"I contain Multitudes"

Walking in the door of the St Fagan's National History Museum, by the entrance to an exhibition about Welsh lifestyle there is this poem apparently commissioned for the museum. I loved it. There are a lot of thoughts in it that I identify with.

- It rang bells in terms of what I discovered as I learned about the history of the UK.

- It rang bells as to how I felt about NZ while away. I enjoyed the places I went, but often the words of the old scottish song came to mind; "As fair as these green foreign hills may be, they are not the hills of home." I realised that much of my identity lay in the NZ lifestyle, the openess and "earthyness" of the country.

- It rang bells as to how important the church, with all its faults and distortions (and they are many) is to me. Overseas where ever I saw a church expressing something of my understanding of the Gospel I felt less alone and more a part of an invisible force for good. Unfortunately I often saw expressions of "church" I could not identify with.

I liked this poem anyway....

A Meeting Place

I am singular

My time is now,

And I am here,

But I am not alone.

At my back I hear

the ticking of the past,

the faint breathing of many generations

Of my ancestors;

And all about me

Is the family of man.

Here I see what makes the

fundamental me,

A roof above me, bed, and work

Daily bread, and water,

Here I see my words

Here the beliefs that sustain me.

I ponder here the meaning of me...

I ponder here the meaning of “we”..

And what is my humanity...

In this hall is where

I’ll see clues to my identity.

“I contain multitudes”

Written by Gwyn Thomas (Welsh National Poet)

Placed near the entrance to exhibits in the St Fagans National History Museum in Cardiff.