I’m in the process of transcribing some of my Flash animations to video, since Flash won’t work on any browsers after the end of 2020.
This is the first part of my 2007 adaptation of Wallace Stevens’ poem ‘Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird’. The landscape is taken from “Kiso Mountains in Snow” by Hiroshige.
“‘Don’t peck his nose,’ said Mary, who was sitting next to the manger. ‘He’s only just been born.’ So she gave them some bread. ‘Thanks very much,’ said Robbie. ‘That bread’s stale,’ said Ropey. ‘I like it best when it’s stale,’ said Rupert. ‘Stale bread is super!’ ‘Why did you come here?’ said Mary. ‘We heard the angel telling the shepherds about Christmas,’ said Robbie. ‘So we thought we’d come too.’ ‘I’m ever so glad we did,’ said Rupert. ‘It was a blooming long way,’ said Ropey. ‘And now we’ve got to go back.'”
From the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis.
“They went into the shed and perched on the side of the manger. ‘Look at that baby,’ said Robbie. ‘Oh! Doesn’t he look sweet and lovely?’ said Rupert. ‘I’m starving hungry from all that walking,’ said Ropey. ‘Let’s peck his nose.'”
From the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis.
“I been standing out here gettin frosbite inna black night, feels like a fortnite cos a shiny angel all dress in white come down a beam of light, into my field, right? and he says to the shepherds no need for fright cos a new kinda prince bein born tonite he gonna lift the lowly to a new height he gonna fix up the wrong and gonna make it right he gonna fix up the blind man and give him sight and the unrequited gonna get his requite and you can find this prince ’bout midnight inna tumbledown shed fulla candle light lyin in a manger wrap up in white if you follow that star that’s a-shinin bright”
From the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis
“‘Is it that shed over there?’ said Robbie. ‘The very same,’ said the camel. ‘Look at it!’ said Ropey. ‘It’s falling to bits! If that’s Christmas, it must be a shambles.’ ‘I think it looks nice and cosy,’ said Rupert. ‘Come on,’ said Robbie. ‘We’ll take a closer look.'”
From the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis.
“‘Once,’ said the camel, ‘I lived in a beautiful palace, in a hot country full of elegant palm trees. Now my master the King drags me here against my will, and he leaves me shivering in this field of snow, while he goes to take a look inside a shed! A lowly shed! He who once reclined on a throne of gold! And all because of Christmas!'”
From the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis.
“Then they saw a camel. ‘Excuse me, Mr Camel,’ said Robbie. ‘Do you know anything about Christmas?’ ‘Don’t talk to me about Christmas,’ said the camel. ‘I hate Christmas.’ ‘There you are!’ said Ropey. ‘How can you hate it?’ said Rupert. ‘It’s the best thing ever!'”
The fifth picture from The Christmas Robins, the new picture book by myself and Mollie Macgregor-Kinnis.