free
ourselves into the stalwart of Community

We stand in Circle, at the close of play,
in recognition of the tender way
life's a rehearsal both for valid Grief
and also Grace, with Joy beyond belief


© Kathy Labrum McVittie 25 July 2024