Dr Josie Arnold

“The Sculptor”

A slight man
but not insignificant
he speaks in words
of his work in stone
the curved rock
huge
pressing on the ground
one lip curled
into a shelter
hewn from Cave Hill
a hole in the earth
made by a falling star
represents Bunjil
the eagle of creation

The sculptor took this story
of the eagle and the crows
from the Wurundjeri people
took the limestone shelter
from their dreaming place
he took great squares of basalt
and made them
into airy flights
stones against the sky
he dreamt the story in stone
took that dream
into shape and line
form and texture
heart mind hand
the vision of the sculptor

The sculptor stands before us
shares his vision
in words as well as stone
the words fall
form into the sculpture
take on three dimensions
and we wonder
at his creative energy
displayed before us
stone against the sky.
the sculptor speaks
for us all
who would otherwise
be silent