Thursday, April 24, 2025

Prayers for the Twenty-first Century

 


Prayer for the twenty-first century:  Courage        silk thread on linen, mounted on wool, wood frame 12 x 12 inches, 2025



Prayer for the twenty-first century:  Family    silk thread on linen and wool, mounted on wool, wood frame, 12 x 12 inches, 2025



Prayer for the Twenty-first century:  Freedom    silk thread on linen,moutned on wool, wood frame, 12 x 12 inches, 2025



Prayer for the Twenty-first century:  Understanding        silk thread on linen, mounted on wool, wood frame, 12 x 12 inches, 2025


freedom, understanding, courage, family
silk thread on linen, mounted on wool, signed with embroidery on front
each 12 inches by 12 inches, 
framed in wood frames 
2025

These four small red-thread embroideries will debut at the Perivale Gallery for the 2025 season.

Inspired by a poem that John Marsden from Australia wrote in 1997.


 Prayer for the twenty-first century

May the road be free for the journey

May it lead where it promised it would.

May the stars that gave ancient bearings

Be seen, still be understood.

May every aircraft fly safely,

May ever traveller be found,

May sailors in crossing the ocean

Not hear the cries of the drowned.

 

May gardens be wild, like jungles,

May nature never be tamed,

May dangers create of us heroes,

May fears always have names.

May the mountains stand to remind us

Of what it means to be young,

May we be outlived by our daughters,

May we be outlived by our sons.

 

May the bombs rust away in the bunkers,

And the doomsday clock not be rewound,

May the solitary scientists, working,

Remember the holes in the ground.

May the knife remain in the holder,

May the bullet stay in the gun,

May those who live in the shadows

Be seen by those in the sun.



The four Prayers for the twenty-first century will debut at the Perivale Gallery for the 2025 season.  Opening weekend is May 16-17-18 2025 🙌