Why do major life events send us in search of poetry?
A good piece of poetry can be like holding up a literary mirror to our own experiences. It has a unique ability to help us reflect, soothe, reassure and give us hope during some of life's most beautiful and challenging times. It can also portray the depth of our feelings to others in a way we might struggle to do with our own words.
I remember after my dad (the Ivor in Forivor) died in 2005, I found so much solace in poetry and the written word and a talented family friend somehow seemed to beautifully capture both the great and the tougher sides to my dad's life and personality. Her words and the words of many other authors and poets, helped me somehow make sense of the enormous and overwhelming grief that consumed me. There was and still is something incredibly reassuring and life affirming about reading a piece of poetry that mirrors your own feelings but can also give you guidance for the journey you are on. In sorrow, times of hardship and in times of joy.
I remember after my dad (the Ivor in Forivor) died in 2005, I found so much solace in poetry and the written word and a talented family friend somehow seemed to beautifully capture both the great and the tougher sides to my dad's life and personality. Her words and the words of many other authors and poets, helped me somehow make sense of the enormous and overwhelming grief that consumed me. There was and still is something incredibly reassuring and life affirming about reading a piece of poetry that mirrors your own feelings but can also give you guidance for the journey you are on. In sorrow, times of hardship and in times of joy.
Becoming a parent is an incredible and joyful thing, but I know I'm not alone with it leaving me with questions and moments of intense frustration amongst the intensity of the love. I remember reading 'On Children' by Kahlil Gibran for the first time, I found such sadness, joy and beauty in his words as well as wisdom and guidance. I know his words can both reassure me and gives me important ideas for reflection as I travel the parenting path.
Illustrating poems we love seemed like a very natural progression of our storytelling bedding and for those of you that follow us on instagram, we hope you have enjoyed seeing Alice's beautiful interpretations of some of our favourite poetry. As our baby muslins have become increasingly popular we thought this portrayal of such poignant poem on parenting would be lovely as a muslin to wrap little ones (and their parents) up in. We think its a perfect gift for new parents or in the larger size a beautiful gift for grown ups too.
You can read the full poem by the widely acclaimed artist and poet Kahlil Gibran and see our muslin designs here.
On Children
by Kahlil Gibran
And a woman who held a babe against her bosom said, Speak to us of Children.
And he said:
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow, which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them, but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite, and He bends you with His might that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies, so He loves also the bow that is stable.
