[Still Life with Memories 03] • The Music of Us

Written in rhyme, this is a children book for all ages, telling the story of longing for a child who has gone on her way and left the old tree behind. The tree gives voice to love and loss, fear and hope, death and rebirth in a new form, as it is transformed first to pulp and then to paper, the very paper from which the child reads this story. Sensually told, it brings forth the sounds and smells of the forest.

I remember: a gentler sound,

The forest rustling in the rain

Leaves were swirling all around

I heard soft footsteps up the lane...

The paintings for the cover and interior pages are watercolor on paper, done by the author. She drew the text for each verse by hand, in a 'Gothic' font that is as flowery as the tree used to be in its prime. Children would love the highly decorative style of the writing, and the sudden long strokes that express the emotions in this story.

Each verse appears on a paper leaf that floats over transparent paper in the shape of an ellipse, which symbolizes a puddle of tears at the foot of the tree.