seabhac

Oct 27, 2009 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

White magic

Meshed together withSweat and spitSweet ewe fibres sitRitually wovenBound in ancient rites Honour to whiteHonour to white Dance of handStrokingRubbingWhen dye is fastScrubbing, scrubbing Mirror the earthIn colours of skinFelting the textures
Layered within
Creating from woolAn ideaA dream
By the flesh of your handBecomming real

Thoughts woven in words Honour the woolHonour the wool

— seabhac, Oct 27, 2009

About This Poem

About the Author

Country/Region: GBR

Critiques

hugo la rosa

16 years 7 months ago

Brillliant, Seabhac:

I really love this poem! Your words are precise, very descriptive. This is a wonder of a poem. Well done my dear friend! Sincerely, Hugo

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Hugo thank you

It was lovely to hear your response to this ,your contimued support has made such a difference and your gentle observations Your good friend Seabhac

Seren

16 years 7 months ago

Dearest Seabhac

Awwww this ones Superb ... we are a big Sheep country and I have actually been to the mills where they dye and process the wool ... there is even a place here you can go watch women spinning wool ... I little town called Wauchope .. Honour the while right enough for so many aussies its their bread and butter and when we get droughts ... they suffer love and hugs Jayne x x x see you got me rambling great work (hugs) Edit typo LOL

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

The sheep may yet bring me your way

Thank you Jayne for sharing a glimpse of your lovely land and it help me relate it to my visual picture in my head. Wool is the source of my work and very important to me. The Mongolian people have 250 words for white wool...English has one and honouring the gift of the material I work with , to me honours the sheep itself. I love your ramblings Keep at it Love and hugs Seabhac

professor

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Seabhac

This is different and i really loved the way you used the structure to reproduce the methodical ritual of preparing the wool for spinning and weaving/knitting. The last main verse i feel loses some momentum and particularly the last few lines. Perhaps something like: Mirror the earth In colours of skin Felting the textures lying within Creating from wool An ideal And a dream Here become flesh By the work of your hands. Well just a suggestion as far as the end is concerned. I was trying to extend the skin analogy you start at the beginning of the verse by using flesh and hands. "Felting the textures within" for me cried out to be split into two lines but needing another two syllable word before textures to keep the flow going. I inserted "And" before "a dream" again just to keep the flow going a little more although hopefully without preventing the emphasis you wanted. with my best wishes Keith

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Hi Keith

Sorry about the delay in replying to you , yes you were right about the momentum in the last few lines but also going back to the point you had suggested I found the poem was detached by the break. It was very useful to know where to start chages from ...I'm not sure it is quite there yet but working on it. Thank you for taking the time to read and so constructivly comment on this , I find it so helpul. Best Wishes Seabhac

Lonnie

16 years 7 months ago

Almost a Pagan Prayer!

Quite nicely done! One can feel the ancient way seeping through this poem! Great imagery, and luscious language use!

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Hello Lonnie

I was delighted to read some of your recent poems. Thank you for taking the time to comment...Lucious language...lovely! I must use that one , it certainly made me smile. Seabhac

Kailashana

16 years 7 months ago

Indeed. I love the thoughts

Indeed. I love the thoughts you have woven together. Perhaps the ending: I weave thoughts into words. Honour the wool. Honour the wool. Love, Anna There are no strangers in Paradise.

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Thank you Anna

A very helpful suggestion , I am working on revision...yes the weaving thoughts into words, lovely. Love Liz

lyz

16 years 7 months ago

Dear Liz

Yes Jayne says it all. I love to use wool for lots of things, I enjoyed this poem and I love how it is written from apart of your life. Brilliant and creative. Love to all, Lyz. Xx

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Dear Lyz

Thanks for comming to read this , great to know that there are others that can identify with things wooly. Healing wishes Seabhac

ziggy

16 years 7 months ago

white magic

enda, patrick collins. hi there BUD cheers for that how do you do , you do indeed honour the material you work with i grew up on a farm so i know lots about these wooly one`s ,,,,,,,lol " mirror the earth in colours of skin " i like that all in all baaaaaarilliant , ............zigs

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Hello fellow Irish person

Thanks for dropping in to visit. Heard you were feeling a bit isolated on your own so thought I'd make contact and share a bit of the Blarney with you. Best Wishes Seabhac

ziggy

16 years 7 months ago

,,,,hey there

enda, patrick collins. how you doing , ha i was only kidding but good to know i`m not alone ere , lol so what`s the paddywackery with you my dear where you hail from i am a roscommon man near carrick on shannon ,,,,,,,chat soon ,,,,,,,,,,,,ziggy ..........

odd molly

16 years 7 months ago

I so love your poem and your

I so love your poem and your style of writing. To me this is excellent poetry, very interesting and the subject is also very close to my heart. Textiles is a big part of my world because I work as a textile designer and wool yes .. nothing is more beautful and it is one of God's most clever inventions.. Love. o molly

seabhac

16 years 7 months ago

Delighted with your reply

No wonder we understand our train of thoughts at times. I am a feltmaker and textile artist too and for you to have read this from that view point is just excellent for me...these last few poems are accompanying pieces of felt sculptures in an exhibition in a couple of weeks, I have to say without the support and help I have recieved here on Neo I don't think I would have had the confidence to couple these art forms together. Thanks Molly I really appreciate your support Seabhac

odd molly

16 years 7 months ago

Oh.. felt sculptures !! they

Oh.. felt sculptures !! they must be beautiful! I work as a professor of textile at the university of arts and crafts in Sweden. I am mostly into printing and fashion. I love felt and everything you can use it for. When I have spare time I make balls of felt to sew together for a carpet. It will take forever but it is worth all the job because I know it will be beautiful. It would be such a lovely thing to see one of your sculptures. Maybe you can post a pic on your page. I love the idea of putting different art forms together.I am dreaming of to paint pictures for my poems.. maybe I will some day. love. o molly

Kinsalegreg

16 years 3 months ago

White Magic

A Chara Seabhac A beautiful sparse poem in which every word and breath is complementary. I have loved reading this aloud and it seems to me the rhythym is almost like a chant, an incantation. Is mise Patrick

seabhac

16 years 3 months ago

Go mhaith Patrick

A while since I wrote this and yes wool is very much the fibre of my life. I wonder now if when we write in another language ( english ) our thoughts and impressions are in the tongue of our native land and perhaps this is why , to you , in your voice , it reads well. Thank you I love the avitar of your photo in a special place ...just perfect. Is mise Seabhac