That sailed upon a pointless sea.

Because there is no question at all that I ought to be spending every last scrap of time on (1) basic parenting, (2) moving preparation, and if there is any odd moment left over, (3) academic work, I have of course undertaken an entirely unrelated project. 

There is a great shortage of illustrated children's books, as you know. That is why it is imperative that I drop everything and illustrate one of my own. It was especially important that I select a text--"The Frivolous Cake"--that is only marginally appropriate for children and furthermore written by a man who illustrated his own books, and those of others, perfectly well already himself.

When it is all done I will have a single copy printed up by one of those clever print-on-demand places, and it will all be very jolly and Jane will hate it. I shouldn't have too much trouble finishing the drawings before we move, except that I am still not quite sure how I will render the final stanza, which depicts the sexual congress of the cake and knife. To wit:

In the speed of the lingering light are blown
The crumbs to the hake above,
And the tropical air vibrates to the drone
Of a cake in the throes of love.

As you see. Any ideas? 

Comments

[adriana]

You know that I will want a copy of this book. Seriously. This is awesome!

[Marissa Flaxbart]

This is tremendous and strange! I think you should just be matter-of-fact with it. Depict the knife deep inside the cake. Maybe it's already sliced away a bit. Maybe there should be some frosting.

:) - Marissa Flaxbart

[snarkout]

I am reminded of a particularly loathsome trick in Penn and Teller's "How to Play with Your Food", involving a cake that vomited gloppy red goo when sliced. But she is not that sort of cake! She is curranty.

[The Modesto Kid]

Thanks, I did not know this poem. Reminds me a bit of "The Owl and the Pussycat", which I am strongly in favor of having things remind me of. Your cartooning goes well with it, with this poem. I too am putting in my request for a copy of this, of this book.

she is curranty

Fortunate that -- the knife can take little love nips at her betrothed and not have to worry about disemboweling him. (Not that there's anything wrong with that -- I mean it's a totally normal piece of a knife's relationship with a cake to destroy it, sort of a praying-mantis type of thing... I mean whatever the cake is into I guess but it seems to me like there's nothing but heartache ahead for those two. Heartache and cake!)

[The Modesto Kid]

pull-quote for the back cover -- "«Heartache and cake!» raves The Modesto Kid"

[Yer Mum]

Well, the light is tastefully growing dim in the poem, and crumbs are sort of whirling about in the tropical air. Perhaps the actual participants are off camera.

[K-sky]

These are great! I hadn't any idea you were such a nimble illustrator. I love your drawings.

[Betty M]

This is great. The cake will need to take its sail off obviously.

[TED]

On a field, sable, the letter a single currant.

[finn]

just cut to a shot of curtains billowing by an open window.