Unorthodox E-Book

Jemima Hughes

• Herausgeber: Verve Poetry Press
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2020

Seitenzahl: 75

Beschreibung

Jemima Hughes brings you her first autobiographical poetry collection which will sweep you up and drag you through the "mindfield" of the 'Unorthodox'. Whilst tearing through experiences of abuse and mental health, Jemima leads you into a whirlwind of love and heartbreak, providing a raw and relatable outlet. Sometimes a tornado can be more beautiful than it is destructive, either way it will keep you gripped.

Leseprobe

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A multi slam winner and runner up in the 2020 UK Slam! Jemima Hughes hurried onto the Birmingham poetry scene in March 2017 and swiftly hurried of again after showcasing five minutes of her ongoing mental health battle.

Previously an international trampolinist and coach, Jemima strove to always support her participants emotionally as much as competitively. As reality hit that she was in need of support herself, she stepped away from her sport and lifelong passion to focus on her mental health.

During her most conflicted days she turned to writing poetry to express herself at a time when her verbal communication was minimal, consequently finding a new passion.

These days, Jemima has found her voice again, mastered timing and rhythm, and has travelled across the UK and Ireland to headline countless spoken word events. With the belief that letting someone feel heard can save a life, she’s grateful to everyone who has allowed her to feel heard throughout this journey.

Website: https://www.jemimahughespoet.co.uk/

Instagram: @jemima_unspoken

Twitter: @jemima_unspoken

Jemima as a performer...

“Storm Jemima is a surge of intensity gathering on your horizon. It is a tumbling of sentiments and sincerity of message, getting harder to ignore, always ready to drop. Nothing looks quite the same after it hits.” - Jasmine Gardosi.

“One of the most extraordinarily talented performers I have had the pleasure of seeing.” - Clive Oseman.

“Jemima Hughes is an exciting, up and coming writer and performer whose work is as fiery as it is tender, inspiring in her ability to hold an audience safely whilst exploring subject matters that make your insides tingle and writhe with relatability. Her transparency is moving and admirable. The rhythm and musicality of her words are present on both page and stage, each word rooting its own place and significance, each adding depth to the stories she tells of journeys; of vulnerability; of fear and bravery, and most of all, of resilience. Jemima has already made huge leaps in her career and will only continue to thrive. But for me, she is still tea, warm winter fire and cosy chit chats at her core.” - Nafeesa Hamid.

“Jemima is a tour de force when it comes to spoken word poetry. She pulls no punches and is brutal yet beautiful in equal measure. Now she’s brought her work to the page. Treat yourselves. Read this collection and catch her live if you can.” - Giovanni “Spoz” Esposito.

“If you have ever seen a choir of fireworks set to spinning wheels illuminate a night sky and observed new alphabets emerging from a furry of shadows and sparks, then I say you are close. Dancing a personal and relatable modern narrative of light and dark, Jemima is a convincing and courageous modern storyteller.” - Paul Point.

PUBLISHED BY VERVE POETRY PRESS

https://vervepoetrypress.com

[email protected]

All rights reserved

© 2020 Jemima Hughes

The right of Jemima Hughes to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with section 77 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

No part of this work may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, recorded or mechanical, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

FIRST PUBLISHED JULY 2020

REPRINTED SEP 2020

Printed and bound in the UKby ImprintDigital, Exeter

ISBN: 978-1-912565-38-2

ePub ISBN: 978-1-912565-91-7

Cover photo credit: Tim Horgan

This book is dedicated to you, Mum and Dad. You married in a storm so you know how beautiful the aftermath can be. Thank you for weathering this one so courageously. And to you, Timothy, for having faith in me when I couldn’t. I never knew our kind of love existed and now I can’t imagine existing without it.

Thank you Nanna for your endless encouragement. Thank you Chris, Matt and Rick for all of those hugs strong enough to hold me together. Thank you to my girls Lisa, Paige, Laura, Stevie, Jade and Aimee for treating me like nothing was wrong when nothing was right.

Most of all this book is for you. Yes you. I hope that reading it will help you in some of the ways that writing it helped me.

CONTENTS

My Morphine #1

Tornado

My Morphine #2

Unorthodox

My Morphine #3

Stay

My Morphine #4

Abscond

My Morphine #5

The Invisible Beast

My Morphine #6

I Love You

My Morphine #7

Not Today

My Morphine #8

The Walk

My Morphine #9

Routine

My Morphine #10

Brother

My Morphine #11

Mind Games

My Morphine #12

My Biggest Fear

My Morphine #13

I Win

My Morphine #14

Insignificant

My Morphine #15

One Night Stand

My Morphine #16

Perspective

My Morphine #17

If You Knew

My Morphine #18

Dear Brain

My Morphine #19

I

My Morphine #20

The Friend in the Green T-Shirt

A poem by the friend in the green t-shirt

Acknowledgements

Unorthodox

My Morphine #1

Writing through the pain

as my tears touch the page.

They blur the ink

like the line between friendship and fate.

But it’s worth it

because you’ve probably felt the same.

Have you?

Tornado

The National Weather Service has issued a severe weather warning. Storm Jemima has hit the south.

A tornado, intensity warning F3, is set to tear through your life, turn everything on its head,

emotions will be rife, this weather warning is most certainly a code red.

We cannot yet say whether the damage will be widespread

but there is sure to be a blustery path ahead.

Her sudden appearance may cause confusion,

no need to adjust, she won’t be a long-lasting intrusion.

However, after the initial luminosity you may become disillusioned.

Prepare to feel a surge of adrenaline

awaken your every sense

with her first presence.

Try not to be tense.

Remember she doesn’t mean to cause offence.

She is as natural as mountains or the moon’s mere existence,

but with natural follows disaster,

don’t fall victim to her false pretence.

With the commotion

you may want to tighten your grasp on common sense

before your thoughts condense

to only you and her,

you don’t have time to build a wall for defence,

her deep rumbling is echoing,

she’s hungry for you,

it’s about to commence.

The lights may be out for some time.

The only electricity will be the power drawing her closer to you,

until then, enjoy the view?

A change in atmosphere right on cue,

pressure is low,

she expects nothing from you.

You’re going to bind in a whirlwind of heart-pounding excitement

and fear of devastation,

please beware of her irresistible fixation

on you.

She will cling to you,

she will consume you,

she will rip of your roof leaving you exposed to who knows who

because she believes it could be good for you,

opening up to places you never knew existed.

Her judgement may be twisted

but her mystery can’t be resisted,

her patterns can’t be predicted,

her actions can’t be restricted.

She’s going to sweep you of your feet,

let you swirl amongst her cloud of frozen memories.

You being at the centre of her should not be confused with having a life of your own

to which you should retreat,

she will drop you back down to the ground

alongside your hail-stricken heartbeat.

How is it you feel complete when your heart is debris

drowning on concrete?

Leaves fly from branches of trees like birds.

If she teaches you one thing

let it be to be free.

To have no restrictions on the speed at which you chase your needs,

even after lightning strikes you can still succeed,

caught up in the strongest gusts you can still

breathe.

Her aggression was not meant for you.

No one wants to be a disaster

no matter how natural.

It accumulated inside of her and she blew

spine-chilling surface winds into your eyes,

blindingly beautiful skies

disturbed by cries to go back in time.

Power flashes from lines. Light the way

for broken futures to collide.

She invites you along for the ride.

To make this more complex,

what nonsense,

a multiple vortex is more destructive than a single cyclone.

Don’t let her drag you too far into the unknown

or rotate your thoughts until dust becomes your home.

If you’re brave enough to cut of the air supply the vortex will weaken.

Roping out,

tornado choked with doubt

of her existence,

becoming a thin cut out

of her former self.

Trees creak as they straighten their backs to watch her dissipate.

You won’t see the same her again.

Don’t forget after the storm will come a rainbow.

A rainbow to frame

the lasting impression that became

all that remains

from the life-threatening game she played.

How colourful it is

is up to you.

My Morphine #2

Have you ever loved someone

who makes you enjoy dwelling in the rain?

Someone who, every time your phone screen lights up,

you want to see their name?

Someone who leaves you lost for words

when usually words are your forte?