The Hebrew text in this piece comes from Psalm 23:4, and its most commonly known translation is from the King James Version of the bible, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” JPS translates it as “Though I walk through a valley of deepest darkness, I fear no harm, for You are with me.”

I was inspired to make this papercut (and other art with goats) by the story of a friend who experienced cancer a number of years ago. In her words:

When I was in treatment for AML and preparing for a bone marrow transplant one of my doctors said I was the general of my army of white cells. I didn’t want a military rank, and I didn’t want an army. I didn’t want healing or surviving to be a battle. I wasn’t interested in going to war with and inside of my own body.

One day when a friend was driving me to the clinic for my daily appointment during which I would have another blood draw and another CBC and probably another blood transfusion – abundant cells to count and think about – I told her what my doctor had said and shared my discomfort.

Well, she said, what if what you have isn’t an army, but a herd of goats. What if you weren’t a general, but a goat walker. Taking them out for a stroll. Watching over them as they eat the leukemic weeds, and anything else that doesn’t belong. Goats are good at that.

Smiles, genuine from-my-marrow smiles were not so easy to come by those days. It was hard times.

Perfect, I said. And I closed my eyes. And I imagined my goats at work.