I really want to read this at some point. Have you read 'H is for Hawk' by Helen Macdonald? It sounds in a similar vein and is fantastic. On another note, there's a war poem on a GCSE syllabus called 'Bayonet Charge' by Ted Hughes which mentions a hare and its shock as it finds its field turned into a battleground. I didn't know about hares freezing - it makes a lot of sense in the poem now.
I went to an Off the Shelf Festival years ago and saw Helen Macdonald. It was around 2014 I think. Helen was absolutely amazing and seemed so lovely. I don’t think I read the book though. I will dig it out. Just done a quick search and there’s a film of H is for Hawk in production. Helen’s second book Vesper Flights also sounds good. It’s a collection of essays - I do love a good essay. So, thank you for the recommendation.
Fran, just a thought, you should come to the Off the Shelf Festival and do a comedy writing class. That would be fantastic.
Years of helping in GCSE classrooms, and I only realised the hare was not metaphorical like a month ago. I know the rest of the poem is about gruesome human deaths and misery, but having a real hare in the crossfires is super upsetting!
I used to get the students to list the ways in which the hare echoed the soldier's experience and feelings - it was always very illuminating. I loved teaching that poem.
Going to the library app to see if they have this right now!
Fantastic! I really hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think. 📖
I really want to read this at some point. Have you read 'H is for Hawk' by Helen Macdonald? It sounds in a similar vein and is fantastic. On another note, there's a war poem on a GCSE syllabus called 'Bayonet Charge' by Ted Hughes which mentions a hare and its shock as it finds its field turned into a battleground. I didn't know about hares freezing - it makes a lot of sense in the poem now.
I went to an Off the Shelf Festival years ago and saw Helen Macdonald. It was around 2014 I think. Helen was absolutely amazing and seemed so lovely. I don’t think I read the book though. I will dig it out. Just done a quick search and there’s a film of H is for Hawk in production. Helen’s second book Vesper Flights also sounds good. It’s a collection of essays - I do love a good essay. So, thank you for the recommendation.
Fran, just a thought, you should come to the Off the Shelf Festival and do a comedy writing class. That would be fantastic.
Also, just read the poem. 😘
Years of helping in GCSE classrooms, and I only realised the hare was not metaphorical like a month ago. I know the rest of the poem is about gruesome human deaths and misery, but having a real hare in the crossfires is super upsetting!
I used to get the students to list the ways in which the hare echoed the soldier's experience and feelings - it was always very illuminating. I loved teaching that poem.