Poems

As well as producing fascinating psychadelic artwork Ann also communicated her thoughts and creativity through poetry. Ann's Poetry provides a fascinating insight into her views, outlook and the condition of her mental health through the many stages in her life.

Poems

Mountain Mist The Storm

Mountain Mist

What is life-so strange-so cruel
Where men fight men in bitter duel
Where sadness lies upon one’s life
Seeing evil, agony and strife.
Where happiness is a mountain mist
Right up above where the crest is kissed:
To climb and find and tough and keep
Is not for us, except in sleep.
As in a dream one climbs steep slopes
To find the ecstasy one hopes;
To reach and touch but the smallest strand,
To have this joy cradled in one’s hand:
Then waking, the feeling is as a dart
Plunged through ones side into the heart.
Where is God one asks in vain,
As this mortal life inflicts its pain,
Where men kill men, “What for?” one cries,
Where born by the wind all sadness sighs,
Like a spider’s web it settles down
Covering all beneath its tangled gown.
Then, for a second, like a star at night
One is released and can see the light;
The answer lives within one’s mind
That which is akin to all mankind;
It is there for all who need to know-
A purpose and the way to go.
No need now to fear the dart
For the mountain mist is within one’s heart.

Description



Ann's Funeral - as intended Some four years before Ann died, she wanted to write a new will. As her mental capacity was deemed to be poor at the time, this will had to be agreed by the psychiatric services that were attending her and as a result she had to rein herself and final wishes in completely. and was so furious that she signed this" non-will", immediately changed her solicitor and began writing a new one. 'She rang me many times, enthusing about her wonderful new will that included a hearse drawn by black horses, yellow ribbons tied on all cars and a yellow ribbons round the old oak tree behind her house'. When ready to sign, the authorities claimed that she lacked the mental capacity and therfore couldn't proceed with the signing. The "non-will" stood. After Ann's death, I decided to carry out each and every small wish in the unauthorised will and these pictures show how she travelled to the cemetry! She caused quite a stir as the hearse passed the house. Ann had always suffered acutely the stigma of her mental illness but at least there was somebody there to see her wishes were carried out. I can see her laughing as I write these lines!