February 2020

Apus – a chapbook of Carolyn’s poems inspired by the life of Frida Kahlo – has been published by The Red Ceilings Press.

The haunting cover image was taken by Carolyn’s niece Rose-Anna Waudby Ahmet during her travels in #Mexico, Columbia and Cuba and features the Island of Dolls in #Xochimilco, Mexico City.

Apus is one of the 20 poems in the collection and means ‘without foot’. It is a constellation in the southern sky but also references the fact Frida Kahlo had her right leg amputated.

The constellation represents the bird of paradise, often thought to be the same as the Mexican national bird, the quetzal.  Early traders would cut off the feet of the birds to sell them.

Frida Kahlo wore elaborate clothing, including boots embroidered with the quetzal bird – even on her artificial leg.