Giraffe Child

19 April 2011

I have just put the manuscript together for the new book, which I think might be called ‘My Grandmother and Mrs Crow.’  This is the title of a poem which was a runner up in the Mslexia competition last year.  If my editor is happy with this title (and the poems!) I will use the Crow Angel image as the cover, I think.

I used to think of using this blog as an open sketch book – a place I could hang up new poems to catch a bit of fresh air, but have recently been informed that this counts as publication in most circles.   It is therefore unlikely I will be able to send the work out anywhere else.  I am going to try to have a go at sending out to some competitions this year.  It’s not something I usually do as I feel my poems are not the variety that win competitions – they are stronger when they are collected.

As I won’t be putting many new poems up here, I will simply have keep showing you the weirdnesses which are happening in my studio.  So here’s a thing.  You probably won’t be able to read it, but the label on the giraffe body says ‘Standard Giraffe.’  This makes me chortle in this context.  The leash is made from plaited hair and there are dress-maker’s pins in the body of the doll.  I had the idea that the doll (or the giraffe) was playing make-believe too far into the midnight hour, and is unable to turn back.  Very naughty indeed.