Beginning
A poem by John Terry
Forget Genesis:
I arrived long before Adam-
Earth was without form
and void
when I rose from its boiling crust
dragging half-molten
world-stuff that flowed
from my hips like a garment.
Stretched towards a belly of sky
I teased lightning’s crooked fingers
to fire new creation.
Fire
became Flamenco –
clinging magma flared
from my body,
rippled like incandescent silk
ruffled and flounced
into a full skirt.
Right arm raised,
left levelled with horizon.
I imagined red Cuban heels:
stamped the first step –
Solid earth formed
where my foot fell.
To a rattle of castanets
I danced shape into the world;
added colour; separated light
from darkness, water from land;
danced the swell of hills,
the bare height of mountains –
my swaying shape a pattern
for birch and willow. All life
rejoiced, clicked its heels –
danced to my rhythm.
John Terry
The sculpture was made in 2004 and shown at a retrospective at Paintworks in 2006, John spent some time at this show and wrote this poem about the piece.More of Johns work can be found at
http://www.citychameleon.co.uk/publications.html