I Have No Idea What I'm Doing
By Grace Pilkington
Category Poetry, Motherhood, Pregnancy, Family, Maternity
About I Have No Idea What I'm Doing
From the depression, nausea and constant burping of the first trimester, to the sciatica, sleeplessness and anxiety of the last; the elation and terror of early motherhood right through to the end of breastfeeding and her child's first day at nursery - these poems describe one woman's journey to becoming a mother. This initiation is one of the most common human experiences, but also shockingly unique and insular. Poems Burping on the Tube, Candy Crush Guy and Super-mum and Me, tell humorous stories about Grace's alien new reality, shining light on aspects of pregnancy and motherhood far from the glossy, shimmering images on social media. Mostly written in lockdown, ‘I Have No Idea What I'm Doing’ also highlights what life at home was like for new mothers. Grace has always struggled with anxiety and depression and this collection addresses mental health and how it is affected by hormonal fluctuations. Much like life and motherhood, most of the poetic structures are unpredictable and their rhythm bumpy and non-conformist. These poems dive deep into raw human experience and the sheer ferocity of motherhood. With beautiful monoprint illustrations from animator and artist Allegra Pilkington, this book is both a gift and collector's item.
Published: 1 June 2022 Pages: 78 ISBN: 978-1-7398645-1-4
Size: 5 1/2”x 8 1/2” / 203 x 127mm Price: £10.00
Format: Casebound Hardback
Available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, Bookshop.org, Waterstones and all good book sellers
About Grace Pilkington
Grace Pilkington is a writer and poet who writes about mental illness, women's issues and motherhood. She performs at literary nights across the UK, has recited her work on the BBC World Service and Times Radio and appeared at literary festivals including Hay and Port Eliot. She has an MA in Creative Writing from Birkbeck University and was long-listed for the Notting Hill Editions essay prize for her work Sugar-Coated on the contraceptive pill and for the 2017 National Poetry Competition. Her first solo collection I have no idea what I'm doing: Grace lives in Hastings with her husband and two children.
