Description
“This compelling pamphlet consists of a sequence of poems in which Hilary Hares makes deft use of telling detail and the sustained image of the Red Queen as well as other metaphors drawn from Alice in Wonderland to trace a relationship with a repressive mother and the effects of growing up in a non-communicating family. The short taut poems depict the child’s isolation and towards the end the adult poet offers a glimpse of the unhappy person the mother was. The Red Queen is a memorable debut which will speak to many readers.” Myra Schneider
Hilary Hares’ debut pamphlet creates a modern, dark take on the Alice in Wonderland tale. Read an extract below:
Sometimes the night
is just too big
and so I creep to her
for comfort
and she takes me
down the rabbit hole again
where, cat-warm and safe
I dream in her enormous bed.
But in the morning
she’s the Red Queen
marching me to school
and I can hardly breathe
in case the axe should fall.
