Process

touching surface – building      

from the deeps of clay

deeply felt — distilling soft flesh

her strong sculptors’ hands

work clay and stone    

draw stilled life from living form

in dance or contemplation

Patinas      

building  layers — into form

ultimately the alchemy    

of liquid metals’ fire

confirms a moment    

caught in time

So now as years progress

worked into galleries

the forms gaze back at those who pass

those who stare and talk in hallowed tones

and those not passing

in silent galleried shadows

reflecting moonlight

the still of formed sculpture

the distillation

of the makers art

accumulates a patina of dust

Patina

a different place

sculptures hard held living moment

stands

out in elements

In slow time corrosion forms on form

surfacing surface

developing

through storms    

swirling the patina

of earth’s rotation into days

of sun and wind and rain

the lick of lichen    

slowly spreads

Patina of Dora

in her life

in her studio

she layers — layers — of surface

of mind

of process

of love-lived vivid moments

fragments of life and memories

A patina of choices  

of countries — smart vibrant cities    

many friends and faces

the avant-guard of a Paris

overflown with flapper girls

in tight cloche hats

dark vamps flirt with long cigarettes

as the outrageous cacophony of jazz

spills out onto somersaulting streets

Paris — nineteen twenty five

exciting times to be alive

Josephine Baker’s Dance

is all the rage — swirling sensation of the age

as is Black Bottom — from Club Cotton

eyes widen as monocles are press to eyes

in mock surprise

Dora also a rising star  — her art discovered

both ladies vibrant young exotic

with reputations rising

the long string click of beads

and heels on Paris pavements

making mercurial mischief

laughing in late night Paris lamplight

both intwined in Paris swirl — kiss curl

and did Jo’s feet in syncopated time

still her body for the Gordine muse

to take the shape of laughing buttocks

deft finger-smith from flesh to stone peruse

On to London circles dance apace

as swirling cocktails mix with laughter’s flow

as streams of new configured thought

and witty talk with late night candles glow

Dora becomes a bride to english aristocracy

together they shelter their hidden desires

from the world’s gaze

she does not starve in a garret

but builds a layered house

from the intriguing gold ringed bargain

of convenience and company

she builds a layered life

Her life explores the far flung places

of features - those of different races

of work defining life and self

her plaster sculptures gather now upon a shelf

the tall room gathers light around

the sculptured now on plinths have places found

Her sculptors skill

combined with that of wife

her forms endure still

within them still is life