Harvest Time: A Needlework Map

Our village holds no special place
In history. Its public face
Would cause no traveller to pause,
Its landscape merits no applause.

We love it though. And love declares
Its memories, in patchwork squares,
And fabric images that bind
The heritage we leave behind.
Each public, private, thought portrayed, 
Each delicately appliquéd.

We stretch our memories on frames,
Without exaggerated claims,
Knowing each proud biography
Embroiders our geography.
This warning, too, our needles know,
That as we reap, so shall we sew.

Essential Poems for Britain, Harper Collins 2003

‘Poetry in Stitches’ is available from the National Needlework Archive. Click here for more information.

Just One More

You can’t ever have enough fabric
Even if you have bags of the stuff!
If you bought only, say,
One fat quarter a day
That wouldn’t be nearly enough!

You can’t ever have enough fabric
Even if you have boxfuls at home!
For waiting somewhere
Is that one special square
’Though you’ve combed every shop you can comb!

You can’t ever have enough fabric
Even if you have chestfuls by now!
You can squeeze one piece more
In that very full drawer.
It will all come in someday, somehow!
 
You can’t ever have too much fabric
Like you can’t ever have too much love!
How can you resist it
(And you almost missed it!)
That piece that will fit like a glove!

You can’t ever have too much fabric,
Like you can’t ever have too much air!
You’ll add “just one more”
To that much-treasured store
And you know you can use it somewhere!

So at last, when the one Great Quilter
Calls you home to Her workroom above,
And your every block fits
And you make your last stitch
And you lay down your labour of love.

Then remember that She shares your passions
Because She can’t resist “just one more”.
So She’ll somehow find space
For just one more place
As She gathers you into Her store.