The Journey of the Winter Rose is a moving and poignant testmant to family, and the challenging journey of the diverse paths of six beautiful daughters, four of whom over a number of years developed the symptoms of Rett Syndrome.
Born in Orange, New South Wales, and raised in Sydney, the author Margery Kemp lives with retired Radiologist husband Tim in The Channon area of the New South Wales Northern Rivers hinterland. The family story is woven into the writings of her poetry.
Of the four daughters affected by Rett Syndrome, their third daughter died at sixteen, and two years later, their oldest at twenty two. For the other two girls also affected, the following years of holistic research and implementation, strengthened their immune systems and their resilience.
Within the family there is a love of music, singing and voice; an affinity with tactile things and the smooth stones and pieces of wood found and brought inside after exploring our bush environment; along with the ups and downs, and the pain and the passion that goes with it all.
Though genetic results have cleared the other two girls, the fourth daughter, was affected at birth by a knotted cord resulting in autism. However, she is bright, helpful, energetic and very fit. Her paintings have won prizes in open art exhibitions and she has sold artwork, as well as her sewing creations.
For youngest daughter Katinka, it hasn’t always been an easy road. Her support for this collection has been invaluable, playing an pivotal role it’s publication. Katinka works in Paris providing consultancy services to the design and arts secteurs.
A Children’s Hospital trained nurse, Margery’s focus over the years has been holistic health research and family care. She believes in music as therapy, has a passion for singing, and was a pupil of the late Welsh tenor David Parker.
Though known as Jill which is her middle name, the author writes as Margery Kemp in tribute to her fifteenth century namesake.
The poems are varied, strong, sensitive, often humorous and always insightful and careful. The love of family, language, music, transcendent emotion and nature are evident, and readers will enjoy discovering a little of the inner and outer life of the auther and her extraordinary and complex family.
The Journey of The Winter Rose is Margery Kemp’s fifth collection.
