The Phoenix
This year it was so hot a phoenix arose from the sizzling sun
Sunglasses on we tried to see it’s wings unfurl
Still the bright golds burnt our eyes
Taking it’s first flight
we saw the feathers turning into flames
And for all it’s beauty
there lay a monster
of our own image
making wild fires
consuming homes
Both earth and flesh parched and burnt
Meanwhile
in the auspice continent of Antarctica
another iceberg melts
in the Arctic another bear dies
And from here we hear the persistent echo of the phoenix call
a hollow primeval scream
a final warning cry
©Kate Rattray
The mythical bird said to rise from the ashes symbolizes various things depending on which religion you are looking at. It could be renewal, resurrection, time, fire, the sun. It’s origins lie in both the ancient worlds of Greece and Egypt. In Egypt it was a solar bird known as the ‘Bennu’ and associated with the sun.
The ‘sun’ of my pheonix is made using Italian gold leaf smalti.
The wing feathers are made with stained glass, mirror glass and my hand gilded metal leaf glass.
The tail feathers are copper wire, glue, paint and varnish.
You can buy the Phoenix in my shop just here
Glory be! 🙂 Arisen is he!
Wow, powerful poetry Kate. Your Phoenix is beautiful! Has he got a home to fly off to?
Thank you! No, he’s going to be in our autumn exhibition at Somerset Crafts.
💓
This is such a cool and amazing pieces! Very historic like and inspired. And you have a beautiful poet with you pieces, I like it a lot.
Thank you very much.