The Poems: Sizzons

Title: Sizzons. Poems & Tales in Scots & English by Sheena Blackhall. Published by Malfranteaux Concepts, AberdeenPri nted by Thistle Reprographics, 55 Holburn Street Aberdeen. The cover image is by Rosy Long, entitled 'A Year in a Sheep Field' Cost: £3.00. Copyright: S. Blackhall October 2o18 Some of these poems were inspired by paintings. Sleekit Mr Tod was written to perform at the Belmont cinema on 15th November, at a showing of Fantastic Mr Fox. Other pieces were written during a research visit to Staffordshire, Newcastle, Sherwood. There are four owersetts into Scots of old Celtic poems. The Icarus Sizzon was published in the 100th and last edition of Poetry Scotland to be edited by Sally Evans. A copy of Tales from the Urals was sent to me by Catriona Low of Severin Publishing. I have owersett two of the tales into Scots, which were translated into English from the Russian by Eve Manning, (The Erne’s Father, and A Dweeble Twig). The remaining two tales are my variations of stories told to me by the late Stanley Robertson, (Slaw Sarah and The Puggie’s Hairt). The cover, A Year in a Sheep Field, is by Rosy Long, a visually impaired artist who lives in Aberdeenshire. She specializes in drawing and painting, her work is inspired by cats and by the picturesque rural surrounding in which she lives; it has developed over time into a love of 3D and bas-relief combined with an enjoyment in visual storytelling. Mixed media are used in all her work often in ceramic paper clay or papier mache. She is quoted as saying ‘I love colour, partly this has to do with my eyes, I sleep at night with the thought of how colours work together and when I get up, it's all about colours working together. I grew up in the West Coast of Scotland with pure bright colour and always stayed with me, this is how I express myself.’ In response to the question of what materials and techniques she uses to create her beautiful and skilful pieces she says: "All the larger papier mache shapes are built from old cardboard with corrugated cardboard gussets. The whole work is painted with wood glue to strengthen it and then primed before it is painted on the collage. The background is acrylic mirror painted with glass paints of Sharpies". For more information on publications by Sheena Blackhall, visit http://sheenablackhall.blogspot.com or the on-line catalogue of the Nat. Library of Scotland www.nls.uk/catalogues/online/index/html. All of Blackhall’s poems in Scots and English, are now uploaded on www.poemhunter.com. Her website can be found on http://smiddleton4.wix.com/sheena-blackhall. An interview in podcast form with the poet appears on: http://www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/connect/podcast/sheena-blackhall Thanks are also due to Malfranteaux Concepts, in agreeing to publish this collection.Sheena Blackhall October 2018 This pamphlet is dedicated to my grandchildren, Jessica, Winnie, Natalie & Skye