Group 2: Bonding and sharing

During the ten months we were together I adapted the general purpose of my presence to one of quiet encouragement, with a stack of poetry, prose, speeches and songs in case I found myself unwillingly being the leader of the group. This was an opportunity to play a broad selection of music including the same CDs I had played to Group 1. Ingrid in particular had excellent ideas for poems, which had been put to music and introduced us to The Trout by Schubert. I provided the words and we listened to the musical rendering of the poem. The words were fully appreciated by the four ladies and the music by everyone. Barbara suggested we read Ode on a Grecian Urn by John Keats. I spent a brief time discussing the classical ode as a choric song and gave a brief biography of Keats’ life. I thought Barbara was steering the group towards cultural levels, which may not be understood, but I was wrong. Most of the silent group members recalled the poem and enjoyed it more than I had expected. Some of the group repeated the words they had learned so long ago. Then Barbara suggested Mort d’Arthur. I was eager to enable all the ideas put forward, but this was too long to do it justice in our short sessions. I

compromised by telling the story and selecting parts of the poem for our pleasure. Many of these ladies had a classical background, and those who could only recall youthful memories, knew the works of Keats and Tennyson.

Rachel, who had been quiet up to this point, arrived at the session, pushing a crumpled piece of paper into my hand. This is the poem on that piece of paper:

Little Cottage in the Bush by the Sea By Rachel

If I caught it unawares does it have a personality

of its own, or is it just an empty shell?

What do you do small house when we are not there?

Dreaming by the sea, spray in your hair Windows with sun ablink? Do you notice how the tide each day

Spring cleans the sand Washing our footsteps away

Leaving dry land?

Do you love the quiet nights When possums and wombats play?

Though the bush is not quiet But full of little rustlings

Small creatures go about their business Spiny anteater snuffles along the ground,

The wide eyed owl swoops down Making no sound

Or do you like the holidays

When the rowdy crowd comes shouting in? All the happy girls and boys

Laughing and free, Bursting your sides with noise

And camaraderie.

There was spontaneous applause and an interesting discussion followed on native wild life and how children enjoyed the freedom of open spaces. I was thrilled with this development. Spontaneous writing was being shared with, and valued by the group, which led to thoughts, which were inspired by and extended beyond the poem. This I felt was our most successful session together and I looked forward to what might be

produced the following week. Key features of Participatory Action, I felt sure, were beginning to emerge as Kemmis and McTaggart (1999) describe, with a spiral of reflection, re-planning, acting and observing and again reflecting, changing and always being directed by individual expressions of interest and silent indications of pleasure. But Rachel did not return to the class. Linda assured me she was feeling unwell, and I did not

see her again. She continued to feel unwell until I left and Linda took over the class, when she again attended regularly. As I analyzed the situation, I realised I was becoming

involved in the mess so aptly described by Tina Cook (2009), just when it seemed I was dragging myself out of the confusion. To give these insecure residents a stage on which to present their thoughts should have been a constructive move, but when Rachel did not attend any more sessions I suspected a connection between the delightful presentation of her poem and her absence. One can be in denial about one’s talents if feelings of insecurity and inadequacy dominate. Even success can be a divergence to fear. I was glad to hear she had returned to the group after Linda facilitated it the following January.

Barbara asked what a poem was, as she liked the rhyming formality of earlier poetry so this was discussed and became the topic for the following week. Checking the Oxford Dictionary, one definition included: “Any of the 150 sacred songs, lyric poems and prayers which constitute the Book of Psalms.” This directed me to a selection of psalms, which I pointed out, did not rhyme or have a formal structure but were unquestionably songs or poems. I started with the familiar 23rd _{psalm, which everyone spontaneously joined in,} followed by three less well known ones. This was a successful session if I assessed it by the level of communal involvement. I was presenting topics to be enjoyed through shared reading, and I knew many of these residents were regular churchgoers. There was

minimal analysis and the same four people who were possibly reaching another plane of creativity, did so in the privacy of their rooms.

I was sad that Rachel felt unable to return, but the rest of the group continued to come back every week and new members joined, particularly enjoying the familiar pieces. Between ten and twelve ladies came regularly and I suppose there is value in that. I felt sure the sessions could have given them so much more satisfaction if the group was half the size. From the facilitation point of view Group 2 was possibly an easier option, but that was not my purpose. I was concerned about five people who recited quantities of poetry learned in their childhood, but who now did not communicate at all. If the brain

atmosphere it could feel the challenge of an extension of thought. I was never able to follow up on this theory, and I regretted it. Impressive work in this field is being initiated with successful results. This is discussed later in Interjection L.