On seeing your sculpture of an otter

A wonderful thing happened to me the other day.  Some days are like that, out-of-the-blue loveliness which brings smiles and big happiness.

It is otter related.

A lady, Isobel Thrilling, sent me a poem she had written in response to seeing my Otter sculpture – I asked her if I could share it, as it is so beautiful, and touched me.  She agreed, and here it is…

ON SEEING YOUR SCULPTURE OF AN OTTER

(for Jennifer)

A sliver of river is defying the laws
of physics
and swimming upstream,

tendon of water that tightens
the flow
more dexterously
than a bird can sculpt sky,

flexed light

plunged into another element,
diving through rubble
of clouds,
reflections from branches
and leaves,

at night,
he silks through the moon
ripping fish,
red joy,
this slither of stars through the stream.

What a thrill this is.   I feel very honoured by her gesture of assembling words so cleverly and intensely for my otter, and excited that in doing so, she shapes another in my mind.

More of Isobel’s writing – Shearsman Books