Description

By Sarah McBride

ISBN: 978-1-84747-827-6
Published: 2009
Pages: 73
Key Themes: poetry, symbolism, humour

ALSO AVAILABLE IN PAPERBACK

Description

Sarah uses her many life experiences to explore the human psyche. Sarah’s love of words and the poignant pictures they evoke shine through in many of her pieces of work. Although many of the subjects are of a serious nature her profound sense of humour and her understanding of the absurdity of life are self evident.
This book will appeal to a wide audience, each picking out a particular poem that communicates to them as an individual. Sarah’s use of words to paint mind pictures, such as two little shoes, where she uses that as a symbolism of loss, will catch the imagination that perhaps visual art some times can not.

About the Author

Sarah then trained and worked as a nurse doing stints at General, Psychiatric and Mentally Handicap hospitals.
Sarah was a student nurse in a psychiatric hospital in Gloucester when she became pregnant with her oldest son Jonathan. The father was not in a position to marry her though he would have liked too.
So she found herself in a mother and baby home in Bristol where Jonathan was born at South Meads hospital.

Sarah then took a live in nursing job at Bridgwater Somerset where she met Brian Cavill, the man who was to become her husband. They married in Jan 1967. Sarah had a happy 6 months when in June 1967 Jonathan contracted T.B. Meningitis he was in a coma for 6 weeks and was badly brain damaged.

Sarah and Brian took him home and looked after him as best they could, while Jonathan was in a coma his sister Angela was born.
After Sarah’s fourth and last child was born she was diagnosed bi-polar disorder and spent many months over the following years in Psychiatric units. The result was her marriage broke down and was divorced in 2005
Sarah was separated when she met William Dodd (Billy) they have an instant rapport and in 2008 he asked her to move in with him. This she did and is very happy, hoping to be married to him next year, 2010.

Book Extract

Winter

Oh to see winter as they used to be
Snow icicles and frost at this special time of year
Now all we have is rain, rain and more rain
(No wonder so many people emigrate to Spain)
I remember winter as it was in childhood
When I attended a little primary school
In the Glens of Antrim- Glenariff-
Where I was born – called the Queen of the
Nine glens because of its exceptional beauty
But there was a bitter side to the winter there
Some children had no shoes and their
Clothes of such poor quality did not keep them warm
We didn’t point and say “look at her or him
They’ve got no shoes on”- life indeed was grim
For all the small farmers all around
They didn’t have money- only when they sold
A pig or a cow and that to pay the bills
We had boots and shoes- but we just accepted
That some others didn’t and you couldn’t help
It would have been charity which would
Have been anathema to them
Yes winter had two faces in those days
Cruel and cold comes to mind
Oh winter where have you gone?
The seasons
Have merged and you no longer have your time
Oh for a good flurry of snow to let us know
You’re still around in whatever guise
Come back winter- all is forgiven