Pumping

Waves

            pumping

right over

my chest

sea mist

spraying

the lining

of my heart

rising tides

            reaching

the fragile shore

of my lungs

the whole sea

            engulfing

swallowing

my whole body

the night

            falling

dark and heavy

all around

waves

            pumping

sea mist

            spraying

rising tides

            reaching

the whole sea

            engulfing

the night

            falling

all at once

pumping waves

rising tides

spraying sea mist

engulfing ocean

falling night

                slowly

                                finally

                                                fading                     away.

Art by Matt JimDog.

This poem was the result of a collaboration with artist Matt JimDog. We were both invited by Nicky Mortlock to collaborate in an Anxiety-Release collaboration in March - May 2014.

For this particular collaboration four artists and four poets were paired. The poets wrote about the theme of anxiety, and the artists, in response, engaged with the theme of release. In so doing we attempted to artistically and accessibly engage with the dynamics between the two emotions- the clashes and the spectrum between the two contrasting feelings. 

Nicky Mortlock enthusiastically runs the site ArtiPeeps where she invites emerging artist from a variety of disciplines. She is now planning a major exhibition on September 2014.