“As she laughed I was aware of becoming involved in her laughter and being part of it, until her teeth were only accidental stars with a talent for squad-drill. I was drawn in by short gasps, inhaled at each momentary recovery, lost finally in the dark caverns of her throat, bruised by the ripple of unseen muscles. […]” T S Eliot, “Hysteria”
My series of seven works, entitled LAUGH, has grown, half unconsciously, out of my serial re-readings of Eliot’s "Hysteria". Supposedly a portrait of Valerie, his wife, but in my opinion this poem expresses as much of his own psychologically fractured state as it does hers. LAUGH is my playful response to Eliot’s poem.
LAUGH was on show as part of Geoff Dunlop’s show, WORDPLAY, curated for Fringe Arts Bath at 44AD, Fri 27th May-12th June, 2022.
