Genre: Poetry
Description:
“In the midst of a confusing and frightening world, Smoky Zeidel
remains true to form with her poetry, gently reminding us to close out the
superfluous and remember that which is sacred. Garden Metamorphosis is both a
love song to Mother Earth, and a celebration of the cycle of life.”
Author:
“Smoky Zeidel is a novelist and poet, whose love of the natural world
is thematic in all she writes. She taught writing and creativity workshops for
many years at venues throughout the Midwest before succumbing to her bohemian
urges and moving to Southern California. Her work has earned her five
nominations for the prestigious Pushcart Prize. Smoky lives in the Coachella
Valley, which is part of the vast Colorado Desert in Southern California, with
her husband Scott, two cats, and a Chihuahua named Tufa (who considers herself
the Boss of Everything). She is an avid desert gardener, an orchid grower, and
monarch caterpillar rancher.”
Appraisal:
A collection of 25 poems plus a “bonus” short story that fits the
theme of the poems which, as the description says, is a “celebration of the
cycle of life.” With a few exceptions I’d describe it as observing nature and
the outdoors.
I’m not sure if I’ve ever read a book of poetry before this. Sure,
I’ve read a random poem thrown in at the start of a novel or a limerick on the
bathroom wall, but I don’t think I’ve ever sat down with the intent of reading
an entire book of poetry before, let alone with the intent of writing a review
once I was done. However, I did review music for a website where all of the
reviewers, myself included, tended to focus on the lyrics. About two poems in
it struck me that the same things that make a good song lyric are what makes a
good poem. Yeah, Homer Simpson is reading this and saying, “well d’oh.”
A good poem or song lyric has to say a lot with few words. It needs to
have enough detail to put the reader or listener in a certain place mentally or
emotionally, while leaving enough blank spaces for them to fill in, so they can
make it their own. It needs to have a catchy rhythm and, in the case of a poem,
you can’t even use that guitar or fiddle solo to help you out. The poems in
this collection did all of that. And more. If you’re a gardener or a fan of the
outdoors, especially if you’ve spent time in the desert southwest, you’ll be
captured by these poems for sure. Others, you’ll get a glimpse of what you’ve
been missing.
Format/Typo
Issues:
No significant issues
Rating:
***** Five Stars
Reviewed
by: BigAl
Approximate
word count: 9-10,000 words
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