Dollhouse
At our most recent exhibit, an interactive piece on display was a dollhouse. Viewers, in essence, were encouraged to play with it and engage their childhood self, opening the door and peeping through the windows. Once opened, the viewers were faced with yarn, knitting needles, and envelopes, reading ‘knit me’ and ‘read me’.
Small bundles of crochet and knitted squares began to decorate the walls and floors of the dollhouse, and the envelopes, which were full of poems written by Sugar Stealers poetry group, were read, pondered and enjoyed. The poems themselves were focused on the self, with the prompts being ‘ten things i love/that make me smile’ or ‘write a poem to your younger self’. The poems range from nostalgic sentiments, to heartfelt promises to their childhood selves, and all interlace under the roof of the Dollhouse. Likewise, the knitting needles and yarn symbolised the compassion of caring for others, each wool stitch like a warm hug.
Here below are transcriptions of some of the poems featured within the Dollhouse:
‘Womb baby’
I’m so proud of you, the things you do
The way that you love and care.
I wanted you to know this, and the fact that I’ll always be there.
To help you through life’s ups and downs,
in good times and in bad
I’ll always be there with a hug, whenever you feel sad.
I’ll be right there to celebrate when things are going right
whenever you do need me,
I’ll be right there day or night.
You are more than this.
More than the mind.
More than the body that bears your name.
More than the expression.
More than the house, pay bills to.
More than this heart ache.
There is a world underneath this veil of pain,
where you can
fly
10 things that make me smile
The thought of my family make me smile
The views of the city, the surrounding miles
The leaves on the trees and the changing colours
The compassion I feel for myself and others
The feeling when a baby first looks in your eyes
The wonder when someone awards you a prize
My children always, whether they’re good or not.
Although maybe not when I’m placed on the spot.
The thunder, the lightning, the puddles of rain.
The days when I wake up without any pain.
The living, the lost, the hot sunny days.
The beauty of life in all of its ways.
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