Poetry Books

Rachel Loden talks with the second half of the 20th Century using a wealth of tones, creating some of the smartest, most aesthetically pleasing, social poetry of our time. Interesting both in its subject matter and in its engagement of poetic structures, Hotel Imperium is a must read for anyone interested in what poetry can accomplish. This is truely the sort of poetry that presents the "news that stays news," where the voice of Richard Nixon can speak (from within others): "This is the new socialist brain. This is the statue / of Dzerzhinsky falling over. This is my wife Pat. / This is an ode to the Bratsk Hydroelectric Project. / And I just want to say [abort, retry, fail . . .] / / the kids, like all kids, love the little dog." --from "The Death of Checkers"

Rachel Loden's elegant writing transported me. I was challenged by the political and historical references, touched by her tenderness and reduced to giggles by her wry humor. This book is a "must read" for readers interested in American history and compelled by incisive writing.

Rachel Loden's HOTEL IMPERIUM is the best kind of political satire: passionate, wildly comic, and aimed at the language and mentality which make possible the folly and cruelties of the twentieth century. The poems are witty, as the poems of Donne, Dryden and Pope are witty--agile, musical, possessing an elegance of form that is put to use in the service of this poet's moral indignation, which often manifests as irreverence. "She is not there, except her body/ is the specter in her Living/Underwear." Or "EMPIRE'S the thing/ that totters forward with its mouse/ears on, paterfamilias/ of so many little feet." Like Swift, she is often savage, while at the same time exhuberantly clever: "I remain the rhapsodist of cunning, blithering/songbird of iniquity, and while-u-wait/ the law I love moves through here/ like a wall of fire, and it is leaving/ everything exactly as it stands, and/ saving nothing in its wake.

The poet's enterprise is weighty, and though the poems are a romp, beauty has a place here as well. Take the following from "The Rowboat at Vladivostok:" "Now your voice is full/ of what it was to leave the Marianas. on that morning. Antares graying in the sky,/ the tradewinds blowing through the porpoises.

I could not put this book down, once I started it. Then I went back and re-read at random, for pure pleasure. Loden has accomplished a rare feat--she has taken on the enormous foolishness behind evil and harnessed it in these tight, energetic, and graceful poems.

"The heart's a mouth" running a "rivulet//of chatter." But make no mistake about it. Rachel Loden may be talking as fast as she can but what she has to say and how she says it is neither idle nor trivial. The poems in HOTEL IMPERIUM are brilliant, sassy, boldly irreverant, disarmingly subversive. Nothing and no one, from Chinese terra cotta warriors in Xian to Richard Nixon, from Dead Sea Scrolls to Elvis Presley, escapes her relentless yet "amiable eye"-an eye honed by a keen intelligence determined to cut everything down to size as it stalks and demystifies the "irrational exuberance" which seems to afflict our end-of-the-millennium world. In the HOTEL IMPERIUM of Rachel Loden, guests "sleep uneasy." The "terrible beauty" of William Butler Yeats undergoes a stunning metamorphosis/incarnation as Cruella de Ville: a "terrible beauty/is bored" while she plots "on her red/bedside telephone." The revenant of Psalm 23 becomes a "beautiful murderess" asking, "Who is the victim? That is so hard to say/Male or female, mineral or vegetable" as she draws "a hot bath/in the presence of her [my] enemies." Indeed, the HOTEL is a "break and enter paradise" in which Loden, "rhapsodist of cunning," "songbird of iniquity," doing time among "plump/and ripening perfidies" and "masterful deaths," test markets "our epic innocence." Reader beware: The poems in HOTEL IMPERIUM will crawl under your skin as they speak their way to your heart.

I loved the poems in "Hotel Imperium", which manage to be topical, witty, passionate, tender, and elegiac-sometimes all within a few stanzas. Rachel Loden speaks to-or channels-Richard Nixon and (Little) Richard Penniman, Svetlana Stalin and Marilyn Monroe; I would call these poems political, but only in the sense that Auden meant when he wrote "There is no such thing as the State/And no one exists alone." As for the style, I hardly know what to call it except "bebop Augustan," if that's any help. Read the poems yourself.

This is a fun book to give to new homeowners.

It is a timeless gift to give a friend or yourself and your family

This is a perfect gift to give someone moving into a new home, or first home. It is beautifully illustrated on every page. The end papers are also decorated in a lovely, floral design. The blessings are simple and aptly stated.

I gave this book as a housewarming to my boyfriend, just after he moved in to his first house. It communicated all my hopes for his life in this house, and served as an expression of faith in the future of our relationship. I have since joined him in this home, and the book resides on the mantle. It provides a touchstone for us when we become distracted by various and sundry stresses.

We received this book from some dear friends upon the purchase of our very special home. The illustrations and the beautifully executed text are simply unbelievable. I make it a point to buy this book for anyone I know who has recently moved into a new home because it is an honor to own such a treasure.

This book starts with an essential visit to and discovery of Indo-European poetics. For one it does not take poetics in the Aristotelian meaning of the term that privileges dramatic texts, theater, performed poetics. The author defines the poet within a wider frame, that of the custodian and professional of language. He has to remember (at first, write and read later) all that is important for the community: its past, its important people, the laws, but also the medical knowledge, and the religious knowledge. As such the poet is at the very same time a priest, a poet, a doctor, ,a lawyer, a healer, a wizard, etc. He controls language in its abstract conceptualizing power and he performs pragmatic tasks that require knowing and reciting (to some type of music) texts. As such he is the custodian and preserver of the knowledge of the community. Thus he has a second power, that of developing that language, writing and reciting all kinds of texts to entertain the community, politically manage it, laud its leaders, etc. Watkins righteously insists on this essential point. As such poetry and religion merge together, the poet is the priest and vice versa. The author goes further and declares there is some original, specific and stable Indo-European pragmatics and poetics. All I-E poetry comes from the same melting pot or the same mould. And he insists on the fact some common formulas can be found. Here he works along two lines. One, etymology and the history of words, only words. Two, the formulas of words based on some words that semantically build a mainly semantic knot. He follows one such formula: HERO - SLAYS - DRAGON, that leads him to interesting remarks including the reversal of the killing. But he does not question the thematic functions behind the change. He satisfies himself with nominative and accusative. So he is kind of short. Short because it is not enough to say that the instrument can be stated as the nominative or the accusative of the verb. That shows the meaning he gives, SLEW, is an interpretation. It is difficult to say Peter SLEW the hammer, meaning the hammer was used by Peter to slay someone or something, even if we can easily conceive of the instrument slaying the victim. That fact questions the value of the verb. Is it SLAY or is it "IMPOSE a certain behavior to X within the frame of killing movements (?), vast arm movements (?)" In fact here he does not capture the dynamic meaning of the verb that initially meant some movement. In other words SLAY is not a simple verbs. It means many things according to the point of view. The agent, the patient, the instrument or whatever do not carry the same vision or value of the action. In more abstract terms a relation is dynamic (necessarily in I/E), expressing a change from one place to another, or from one state to another. The I/E word behind SLAY is typical of that dynamism. It definitely expresses the movement of the tool used to kill, and the change from one state to another for the victim: "AGENT causes VICTIM to shift from state A (ALIVE) to state B (DEAD)" versus "AGENT causes INSTRUMENT to move in a certain way (so that it may kill PATIENT)". The second thing that is deficient is that he centers his approach too much on the sole Indo-Iranian culture. He should have understood the Indo-European branch met with other cultures and there were many osmoses, exchanges, etc. I am absolutely sure that the proximity and rivalry of Indo-European peoples with Semitic peoples and particularly the Jews, produced some exchanges that Watkins does not even consider in the sole dimension of Christianizing Indo-European traditions. He speaks of Beowulf too little and neglects the superimposing of a Christian reading of Semitic origin (it is pure Semitic in origin?), and is it only Scandinavian or Indo-European, or is it already a mixture before it being Christianized? The question is open. Let's look for a solution.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

In addition to its use as a philology textbook (and it is great in this regard), the subject matter may be of great interest to people studying a more specialized aspect of the poetics-- namely the liturgical and magical traditions of the Indo-Europeans. In this area it is indispensible (along with the works of Dumezil, Polome, and others).

This isn't just a philology textbook-- it contains many keys for unlocking previously obscure areas of Indo-European studies relating to their magical and religious traditions.

This vast tome is a masterpiece of comparative Indo-European poetics. It investigates the nature, form and function of poetic expression and ancient literature among an impressive variety of Indio-European peoples. The author uses the traditional comparative method to identify the genetic intertextuality of particular themes and formulas common to all the daughter languages of ancient Indo-European. The work comprises seven sections and 59 chapters. The first chapters of part 1 explain the comparative method, concepts like synchrony and diachrony and pinpoints the various Indo-European cultures in terms of genre, space and time. The rest of part 1 considers the role of the spoken word in Indo-European society and its preservation across time.

In chapter 3: Poetics as Grammar, Watkins analyses the expression "Oats, peas, beans, and barley grow," demonstrating how the word order, alliteration and assonance form a perfect ring-composition. This formulaic utterance now functions only to amuse children, but in its essential semantics, formulaics and poetics it must have been continuously recreated on the same model over six or seven thousand years. He proves that is the central "merism" of an ancient Indo-European harvest song or agricultural prayer, by quoting from the Hittite, Homeric Greek, the Atharvaveda and the Zend-Avesta!

Selected text analyses an case studies from Anatolian, Celtic, Greek, Indic and Italic are found in chapters 7 - 11 of part 2, followed by the analyses of inherited phrasal formulas, stylistic figures and hidden meaning through chapters 12 to 16.

The remainder of the book presents the evidence for a common Indo-European formula in the expression of the dragon - or serpent-slaying myth. Over thousands of years this formula occurs in the same linguistic form as it existed in the original mother tongue. This formula is the vehicle for the central theme of a proto-text that has endured for millennia, a precise and precious tool for typological and genetic investigation in the study of literature and literary theory. It is thus of immense value to literary historians, literary critics and philologists.

I found chapters 50 - 59 of particular interest, as it deals with the application of the formula to the medicine of incantation in a variety of Indo-European traditions, and includes a discussion of the poet as healer.

This work is an opus magnum, and it took me months to read it. Even so, I cannot claim to have grasped all the complexities of the fascinating text in which more than 30 familiar and obscure languages are quoted. I strongly recommend this masterpiece to those interested in ancient history, language and its structure, and to literary critics.

The book concludes with 27 pages of references, an index of names and subjects, an index of passages, and an index of words quoted from the various Indo-European languages.

I enjoyed this book although I am best termed a "lay person" and the book is (necessarily and appropriately) written in a technical style. Other reviewers have addressed the content and worth of the book. I will try to give an idea of its "readability" for the non-specialist.
I frequently found exact understanding somewhat difficult and did gloss a number of passages as just too difficult to be worth the return (to me) of greater effort. Also, at times it almost seemed as if the author was pulling together a series of journal articles and quite possibly the book could have been twenty to thirty percent shorter without much, if any, sacrifice of material. Despite this, I never felt like hurrying nor that my time was being wasted - I found a number of new and interesting ideas that are clearly understandable by an interested reader. Also, the author neither talks down to his audience nor tries to impress with difficult terminology. Furthermore, at several points I sensed the underlying enthusiasm and reverence the author feels toward his work and I occasionally caught the sense of "beauty" as several threads came together.

FINALLY, a thorough understanding of the roots of the poetic material that we all learned when taking the classics. A thorough exploration of both epic and lyric poetic methods and the methods behind them that are used to this day.

The first dozen chapters or so read a bit like a bibliography, making frequent references to other authors (both contemporary and otherwise) and to things that are addressed quite a bit later in the book. This does not make the work so easily readable, but when dealing with comparative Indo-European poetics, one cannot expect a light-summer read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this work. I found that Dr. Watkins' ability to find common roots for everything from the Odyssey to childhood rhymes that we all learned to be both engaging and informative. I gained not only a deeper appreciation for the Classical and Homeric Greek, Avestan and Sanskrit literature that I have enjoyed since my days as s student, but also for everyday language.

If you are interested in any sort of Proto Indo-European studies, this is a must-read.

My 2 year old loves this book!!! I get to read it at least twice a day. We both like that it can be sung or read.

I recently found this book at the library along with Iza Trapani's books. A-Hunting We Will Go! has a better flow than the other books and makes it easier to read in a hurry. My 2 yr old likes to turn pages fast, but this is easy to memorize, and easy for her to read along with me. I recomend it for anyone who has to put a child to bed (which would be most parents). Definitely 5 star quality!

This is my 4-year-old's favorite book. He's heard it so many times, he can repeat the entire story verbatim (in prose and in song form). The words are very large - useful for this beginning reading - and the rhyming form is easy for him to master. The illustrations are wonderful and the story is a lot of fun. Great book!

The moose character is a totally new addition for Mr. Kellogg's repertoire, and he is quite the funny looking fellow.

A sure tonic for any parent or grandparent that reads to their children or grandchildren. As entertaining for adults to read as for the young ones it is created for. His illustrations are charming & funny. A real treat! I highly recommend this author/illustrator. If you like this book, look for any of the Pinkerton series, a "sell out" at all the public libraries.

My three year old grandaughter loved this book. She refers to it all the time. "I'm the boss and I say floss!" The Llamas in their pajamas were so cute, and it is a real imagination pleaser. Great illustrations! Fun book!

I don't consider myself by any means a poetry expert. In fact, the only reason I picked up this book was because I saw Tim Siebles do a poetry reading while visiting my college. I suppose that makes it all the more impressive that I enjoyed this book as much as I did. It is very easy to pick up and read, even for those to whom poetry is a complete stranger. He uses simple language yet with such grace and mastery it yields deep thought and a sense of awe from his readers. I definitely recommend this book to avid poetry readers and even to those who haven't read poetry since they were forced to read Shakespeare in high school.

The first time I opended this book, I could not put it down. Tim Seibles' words were beautiful, touching, and warming. His is the type of poetry I would like to read everyday, if I could and if it were available. I found myself re-reading this book three times because I enjoyed the poems that much. Read this, re-read it, and just for kicks, read it again! You'll enjoy it if you enjoy and appreciate the beauty of words.

hurdy gurdy is a collection poems that fills your soul with hope. my favorite is meep. a poem that not only changed my opinion about Wile E Coyote, but my outlook on life.

A book that you will want to read to your children and keep on your book shelf forever.

I wasn't sure I was going to write until I saw uiop45's review. I as well am originally from Boston and was introduced to Seibles when I was in High School at a writers conference in NH, at Breadloaf. I would be very interested to know if it was at this same conference that we both heard Seibles read and I as well have had his poems stick with me. I have bought all the rest of his books and have waited for a new one to appear (which finally has). Great poems, beautiful, lyrical phrases, honest and clear. Even now, years after having read it I can remember the end of the line quoted by the above reviewer "hearing a name sung quietly behind you all day" Great stuff, sticks with you

In his fifth collection of poems, Tim Seibles' irreverent and humorous allusions to slices of American popular culture serve as a more comfortable, user-friendly vehicle to drive at some rather uncomfortable topics. The 40 poems in Hammerlock primarily deal with racial, political and religious tension in America. Using big-picture topics - about which so much has been written, discussed and re-written to the point of hackneyed redundancy that we sometimes tend to skip over the meaning behind the issues - Seibles really delivers, bringing his social concerns to life with surprising newness. In this book, it's the packaging that really conveys the message. In "What Bugs Bunny Said to Red Riding Hood," Seibles comments on the violent nature of man by using the voice with which countless boys grew up watching on Saturday morning cartoons. "This was your mother's idea? / She been livin' in a CrackerJack box or somethin' / ... That's right. Maybe your motha should / turn off her soaps, take a peak at a newspaper, turn on some cartoons for Pete's sake: / this woyld is about teeth, bubble buns - who's bitin' / and who's getting bit." Poems like this and "Commercial Break: Road-Runner, Uneasy," or its companion poem, "Midnight: the Coyote, Down in the Mouth," where Wile E. Coyote suffers through an all-to-human midlife crisis of self-doubt, hearken back to Seibles' previous work with cartoon allegories in 1992's Hurdy Gurdy. In this collection, "Natasha in a Mellow Mood," and its companion, "Boris by Candlelight," used cartoon characters from The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show to show that villains - even communists - call fall in love. Seibles likes to present common events, like growing old or falling in love, through uncommon perspectives. Then, by using the objective correlative so frequently it almost makes you question the meaning of the very print on the page, Seibles makes his point. He's going to give us different perspectives, whether they come from the voice of a woman, man, an imaginary conversation with Jimi Hendrix, or this "found poetry," taken from a 1965 speech given by Malcolm X: "Black on black crime is / a form of suicide. Gangs, drugs - / they're all part of a community trying / to slit its own wrists. Nobody / wants to deal with this. Sociologists say / build more recreation centers, / Give The Negro More Basketballs, / as if our true home was a gym." For many of the poems in this collection, that point is that people are more alike than we think - and our perspectives are more different than we think. Seibles knows the grass is greener on the other side. Seibles knows we want to fly south for the winter. Seibles knows we can't do none of it! So his poetry lets a white man see something he sees every day - but this time it's through the eyes of a black man. He lets a cartoon character feel tired of running toward the same sunset over the same rocky cliffs. In "Four Takes of a Similar Situation," he shows that the ideas of differences - between races, ethnicity, sexes, religions or colors - are the only things keeping us different, so "the world mus be retarded." Seibles knows that sometimes the best way to examine ourselves is to be temporarily removed from ourselves. It's all about perspective. It's also all about meter. Seibles has always written poetry that's so rhythmic and sound-oriented that you'd be better off using a metronome than attempting scansion. This time is no exception. Most poems have an underlying ghost meter, but it's the syncopation that draws attention to the poem's real pulse. "and say the afternoon / is the sound of heat / standing in the trees. / Maybe someone could know / about love / ... ." Seibles uses slant-rhyme or direct rhyme, he rhymes images or ideas, he switches between internal- or end-rhyme in a single couplet, but the point is, he uses a lot of all of it. If his poetry is a song, the various methods of rhyming serve to lay down something that would resemble a melody. But the beat, rich in syncopation, is always changing, keeping you on your feet, giving you poetry that pounds so y'all can dance to it.

The poems, short stories, and particularly the photos in this book are so touching. I encourage women who are interested in self-discovery to read this book, because the passages inspired me to reflect on myself, my life, and my relationships with those I love. This is a good book for any woman who is going through changes in her life. (It would be a good graduation gift, a good gift for a woman getting married or having a baby, and a wonderful birthday present.) The book celebrates strong women, fragile women, mothers, daughters, growing up, growing old, just growing. I really enjoyed reading it.

A friend of mine frequently quotes Jenny Joseph's "Warning". In searching for this for her birthday, I was instantly hooked on the poems and stories in this book and "When I Am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple". I will be giving these and recommending these to others!

This book flows with wisdom about the stages of a woman's life. There is arm pumping joy, tears of compassion and sadness and the affirmation of the person within over the external skin.

"..if by wearing silk, my value mounts
what happens when I'm bare?"

There are pieces that apply to whatever stage of life a woman is passing through. There are pieces that bring the smiles of remembering past stages. There are pieces that point to possible routes for the journeys to come.

Read and enjoy this passage from "Combustion"
"When I have a hot flash....I watch, astounded, as an invisible hand tosses water on the stones of my body, and I ignite. How can flesh not melt? Then, of necessity, I give up the watch and close my eyes and float on the water, and then the fire expends itself, and I pick up my little fan and create a breeze something like the ones that frequsent northern lakes at night. Then I just sit in the quiet puddle of my flesh. If it is the middle of the night I sleep the good sleep of a person cleansed."

This book should have an entire galaxy of stars! The poetry, photographs, and stories are all by and of real women. Thank God there are no movie stars in this awesome, down-to-earth book. If you love becoming a wise, older woman, then you must have this book. It affirms our womanhood as no other book I've ever read.

This is the third book of the series and it is the most sensitive and powerful! Poems celebrating womanhood and femininity, stories full of strength and emotions...

I read this book before and I just finished it again.. so overwhelming with different experience in every page .. the boundless limits of a woman's endurance .. the feeling of satisfaction that gratifies a female giving her pride and strength..

This is a book that you can read over and over.. a poem one day ..a short story on another.. enjoy!

I have used this book collaboratively with 3 & 4th grades at an inner city school. The rich information and fantastic illustrations are a perfect stimulant to lessons in language arts as well as dance and painting.

This is an excellent resource for the classroom. It depicts the history of African American music from Africa to rap/hip hop with vibrant art work matching the electric words! Wow!

This book is a great book to include in a public library, home library, or school library. This book can be incorporated in many areas of learning. The author does an excellent job discussing the historical and physical features of African American music. Reading the book is like going on a musical journey. Some of the music types discussed are; jazz, ragtime, blues, gospel, and bebop. Each music type is well described, and Michele has included in each musical description a timeline, important figures associated with the music, and sample lyrics. Michele Wood also includes an activity in the book. She has put a little girl in each scene, and the reader has to locate her. It is not always easy. The little girl represents Michele when she was growing up. I highly recommend this book to young and old. Michele Wood has done an excellent job writing an interesting and informative book.

This beautifully illustrated book tells the history of African-American music through poems and art. It is both informative and inspiring. I hate age-level labels on books like this. Adults will appreciate this book as much as children. I stumbled upon it at a new multicultural bookstore, discovering later that it was a Coretta Scott King winner. I can see why!

"I see the rhythm. I see the rhythm of our beginnings. I feel the pulse of a people and a land in harmony. I hear the legends told by the drum, the beats of our beliefs, the music of our ancient history..." From its roots in Africa and slave songs, to the birth of the blues, ragtime, swing, jazz, and gospel, to rhythm and blues, rock and roll, hip hop, funk, and rap, Toyomi Igus and Michele Wood trace the history of African American music. Ms Igus' lyrical free verse, rich in imagery and magic, is powerful and evocative as it swirls creatively around the page, and is complemented by Ms Wood's stunning illustrations, full of emotion and drama that captures both the feel of the music and the times. Each two page spread also includes a brief description of the musical style, and a marvelous timeline that sets that musical period in its larger, historical context. Perfect for youngsters 10 and older, I See The Rhythm is an inspiring feast for the eyes and ears that celebrates African American music and brings it to life on the page, and is a terrific introduction that shouldn't be missed.

Brilliant, funny, interesting book! One of my very favorities from childhood, and now my children love it. Highly recommend. Will stimulate your children's imaginations!

I bought this book at a library booksale last Saturday. What a find and a steal!! I bought the book because of its illustrations at first. When I first opened the book I was amazed to see how awesome the verses were too! They are just so funny and intelligent! You don't even need to see the pictures of these crazy birds to appreciate the verse written about them. I especially loved the "Glove Dove" near the end of the book. It reminded me of the Menacing Flying Glove in the movie "Yellow Submarine." I am a big fan of the Beatles and this book was very trippy, just like something they would create. These birds would fit right in with the Blue Meanies in Pepperland! I am hoping to become a teacher in the future and this would be an excellent book to include in a classroom. You could read the book and then have the kids make up their own bird from everyday household objects and write a poem about it!! Its just an all around awesome book, I wish I had seen it when I was little!!

When I was in elementary school, I can't recall which grade exactly, I found this book in the school library, or rather, for some reason, I recall it being in the office. Anyways, I absolutely LOVED it. I remember day after day skipping recess outside and instead going to the office reading this book. I was literally obssessed with it. I remember that it transported me into an alternate reality, a wonderful fantasy like world, the atmosphere was just magical. Something about the types of birds and the illustrations, it was like a whole other reality. This was about 15 years ago, and I just happened to find it at the library and it was a thrill going through it again. Amazingly, each time I turn a page, I remember it now again. I am definitely going to try to obtain a copy, but for some reason I remember it being larger when I was little, so I will probably go back to the school and see if I can buy the copy they have. Of course, maybe it just seemed larger back then, but anyays, I will get mysefl a copy. I would recommend it for anyone!

I like this book because of the Ice Cream Cone Coot and all of the other funny birds. My grandmom has a copy of this book and we read it whenever we come to her house. It was my mom's book when she was a little girl. And now it's my grandmom's book.

That's all.

I read this book when I was seven years old. At the time it was unlike anything I had ever read before. It has a touch of whimsy, magic and humor. The words rhyme and the illustrations are well done, which makes it a fun read. Best of all is the last page which still, for some reason, makes me say, "Awww. That's neat."

Isaac is potty training, so we spend a lot of time in the bathroom. I started reading these poems to Parish and Isaac while we are waiting in the bathroom. They love this book! It has made going to the potty exciting for Isaac.
They repeat every line. They love the rhymes. Each poem is about a kid-friendly topic, such as pirates, rainbows, and rope swings. I especially loved the short poem, Always Remember...., about playing inside a box.
This is a great introduction to poetry. This would be a great for bedtime and for the classroom. Teachers and parents will love this for pre-schoolers and elementary school children.

Reviewed by Debra Gaynor for Reader Views (11/06)

"Imagine This!" reaches into our daydreams and fantasies and brings them to light.
Imagine my delight when "Imagine This!" arrived at my home. I remember well a cardboard box playhouse, making mud pies, pretending that my stuffed animals were my loyal subjects and that my swing was my throne. The branches of a weeping willow were my hideout for many lazy summer days. My favorite is "Tissued Wings"

Tissued Wings
I dream of a sylvan fairy glade
Where only I can go
Flickering with golden dappled shade
And dew wet grass aglow.

I dream of the silver radiance
Of tiny tissued wings
On fairies doing their mystic dance
around the toadstool rings.

And if I find they're but dragonflies
Darting from weed to weed
Should I believe only in my eyes
Or go where dreams can lead?


Joanne Froh has dipped deep into the recesses of our minds and fished out childhood memories and put them in lyrical form. She has done so with great finesse. The illustrations add to each poem, expressing it in a visual manner. This is not a book for children! This is a book for all ages. Children will love the poems but adults will savor the memories the poems bring to the surface. My grandchildren love this book and eagerly bring it too me for story time. It is with great honor that I highly recommend this "Imagine This!" Well-done Ms. Froh and Ms.Plagens (illustrator.)

After reading one of the other reviews, I wasn't so sure about this book because it seemed a little too old for my 5 year old. But I bought it anyway and found that it's not only OK for a 5 year old, it will still be great for him when he's 10 or 11. Several of the words are new for him (which is great) and the style and subject matter are timeless.

For instance, "The Dark" which is my son's favorite poem, starts out kind of spooky...describing all the things kids imagine seeing in their rooms at night. But as the poem progresses, it goes in a new direction, helping kids understand that sometimes your imagination just goes a little wild. And when that happens, it's OK -- you just need to rein it in a bit. For instance, the last lines of "The Dark" are: "And just when I think I'll run away / The black gets lighter, turns to gray. / Nothing happens, minutes pass / Like raindrops down a window glass. / I take a deep breath and realize / My imagination has tricked my eyes / All that was, is still is / So off I go, to sleep that is."

I just really think this book is wonderful with a great and inspiring message. Nothing crass, but not overly sweet either. Kids will like it as much as adults -- and that's saying a lot these days!

Who hasn't imagined a stuffed animal coming to life? This book is filled with wonder for both boys and girls. And the illustrations are inspiring as well.

Written by Joanne Froh, Imagine This is a collection of short, rhyming poems for young readers, illustrated in exquisite detail with black-and-white ink drawings by artist Frances Plagens. Emphasizing the power of creativity, Imagine This is a lyrical adventure through the realms and stories of the mind. "The Dark": Tap tap // What was that? / Straight up in bed I sat / Eyes wide open peering, listening / Listening for something nearing. / Something creeping down the hall? / Its shadow cast upon the wall?

We enjoyed reading THE IMPOSSIBLE TOYSTORE by Mark Perlberg very much. Perlberg is a new author to me, but his poetry is both accessible and profound. I recommend it very highly. Bernard Gallin, East Lansing, Michigan

In his third collection of poetry Mark Perlberg continues to take us on a fabulous voyage from his pre-World War II childhood to the rewarding days of his maturity. With delicacy he unfolds the petals of feeling about his family and his travels through the byways of our country, beginning with the arrival in New York in in the 1880s of his grandfather Ivar, a Jew from Sweden, to his own summer rest on an island near Portland, Maine, in a letter to Huckleberry Finn, with whose peregrinations he has identified.

These wonderful poems cover a range of both narrative and emotion. The narratives have the impact of the very best short fiction, but they surprise you: the power of the narrative is really being shaped all along by the concentrated and beautifully wrought language. While these are often poems of memory, they are more often about the "impossible" gap between what we wish the past was like and what we know it was. Still, the poems are not mostly exercises in memory; the best are great examples of language intensifying emotion and image. Some excellent poems on painters paintings, and the power of imagery. Deserves to be much read, reread, and quoted.

This is a collection of personal and very lovely poems that you will want to read and reread, for the intellectual and emotional content of the poems as well as the very considerable art of the poetry. Perlberg creates beautiful word pictures, but without the cold abstractness of much imagistic poetry, and he deals, with great subtlety and intelligence, with feelings and experiences that are both universal and substantial. The work is accessible and moving without ever being simple. The language is so musical and the rhythms so natural that many of the poems demand to be read aloud. I found the poems exploring the poet's memories of childhood events and family relationships to be particularly affecting, at once honest and unflinching but also sensitive and forgiving. I have gotten much pleasure out of this slim volume.

Mark Perlberg's poetry reveals intensely personal experience that simultaneously evokes universal human emotions and conditions. His finely wrought language, graceful cadences and precise imagery make this third collection of Perlberg's poetry an enduring literary achievement.