Knife Angel

This sculpture by Alfie Bradley has been on tour around the country for a couple of years. I first came upon it at it’s home in the British Ironworks Centre, near Shrewsbury, where my son used to work. It contains 100,000 knives, collected as part of a weapons amnesty by police forces. I cried when I first saw it.

The way the face is created just speaks of the pain experienced by those caught up in this epidemic of knife crime; the hands held outwards, crying, ‘Why?’ So much emotion pouring out of this powerful depiction of the Knife Angel.

Here is my reflection in the form of a poem;

Sentinel with sad eyes,

tears and streaks of rust,

Crying Why?

Weapons for destruction,

rearranged meaning,

hope in darkness,

the reach of faith and hope

and love. The words of John the Apostle;

‘Whoever hates another, has murdered them already.’

The angel speaks of peace in turmoil,

hands held out in longing and

sadness.

Faith as small as a mustard seed,

mountain moving.

My heart, your heart, new ways

of seeing.

Palms held open,

not closed.

Faith, Hope and Love….

and the greatest of these

is love...