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| 'Pessimism is for lightweights' by Salena Godden at the Arnolfini Art Gallery |
Pessimism is for lightweights
is up at the Arnolfini Gallery in Bristol,
please do share a pic if you see it, spread the word!
tag #pessimismisforlightweights
PESSIMISM IS FOR LIGHTWEIGHTS
Think of those that marched this road before
Think of those that marched this road before
And
those that will march here in years to come
The
road in shadow and the road in the sun
The
road before us and the road all done
History
is watching us and what will we become
There
is power and strength in optimism
To
have faith and to stay true to you
Because
if you can look in the mirror
And
have belief and promise you
Will
share wonder in living things
Beauty,
dreams, books and art
Love
your neighbour and be kind
And
have an open heart
Then
you're already winning at living
You
speak up, you show up and stand tall
It's
silence that is complicit
It's
apathy that hurts us all
Pessimism
is for lightweights
There
is no straight white line
It's
the bumps and curves and obstacles
That
make this time yours and mine
Pessimism
is for lightweights
Pessimism
is for lightweights
This
road is never easy and straight
And
living is all about living alive and lively
And
love will conquer hate
(c) Salena Godden. Arnolfini version. January 2018
NEW book for 2018: Others - writers on difference
Currently being crowdfunded and published by Unbound with all net profits going to refugees and stop hate charities. It will be a collection of essays, stories and poetry on the theme of being 'Other' I will be joining other-others in a spectacular line up that includes Leila Aboulela, Gillian Allnutt, Damian Barr, Noam Chomsky, Rishi Dastidar, Peter Ho Davies, Louise Doughty, Salena Godden, Colin Grant, Sam Guglani, Matt Haig, Aamer Hussein, Anjali Joseph, AL Kennedy, Joanne Limburg, Tiffany Murray, Sara Nović, Edward Platt, Alex Preston, Tom Shakespeare, Kamila Shamsie, Will Storr... If you were a fan of my work in The Good Immigrant you might like this book too. I'm so happy to continue the conversation #Wetickother - Please make a pledge and help get this book into print by ordering your hardback copy today! Follow hashtag #Othersbook
So that was 2017...
I begin this new year with new hope. New brush sweeps clean. Fresh page in a crisp new notebook. We learn and we grow. We keep taking up space. Keep making noise. Speak up and stand up for each other. As for new years resolutions, personally, I won't join a gym I never use or pretend to give up carbs and wine. I do however start the new year with gratitude and thanks to The Society Of Authors and Anna Freeman and Richard Jones at BlahBlahBlah who have offered their support and given me the gift of time to make new work. It is a huge boost to me to have this help, vital for my confidence and the isolation of doing the job of writing. I'll be away working and writing for the rest of winter. I have some enormous challenges ahead, ambitious projects, exciting collaborations and events in the pipeline for 2018 ... but I'll tell you all about that in a later post. Thank you for your support and for subscribing to Waiting For Godden. See you in springtime my friends!
Happy New Year! xxsg
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| 'Blackbird' by Salena Godden, published in 'Fishing In The Aftermath' by @BurningEyeBooks -
We have some signed copies in stock here at Salena's Bookshoppe > http://salenagodden.bigcartel.com |
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