Just to make sure you don't miss this, I am starting this post with a big thank you to each of you who have sent their butterflies, and an additional thank you to those of you who also have enclosed beautiful cards or notes. I am without words to express how humbled each of you cause me to feel. Please, for those of you in the process of making or sending butterflies, this is absolutely positively not necessary. Your time and kindness is more than enough alone!
As many of you know, the 'thesis' which this project came to life was based on a poem written by a young man by the name of Pavel Friedmann who perished in the Holocaust at the age of 23. It is published in a book by the same name ...I never saw another butterfly... Children's Drawings and Poems from Terezin Concentration Camp 1942-1944. It is available for sale at Amazon here.
Today, I thought I would share another poem published in the book - a poignant reminder for all of us to feel grateful for our privileged lives. Unfortunately, the author is anonymous.
The Closed Town
Everything leans, like tottering, hunched old women.
Every eye shines with fixed waiting
and for the word "when?"
Here there are few soldiers,
Only the shot-down birds tell of war.
You believe every bit of news you hear.
The buildings now are fuller,
Body smelling close to body,
And the garrets scream with light for long, long hours.
This evening I walked along the street of death.
On one wagon, they were taking the dead away.
Why so many soliders?
Then,
A week after the end,
Everything will be empty here.
A hungry dove will peck for bread.
In the middle of the street will stand
An empty, dirty
Hearse.
I ordered two copies of this poignant and meaningful collection of art and poems which arrived this week - (below image shows one copy tucked in with the butterflies.) One for me and one to give away as a way of expressing my appreciation for those of you who have joined in. I will make the draw for the book November 30th from names of those whose butterflies have arrived by that date.
A couple of reminders -
1) there is NO deadline yet.
2) if you join in by posting a comment on the original post, please remember to also email me at twodressesstudio@shaw.ca so I will have your email address. You can also leave your email address below your comment if that's not a concern to you.
And now, without further delay ...... LOOK what flew in over the past several days (they are catching their breath after flights from as far away as Germany, Australia and the UK!
Safely arrived and in protective storage, another 10 butterflies arrived this past week thanks to the following big hearted artists -
Gayle Price
Lisa Jurist
DeeDee Johnson (2)
Heike Gerhig
Nancy Donaldson (3)
Penny Steel
Rita Ackerman
Meet and Greet - September 29th
What a pleasure to study the variety of textures and techniques along with the assortment of colors and mediums used.
GAYLE PRICE
Victor Habor, South Australia
HEIKE GERBIG
Berlin, Germany
NANCY DONALDSON
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
PENNY STEEL
Lymington, Hants, UK
DEE DEE JOHNSON
Fort Worth, Texas, USA
LISA JURIST
Baltimore, Maryland
RITA ACKERMAN
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
(Rita - yours missed the photo op today but will be included next week)
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