Change of state
Out of the window
The world has all the potential
Of a blank canvas
Ready for daubing with footsteps.
The angels of this Renaissance
Paint with every shade of laughter
But make the most of it
While it lasts –
It’s only water after all.
– Spangle Fairy
May 15, 2024
Escapril has been a ‘thing’ on Instagram since 2019 – using a given prompt each day in April (provided by writer Savannah Brown) to see if you can create something short and sweet, long and neat, rough and bold – whatever comes. And this year, we had some wonderful entries from the RF community, using the hashtag #escapril.
See left and below for our first selection of those we received – enjoy!
– David Mitchell, RF Create
Trip
By Spangle Fairy
I was under the sea
And it was so fizzy and it was so bright and it was so funny
And the fish talked to me
And they were so noisy and they were so wise and they were so funny
And the coral sang to me
And it was so sweet and it was so pretty and it was so funny
And the whales danced with me
And they were so kind and they were so clumsy and they were so funny
And the crabs pinched at me
And they were so gentle and they were so colourful and they were so funny
And the water surrounded me
And it was so warm and it was so soft and it was so funny
Trip
By Emily
the tears run down my cheek
as we hug for the 20th time
‘are you sure you want to go?’
says my mother, her tears running too.
‘it’s the trip of a lifetime.’
but I leave my lifeline behind
lip quivering
I depart
I look back, tears streaming
she’s there waving me on
only a phonecall away
but miles apart
Trip
By Big Ben
From the thicket
beside the holloway,
you emerge.
Crouching for balance
you slide down its banks
to meet me with a gift.
_‘Looka this gurt stick I found!’_
We continue towards the Black Oak,
an unmissable pair.
Me, the shaman
or otherwise, a wizard –
coat billowing
behind midnight wind,
weathered staff
steadying us both.
You, the farmer of old –
nibbling at oilseed flowers
beneath your straw hat
as we walk.
May 8, 2024:
As spring finally begins to kick in after what has seemed like the longest ever winter, RF Create is feeling optimistic…. and creative! We’re hoping you are too.
Over the past year we’ve been giving you themes to help guide and inspire, but it occurred to us that many of you will have all kinds of creative stuff just ready to be shared that doesn’t necessarily fit a prescribed mould. So we’re throwing our metaphorical doors open and inviting you to share any poems, photos, paintings and drawings, craft, food, sounds or indeed anything you have created that you’d like others to see.
We know that some of you still love a little guidance, so don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten you! ‘Animals’ is your prompt for the next few weeks; it could be a photo of your favourite pet, something you’ve made, a piece of writing, a collage of animal noises set to a funky original track…there are no limits! I managed to capture this serene little robin (right) while on a walk in Clifton, Bristol.
And L.S. Sweeney, a volunteer with RF’s The Haven service in Lancashire, sent us a gorgeous poem which we’re delighted to share with you below.
David Mitchell, RF Create
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