A few days ago, I went to see the Da Vinci exhibition at The Southampton City Art Gallery. There was also an exhibition of drawings by artist/musician/poet Greg Gilbert. I found this extremely affecting, intriguing and inspiring. For some reason, images of paper aeroplanes from some of his drawings reverberated in my head and this poem appeared:
Paper Aeroplane
Take this blank white sheet,
mark it with black characters
coded in straight lines.
Each in its right place
signifies something: some loss,
some celebration,
some deep connection,
or helpless disconnection,
some need unspoken.
Fold this printed sheet,
flattening each careful crease,
the shape emerging.
And where would you aim
this new, childlike artifact
with its rash message?
Into the silence
and the mercy of the moon;
the cold, ruthless sea;
the terrible sun;
the white noise of the deaf world;
Into empty air?
Somewhere there must be
reckless hands outstretched to catch,
Fearless eyes to see.