Search This Blog

Monday 30 January 2012

Back to the real world

It's been a long time since I posted. The madness of Christmas and New Year has long subsided and I thought I'd be able to get myself into a nice little routine of working and writing. Unfortunately, work took over as my students had exams and I was spending a lot of time preparing them (hopefully as much time as they were revising) and then it was my little sister's wedding at the weekend. I'm never been married, but if the amount of time, money and effort into being the Bride's brother is anything to go by, I think I'll need a year or two off to organise and pay for my own wedding!!! I never really realised how much an event like that took over your life as a guest let alone being the Bride or Groom. This past weekend I really started to identify with one of my own characters - Tristan from The Surrogate. That said, I am glad to report that my sister didn't seem to fall into any of the cliches from the opening chapters of the book.

It was the first major family event since I released The Surrogate, so I had a lot of interest in my book. From my Dad asking me about sales figures (I think he's counting on it being a million seller so he can retire) to more distant relations asking me where I came up with the idea or what the book is about. I also learned that one of my cousins that I don't see often is drafting her own YA novel - so keep a look out for Hayley Gelling's debut. For some people who had read the book, I got constant comparisons to Tristan, much to the chagrin of my girlfriend. I had an uncle who was trying to convince me to get married (I'll come back to this in a further post) and whenever I was playing with my niece Ella or my nephew Domenic (who at four years of age was busting out the robot (or as he called it the Bumblebee)) I was being told time and time again not to go and try and buy a child like Tristan did. It was tiring being compared to a product of my imagination, but at the same time, heartwarming that so many friends and family had read the book.

I did have a chance to do some writing prior to the wedding. I have to give a reading at the ceremony and it wasn't really until two or three days before that I got the idea for the following poem. I haven't written any poetry of note for over ten years, but as it was my sister's wedding, she asked me to prepare something on family. It was generally well received, with even the minster commenting in his sermon on how he wished he could write like that. But I'll let you judge that for yourself. I'm not sure whether it's an original idea or not, certainly I have heard parents being compared to being giants and children being called creatures before, but it was for my sister, whom I am very proud of and love dearly.

Family
I was born into a land of giants, beneath a blanket of smiling faces,
Each with wide open eyes and gobbledygook tongues;
Such vivid colours and subtle sweet scents,
In a blurred warm sky of unconditional love.
But in the night, when I was hungry or cold
I cried out and the giants were there for me.

The giants were as tall as tall could be,
They spoke in such booming voices that I could not hear
But when they whispered, they spoke of wisdom,
Telling me stories of what I could do and who I could be.
And in the darkness, when I saw monsters in the shadows
I screamed out and the giants were there for me.

Then I saw other creatures that were just like me.
They told me in voices that were the same as mine,
That there were other giants as far as the eye could see.
I didn’t believe them, there were only my giants I’d say.
But with each passing day, I saw more and more giants.
I asked questions and the giants were there for me.

There was one giant, who was kinder than the others,
But she grew bigger and tired and one day she wasn’t there.
Another giant lifted me onto his shoulders so that I could see
The giants gathering around, all cooing and babbling
Over a little creature; one so small I could barely see
I didn’t understand it, but the giants were there for me.

One day I woke and the giants weren’t so fearsome.
No longer were they as tall as tall could be.
Other creatures wove tales of danger and adventure
While the giants gave me warnings that I didn’t believe.
When my ego was bruised and my heart was broken,
I yelled at them, but the giants were still there for me.

Then there were no more giants to see.
Just other beings that sounded and dressed like me.
Beings who taught me how to live and how to love.
How to laugh and how to dance, how to work and how to toil.
But when I faltered or struggled to make sense of the world,
I called them and the giants were there for me.

One day, as I wandered aimless and free,
I met my other and we were complete,
With small creatures like she and I had once been.
Then we became the giants, as tall as tall could be,
With gobbledygook tongues and wide open eyes.
I looked at my creatures and the giants were there for me

Now I am long past being a giant,
And the creatures have creatures of their own.
As time draws close and sleep descends
I pass on the words of giants past,
Words they once whispered to me;
Just look at your reflection and I will be there for you. 


C J Evans