A Celtic Blessing for Sam and Lucy

(Set to the tune of ‘To make you feel my love’ by Bob Dylan)

May God Bless you with the things of Grace
Celtic sunshine always on your face
May the Spirit be your homing place
Where you belong to Love

May your people always hold you near
Greet your joys with their vital cheers
May they offer you their listening ears
May you be held in love

You’ve been my pebble since the day we met
On this beach so wide and long
I came home and found my room was let
And there we turned that place into our song

I will always be your Loopy Lou
Leap off cliffs so I can swim with you
Where crystal waters are singing true
Of how we need our love

A glowing campfire by the salty sea
Warms a future we don’t know yet
Lights a cove for all our memories
So we can never let ourselves forget

We pray the Greening of the Trees for you
May there be peace and joy in all you do
May the One God enfold you two
Our tender God of Love, Our tender God of Love.

Written by Jess Boulton on the occasion of Sam and Lucy’s wedding 28th July 2012

Wedding Word Weave for Giles and Laura

 A Wordweave for Giles and Laura

There’s a feeling like the buzzing of the frothing foam from a recently smoothed out wave

Like the leaping of the white sea- horses, riding the waves into the security of shore

When your feet tingle as the sea sucks away from the sand softening the mould of your tickling toes

When hilarity bubbles from the place of hiccups

outrageous comedy flooding the seascape with scandalous colours

This is how we feel when we are with you

It is corks popping from champagne, fizzing charisma over brimming glasses

Foaming baths and pink lemonade, crunchy meringue, the shock of sherbet as it hits the tongue

It is blowing magic bubbles on a rainy day,

The warmth of happy memories and a hug the size of the future

This is how we feel when we are with you.

It is the twinkling of a charmed heart, a hint of mischief in a dimpled cheek, a smiley wink

An effervescent energy bouncing our steps, bubbling out, infectious

It is supercalifragilisticespialidocious

It’s Blooming Marvellous

It’s how we feel when we are with you

Written and read out at the ceremony for my nephew and his wife Laura on the occasion of their wedding on  16th June 2012

Donor Family Network day

On 12th November I've been invited to run a creative writing workshop for the Donor Family Network, working with people whose loved ones have given or recieved organs as a 'gift of life'. As I understand it living with bereavements associated with Organ Donation is complex as a process and I am hoping that Word Weaving will be an affective and therapeutic tool for people.

Word Weave for Sanctuary

Here is a Word Weave created for Sanctuary at Balsall Heath Church Centre. It has been created by the people who meet regularly for 'Sanctuary' time, engaging in creative activities and eating together. The words of this Word Weave were given by the group using a creative activity and the Silver Word Tree. We attached leaf rubbings and stylised leaf shapes to our Word Weave Tree, I then brought them all home My first attempt to write the Word Weave began on my Mum's memory bench at Martineau Gardens, which was significant because we have only just placed it there. I woke up suddenly at 2am in the morning, inspired to write. Over midnight munchies and a cup of tea I wrote this piece of work which will now form part of a creative work for the Sanctuary Space. Sanctuary may use silks and paints to incorporate the Autumn leaf motif. Thanks to Sanctuary for trusting me with this and for the joy of your company. This is the result of all of our offerings.

A Word Weave for Sanctuary

Shattered but not broken

Shattered but not broken
Fractured, frustrated
Like hairline sketches on eggshells we approach the door
An inward glow of hope has carried us here
Brimming from imperceptible injuries it pours out into a breathles pause

Fragments are held together as we move through this door with our fragile lives of finely spun glass held in excited hands
Anticipation opens the door, friendship welcomes us in
We hold our breath together and enter a warm loving heart

We have created Sanctuary in our sharing of friendship and we have been restored.
Enlivened, inspired, exhilarated and happy, filled renewed and replete
With clinking mugs and steaming soup acceptance came to table
Nurtured in creative communion,
Engaged in concentrated silence, we broke bread together in our safe place

We left as clearer pictures, deeper in colour, stronger images of ourselves.