This drawing by Gustave Doré is one of several depictions by well-known artists of an incident recorded in the Book of Genesis, in which Jacob wrestled with an angel for a night. Towards the morning, the angel touched Jacob on the thigh, which left him “halt” (lame). But afterwards, the angel blessed him and changed his name to Israel.
Of… continue reading
Tag mental health issues
Wrestling with the Dark Angel – a series of poems
Word across Distance
The collage of photographs above records a small exhibition of bilingual poem-posters that has recently been showing in a popular public setting managed by Bristol University. The poems were selected from “Poems for the Wall,” a project I founded almost exactly twenty years ago, and still run. The exhibition went up under the stewardship of the university’s… continue reading
Poems for United Response (2)
United Response is a UK registered charity which supports people who have disabilities. It aims to help them fulfill themselves in the community. It seeks to ensure they receive their basic human rights. It is one of many good organisations seeking to maintain and strengthen our society’s bindings, in times and under leaders seemingly intent on weakening them. I came… continue reading
Poems for United Response
United Response is a registered charity which supports people who have disabilities. It aims to help them fulfill themselves and be less isolated in our community. It seeks to ensure they receive their basic human rights. In mentioning this particular organisation here, I am not seeking to advertise it at the possible expense of others in the same field, all… continue reading
Mental Health Witness – how to consult with people who have turned to you for help
Here is a version of a message just written to a mental health manager who recently sent me a draft-“user involvement strategy” being put together for the service where she works. I am soon to retire from a part-time post as free-lance consultant to a group of mental health service users. My task has been to facilitate the process by… continue reading