Thirty Angry Ghosts by Mai Black is a collection of poems which gives voice to departed figures from history - and they are not happy. They may be upset about their legacy and the way that things panned out for them in life or about the way we remember them today. They come from all over the world and from all different times, from a Neanderthal woman to Marie Curie (d. 1934). There is an equal number of male and female spirits represented.
The poems work really well as dramatic monologues, as Mai and a game group of her friends regularly demonstrate in the Suffolk area. They have also proved successful in bringing history to life in schools. At the back of the book, there are potted biographies of each figure and there is also a companion book of educational resources available.
The embroidery panel represents the ghosts with a variety of symbols. Some of these are widely associated with the particular person; some reflect the embroidery styles and patterns of his/her cultural background. Some draw on Mai’s poems more directly. The differences in size are intentional and this relates to the idea that we cannot control the level of our posthumous fame.
Mai’s book is available at www.amazon.co.uk/Thirty-Angry-Ghosts-Poems-Black
Picture copyright: Sew many books
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