Some things just had to go.
Dump, dump, dump she did, with all the self defeating, nasty little habits she’d hoarded over time. It was time to take the hanky firmly by a thread and with pedal planted nicely under foot, claim herself a hanky free place where she would no longer need to rely on being picked. She also trashed the motion of skipping in dizzy circles to get to where she ‘d convinced herself she needed to be. Now, a short distance beyond the clean-up, she sits to catch the slowing of her breath – reviving her tired little shoes and socks. And puff went the world.
(Reposted from 2011. Find her in Clunk & Jam book 2019.)
Place for little me …
Personal footnote: Growing up is not so much about leaving the ‘little me’ behind and becoming something else – like a teenager or an adult. Our ‘little me’ is always part of who we are. Always going to be around in us – somewhere. But if you’ve had bad things happen to you when you were little, ‘little me’ it takes up a lot more space – leaving little room for play. The Army of Ink are perhaps the ‘little mes’, taking form. Coming back to life and playing on the page. And they’re really strong. Strong enough to keep hold of all those things that might have happened to ‘little me’.
Blow the Man Down .
Round and round the racecourse, my finger beat you there. You mustn’t laugh, you mustn’t cry, or tell little girls, “There, there.” Take one step out and two steps down to a place you cannot stand. For it was you, you naughty boy who tried to steal my hand.
The trick is to find a place where size doesn’t matter, nobody can touch the bottom and everyone can reach.
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What happens when the bread crumbs run out ?
Maybe I’m destined to be a flightless bird .
Footnote: Indian Brave represents the acceptance of what we can and can’t do – and the liberation that comes from admitting defeat (although some would have us believe it’s failure).
Beyond a message of acceptance, Indian Brave is also about the Super Hero within the girl. Just like BOys, girls aspire to having Super Hero powers too – in their dreams. It’s important to note this because the Army of Ink troops can be very hard to live up to. So I keep the inks close as my constant source of strength, my Super Heroes that come to my rescue time and time again – whilst reminding myself that I have skin not feathers – and I don’t have to always be so brave and strong and capable.
