The Ship of Fools : Poems and Prose in Scots & English, was written by Sheena Blackhall in 2009. Published by Malfranteaux Concepts, 46 Portal Cresent, Aberdeen, and printed by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen , the cover by Sìne NicTheàrlaich is copied from a Mediaeval print. Most of these poems were written during a visit to Belgium; one of the poet's ancestors, Johan Crab came from that region. see:
As part of her duties as Makar for Aberdeen and the North East, poems or songs are occasionally written, either by commission, request, or because the Makar appears at an event. Guernica, The Dust of Life & Victims, was written for ‘Peace & Prejudice’ an event organised by the group
http://www.deadgoodpoets.co.uk/ and also appear in ‘One’ an anthology pub. by Malfranteaux Concepts, 2009.
The Bishop is published in a regional Anthology pub. by Forward Press, to commemorate 21 years of the series.
The Watchie was written at the Grassic Gibbon Centre as part of their festival.
The Wickerman was written at Archeolink, during Gadifest.
A Traivellin Man was written on August 7th at the funeral of Stanley Robertson. It was broadcast by Robbie Shepherd on Radio Scotland, and published by Leopard Magazine.
For Rab, was written for the Stonehaven Burns Fatherland Group.
The Scots Enlightenment was written for Helena Anderson Wright’s education project on Burns.
Aberdeen Rap was written for the Aberdeen Convention Bureau’s Annual Ambassador’s Awards.
Troubled Water was written for ‘Putting it Right’, an event at the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival 2009.
Deveronvale Perfection was requested by a Bennachie Baillie.
The Rescue was written on reading an Aberdeen uni. media release.
The Ship of Fools was inspired by a voyage on The Lady of the Lake, organised by Sally Evans as part of Poetry Scotland’s annual Poetry Weekend.
The Social Workers’ Rant (& Lament) was commissioned by Maureen Ross for the 4th Annual Practice Learning event at RGU.
Lucky was amongst the prizewinning stories in Lallans mag. 2009 competition. During 2009 the poet's son Ross Blackhall was working at St. Petersburg.
Some of these poems have already been published on-line at http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . The poems were written in the two weeks after the poet visited Krakow in July 27th -31st, 2009, during which time she visited Auschwitz with her son Morven. The cover is copied by Sìne NicTheàrlaich from a painting by David Bloch, a German-Jewish artist who was interned at Dachau. The linking historical data within this pamphlet is taken from various sources all on-line and in the public domain. Published by Lochlands, Maud, Aberdeenshire August 2009
Some of these poems and pieces of prose have already been published. Growing Down , Bannockburn 1314 & Bannockburn Crow, appear on http://www.poemhunter.com/sheena-blackhall . An e-book of selected poems by Sheena Blackhall also appears on this site.
