Alone in the king’s court, Esther, a Jewish girl, an orphan, shapely and beautiful is about to break a royal decree punishable by death. „All the king‘s servants and the people of the king‘s provinces know that for any man or woman who goes to the king and enters the inner courtyard without being summoned, his is but one verdict: execution; except for the person to whom the king extends his golden scepter”. Scroll of Esther, Chapter 4, Verse 11.

Esther is there by her uncle’s request to enter the court and invite the King to a feast in which news of intrigues in the court will be delivered.

I am not surprised at the questions by reading the Scroll through contemporary eyes, why is Esther there at the court of a foreign King? Why her uncle, Mordechai, who has the task of keeping Esther safe and well, sends her on such a difficult quest.

The image of a girl, getting ready to risk her life at her uncle‘s request, captured my heart. Who strengthens her soul? Who keeps her spine straight? What makes her strong?

In the poem I wrote for her, I called for her mother and gave her wolves, her mother because of mine. Even though we speak different languages I call her still and talk to her despite her being gone. And wolf for his power of life and physical strength. Esther finds within herself the voices of her wolf and of her mother, and a quest such as these becomes possible.

I chose to unfold Esther’s brave stand at the King’s court in an inner scroll, within the biblical lines and embroider her voice within them. The ornamented scroll page which I have embroidered, rhymes with the ornamented pages of ancient Jewish books. The slow embroidering process which allows time to reflect and pass on thoughts, corresponds with women toiling at an occupation which takes time to ponder over each letter and turns words into matter.