After Hamnet
Soothing mossy dampness
I can’t write the post that I was going to write because I went to see Hamnet and I am completely UNMOORED. I feel like I need a week on my own in the woods just to process it. Can’t stop remembering bits of it, and crying randomly. There is so much to unpack. If you’ve seen it let’s debrief in the comments.
But I had to do something soothing, so of course I went to my local nursery and bought some woodland jewels to complete my tree installation.
Incase you’re new here, I bought a silver birch before Christmas to frame the view from my kitchen. I chose a multi-stem B. utilis Jacquemontii ‘Snow Queen’ and ordered a beautiful woven basket for it (link here) which finally arrived last week.
It is a giant pot of dreams, on casters, (which I had to remove in order to get it through the house), and I planted the tree inside it, along with an irrigation reservoir thing. The plastic tube that you water into is ugly, but worth it, because the tree can decide when it wants to drink, rather me deciding for it.
And today, I planted tiny baby irises, narcissi, snakes-head fritillaries, snowdrops and primroses around the edge while I sobbed about Hamnet, and then I covered the whole thing with moss, around all the tiny little spears of the bulbs and when I’d finished I realised that I had sort of recreated a mossy forest floor, a bit like the one in Hamnet.
That’s it. That’s all I can muster.
Shall we cry?
Or perhaps you didn’t like it at all…too much hype?
x Laetitia
This may be weak, but I can’t bring myself to watch it. I was undone by the book. (I had to sit next to my son’s bed as he slept and hold his dear little hand.) He is now the same age as Hamnet and is the best boy that ever there was. So it is self-preservation.
In my defence, I interviewed Maggie O’F (over zoom in ye olden pandemic times) and she said she couldn’t write it until her own son was past Hamnet’s age. And she couldn’t write That Scene in the family home. I remind myself of this to feel better about not getting involved at this stage!
xx
I love the phrase "soothing mossy dampness", Laetitia! I saw it last week too. The most beautiful film I've seen in a very long time. I loved the forest scenes, so immersive. I went with a large group of friends and was struck by the difference in reaction. We were all mothers of boys. And some were completely unmoved, others completely undone - one friend ran off as soon as the film ended as she could not control her emotions, tears streaming down her face. I sobbed at the point of death - the cry she lets out had so much pain in it. The last few scenes felt too intense somehow - I slid from Jessie Buckley being completely believable to feeling as though I was watching her act. Side note - absolutely blown away by the overall quality of acting. Joe Alwyn, in the background of so many scenes. The children, especially Jacobi Jupe playing Hamnet. Saying goodbye to his father, later behind the veil - incredible acting.