Claire's Corner: Quilt Rules

Poetry from Claire Sylvan’s book, Turnings

Quilt Rules

A half yard of blue cotton,
Mottled with navy, laced with gold,
Calls, opens a window for me to leap through,
And a quilt beings.

Calling, Green! Turquoise! Red! And flowing Teal.
Come! This corner, this swirl
Needs what you alone can offer.

Spiralling from Mystery, each fragment hovers,
Then floats to its chosen home.

Now a conference, a symposium of scraps
Gives voice to all. Each smallest piece
Can tune, can shift the whole.

A loud and fearless print, perhaps
Poppies, peonies, or stars,
Wants to go 3D, build out and billow,
Falling over the edge into sculpture.

A bargain is struck. This quilt now has a destination:
One whose spirit will be wrapped
In this delight, this exuberance, this love.
It must be flat enough to wrap.

But those edges, those wild unruly edges
Can sprawl unrestrained, carrying in each wave
A prayer: may all beings know
They are tendered in Love.

About Claire Sylvan

Born within earshot of the Atlantic, on the rugged westernmost coast of Cornwall, England, Claire has a deep affinity for rocks, water, and sacred places on earth.

Claire has lived, worked, and raised a family in Haliburton County amidst good kind friends for 35 years and 8 years in friendly Almonte. She and her partner, Bev, are known as "the Grannies" to an ever increasing population of wondrous children.