Bloomsbury Workshop
The Purple Poets
workshop leader: Kim Morrissey
contact: Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.com
Re-Framing Disability
poems by the Purple Poets
Bloomsbury Workshop
at the invitation of Bridget Telfer
curator, Re-Framing Disability Exhibition spring 2011
Royal College of Physicians
poems with prints from the Exhibition
This series of poems-in-progress were created in a series of five poetry
workshops led by poet Kim Morrissey, using prints and the catalogue from
the Royal College of Physicans' REFRAMING DISABILITY EXHIBITION, 2011 as
source material.
2011 workshop dates:
April 16th, April 28th, May 26th, June 7th, June 30th, 2011.
workshop leader: Kim Morrissey
workshop participants: Babushka, Eppie Caredda, Bithi Das,
Patsy Futatsugi, Ferdous Rahman, Jean Watt, Paul Nandi (guest)
POEMS IN PROGRESS:
SELF-ADVERTISEMENT FOR BLIND GRANNY
I sing for a living.
like everyone, I can do other things
like licking my eye with my tongue
for my grog, or just for a laugh
but for my living
I sing
Patsy Futatsugi,The Purple Poets
first draft:16.04.2011
second draft: 07.06.2011
print: Blind Granny (c17-18 century)
print title: Blind Granny
MY MOTHER MAGDALENA
Me? I can do what she can do
I can do everything, oh yes.
I can do almost everything like her
I am extraordinary as well.
Look. Don't be afraid.
Everything is possible.
by Bithi Das, The Purple
Poets
first draft:16.04.2011
print: Magdalena Rudolfs Thuinbuj
print title:Magdalena Rudolfs Thuinbuj
von Stockholm auss Gweden
BLIND DATE
Oh it's my day today!
I am meeting my dream man
Lazarus, so handsome and charming
When we meet, I see
the child hanging onto him
Not hanging, attached!
His twin brother, dreaming.
I am shattered. How can I love
A man who already shares his heart.
Ferdous Rahman, The Purple Poets
first draft: 26.05.2011
second draft: 07.06.2011
print:
Lazarus and Johannes Baptista Colloreda (b 1617)
print title: ISRAEL. The Twin Brothers
MY NAME IS LAZARUS
My name is Lazarus
and Johannes, my pale reflection,
my constant companion, the reason
why they pay to see me, to see us,
though he is so much less
helpless, yet defining me,
my livelihood,
my twin
Dr. Paul Nandi (guest participant), The Purple Poets
National Hospital for Neurology and Neuro-surgery
first draft: 16.04.2011
print:
Lazarus and Johannes Baptista Colloreda (b 1617)
print title: ISRAEL. The Twin Brothers
PAINBUSTER
(A Self-Advertisement for Dr. Edward Harrison)
Come all to me
and tell me where it hurts.
No need for snake-oil,
needles, pills.
A simple
laying on of hands
will take away all pain.
Dr. Paul Nandi (guest participant), The Purple Poets
National Hospital for Neurology and Neuro-surgery
first draft:16.04.2011
second draft: 07.06.2011
print: Sarah Hawkes (b 1817)
print titles: Sarah Hawkes in her state of deformity
/ Sarah Hawkes as she at present appears
MY SON THOMAS, THE ARTIST
I waited so long to have him.
Such a handsome baby!
He came out head first
No feet, no arms.
My doctor says I must have had a fright
And it is all my fault.
And this fright made him
What he is.
What he is
Is my son.
I love him.
Ferdous Rahman, The Purple Poets
first draft: 28.04.2010
second draft 08.06.2011
print: Thomas Inglefield
print title:
THOMAS INGLEFIELD at the Age of 20,
from an Original Drawing.
Born without Arms or Legs Dec. 18. 1769
JOHN BOBY: MOTHER TO BLAME
It's not me
but my brother always
blames Mother.
Her wrong decision
to
marry my nephew to that girl
has brought disaster into the family.
There is no income
but always expenditure
my
brother becoming penniless.
He is getting frustrated
probably he will be mad
In
future.
All my mother's fault
and she is dead now
and not coming to save us.
It's only me, now.
For the sake of my family
I must be wonderful.
Bithi Das, The Purple Poets
first draft: 28.04.2011
print: John Boby
print title: The wonderful spotted Indian,
John Boby (1803)
THE CHRISTENING
Lazarus is my son.
God has chosen
To give him back to me
So wonderful!
And Johannes, his twin,
I have named Johannes Baptista,
John the Baptist.
Giving light
To every Christian
To have faith in God.
Eppie Caredda, The Purple Poets
first draft:28.04.2011
print:
Lazarus and Johannes Baptista Colloreda (b 1617)
print title: ISRAEL. The Twin Brothers
BEING JOSEPH CLARK
What a Lark being Joseph Clark
Faking shapes from dawn to dark
But I need love for my art.
How can I ever find someone to love me
And accept me for what I am?
I'm a shark.
Patsy Futatsugi, The Purple Poets
first draft: 26.05.2011
second draft 07.06.2011
print: Joseph Clark
print title: The Posture Master:
JOSEPH CLARK
RICHARD GIBSON: A PRAYER
Inside this tiny frame
There beats a loving, kindly heart.
The joys of family hearth and home
This gentle soul imparts.
Babushka, The Purple Poets
first draft: 26.05.2011
print: Richard Gibson (1615-1690)
print title: Richard Gibson, a dwarf
INTERVIEWS IN
THE WONDERFUL MAGAZINE
MRS CHANG
me vellee happy meet giant
me 4 foot him 7 foot 9 inches
vellee good man,
he can see the future coming before me!
MR CHANG
I have met soulmate, she sings
like a bird, and there will be no
hate, only good love
vellee happy giant me!
ADDENDANT DWARF INTERVIEW
THE WONDERFUL MAGAZINE
We speak five languages
You, almost one.
You pay to look, but listen ....
Look again. Do you see love?
Or can you still only see
vellee tall
vellee short
vellee funny
Jean Watt, The Purple Poets
first drafts: 'Mrs Chang, Mr Chang' 26.05.2011
Kim Morrissey: 'Attendent Dwarf'
print: Chang Yu Sing (184 -1893)
title on print: THE CHINESE GIANT, CHANG,
WITH HIS WIFE AND ATTENDANT DWARF
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SELF ADVERTISEMENT FOR MATHEW BUCHINGER
I am most fabulous and amazing and the Wonderful
Little Man of but 29 inches high
and no hands feet or thighs but married four times and I draw faces to life
and flowers
and do fine needlework before Kings and Queens and write funeral poems so
quickly
and make amazing pens very curiously and play astonishing music upon the
duclimer
and the trumpet and the bagpipes and dance a hornpipe in Highland dress and
fire
pistols and play skittles and ninepins and many other things too tedious
to notice.
first draft: Eppie Caredda, The Purple Poets
26.05.2011
print: Matthew Buchinger
print title: Matthew Buchinger.LONDON.
April the 29.1724. This is the Effigies of
Mr Matthew Buchinger, being Drawn and
Written by himself. He is the Wonderful
little Man of but 29....
Bloomsbury Workshop Purple Poets
Workshop Leader
Kim Morrissey
copyright resides with the author of the poem.
for permision to use these poems
please contact the Purple Poets
poets AT purplepoets.com
and we will try to contact the poet for you
mailing address: The Purple Poets
c/o Flat 18 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury London WC1H 8PE |
PURPLE POETS
OTHER PROJECTS:
ACCESSING THE ARTS
A list of suitable venues and unsuitable venues
for performing (DDA compliant or reasonable adjustments noted)
and for holding meetings (this is an on-going project)
PROJECT: ARTS
FOR ALL | ACCESS FOR ALL
-- working with local community galleries, libraries and museums
8TH FIELD
TRIP (18. 04.2011)
Royal College of Physicians
Re-framing Disability Exhibition
(curator: Bridget Telfer
invited viewing and workshop.
Display of poems at Exhibition 07.06.2011)
7TH FIELD
TRIP (06.08.2010)
Hiroshima Day, Tavistock Square
Peace Exhibitions Quaker Centre, Euston Road
6TH FIELD
TRIP (May 2010)
Wellcome Trust Collection
Wellcome Library, Euston Road
to view the 18 century Snakes and Ladders board
in preparation for the Cumberland Market
Midsummer Picnic 2010 projects
(embroidering a Prick Your Fingers Snakes & Ladders square;
postcard poems on the Wellcome Collection)
5TH FIELD TRIP (18.03.2010)
National Portrait Gallery, Saint Martins Lane
(The Indian Portrait 1560-1860, invited viewing and NPG workshop)
How to Read a Painting
workshop leaders Fran Wilde and Kim Morrissey
special guest artist and resource person Jo
WOnder
additional artist material by Heather
Spears
4TH FIELD TRIP (18.01.2010)
Quakers Centre Library
Euston Road
(Testimonies of Peace research for April 22nd, 2010 reading)
3RD FIELD TRIP (24.05.2009)
British Museum, Great Russell Street
(Indian Summer, Garden and Cosmos, invited viewing)
2ND FIELD TRIP (02.04.2009)
Wellcome Trust Library, Euston Road (Acts of Mercy paintings)
1ST FIELD TRIP AND ON-GOING
PROJECT (05.10.2006)
1930's Stained Glass Windows by Margaret Edith Aldrich Rope, (M.E.A.
Rope)
The Crypt, Munster Square
first visit by photographer Tatiana Schenck (09.05.2009)
these windows were commissioned for St. Augustine's (Hackney)
background essay and footnotes: Art in the Crypt
SAINT LEONARD
SAINT GEORGE
This is an educational site.
© resides with the author. All rights reserved.
For permission to use any of this material
please contact the Purple Poets
(poem AT purplepoets.com)
The Purple Poets have co-produced projects
with the Quaker Library
and the Wellcome Trust.
and The Royal College of Physicians
The Bloomsbury Workshop
'ThePurples' create community projects promoting the 5 P's:
People, Poetry, Plants, Purple and Picnics
(our major project is Camden National Poetry
Day)
We also are keen on International Women's Day,
Local Summer Festivals and Green Fairs,
Disability Access, Friends of the Park, Tenants' Rights
Constitutions, and anything else our members find interesting
think purple! think poets!
Bloomsbury
The Purple Poets
for readings, projects and festivals contact Ferdous Rahman
rahmanferdous AT hotmail.co.uk
mailing address: The Purple Poets
c/o Flat 18 Chenies Street Chambers
Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7ET
twitter @PurplePoets
read our first twitter poems from the CAF festival Tea
Tent
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