Day 2 – Monday 15th August. 5.30pm. Start: Leamington Lift Bridge.
Gentle Rain
Brings a hush
The land is sighing with relief
The path is full of purpose
Homeward bound after work
Pedestrian commuters
Cyclists to dodge
Runners
Joggers
Dog Walkers
No saunterers today
Run my hands along a grill below
The edge of stone
Rusty metal
Turning red
Splash my feet in puddles
Then wet
Decide to dip them in the canal
The water is warm
Warmer than the rain
Play with a platform that sits on the water
It moves as I move
Momentum
Rocking it back and forth with my feet as I sit on the edge
The force of the water so still till now
Comes back 10 fold
What power
still
dark
water
has
We dance together for a while
and make waves that lap
and sound
of the stone edge of the Canals
Astounded by the power
I lie on the platform
Out on the water
Still body
Lapping water
Until the water
stills and the
platform feels
solid again
The water feels solid
and liquid and light and strong
The new built
edge finishes tonight
the smooth
regular
and manicured
Replaced by the
rough
messy
and wild
An uneven edge
Rough hewn stone
Sprouting and bursting with plants
I find barley from the brewery of the past
A family of swans
watch me as
I dance
I decide to dance
fully and freely
joyfully
Why not!
Joggers jog
Runners run
Cyclists cycle
(a ting-a-ling)
and dancers
dance
Abundant grafitti
tonight
Silver shining
in the rain
words of action
Asking us to change
and care
Cries for help
written on the walls
of bridges
and the top of metal gates that
line the path
Who stops to notice?
Who takes it in?
I know that people
passing look
back at what
I’m looking at
Gaze follows gaze
Attention follows attention
Tuesday 16th August – Starting at Bridge No 1 – Union Canal – 8.15pm
Hoping to experience moving fully and freely into the dark of the day