V. Press is very proud to announce the publication of The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile by Claire Walker.
Daughter, wife and mother; femme fatale, object of study and maker of myths…The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile explores what being a real woman has been, is, and could be in today’s society of celebrity, stereotypes and media spin. Beneath the poems’ sometimes quiet surfaces, a strong voice, pared word choices, precise images and thought-provoking metaphor make this a powerful pamphlet. The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile is very vivid and very resonant.
"Claire Walker's debut pamphlet The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile is a riveting meditation on motherhood and transformation that crackles with drama. There are moments of lyrical delicacy and oceanic longings, and Walker's perceptual acuity pitches the reader into a world where nothing is taken at face value – a girl might be a crocodile, a mermaid could become captor, and seeds are studied for their mnemonic potential. This is a work to be savoured." Carolyn Jess Cooke
"A confident and impressive debut by Claire Walker. The alluring qualities in this collection are the sense of mystique in many of her poems which at first glance appear elucidating. The stylistic fusion of narrative and illustrative poetry see-saws from the adult experience of life to a fabling account of the innocence and fragility of childhood and adolescence. Claire Walker is a writer who clearly cares about her craft and some of the dreamlike qualities of this collection are reminiscent of Joy Davidman’s work." Antony Owen
"A confident and impressive debut by Claire Walker. The alluring qualities in this collection are the sense of mystique in many of her poems which at first glance appear elucidating. The stylistic fusion of narrative and illustrative poetry see-saws from the adult experience of life to a fabling account of the innocence and fragility of childhood and adolescence. Claire Walker is a writer who clearly cares about her craft and some of the dreamlike qualities of this collection are reminiscent of Joy Davidman’s work." Antony Owen
RRP £4.99
Buy a copy of The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile now:
The pamphlet's official celebratory launch is on October 10 in Worcestershire. The event is open to the public and full details can be found on Claire's blog here.
A sample poem from the pamphlet can be read below.
Then she made her move. Opened up
A sample poem from the pamphlet can be read below.
The Girl Who Grew Into a Crocodile
When she was young, they'd swim. Take off
sandals and frilled ankle socks and jump
into the river. She loved to feel the water pull
ribboned hair to float behind her.
The games started with smiles: splashing; testing
who could hold a breath longest. They never matched her.
She was born to lie in wait, to feel the kiss
of the current in her ears until her head turned light.
But children wish to win. The others turned
as green as the rushes lining their pool. They plotted, held her
down too long. The water swilled round her lungs and she coughed
her heartsong out with it.
That night, she lay awake under a sky that was turning
tides with its dust covered ball. She pulled the cold rock
down, seethed until scales replaced skin, found the biting point
of a new jaw and wished for the crunch of bone.
Next time, she waited in the shallows, camouflaged
in the rushes, cold blood immersed. Eyes broke
the surface, webbed feet treading water. The sun hit
her back and she felt her armour shine.
her huge grin. Felt never-ending enamel sink through flesh
as easily as arms stroke water. She snapped her jaws shut.
Swallowed the damage whole.
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