Intern Becca writes about a Tim Burton published book filled with short poems titled The Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy & Other Stories. It is dedicated to those that would find themselves in the company of unusual characters like Edward Scissorhands. Burton writes a lot about outcast characters that are "weird".
These poems appear funny on the surface but hide a deeper meaning and can be quite dark. Most are not clever poems, but rather charming in an odd, eerie way. However, if you enjoy fanciful art, you will love Tim Burton's beautiful, gothic, and whimsical sketches.
Here is my favorite poem from the book. I included a time lapse video at the top of the page of me recreating his image with pottery paint on a 4-inch tile in my painting style.
The Girl with Many Eyes
One day in the park I had quite a surprise I met a girl who had many eyes.
She was really quite pretty (and also quite shocking!) and I noticed she had a mouth, so we ended up talking.
We talked about flowers, her poetry classes and the problems she’d have if she ever wore glasses.
It’s great to know a girl who has so many eyes, but you really get wet when she breaks down and cries.
My interpretation of this poem is that this girl is different, however the boy started to talk to her. He mentions that the girl is quite pretty, which society says isn't normal for a different person to be this. The boy found the beauty within her underlying characteristics rather than her outer appearance.
This poem relives Burton's anxiety about abandonment and being an outcast growing up. He wishes that someone broke the conformity of society and talked to him like he did with the girl with many eyes, and got to know her. I think this poem would be great to read to young adults because it teaches them that they should not judge someone on how they look, and they should simply begin by talking to them.
I encourage everyone to read all of the poems in this book, or watch any Tim Burton film! He is truly a character himself. I love the creativity he expresses and how he always keeps things interesting.