THE GOOD LIFE: Lacunae, an Elegy for My Mother, Part I — by LISA WILDE
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
Excerpt from Philip Larkin’s poem
“This Be the Verse”
My mother died at 95 on March 23, 2011. Most of the drawings in Lacunae: Elegy for My Mother spilled out—unbidden, uncontrolled, raw—after her passing, and were clearly connected to my grieving. I call them Lacunae (which means “blank, a missing portion”) because it was her death that released this river from my unconscious.
Lacunae: Elegy For My Mother ties these images of unfiltered emotion into a life’s narrative. “The Good Life” is the first installment of my story, which will be serialized over five parts, weekly, on MUTHA Magazine. Follow MUTHA for the next chapter.
About the Author
Lisa Wilde is a mother, an artist, and a New York City public high school teacher. Her first book, Yo, Miss: A Graphic Look at High School (www.yomiss.com) was called one of 2015’s “20 Notable Nonfiction Books You Might Have Missed This Year” by the Huffington Post. She is a Fellow of the New York Academy for Teachers. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and sometimes her college-age son.
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I was moved by the messages with the simple drawings. Some real healing and understanding is evident. I look forward to experiencing more of your work, Lisa.
My God! Lisa I expected…I didn’t expect…your tone is the perfect match for the art – the fabulous art – innocent and hurt and brave and beautifully awkward. Like us ! Thank yoy. When can I get the hardcopy?
DFaye