New Poetry: The Red Shoes as a Metaphor for Bi-polar Disorder by Jo Mazelis
First there are delusions of grandeur
Tip tap
Then inappropriate items of clothing
Tip tap
And extravagant spending
Tip tap
Then the endless dancing
Tip tap tip tap tip tap
Followed by exhaustion
Tip tap
Followed by depression
Tip tap
And the need to punish oneself
Tip tap
Then medical intervention
Tip tap
And fevered piety and terrible regret
Tip tap
And wooden feet
Toc toc
And wooden feet
Tic toc
Jo Mazelis is a novelist, short story writer, poet and essayist. Her collection of stories Diving Girls (Parthian, 2002) was short-listed for The Commonwealth Best First Book and Welsh Book of the Year. Her poetry has appeared in Poetry Wales, New Welsh Review, I am not a Silent Poet and Screech Owl amongst others. Originally trained at Art School, she worked for many years in London in magazine publishing as a freelance photographer, designer and illustrator, before receiving an MA in English Literature. In 2014 her novel Significance was published by Seren.
Words and Image: Copyright © Jo Mazelis, 2015