is, thinks Pearl

Step into Pearls world and take a tour around her faded seaside town, past the graffiti walls, bus stops, and the old mattress factory. With Pearl as our guide, the colors suddenly pop, and every tiny detail becomes rich with interest. From the lido to the hair salon, to the Christmas shop in June, the ordinary becomes magical, and every bit of wildness, weirdness, and tattiness is whisked into the foreground. Pearl is an alter ego of the poet, a character who observes the minutiae around her and whose thoughts are a pleasure to follow. This pamphlet follows Pearl as she rollicks around, making her way through a townscape similar but not identical to the too-small-to-be-cities of poet Julia Bird's 70s & 80s childhood.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 36 pages
Publication date: 04 November 2021
Publisher: The Emma Press

Step into Pearls world and take a tour around her faded seaside town, past the graffiti walls, bus stops, and the old mattress factory. Except – with Pearl as our guide – the colors suddenly pop and every tiny detail becomes rich with interest. From the lido to the hair salon, to the Christmas shop in June, the ordinary becomes magical, and every bit of wildness, weirdness, and tattiness is whisked into the foreground.

Pearl is an alter ego of the poet: she's a character who observes the minutiae around her and whose thoughts are a pleasure to follow. This pamphlet follows Pearl as she rollicks around, making her way through a townscape similar but not identical to the too-small-to-be-cities of poet Julia Bird's 70s & 80s childhood.

The first time was a fluke. Subsequently, Pearl made plans to visit the Christmas shop at the edge of town every twenty-fifth of June; a day when, even if it isn't hot, it's light, the day most likely the shops' most empty of people wanting winter or its antimatter to take into their homes.

The shop is a small one, with a few shelves of decorations and a few tables of toys and games. Pearl walks in and looks around, taking in the sights and smells of the season. She notices a few things that she doesn't usually see, like a snowman made out of buttons and a Santa Claus made out of candy canes.

As she walks around, Pearl starts to feel a sense of wonder and excitement. She can't believe that she's actually here, in the middle of June, in a Christmas shop. She feels like she's stepped into a different world, a world where anything is possible.

She picks up a few items, including a snowman ornament and a set of Christmas-themed playing cards. She pays for the items and leaves the shop, feeling happy and content.

As she walks back to her seaside town, Pearl feels like she's been on a magical journey. She's seen things that she never thought possible, and she's felt a sense of joy and wonder that she hasn't felt in a long time.

She knows that she'll be back to the Christmas shop every twenty-fifth of June, and she can't wait to see what new surprises it has in store for her. She knows that, with Pearl as her guide, the ordinary will become magical, and every bit of wildness, weirdness, and tattiness will be whisked into the foreground.

Weight: 72g
Dimension: 129 x 198 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781912915873