Last Friday I attended a 4 hour taxidermy class where I preserved a mouse, now named Marlowe. I booked this class because taxidermy has always interested me and inspired some of my more gruesome poems. As a huge fan of 19th century gothic fiction the love of taxidermy seems almost natural, as the pieces are uncanny and often comical. I found the experience a very relaxing and calming one. When carefully making incisions, pulling the skin away, cutting through bone and removing all organs and flesh I found myself completely immersed in the activity. By taking something tiny apart you really have to concentrate and the mouse did take all of that 4 hour session to preserve correctly. Although activities such as this appear grotesque and morbid it is actually extremely fun and does take a lot of patience. I recommend for all creative writers to go out and find inspiration from strange places.
