This poem was first published when I was nine. First in the Newcastle Morning Herald and then later in the feminist magazine, Refractory Girl.
I can fly.
They say I can’t.
They don’t exist.
I can fly.
They won’t believe me.
They aren’t real.
They can’t understand me
They won’t understand me
They don’t understand me
They say I’m mad
no-one can fly.
I can fly
They’re dead.
The day after it published in the local newspaper some of the kids at school demanded that I fly for them. They recited the poem back at me and laughed in my face. I spent the day wishing I’d never written it but also basking in my teachers’ praise.
The next day the other kids had forgotten about it but the teachers were still praising me. Yup, I was still buzzing about being an actual published poet. I enjoyed and was weirded out by the publication and attention thing. Praise = good! Kids laughing at me = oogie!
It was an early lesson in the gap between writing and publication. The writing part is private and often wonderful. Publication and public responses to the writing is a whole other thing. I’ve been doing my best to keep that in mind ever since.
My drawings are, to say the least, highly detailed. Often I over do it. I know I do. It frustrates the hell out of me that I just cannot let a drawing be. So, on the odd occasion when I create something and resist the urge to cross hatch the hell out of it it I feel quite pleased with myself. Those drawings often become my favourites. Probably because they make a refreshing change.
Here's one of those. It's another from the Jane Austen book.
If you are familiar with my blog then you'll know that, a while back, I was illustrating a book. Although, I was not really able to talk too much about it (and I'm probably still not supposed to) it's hard to resist. Especially when I do not have any other drawings to post, here. Yet I have over twenty waiting in the wings. Well, one less now.
This is one of my favourite drawings from the book. For those who have asked, it is a Jane Austen book. It's not one of the biggies, i.e. Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice. It's one of her earlier, shorter stories from the Juvenilia collection. I didn't know these stories existed until I was approached to illustrate one. I'm glad I know now. I found this one, in particular, very amusing. Not least because it's about a girl who drinks too much Claret. I feel it was made for me. But, I'm worried that I am being typecast so early on in my illustrating career.
For the most of the book I have tried to tell the story through objects that are part of the story. I'm not sure whether that makes much sense, but here I've illustrated a scene on a wine cork. A Claret cork, of course.
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I love them either way!!!<3
Though I can totaly understand the sweet feeling of refreshing change by our own selves!!!***
I had to laugh at your complaint about being too detailed in your work, because that is exactly what I admire about it! I simply would never have the patience to be so precise. Your work is beautiful!
That is beautiful in it's simplicity.
I love detail too, it's hard to leave a picture alone sometimes!
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I love it! You're right, sometimes simplicity is best, but I'm also in awe of your crosshatching...
question...what type of pens do you use for your colored drawings? I can't seem to find good ones. I'm finding refreshing change in just sketching instead of painting. I thank you for the inspiration!
Thank you, guys.
Tahirih, coloured ballpoints or Pilot fineliners are my faves. This is a Pilot G-tec. The brightly coloured drawings are colour ballpoints. Very cheap stuff.
Cheers, my dears.
And, BTW I don't endorse Thomas Sabo neclaces. I'm sure they are thouroughly trashy.
Wonderful drawing :o)