Thoughts for our time

© 2020 Barry Smith - Four lines from John O'Donohue's poem-blessing "For the interim time".

During the week I was reading and thinking about John O'Donohue's words in his poem-blessing titled "For the interim time". I feel this speaks of any time of transition; though when he wrote he was speaking about dusk time.

I feel the words are apt for any time in our life where we are making some form of transition; so it may not be surprising that I think they are quite apt for the time of the pandemic. A time where the path we took "has washed out"; and yet we are still not clear about what our new personal and community normal will be.

I did a limited run of 24 postcards with the four lines that resonated most strongly with me. A few photos of the process follow.

© 2020 Barry Smith - I was working with 18 pt Excelsior font - trays on the left; whilst Fiona was working on the Lighting Jobber Press printing her poem Open - the Deckled Edge Press space is great to work in. 

© 2020 Barry Smith - Lines set and locked up in the chase.

© 2020 Barry Smith - Printing on the Adana 

© 2020 Barry Smith - Proofing to ensure the layout is right.

© 2020 Barry Smith - Some of the 24 printed postcards with a few proofs on the right and part of Fiona's run of her poem on the top.

And another photo of the finished postcards.

© 2020 Barry Smith - The font I chose is very elegant and gentle; the paper is Colorplan cream 270gsm.

And yes "withheld' is spelt with a double h.