kindness is the woman
                    inviting us to sit and pray (no
                      right way) with her gentle voice
                          and gentle words

                kindness is the woman
                    reading out the poem
                        beautifully, with her
                            breaking, clear voice.

                kindness is the older woman
                    saying to the younger woman
                        in all of this, remember
                            take care of your heart

                 kindness is the barefoot man
                    making us mushroom soup
                        he knows the Black Walnut
                            later feeds the chickens

                  kindness is being served
                    tea, coffee, cake
                        a hot meal: soup, fish pie
                            crumble, trifle, seconds

                kindness is the art
                    of paints, paper, pens
                        colouring our grief lightly
                            pinning it to beauty

                kindness is the sorrow
                    held tenderly by the circle
                        in stillness        in silence
                            honoured.    hallowed.    heard

                kindness is the woman
                    saying thanks so much
                        for coming, administering
                            emails, photocopying, love

                kindness is the way
                    we bless each other by name
                        in the gathered sacred space
                            in the ordinary every day

                Rosie Miles
                03/11/25

        with thanks to Rosie for her beautiful poem written after the 'Talking to Grief' weekend