Essence of Welcome
Art & Writing Hearth at Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants

Waiting by N, Watercolour on A4 paper

Communal poem from the Art and Writing Hearth at Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, London, curated by Artists and Writers in Residence Sita Brahmachari, Jane Ray and Ros Asquith.


Enter smells of the Congo forest
Enter Grandfather’s garden in Iran
Enter mountain herbs of Greece and Italy
Enter flora of Siberian Spring
 
Stirring cooking pots of Turkey and Algeria
Flowering fruit of Ivory Coast
Jasmine arbours of a Kolkata balcony
Frankincense of ancient altars
Mediterranean heat on oregano, lavender, thyme
 
Barefoot evening walk
Herb scented soles
Enter scent of peace
Eyes closing on pain
Soothing words in my language
Touch of my hand
Heartbeat slows
Shoulders soften
Sense-memory stirred
 
Bringing me back to
My artist hands
My carpenter’s hands
My writer’s hands
My trumpeter’s hands
My grandmother’s cooking pot
My hands that held my children
Held in yours
Now cared for
Softened, smoothed and scented in oils
I can find my own scent
Two drops of rose oil bubble on the surface
Then sink to the bottom of the carrier oil
I watch its slow journey
I take away with me this rich perfume
This precious gift
I name it
‘Essence of welcome’

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The Art & Writing Hearth at Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, run by Writers and Artists in Residence Sita Brahmachari, Jane Ray and Ros Asquith, has been integral to the centre’s wellbeing services for over a decade. The work from this weekly drop in class with a core of regular members has been exhibited in libraries at Amnesty International and in an exhibition for the UN, Voices on The Wind. Since the Global Pandemic we have moved the class from the creative room at the centre to online. The group is invited to respond to art inspirations by drawing, conversation or writing in the session. These patchwork pieces of creativity are shared and formed together into a communal poem. The writing and art of the group is then published on the website as an inspiration for the whole community. We hope to have more opportunities to exhibit and come together to celebrate the work in person in the future. https://islingtoncentre.co.uk/art-and-writing-class-may-july-2022/
 
N has been a regular contributor of the Islington Art and Writing Class for many years. She studied art as an undergraduate and postgraduate both in her homeland and in Britain. Her paintings and sculptures have been exhibited widely.

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