RUSTY

Every piece matters,

a nut,
a bolt,
a rusted clamp
from a vacant lot,

an odd array
of this and that,

nothing special
when seen in parts,

yet touches the heart when whole.

RUSTY FACTS
“Rusty” is a 20-foot metal sculpture by artist Kris Nethercutt that stands outside the entrance of The Factory at Franklin (circa-1929 buildings that once served as the Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef and later the Jamison Bedding Company and is now a historic shopping, dining and entertainment complex). The Factory is in Franklin, Tennessee.
Rusty weighs 4,600 pounds and took six years to complete. All the parts were found in the former factories or in car junk yards.

SHE WAS THE RAREST OF US

Her footsteps disappeared from the path,

the last ones, barely perceptible,
had fully existed just moments before,

where did she go,

the dancing girl with the golden hair,

who poured magic into spaces
full of voids and chasms,

who wrote poems of hope,
dreamt big expansive dreams,

gave precious gifts
to those often forgotten,

shared her brave voice
to seek a cure,

she was the rarest of us,

we humans searching for life’s meaning,
getting lost in the fog,

turning corners only to become confused
again and again,

tripping on rocks, slipping on ice,
losing our way,

our dismay that she has gone
will remain, yet,

the dancing girl with the golden hair

showed us the way,

leaving us in the fog of heartbreak
while still shining a light on the path,

so we may walk forward in her footsteps,
bearing hope in her name.

Written in memory of Alea Ramsey, May 26, 2005- January 28, 2024

Alea began Bearing Hope in 2020 with the mission of bringing joy, hope and support to kids fighting cancer in Ohio and to raise awareness for Childhood Cancer.

Photo by Susan DeGraaf