My end-of-summer Table
Using Edip Cansever's original as a prompt, we spent several weeks using it as a vehicle to explore our experiences of summer 2024. Finally, a number of the group each wrote our own versions, despite following the same template, you will see that the end results are each quite different to each other.
I, a stranger, filled with luck
Came in from the summer
And put my pen on the table
I put a notebook there
I put a flower and a tree on the table.
I put there calmness
The sound of nights and of the early morning
The smell of coffee
And heavy sleep I put there
On the table the stranger put
Things that happened in my mind
Being free
I put that there.
Those I like and those I don’t
I put them on the table.
Birmingham is so big
I put Birmingham on the table.
I was next to the beach, next to the sea
I reached out and placed the clouds on the table
So many times I wanted to find myself
I put on the table myself
I placed there my joy and sadness
My coldness and my anxiety I placed there.
I stood by the table and broke it.
It is so heavy
I cried, then laughed at myself.
***
I, a celebrity, filled with joy and gratitude for everything in this life
Came in from the summer
And put my clothes on the table
I put my bag there
I put my bracelet and my hat on the table.
I put there the light of different projectors
The sound of the piano and the voices of the public
The texture of joy come from the heart and of happiness I put there
On the table the celebrity put
Things that happened in my mind
The smell of peanut sauce
I put that there.
Those I have awakened and healed and those who have comforted and healed me.
Me, my brothers, sister and grandmother, my family
I put them on the table.
I put my home on the table.
I was next to the moon
I reached out and placed it’s different phases on the table
So many times I wanted to breathe
I put on the table my inhale, my exhale
I placed there my masculinity and my femininity
My sleep and my wake-up I placed there.
I stood by the table and contemplated it.
It is full of kind things, and some things to change
I begin a new version of me, with a new empty table with more energy and positivity.
***
I, a nurse, filled with ambition
Came in from the summer
And put my uniform on the table
I put my badge there
I put my bag and glasses on the table.
I put there the wind
The sound of bells and of phones
The texture of cream
And happiness I put there
On the table the nurse put
Things that happened in my mind
I think about getting my right to stay in the UK
I put that there.
My family, those I love and my enemies, those I didn’t
I put them on the table.
I put patients on the table.
I was next to the table outside in the garden
I reached out and placed the barbecue on the table
So many times I wanted to relax
I put on the table drinks
I placed there my gratitude and my thankfulness
My respect and my disrespect I placed there.
I stood by the table and broke it.
It broke and I fell down
Then I jumped to the other side.
***
I, a traveller filled with adventure
Came in from the summer
And put my bag on the table
I put left-over food wrappers there
I put an empty water bottle and the water bottle lid on the table.
I put there the ticking of my watch
The sound of wind and of swinging tree branches
The warmth of the sun
And the heat in the room I put there
On the table the traveller put
Things that happened in my mind
The urge and desire to go on a world cruise
I put that there.
Those who will be companions and those who will be aliens.
I put them on the table.
A cruise ship on the sea
I put a canoe on the table.
I was next to the seashore
I reached out and placed my swimming backpack on the table
So many times I wanted to swim in the sea
I put on the table my swimsuit
I placed there my fear and my confidence
My calmness and my anxiety I placed there.
I stood by the table and it swung form left to right, spilling the contents into the sea.
I jumped into the sea and rescued my contents from drowning
I, a nurse, filled with ambition
Came in from the summer
And put my uniform on the table
I put my badge there
I put my bag and glasses on the table.
I put there the wind
The sound of bells and of phones
The texture of cream
And happiness I put there
On the table the nurse put
Things that happened in my mind
I think about getting my right to stay in the UK
I put that there.
My family, those I love and my enemies, those I didn’t
I put them on the table.
I put patients on the table.
I was next to the table outside in the garden
I reached out and placed the barbecue on the table
So many times I wanted to relax
I put on the table drinks
I placed there my gratitude and my thankfulness
My respect and my disrespect I placed there.
I stood by the table and broke it.
It broke and I fell down
Then I jumped to the other side.
***
I, a traveller filled with adventure
Came in from the summer
And put my bag on the table
I put left-over food wrappers there
I put an empty water bottle and the water bottle lid on the table.
I put there the ticking of my watch
The sound of wind and of swinging tree branches
The warmth of the sun
And the heat in the room I put there
On the table the traveller put
Things that happened in my mind
The urge and desire to go on a world cruise
I put that there.
Those who will be companions and those who will be aliens.
I put them on the table.
A cruise ship on the sea
I put a canoe on the table.
I was next to the seashore
I reached out and placed my swimming backpack on the table
So many times I wanted to swim in the sea
I put on the table my swimsuit
I placed there my fear and my confidence
My calmness and my anxiety I placed there.
I stood by the table and it swung form left to right, spilling the contents into the sea.
I jumped into the sea and rescued my contents from drowning
***
I, a stranger filled with shock
Came in from the summer
And put my map on the table
I put my luggage there
I put tickets and my passport on the table.
I put there sadness
The sound of nostalgia and of isolation
The cruelty of loneliness
And my destiny I put there
On the table the stranger put
Things that happened in my mind
The next step in my life
I put that there.
Those I left and those I am going to meet
I put them on the table.
Family and new people aren’t the same
I put my new shelter on the table.
I was next to the train station
I reached out and placed on the table fear
So many times I wanted to make a move
I put on the table my first step
I placed there my strength and my weakness
My insecurity and my confidence I placed there.
I stood by the table and fixed it.
It swung for a moment, then remained constant and stable
And then I wondered how this table could hold all these things and my heart couldn't.
I, a stranger filled with shock
Came in from the summer
And put my map on the table
I put my luggage there
I put tickets and my passport on the table.
I put there sadness
The sound of nostalgia and of isolation
The cruelty of loneliness
And my destiny I put there
On the table the stranger put
Things that happened in my mind
The next step in my life
I put that there.
Those I left and those I am going to meet
I put them on the table.
Family and new people aren’t the same
I put my new shelter on the table.
I was next to the train station
I reached out and placed on the table fear
So many times I wanted to make a move
I put on the table my first step
I placed there my strength and my weakness
My insecurity and my confidence I placed there.
I stood by the table and fixed it.
It swung for a moment, then remained constant and stable
And then I wondered how this table could hold all these things and my heart couldn't.
***
I, a human being, filled with empathy
Came in from the summer
And put my bracelet on the table
I put my watch there
I put my airpods and my phone on the table.
I put there my thoughts
The sound of my voice and of music playing on the radio
The texture of your skin
And confusion I put there
On the table the human being put
Things that happened in my mind
The old summer days I spent in the countryside with my family
I put that there.
Those I’ve missed and those I haven’t missed at all
I put them on the table.
Seeing the north coast of Wales
I put my trip on the table.
I was next to the bench
I reached out and placed my rage on the table
So many times I wanted to end it all
I put on the table those thoughts
I placed there my hate and my love
My happiness and my sadness I placed there.
I stood by the table and kicked it.
It broke down
I ran away
***
I, a man filled with patience
Came in from the summer
And put my eggs on the table
I put milk there
I put a key and a lock on the table.
I put there the sound of water and of waves
The sweetness of coffee
And friendship I put there
On the table the man put
Things that happened in my mind
Studying biochemistry
I put that there.
Those I like and those I don’t like
I put them on the table.
I was next to the window
I reached out and placed clouds on the table
I placed there my happiness and my anger
My loneliness and my friendships I placed there.
I stood by the table and held it
It wobbled
I sat on it and it broke
I, a human being, filled with empathy
Came in from the summer
And put my bracelet on the table
I put my watch there
I put my airpods and my phone on the table.
I put there my thoughts
The sound of my voice and of music playing on the radio
The texture of your skin
And confusion I put there
On the table the human being put
Things that happened in my mind
The old summer days I spent in the countryside with my family
I put that there.
Those I’ve missed and those I haven’t missed at all
I put them on the table.
Seeing the north coast of Wales
I put my trip on the table.
I was next to the bench
I reached out and placed my rage on the table
So many times I wanted to end it all
I put on the table those thoughts
I placed there my hate and my love
My happiness and my sadness I placed there.
I stood by the table and kicked it.
It broke down
I ran away
***
I, a man filled with patience
Came in from the summer
And put my eggs on the table
I put milk there
I put a key and a lock on the table.
I put there the sound of water and of waves
The sweetness of coffee
And friendship I put there
On the table the man put
Things that happened in my mind
Studying biochemistry
I put that there.
Those I like and those I don’t like
I put them on the table.
I was next to the window
I reached out and placed clouds on the table
I placed there my happiness and my anger
My loneliness and my friendships I placed there.
I stood by the table and held it
It wobbled
I sat on it and it broke
***
I, a lady, filled with happiness
Came in from the summer
And put my watch on the table
I put my bag there
I put flowers and a hat on the table.
I put there the sun
The sound of wind and of rain
The softness of a soul
And love I put there
On the table the lady put
Things that happened in my mind
A good life
I put that there.
Those I love and those I don’t love
I put them on the table.
The garden is very beautiful
I put the garden on the table.
I was next to the sofa
I reached out and placed flowers on the table
So many times I wanted to watch TV
I put the TV on the table
I placed there my light and my darkness
My fullness and my hunger I placed there.
I stood by the table and looked at it.
It broke
***
I, a friend, filled with sunshine
Came in from the summer
And put my pile of used bus tickets on the table
I put left-over cake and an unfinished cup of tea there
I put my sunhat as well as my raincoat on the table.
I put there the warmth of community
The sound of laughter and a special song
The gentle pressure of another hand in mine
And new life I put there
On the table the friend put
Things that happened in my mind
A never endling list of things still to be done
I put that there.
Those I wanted to understand and those I knew I never would
I put them on the table.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
I put our shared humanity on the table.
I was next to a window, looking out on a sky within and beyond reach,
I reached out and placed silver-lined storm clouds on the table
So many times I wanted to be able to make a difference
I put on the table my limitations
I placed there my energy and my exhaustion,
My memories of what was and my dreams of what might be
The state of the world and my tenacious hope for something different I placed there
I stood by the table and leant against it.
It sagged but did not break.
I turned, and walked into the colours of autumn and their promise of change.
I, a lady, filled with happiness
Came in from the summer
And put my watch on the table
I put my bag there
I put flowers and a hat on the table.
I put there the sun
The sound of wind and of rain
The softness of a soul
And love I put there
On the table the lady put
Things that happened in my mind
A good life
I put that there.
Those I love and those I don’t love
I put them on the table.
The garden is very beautiful
I put the garden on the table.
I was next to the sofa
I reached out and placed flowers on the table
So many times I wanted to watch TV
I put the TV on the table
I placed there my light and my darkness
My fullness and my hunger I placed there.
I stood by the table and looked at it.
It broke
***
I, a friend, filled with sunshine
Came in from the summer
And put my pile of used bus tickets on the table
I put left-over cake and an unfinished cup of tea there
I put my sunhat as well as my raincoat on the table.
I put there the warmth of community
The sound of laughter and a special song
The gentle pressure of another hand in mine
And new life I put there
On the table the friend put
Things that happened in my mind
A never endling list of things still to be done
I put that there.
Those I wanted to understand and those I knew I never would
I put them on the table.
All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights
I put our shared humanity on the table.
I was next to a window, looking out on a sky within and beyond reach,
I reached out and placed silver-lined storm clouds on the table
So many times I wanted to be able to make a difference
I put on the table my limitations
I placed there my energy and my exhaustion,
My memories of what was and my dreams of what might be
The state of the world and my tenacious hope for something different I placed there
I stood by the table and leant against it.
It sagged but did not break.
I turned, and walked into the colours of autumn and their promise of change.
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