We sit around the fire
Circled faces flickering to life
Behind, long shadows fading into dark,
Into the chaos of the unknown.
We are hungry, we are tired,
We are afraid, and our bodies
Cry out to understand
What lies beyond us.
And then, something happens.
A voice speaks,
A hand beats,
Or perhaps a reed pipe, sings a lonely song.
The darkness does not go away,
But the eyes draw in to the flames,
To the giver of music,
Or the teller of tales.
The embers glow brighter,
The world becomes warmer,
And maybe, just maybe, that light
Helps us to see a little clearer.
M.J. grew up in a rural farming community. A childhood full of wet mountain walks, dogs and sheep. M.J’s work explores connections, challenging us to think about how we live together and thrive as a community not just of people but one that avoids privileging human life and sees as as part of, not apart from, the world we live in.