“Waking a Sleeping Rabbit by Surrounding Him with Grapes” was written in response to a video of the same name by YouTuber OneMorePlease that went viral in 2020. I was struck by how both Pipkin (the rabbit) and the grapes looked like a sacrificial offering. In the context of Covid-19, I wanted to explore human feelings of desire, longing, and companionship through symbiotic imagery, thinking of literal and metaphorical distances between people. I was also interested in showing how digital media fills some of these gaps, particularly when nonhuman subjects are involved.
About the Artist
Caitlin Stobie lives in Leeds, where she is currently researching planetary health and poetry. She teaches creative writing at Leeds Arts University and is an editorial assistant at Stand.
This recording of the poem was commissioned by ILF for their project on ‘The Natural World’. Thanks to Mike for granting permission to use the video in this commission.
