Day 2

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