Black Mascara (Waterproof)

Black Mascara (Waterproof) is a glamorous and inventive debut exploring the complexities of female friendship, queer desire, and the enduring power of teenage memories. A mascara wand and a pair of peacock pink stilettos are brought to life; a Mayfair lingerie store provides the setting for a transformative bra fitting experience; and Tilda Swinton’s magazine photo shoot as David Bowie sparks an exploration of the relationship between history and identity.

In Rosalind Easton’s lively and inventive debut collection, everyday objects are invested with glamour and drama: a mascara wand and a pair of peacock suede stilettos are brought to life in poems exploring the complexities of relationships, and a Mayfair lingerie store provides the setting for a transformative bra fitting experience. A diverse range of literary and cultural references inspires several poems, with the poet’s grandmother coming back to life as a book to ‘play intellectual drinking games with Shakespeare’, and Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor taking over the running of a secondary school. In other poems, Tilda Swinton’s magazine photo shoot as David Bowie sparks an exploration of the relationship between history and identity, and a night at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire with Suede becomes a celebration of the enduring power of teenage memories.