The Material World
Writing about fabric is like
singing about colour
or painting the sound of music
Words are clumsy tools
to transmit the feel of felt
Anyone who sews knows
material, its many moods,
its medley of makes
Shimmering silk, sleek satin,
Lush velvet, tough denim
I would rather caress
than converse about cloth,
I would rather admire
than try to define
its warp, weft, selvage
Textiles have no translation,
being innocent of subtext
I stroke silk and velvet
My skin finds comfort
in its blind, braille world