Greetings!
"Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words."
~Robert Frost
|
Happy April and National Poetry Month. For me, poetry is every month, but why not dedicate this month to one of my favorite genres? Please note that I've reviewed two books this month, because there are always at least two books on my bedside table.
In addition, April 22nd is National Earth Day. How can we not forget to appreciate this blessed universe we live in? This day also honors the achievements of environmental movements across the country and is a day to raise awareness for our wonderful Earth. Each day of my life, I try honor the earth I walk on and when I'm feeling stressed or out of sync, the first place I turn to is mother Earth—the forest, the beach—places that help us get grounded. Special thanks to our Earth this day and every day.
|
|
- Write a poem or story about your favorite flowers.
- Write a few paragraphs about your favorite poet.
- Write a poem beginning with "I remember."
- Write about your experience and/or love for poetry.
|
|
Sixty and Me. January 22, 2024.
Verse-Virtual. March 2024.
The Mindful Word. March 2024.
"Hoping." (poem) Amethyst Review. March 18, 2024.

|
|
"Connecting with Our Ancestors: A Writing Workshop." May 2024. Casa Dumetz Wines. Los Alamos. CA. Details to follow.
"Hummingbird: Messages from My Ancestors: Book signing and Writing Workshop." Mystic Journey Bookstore, Santa Monica, CA. Details to follow.
"Channeling Your Memoir Writing Workshop." Sacred Space. Summer 2024. Details to follow.
|
|
by Laure-Anne Bosselaar (poetry)
The poetry of my dear friend Laure-Anne Bosselaar is not new to me, but whenever I read her work I am always left in awe of how deep she goes and how willingly and creatively she brings the reader along. Also impressive is how she can tell a story and paint a picture with words that will stick with you long after you close the book. Bosselaar's poetry often addresses her years in a nunnery in Belgium and the intensity of that experience; each time I read them, I flinch along with her. Other poems deal with love, death, longing, and her new dog Luna.
Even her foreword was a poem,"The Worlds In This World," and how powerfully it ends: Listen to that wind, listen to it ranting/The doors of heaven never close, that's the Curse,/that's the Miracle."
I have dog-eared all my favorite poems, wanting to share lines here, but as I glance at the book, I see that nearly 1/4 of the book is marked and beyond the scope of sharing. Bosselaar has done a creative job pulling together this collection dedicated to her only grandson, Tito, who no doubt is very proud of his grandma.
|
|
by James Crews (poetry)
This is another one of Crews' masterpiece anthologies. Reading this book is like tonic for the soul. As he says in his introduction, "Poetry often originates in potent bursts of insight, so it is the perfect medium for deepening our practice of reverence for the world."
Crews writes about how wonder calls us back to the curiosity each of us were born with, nudging us closer to what sparks our fascination and attention.
This is one of those books to be kept on our nightstands when we need to be uplifted and loved by words.
In this collection, Crews has gathered the work of many renowned poets such as Ross Gay, Mark Nepo, Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Danusha Laméris, Ada Limón, Naomi Shihab Nye, Joy Hart, Kim Stafford, Dorianne Laux, Michael Simms, Ted Kooser, Tony Hoagland, and Laure-Anne Bosselaar—whose book I also review in this newsletter.
Highly recommended. Buy a copy for yourself and someone you love!
|
|
|
|
Top-selling course!
Write. Heal. Transform:
A Magical Memoir-Writing Course
|
|
|
|
An exclusive course!
Therapeutic Writing
|
|
Missed my last newsletter?
OR
|
|
You’re receiving this newsletter because somewhere on this life's journey, our paths have crossed. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
‌
‌
‌
‌