Needlepoint Poems

Hazel Hammond's collection of poems entitled "Needlepoint" is not inspired by the kind of needles a clothing company is usually associated with, however, she does have a strong affinity with Bishopston Trading Company. Her poems are about tattoos and the significance of what lies beneath the surface of bodyart. On the back cover of the recently published collection, Hazel can be seen admiring a tatooed torsoe whilst herself wearing one of our signature embroidered jackets. Hazel has been a customer of ours for many years.

Hazel will be reading from "Needlepoint" on Friday night at the Halo Bar on Gloucester Road, Bristol, a few doors down from our shop. The show starts at 7:30pm. Copies of "Needlepoint" can be purchased from http://www.citychameleon.co.uk/.

The photos used on the cover of "Needlepoint" shown above were taken by Simon Prentice.

Here's one of the poems featured in Needlepoint

Mapped on the body
Carefully tracing the pattern of Japanese clouds
I move my finger along the swirls
Tattooed lines in black shaded to indigo
Purple and the peach of skin
Hoping to understand the way stations of this map
Or even paths among the heavenly spirals and curves
These mark aspirations for the future
Sweeping across your shoulder
On your arms carp and demons
Swimming against the waters tracklessness
Yellow fins straining against your biceps.
To show ambition creating a ripple in the pool of normal
Pink peonies, my fingers at the paler edge
Wishing these blooms so everlasting on your forearm
Did not represent this transient life
But rather the creativity which blossoms
Under cautious thought in your present
Hidden in the foliage – the blue outfaced demon
His yellow horns alert, that to eager grin
Taking you back to morning spirits and receding resolutions
A fight now past, still intense in colour
No longer internal, inked in
With needles on your map of skin.

25 Years of Fair Trade

Bishopston Trading Company is 25 years old this week! We have been working in partnership with the villagers of K.V.Kuppam to produce organic Fairtrade cotton clothing since 1985.

Here are some photos of the celebrations at our Bishopston - Bristol and Bradford on Avon shops.