The Breaker and the Broken.

Just for something a little different, I teamed up with the wonderful Emma Grace International to write a small piece inspired by one of her paintings that are currently on display in my home theatre, An Grianan in Donegal.

I am currently facilitating a series of Workshops on behalf of the theatre and the Irish National Opera. During our first session, we were exploring one of the key themes in Werther: The Heart vs. The Mind. So when I saw this particular piece, this came to mind fully formed. Conflict, particularly inner conflict, can create the most interesting of stories. In this portrait, I could see a woman’s face at the bottom left of the portrait, her lips resting close to her partner. The lines across the piece told me a story of something that was forcing them apart though, and I wanted to explore that in a snapshot. So here it is: a snapshot scribble.

Why can’t you see me?

Through the lines and the curses of the cures

You set between us

Saying “this would fix this and that would fix that”

And here I am, with these vines

Wrapped tight around my mouth

So I can’t say that you should -

go.

Because that is what you want

but not in equal parts

Perhaps in this reality, but in another

Not really

because something tells you that we are the universe

In a house that we built just for ourselves.

So I guess for a moment

You’ll stay and we shall remain

just like this

Trapped by the vines and the stars.

And in our ghostly silence

I’ll hang there by your lips

In a standoff of

who will be

the breaker and the broken.