The gentle voice of Kenneth Steven led us through a winter morning. As storms battered the west coast of Scotland, winds of up to 80mph howling about our rooves, we sank ever more contemplatively into the minute detail of life, the simplicity of being.
From his poem "Winter Light" he prompted some timed writing with
writing through the dark
and what astonishing insights came out of the shared writing.
Huge thanks to Ken and our other facilitators will be contributing to the
Please feel free to use the wealth of experience shared free on this website if you are ever gathering a group of writers.
You can keep abreast of Ken's publications at his website
The BBC regularly repeats episodes that he has made or contributed to and you can immerse yourself in Scotland (or the arctic!) with that voice any time by searching the BBC Sounds. Unfortunately the
Something Understood: The Poetry of Healing episode is no longer available but try the link - I'm sure it will probably be available again as they are all regularly repeated.
NB: searching on Google, for "Kenneth Steven BBC" for example, will often yield more comprehensive results than searching on the BBC Sounds app or website - curious!
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And now for some of
YOUR WRITING:
inspired by Kenneth Steven’s Winter Light
by Kay Ritchie
still white headed
these black headed gulls cause chaos
their Busby Berkeley routines terrorise the swans
through the yellow-framed window
by Kay Ritchie
through the yellow-framed window
I swipe-wipe memories
as if steam on my bathroom mirror
outside thrawn
a temperamental storm thrashes branches
all leaves gone
a golden sodden bed re-made
beneath stark trunks
and yet
grey clouds reveal blue sky &
I am given hope
as snow white snowdrops clump sway &
promise brighter days
Economy
by Helen Elsley
I notice a shadow on the cauliflower
sat a day too long in my fridge
but longing for soup
I take the knife to trim
away a little grey
a crumble from the floret
then another
and suddenly I am shaving it smooth
whittling it to a snowball
carving out cream
Forsythia
by Helen Elsley
A straggle of twigs
their spindly tips flick
with the wind
lighter than the brown
background wash
curving towards me
in reproach
that the autumn work
was not done
years of neglected pruning
made this wispy
bunch of broomstraws
grown tall enough
to lean over
and drily tap my window
don’t forget
I am the Easter tree
I will surprise you soon.
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Thanks to Kenneth Steven and to you all ...
... for your heartening feedback as always!
Catrice: Thank you, Lorna! 💚
Giovanna:😆
Doreen Kelly: 😒
Catrice Greer: Thank you, all.
Lorna: Thank you for a lovely session!
Giovanna: Wonderful morning, huge thanks Bev and Kenneth
Bonbon: Thank you Kenneth, Bev and all…..a wonderful morning x
Jo: Hear hear, Giovanna
Angie: Thank you. I have found the workshop inspiring, enjoyable and beneficial.
Kay: thankyou so much for a terrific and inspirational workshop kx
Jo Beth: Thank you!
Giovanna: Where can we find that programme?
Lou: see you later Kenneth on our celebration journey of the simple small focus - so lovely thank you
Lapidus Scotland gratefully acknowledges the support of Scottish Book Trust,
Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership's "Wellbeing for Longer in Glasgow Fund" (managed by Impact Funding Partners).
Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership's "Wellbeing for Longer in Glasgow Fund" (managed by Impact Funding Partners).
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