Made of Different Stuff

Movement study 1 © Melanie Barnes

I feel as though I am made of different stuff than I was before
The very insides that find their way out sometimes
Fibres thick and strong, weaving deep
grounded now

Is it being in the middle that has changed me?
It’s familiar yet different
Shaped by the life I am yet to lead
A store of wisdom
or the captured momentum of time

I feel as though I am made of different stuff than I was before
Same same, but different
The fabric of life fraying at the edges

The hand that lays gently on my belly is wondering if it can reach inside, rummage about to see what’s what - smooth out the creases
tuck away the loose ends

I feel as though I am made of different stuff than I was before
Same same, but different
The corners aren’t quite there 

Interlining thoughts
settled in this skin
asking ‘what now?’

Intimate newness
A patchwork of possibilities and fallow pieces

The middle 
where things began
Cast on to the earth at my core
Anchored with a sense of purpose and place

A gentle brewing heat building
Make room 
                       and watch its expansive nature

Wait to see what beauty will unfold

Made of Different Stuff ~ End of March 2025