Sunday, April 03, 2005

Golden Lads and Girls...

Drove to Somerset on Friday to collect the lovely Luci from Kilve Court, where she had been revelling in a 3 day writing course courtesy of wonderful Beth Webb
Beth adopted Luci at Greenbelt a couple of years ago, and has been encouraging her writing and generally inspiring her ever since,- not least by inviting her on the “Breaking the Moulds” course at Kilve last year. This had been a huge success for L and I have to admit that I was worried that this year might fail to match previous experience, but when I arrived on Friday it was obvious that happiness was shining from every pore. She has basked in the company of kindred spirits, told tales, shared enchantments….
Uncharacteristically, I got there in time to hear the students present a piece of writing each, and there was some remarkable work to hear. There were also some huge and colourful personalities about the place, and I couldn’t help musing as to where they would be in 10 years time. In an ideal world, they would all be free to be their glorious, creative selves morning noon and night…but reality being what it is, the chances are that a good few will have to become accountants or even tax inspectors. I pray that they all find ways to keep that glow, for growing up surely need not mean damping down.

2 comments:

Kathryn said...

Not a rant at all, Caroline...actually very helpful and rather consoling to one who saw these exotic birds of paradise potentially changed into besuited crows. Thanks for your words.

Anonymous said...

i think Kilve has that effect on them, especially with the lovely Beth... ("ello, beff! i's me!")
what a picture she was at greenbelt03 with her fairy wings in the inflatable (and surprisingly comfortable) church!
i think finding the coiled up dragons on the beach is part of the magic -
You know for a long time i thought the psalmist was writing about Sihon King of the Ammonites
:)
and even tax inspectors and parking meter attendants need an inner life... apparently a lot of postmen [and women] write poetry in the long afternoons
maybe, if there were more places like Kilve for people to learn to become more fully alive and more fully human, we wouldn't get so many dragons in the tax-system and on the yellow-lines.

+hephzibah

thanks beff, and to all at Kilve, Vielen Dank!