Yesterday Today Tomorrow

Yesterday

by David Powley

Yesterday, today

was still tomorrow.

How could we tell

that the new day

would bring such sorrow?

When all promises fade

and ill-judged debts

must be paid

before the final bell?

Time has a way

of warping overnight,

snuffing out the light

for those who borrow

and never pay

for what they sell.

For our children’s sake

let us not sleep

through the guilt,

but with them break

habit’s toxic hold,

so then the story may

tomorrow be told,

of how we built

a new today

yesterday.

Jane began by making prints which were her direct response to the poem Yesterday by David Powley. The poem refers to a generation who have exploited the planet and failed to recognise the consequences of doing so. The message is a warning for the future generations for whom there might be a glimmer of hope. This prompted an approach to Hereford College of Arts for the foundation students to produce a film in response to the poem Yesterday in order to hear the voice of the younger generation. This film, accompanied by music composed by David Gaukroger was premiered at Borderline’s Film Festival in March 2024 and now forms part of the exhibition, Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, which consisted of works from 12 artists from Abstract Edge, art group, to which Jane belongs, and was first shown at The Discovery Centre, Craven Arms as a starting point for a panel discussion A Conversation Between the Generations. The exhibition, as a whole will be shown in new venues in 2025.

Jane made a number of works in response to the poem some of which are shown here: