My mother and I stayed with her cousin and his wife in summer 2021. It was the first time she and I had seen each other for almost a year during the coronavirus pandemic. We chose this Linden tree, also known as a Weeping Lime, an ornamental tree at the end of the garden for our photograph. The vast canopy forms a leafy cavern and is the secret hide-out of children and perfect for sunny afternoon teas. I emailed my mother this photograph and asked her if she would write a poem. Her words were adapted to recreate a Snellen chart, an eye chart used to measure visual acuity, and this is accompanied by her voice recorded via Zoom.
© Karren Visser. Sight Lines, Arts Council England funded, 2021–22.