What happens when a bunch of Humanists get together to celebrate the arrival of Spring? Well, the answer might surprise you. There were poems of course, including the expected references to daffodils, cherry blossom and rosebuds but there was much more. We heard the story of Narcissus who loved his image reflected in the water so much that he died of thirst, because each time he attempted to drink his image disappeared. We watched a collage of photographs of beautiful spring flowers, accompanied by a modern reworking of the Spring section from Antonio Vivaldi’s Four Seasons music. We visited Africa, Japan and Cleethorpes. Some pieces came from the 16th century, others had been composed specially for the event. We pondered the fleeting nature of life and the screaming flight of swifts. We heard poems from the insane and from the deeply serious. And we learned that in Britain there are not four seasons but eleven – who knew?
The warming weather and the arrival of sunshine are a welcome change after a dreary winter and two years of lockdown so it was particularly rewarding to make this celebration with our friends and colleagues in Humanism.
Thanks and congratulations to Hester for getting it all together.
Review by Tony Brewer
*We managed to raise £250 for AFRIL – well done everyone!*
Running order and poem texts:
