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Monday, January 23, 2012

Bumbletrain

This is slightly different, un-cropped version of the bumbleland train I put up on my website last week.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

The Elfop Journey

This is a poem for children I have written called The Elflop Journey, accompanied by an Elflop. I am currently creating artwork for a full Elflop Journey children's book, but as it is a work in progress i thought i'd post the text up here to see what people think. So naturally, any feedback is welcomed and greatly appreciated. Tweet me, yeh?

The Elflop Journey

The Elflops arose bright and early
For a tragic Elflop journey.

Yesterday had delivered a wonderful test
To set out on a wild and dangerous quest.
A magic, tragic Elflop journey

They'd spent all evening preparing the group
The mothers made handles, the fathers made soup
They made fast the doors of the yeldensaur coop.
Prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey

The children excited all laid out their things
The norbluff was clipped of it's troublesome wings
Milk was tossed for the good luck it brings
And the Pleebrook was gagged as it smells when it sings.
Stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

They had set their alarms and rode out at dawn
With courage mustered, their shields drawn
To realise later with faces forlorn
They'd left behind fimo, who'd only be born
To Harry and Flarry that very same morn.
Forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

The Elflops ran on with haste in their hearts
Their satchels were bulging with fonberry tarts
They'd loaded their flot-geese in wonky old carts
The flot-geese were flustered and driven to farts
Which ruined the ten minute pit stop for darts
As they'd ran out of fancy new spray at the marts.
Fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

They passed through the valleys of Quondicewell pine
And remarked at the top that the views were divine
Up potty tor and the sewage incline,
Where the views were different, almost benign
They raced up the hill at the end of the line
Noticed they'd misread the last but one sign
So they turned back around, how the young ones did whine.
Downright incapable, fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

Bumbling on with their treacherous trip
They only had minimal rations to sip
When all of a sudden with a bumble and blip
The cart was teetering over a lip
It groaned and moaned and started to tip
It seemed the Elflops were destined to flip
They all went tumbling into the slip
And no one had remembered to pack the ship.
Inept and incapable, fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

The rapids were ruthless and rushing and wild
Each Elflop was scared for both woman and child
But more for their hair which was beautifully styled
Their heavenly lives had been badly defiled
Even though the river was surprisingly mild
And now it seemed certain they'd all be compiled
In lists marked as 'Missing' and rapidly filed
In disorganised systems with badly made piles
Not one of them laughed or remembered to smile.
Inept they wept, downright incapable, fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

Why on earth did we first set out?
To the elders enquired a curious lout
Shut up and keep swimming!” they'd turn back and shout
So he carried on paddling with a whine and a pout
The truth is the Elflops were fleeing a drought
The seasonal crops had failed to sprout
And the fisherman didn't bring back any trout
Returning to shore with terrible gout
They all became worried and driven to doubt
So at least now we know what this journey's about.
Hungry they were, Inept they wept, downright incapable, fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

The Elflops dragged themselves out of the fjord
To an ancient cave, with an ancient Lord
He was highly respected and somewhat adored
But when they arrived they were dreadfully bored
He had a penchant for sandlewood swords
And showed his collection of decorative gourds
And his seven sick wives, all of them Maude.
He didn't care for the plight of the horde
And out of the cave' the Elfops poured
They felt out of place and somewhat ignored
They regretted the fact that they'd ever explored.
Forgotton by Sir, hungry they were, inept they wept, downright incapable, fetid, forgetful but stable and steady, prepared and ready for a magic, tragic Elflop journey.

So remember on setting out from your home
There's not always somewhere better to roam
It's true the world is a wonderful place
You don't have to look hard for a friendly face
But for some a life on the road is wrong
We don't all yearn for a travelling song
The Elflops learned
And you might in turn
That the place you once left is the place you belong.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

First Aid Kit

Through the wonder that is twitter i ended up doing a small (that turned rather elaborate) piece for Amelia's Magazine, to go alongside an interview with First Aid Kit, two singers from Sweden. The article is HERE, the image is below...


Sunday, January 15, 2012

New Website

I have a new website! still michaeljulings.com New work will be up soon, watch both this space and that one. Simultaneously.




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