"As the clouds re-form, I play with their mirror-image of memory, ripple their grey on grey with the slightest touch of my hand."
Sabine Wichert was born in
Graudenz, West Prussia (now Grudziadz, Poland) and grew up and was
educated in West Germany. She has been teaching history at Queen's
University, Belfast since 1971 and has a special interest in the visual
arts. She was a member of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland from the
mid-1980s to 1994 and is a member of the Board of Annaghmakerrig
appointed by both Arts Councils in Ireland.
Belfast, 13th July
Only the debris remains: they sweep
with slow steady strides, relaxed
and easy-going; there is no threat
or joy or fear or even triumph
in their action.
Battered tins and broken glass move
southwards, down the Lisburn Road.
Sometimes the sun breaks through,
a light wind lifts empty crisp-bags
and torn sweet-wrappers; they glitter
and suggest a story.
One of the workmen stops, lifts
a discarded beer-can and slowly,
deliberately and with great exactitude
empties its content into a well-kept
hedge; all his attention focused
and concentrated on this act.
