On a bright day this October, author Robert Macfarlane returned to Horatio’s Garden London & South East to host a creative writing workshop. Robert first came to the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital (RNOH) a few years ago, when images inspired by his book The Lost Words were commissioned to adorn the walls of a number of wards. He soon learned about Horatio’s Garden, hosting his first workshop there in 2022.
Robert’s workshops are generously supported by Rathbones, who have previously funded similarly thought-provoking literary events in Horatio’s Garden Scotland, led by Denise Mina, and in Horatio’s Garden Midlands, led by Horatio Clare.
This year, Robert’s workshop focused on songwriting. Robert is a highly accomplished lyricist, having written songs and albums with musicians like Cosmo Sheldrake, Karine Polwart and Johnny Flynn, with whom he has released two albums: Lost in the Cedar Wood (2021) and The Moon Also Rises (2023).
With everyone comfortably settled in the homely garden room, the workshop began with a simple writing exercise focusing on encounters with the natural world. Reading extracts from authors including Nan Shepherd, Annie Dillard and John Baker, the gathered group of patients, friends, family and volunteers considered the different ways that we interact with living creatures in the wild.
After a brief discussion and the dissemination of some paper and pens, everyone was given some time to write their own piece focusing on an animal encounter. Passages then shared back with the group focused on a wide range of natural life, from the story of an action-packed safari, to a reflection on meeting worms when digging in soil: as WRAGS trainee Lily so aptly put it, ‘gardener meets gardener’.
David, one of the participants spending time in the spinal injury centre, focused his piece on a murmuration of starlings near his home. The word ‘murmuration’, and the picture it paints of teamwork and collaboration in the natural world, soon caught the interest of everyone attending; it was decided that this word would form the basis of the songwriting collaboration which comprised the second half of the workshop.
After taking a break to enjoy some coffee, cake and conversation, the group came back together to focus on writing a song. First, Robert explained the structures of songwriting and shared some of his own experiences as a lyricist, and the immensely rewarding process of having your writing re-imagined in song. ‘Beech’ and ‘The World to Come’, recorded by Cosmo Sheldrake and Johnny Flynn respectively, were played and enjoyed by everyone attending.
Focusing on the idea and image of a murmuration, everyone was given the opportunity to contribute the words that came to mind when they thought about swallows in flight. Ideas of teamwork and collaboration were especially prevalent, as well as the mystery of migration. The movement of the birds was likened to choreographed dances, waves in the ocean, and iron filings under a magnet, with all of these images coming together into the final lyrics collated by Robert.
We are so grateful to Robert for running the workshop, to Rathbones for funding it, and to everyone spending time in the RNOH who took the time to attend, and who added their unique creative voice to the final piece. Entitled ‘Murmuration’, the lyrics can be read in full below. If you’d like to try setting them to music, we’d love to hear your creation! A video of Robert reading the lyrics aloud can also be found here.
Murmuration
As a whole we move together
No matter the weight, the weather
No tie, no tether
Murmuration,
Recreation, participation, anticipation
Inspiration
Figure-eight, murmurate
Is this love or art or play or joy?
Quicksilver, bronze or mercury,
“Only God, only God knows why”
Murmuration,
Destination, incarnation, communication,
Integration
Figure-eight, murmurate
Shapeshifting, slipsliding,
Pewter, lead and iron-filing,
Swirling, uncoiling, un-colliding
Murmuration,
Calculation, saturation, elevation,
Imagination,
Figure-eight, murmurate
Aurora watching,
Atoms scattering,
Invisible magnets,
Impossible motion,
Lifted upwards,
Unworried, awestruck,
Hypnotised and mesmerised.
Without a flock there is no murmuration,
No pure creation,
No way to play, to celebrate,
To keep each other safe.
We too must murmurate –
Let us learn to murmurate.
We too must murmurate –
Let us learn to murmurate.
