We re-visited the installations on the theme of respect at the other side of the hotel car park. Always Forgive - never forget worked in a geometric pattern on a steel fence was pretty impressive once again ... and very thought provoking.
We then made our way to Capitol Street and the Spirit of Nebraska's Wilderness Park. It marked the start of a trail of wonderful larger than life bronze sculptures telling the story of the pioneers making their way through to the mid-west as they played such an important part in founding the nation.
The trail took us over the road with a view in the distance of the old Capitol building. And then we followed the trail of bison around a corner as they seemed to jump through the corner of a building.
Then the bison took us to a flock of geese rising from water and soaring into the heights over a road - we followed one and then another as they then curved back on themselves and the leading bird had flown into the glass porch of an enormous office block.
We had followed the trail of the pioneers to the offices of the sponsors. There was a certain irony here. This historic trail had taken us into the glass fronted ground floor of an enormous office block that was headquarters for the First national Bank.
But the bird was now trapped, as if caged in.
It made me think of Maya Angelou and her autobiography, I know why the caged bird sings. I googled the book and tracked down the poem 'the Caged Bird'.
I thought in the wake of the financial crisis of 2008 it is an awful irony that the pioneer trail in this sculpture park, wonderful as it is, leads all the way to a bird caged in by of all things a bank.
Read the poem at the end of that trail and it takes on a whole new meaning!
Caged Bird
A free bird leaps on the back of the wind
and floats downstream till the current ends
and dips his wing in the orange suns rays and dares to claim the sky.
But a bird that stalks down his narrow cage
can seldom see through his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.
The free bird thinks of another breeze
and the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn and he names the sky his own.
But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied so he opens his throat to sing.
The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom.”
― Maya Angelou, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
We made it for a coffee in the Urban Abbey, had one more look at the books in the Soul Desires bookshop and then got back just in time for lunch.
After lunch we had presentations from two colleges associated with our Congregational Churches, Piedmont College and Olivet College.
Then it was time for my second Bible Lecture - the next of my blogs!
That was followed by my third workshop - this time asking the question why there should be no temple in the new Jerusalem. I shared the message of the Kairos Palestine Document. A message of Faith, Hope and Love from the heart of Palestinian Suffering.
We got in to conversation with folk from our New York churches and did some planning for our stay in New York with ideas to visit the Plymouth church in Brooklyn, home to the anti-slavery movement and the Riverside Church, home to the civil rights movement.
We then joined the whole conference in an evening meal on the banks of the Missouri. It was a lovely evening in the sun, with clear skies. The meal over, we went for a walk over the foot bridge and into Iowa. A beautiful sunset with marvellous views across the river of Omaha.
The evening over another day has come to an end.
No comments:
Post a Comment