Poetry Books

I am not usually a poetry reader but many of the poems in this book stopped me in my tracks. Marge Piercy knows how to get to the core of the matter and fully describes feelings and experiences I have had.

Here is an excerpt from Morning Athletes

"It is not the running I love, thump
thump with my leaden feet that only
infrequently are winged and prancing,
but the light that glints off the cattails
as the wind furrows them, the rum cherries
reddening leaf and fruit, the way the pines
blacken the sunlight on their bristles,
the hawk flapping three times, then floating
low over beige grasses,
and your company
as we trot, two friendly dogs leaving
tracks in the sand. The geese call
on the river wandering lost in sedges
and we talk and pant, pant and talk
in the morning early and busy together."

I bought this book about 18 years ago. For a little while it was on the shelf after I first read the poems. Then it came down. It's been unshelved for casual reading most of the remaining years. There are witty funny silly poems here. There are deep poems. There are honest revelations of different aspects of life. There are deep penetration into the nuts and bolts of love, into the politics of men and women. There are tears and laughter. There are mirrors to see and shar eyour own life and known you aren't alone, and neither is Marge.
Hope you can get the joy, the understandingt, the laughter and the humanity I got when I bought this book so long ago!

And not only that, but they are powerful and smelly and they MAKE MISTAKES. There is nothing more empowering than finding out that making mistakes is alright, and that was the strongest message I got from this book when I read it at the tender age of 15. It changed my life, ensuring that I would grow to tell boys "NO", and that I would tell myself "YES", and more than that, that I would be able to forgive myself for both of those answers. "Cats Like Angels" and "For Strong Women" should be required reading for all women, and everyone who LOVES women.

I like poetry with imagery that resolves into a shift in vantage point; this is something of which Marge Piercy is a master. The poems are in some aspects raw and gutsy, others are lyrical and meditative. I read "The Doughty Oaks" outloud to someone who also admired its tight imagery of a miser in rags, and the contradiction at the end of the poem. The last set of poems in the book are based on the Celtic Lunar calendar (in name only, this isn't Wicca) as a way for Piercy to celebrate the lunar calendar of the body and of the Jewish religion as well--whose festivals fall on lunar dates and account for our shifting Easter holiday. Well worth reading if you like poetry. This is one book I will be pulling off the shelf from time to time, to find new aspects of meaning.

My copy is the one dog-eared, worn volume always where I can find it on the bookshelf. Usually poetry volumes contain some winners and some losers, but I've read every poem cover to cover repeatedly, had favorites, sent copies to women who inspired me, and loved my copy in some rough times. Piercy's poems raise the bar for what women can be in poetry- hers are real- warts and all. And nevertheless, her first-person poetry makes those flaws both recognizable and even at times endearing. The tragedies are laced with revelation, the lovers are never perfect, and even Piercy's piece devoted to lost luggage evokes those little moments which become laughable and yet epic in their betrayal.

Gustavo Perez-Firmat's memoir is a heartfelt read.
For anyone who has straddled the hyphenated word Cuban-American and thought themselves as a CBA (Cuban-born Americans) or ABC(American-bred Cubans), this book is a secret treaure.
Perez-Firmat takes the reader on a cultural literary journey as he tries to come to terms with exactly what and where home is. Is it the place you were born (Cuba), the place you were exiled to, (Miami) or the city that you find yourself most at peace with (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) Perez-Firmat offers a tender philosophical introspective read on all the above.
The book took me to the corner merchants and restaurants of la saguesera to the academia of Chapel Hill, where Perez-Firmat later settled in as he pursued a master's in literature. Or as he puts it, "Living with an American spouse, dealing with American stepchildren, and speaking English at home, I am much more aware of my nationality that I ever was before." (p.171)
His memories of his family dynamics (two grandmothers sharing a two-bedroom with him, his brother and their parents) will be relatable to anyone with a large Hispanic family or to fans of PBS 70s show "Que Pasa USA?"
But his take on his "romance with teaching" really resonated with me.
I enjoyed reading the often humorous tales of this professor in the classrom as he teaches college students about Spanish literature. In one scene, Perez-Firmat goes on to describe his philosophy for teaching, which can serve as a lesson to many aspiring teachers.
"I'm a successful teacher to the extent that I can get my students to fall for me...In a deep sense, I am the material...Like other love affairs, teaching has its own pace and moods, its good and bad days, its coded language, its rewarding or bitter conclusion. Sometimes you walk into a class and it's love at first sight."

This book made me come to terms with what being a Cuban born American means to me. Perez Firmat shares his own personal and sometimes painful experiences with the readers. In doing so he made it easier to define and understand my own experience as a Cuban-American who loves the United States yet has a yearning to gain a deeper understanding of his own Cuban roots.

That we Cubans and Cuban-Americans can find humor in any situation--even the most tragic and overwhelming--is a testament to our strength. This book is a poignant, funny, and sometimes sad tale of one man's struggle to find his identity. It is a very personal self-examination, but one that most of us (all us "hyphenated" people) can relate to. Are you Cuban? Are you American? Are you "of Cuban descent"? Are you Cuban-American? Are you one person at home and another at work? These are difficult questions, and he walks us through the even more difficult process of trying to find an answer. Does he have an answer? Yes and no. The author also explores the Cuban community's rise from its initial status as an underprivileged, immigrant, "exile" community, to its present role as an assimilated, politically active, financially powerful ethinic force. All of this adds more depth to his own personal identity issues. The book is fascinating, thoughful, and full of relatives we can all look at and say "I have an aunt/uncle/mother/father/etc. just like that!"

In the wake of the Elian Gonzalez saga, I just hope everyone reads this and remembers how and why we got here. Thank you, Professor Firmat.

That is the question that has echoed throughout the Cuban exile community for over 40 years. As the older generation fades, the new generation continues to ask, to wonder, if the next year will finally be the year when Cuba will be free and Castro will be, and there's no other way to say it, dead.

Perez Firmat and I stand a generation apart, yet reading this book, there really was no difference. The Cuban-American experience has much to do with yearning, an emotion that this book succeeded in evoking. We yearn for the Cuba we hear our relatives talk about. We yearn for the freedom of this never-seen homeland, to see the end of the tyranny. And we also yearn for this America, for the apple pie and Coca-Cola life we see and hear all around us, yet can never fully belong to.

Being Cuban-American is not only complex, it is two extremes thrown together. Finding our identity as we straddle two nations is a challenge even now, 40 years later, and even to people like me, first-generation Cuban-Americans. You are forced to ask over and over again, What am I? I am not Cuban, I was born here in the U.S. But I am not American, my "Cuban-ness" is such a strong, obvious part of me it cannot be denied.

Next Year in Cuba does a great job of giving an eloquent, humorous voice to this complexity. It's a great read on the Cuban-American culture, sure to give a better insight and appreciation to those wanting to know more.

As a young person who was born in the United States but whose parents were born in Cuba, identity has never been black and white for me--although it has always been blue, red, and white. This book crystallized so many emotions that I had felt my entire life but had never really examined. If you are 22 and have never been to Cuba, but still call yourself Cuban or if you are 60 and think if your childhood on that island paradise everyday--this book will make you laugh, it might make you cry, and it will certainly make you think. For over forty years now Cubans have been hoping for that "next year" to come to fruition, but we are still waiting. This book will make you long for "next year" like never before. Read it--you will never forget you did.

I was very pleasantly surprised and pleased by this book. It is certainly one of the best poetry collections I've ever read, and I've read many poets and many poems. What immediately draws you in about Soleil's work is its intelligent yet refreshingly accessible and readable style, and at the same time its highly intimate and personal subject-matter, very confessional and autobiographical. Some of the subject-matter will be shocking even by contemporary standards, but as the author himself explains, his real intent isn't merely to shock or to write dirt for dirt's sake, but rather, to express himself creatively and share his impressions about aspects of his life with the reader. Besides, attitudes in the West continue to become more relaxed, more enlightened, and we're a far-cry from the uptight, conservative '80s. Soleil's "Object Lessons" is in the tradition of Charles Bukowski, yet completely original. It has the potential to be (and deserves to be) an underground cult classic like Allen Ginsberg's "Howl", which is perhaps a much more well-known but far less readable and far more outdated work. So what is Oz du Soleil's work really about? Well, if u like to read about how wonderful everything is and how nice the flowers smell in spring, LOOK ELSEWHERE. These poems are unabashedly honest and explicit about how they deal with more daring topics, like the author's sexual interests, including frequenting sex clubs, porn, masturbation, etc, not to mention his preference for full-figured women over the anorexic magazine model. But its not all about sex and erections and "tuna-eating", there's also a lot of other things he talks about, including just regular friendship, especially with women. His use of language is unique and grips your interest. All thoughout, one gets a sense of an outsider, someone who has not quite fit in. Why? Because Soleil is an individualist, a moral nonconformist, a social radical, and an artistic original. Such people always have difficulty in the "real world" becuase they refuse to compromise and conform more than they absolutely have to, they just wanna be themselves and experiment with darker or more daring aspects of reality, even taboo reality. It is also clear from the persona in this work that the author is very human, a person with clarity, sanity, wit, emotions and intellect, not merely a Prozac-medicated, sex-driven, one-dimensional human being. This is Soleil's first published book. I recommend it highly!

This book takes you through a real-life journey of the author. Enjoy the ride as he makes observations regarding that which pleases and that which disgusts him. The candor is refreshing, but not for the faint of heart. I loved this book and get more out of the essays and poems as I read them over and over again.

This book takes you through a real-life journey of the author. Enjoy the ride as he makes observations regarding that which pleases and that which disgusts him. The candor is refreshing, but not for the faint of heart. I loved this book and get more out of the essays and poems as I read them over and over again.

Oz pulls his readers into his poems and invites them to look at life-situations in a different way. His articulate style leads the reader into the depths of Oz's mind. His style and use of language is unique and refreshing.

Object Lessons, was a work of very intimate natures. Very heartfelt and at times revealed the authors cords of gentle and justified frustration while seeking solutions to the myriad of questions about manhood, sexuality, relationships and life in general.

As a woman, I was given a precious peek into a world seen through the eyes of one man where the walls of codes,secrecies and deceptions were temporarily opened. I was made to feel that his journey is shared by many men but remains unspoken for many reasons.

I encourage the author to continue exposing this world to women and men so that we may come into a greater understanding of one another. Not by socialized programming, but by helping each other set aside our fears and appreciating the unique qualities that we all have to offer.

Zen Master Ryokan!
Like a fool, like a dunce
Body and mind completely dropped off!

This is another great translation of Ryokan by John Stevens. So many in their reviews have shown their respect and love for Ryokan who "is replete with MUSHIN, the mind without calculation or pretense, and MUJO, the sense of impermanence of all things".
Ryokan (1758? -1831) was a Japanese poet, Zen buddhist and one of the greatest calligraphers of all time in East Asia. In his early twenties he became the disciple of top Soto Zen Roshi Kokusen and trained diligently as a Zen monk. When Kokusen died in 1791, Ryokan left on a long pilgrimage, wandering all over Japan. In his early 40s he drifted back to his native place and spent the rest of his life in mountain hermitages. Near the end of his life he fell in love with a beautiful young nun Teishin who was by his side when he died at age 73. His hermitage Gogo-an on Mount Kigami still stands.

One Robe, One Bowl contains translation of his 100 chinese and 103 Japanese poems(101 Waka and 2 Haiku). Many of his poems are without titles and doesn't give us a reference to the time and place they were written. Ryokan frequently broke the rules of poetry composition. His poems are simple, direct and very poignant. His poetry is about love of nature, local children, rice wine and living a simple life. His beloved Teishin compiled the first edition of Ryokan's poems, titled Hachisu no Tsuyu ("Dew drops on a Lotus Leaf") four years after his death, which has also been brilliantly translated by John Stevens.
Both these books are a must read. Ryokan's poems refresh you, make you look around and under your feet. You notice everything from sun to clouds, birds and insects, trees, wind and rain, and his great love - Moon. I highly recommend reading them in a natural spot, where there are trees, flowers, flowing water and birds. You will find yourself drifting in and out of his poems and nature and back. Almost surreal.

Once you have read them again and again, add to your collection Ryokan's favorite poet, the Chinese sage Han Shan (Cold Mountain), also available on Amazon.

I bought this book because I was giving a talk on Ryokan and his poetry. It was wonderful to be able to share his poems with others and to have this treasure of a book for myself as well. His poetry is so simple and yet so profound and has universal appeal whether or not one has a background in Zen.

The words of Ryokan point to the heart of Japanese esthetics and spirit. You can not part the Zen attitude in most of his poetry from the very essence of his comprehension of nature and man. One of my favorite waka he'd written is :

Early spring - picking vegetables
a pheasant cries-
Old memories return.

The Wabi- Sabi mood and the Miyabi atmosphere are well recognizable in his poetry, and make the whole reading experience something much more intimate with his emotions and thoughts.

Another one of my favorite among Ryokan's waka songs is :

Lying in my freezing hut , unable to sleep;
only the quite roar
Of water pouring over a cliff.

Reading his book even a song a day will make you want to meet the good hearted Ryokan and share some tea with him in a cold winter day..
sure made me want to...

Ryokan, One Robe, One Bowl: The Zen Poetry of Ryokan (Weatherhill, 1977)

"Who says my poems are poems?
My poems are not poems.
When you know that my poems are not poems,
Then we can speak of poetry."

Ryokan, nineteenth-century Japanese Zen poet and monk, was either somewhat addled (an hypothesis which his eccentricity lends itself to) or was acutely aware that some of what he wrote simply didn't qualify as poetry. Most of it, however, did; his haiku, waka, and other traditional forms are often exquisitely rendered images of his life as a hermit, a beggar, and a man lonely even while those in the town in which he begged for rice loved him dearly. Often, his work is short, to the point, and lovely, showing the reverence for both nature and language that the best Japanese poets seem to feel as naturally as you or I breathe:

"Down in the village
the din of flute and drum;
here deep in the mountain
everywhere the song of the pines."

But, every once in a while, as with the piece that opens this review, he simply ignores everything he knows (and we know) about poetry and jots down a thought or a koan broken into short lines. Thankfully, there are far fewer of these than there are actual poems in this collection, and so it's worth your time; be prepared for a slight inconsistency in quality, though. ***

What a beautiful work this is all around. John Stevens translates this work brilliantly. This isnt a cold hard scholastic translation. This is a warm and touching work from two people, from two very different times, meeting at the heart of a timeless matter. There are a lot of reviews saying great things about this book. It lives up to all of them and more.

This book is full of poems touching on the completely ordinary matter, of everyday life. This everyday life wich contains everything we need/yearn for, yet almost always overlook. Ryokan was sort of an anti-establishment Zen student. Since establishments often usurp power and any value from things like Zen, leaving only inflated ego's ruling over cynical minds. Needless to say Ryokan wanted no part of this. Wich is why he lived mostly alone in the often freezing mountians.

He often writes of sheer loneliness. Wich makes some people question his enlightenment. I think this is a very important point. Cause it shows how cold and unbending some peoples view of Zen/enlightenment actually is. Whos to say an enlightened person cant feel lonely? Because Japans greatest master Dogen never wrote of lonliness? Many masters of the past lived in monasteries full of students. If anything they probably had very little time alone. Nowheres near enough time to develope any "lonley feelings." Hardly a fair comparison, that of Ryokan who lived in a little mountain hut, to a master of hundreds of disciples. Silly, but it doesnt seem to be too rare. I think this same thing that makes some Zen scholars cricital, is what makes Ryokan so beloved by everyone else who knows of him. He not only felt a gamut of emotions but completely accepted them as a dynamic part of life. Often writing beautifully about them as in this book. Ryokan shows us a Zen life doesnt have to be a sterile and emotionless one.

Thats not to say he was a complete hermit, he was very fond of the common man especially the children of surrounding villiages. Wich is what these poems are all about. Playing with the children in the "grasses" (he was sometimes criticized by other adults for this.) Walking along uneven mountain trails. Gazing at misty bamboo groves with various creatures scurrying about. Drinking sake with the villagers from time to time. Gathering supplies for his mountain hut. Writing poems and/or caligraphy for people when they would visit his him.

These are the everyday events as well as many others wich these poems speak of. You will feel as if you are sitting next to Ryokan while hes writes of the moon shining through the window, or the smoke rising from a single stick of incense.

Although Ryokan was a Zen master in his own right, he isnt lecturing or preaching anything in his poetry. He never seemed to talk of Zen, practice or philosophy (although he seemed to take his own practice seriously.) His poems will appeal to anyone for there descriptive naturalness and down to earth feel. In a few simple lines, Ryokan shares his fascinating daily life with us. I would highly recommend this book for anyone even halfway into poetry or a spiritual and aware life. Poetry at its best. Enjoy!

This book is a good buy even if you don't really plan to read a poem a day. This book is an excellent anthology that shouldn't be missed. As a student, I know that some poetry books can have some bad choices, but this book is not like that. Every poem is good and makes you think. You won't be sorry if you pick this book up.

I simply LOVE this book and pick it up every day to read a poem---that's how good it is. It's turned me on to many new poets and renewed my acquaintances with the old favorites. I was happy to see this gem on page 278 by Raymond Carver:

"And did you get what--- you wanted from this life, even so?--- I did.--- And what did you want?--- To call myself beloved, to feel myself--- beloved on the earth."

The power of the words shine through: the power of words to heal, strengthen, uplift, comfort, hurt, wound, enrage, succor and rejuvenate! This book is a celebration and a joy to read.

I enjoyed reading the words to Leonard Cohen's, "Suzanne Takes You Down", a favorite song from my past.

The poem, "from Jubilate Agno" written by Christopher Smart in the 1700's while in an insane asylum (about his cat!) was awesome and a must read for EVERY cat lover.

"The Falcon to the Falconer" by Jonathan Steffen blew me away. Here's a few lines:

"Unleash me from your hand--- And I will lance the light for you--- I'll cut a swordblade on the wind--- And pennant it with flight for you--- To signal I am yours--- If you will free me to be true to you. . ."

I could go on and on! I'm so happy that I found this book and recommend it highly!

If you like to read, you will delight in the book. If you enjoy words, you will revel in this book. "A Poem A Day" should be the next book in your library!

It does not matter if you have enjoyed poetry before today, because this is a splendid collection of poems especially selected to touch and tickle you. Poems of love and nature and joy and mundane; you will find yourself in these words.

The editors, Karen McCosker & Nicholas Albery, have done a wonderful job of selecting interesting and intriguing poems. The footnotes alone make the book worth the price because they only serve to draw you into the poets life, or experiences, or work.

I do not own or write poetry. I like words and reading. I love this book.

Read 'A Poem A Day.' You will regret not having this book yesterday.

This book, "Poem A Day", edited by Karen McCosker and Nicholas Albery has become a permanent fixture on my nightstand. It is filled with long forgotten favorites and new(to me) poetry that always stir me in some way.There are odes, sonnets, play excerpts and wonderful poetry to find a little escape and add something special to your day or night. Several from giants like Shakespeare, Shelley,Kipling,Bronte,Browning(Elizabeth and Robert),Emerson,Dickinson,Wordsworth,Tennyson,Plath are sprinkled throughout, and have a note pad and pencil ready, because you are sure to find new favorites, you will want to check out more closely as well.
Whatever your mood, you'll find just the right verse here. Romance, humor, deep thoughts, dirges,song lyrics, great play quotes and much more.

The poems, which range from olden days to contemporary, follow the calendar. Each day has it's own special entry, and has notes on the Author or the poem itself and usually has some special meaning for that particular day. For example, from Hamlet - Act III, Scene I, the great and celebrated soliloquy("To Be or Not To Be....") is given the March 16th page - "On this day in 1976, a performance with Albert Finney in the lead role opened the National Theatre in London, some 25 years after work on the building first started....."
Or on February 11th..Sylvia Plath's poem "Words", you not only get to drink in the beautiful poem but also learn that -"On this day is 1960, exactly three years before taking her own life Sylvia Plath had written to her mother and brother with news of her first book of poems, 'The Colossus', being accepted by Heinemann. 'Amaze of Amaze', she wrote.

So the book, not only serves to give the reader the beauty of the words of the Author's themselves, but on every page, you'll learn something new about your favorite. It will also open new doors to others you may be just discovering. The editors encourage you to study your favorites and make them your own. You can take just one a day,linger with your favorites, enjoy the pleasures to be found in the words, and maybe even take the time to memorize it. Or read several a day, whenever the mood strikes. There are treasures inside you can savour and then return to anytime.

A year's worth of wonderful poems, a lifetime to cherish. And yes, you even get one for February 29th - "Time Is..." by Alan Beam, born Feb 29th 1948
Enjoy....Laurie

I have been very pleased with this anthology, which is absolutely for people who love good poetry in a variety of forms and styles. Great selections by Yeats, Hopkins and Blake, and many poems that you may - like me - have loved once and lost, plus some that are less familiar but great finds. Happily no Rod McKuen or Susan Polis Schulz and also, happily, no T.S. Eliot. In other words, nothing mediocre, but also nothing effete and academic. McCosker is obviously very widely read, very open-minded, and has a love for the musical, the meaningful and the memorable. The notes on the poets are very good reading. Let's hope it will inspire some good poetry writing in the next generation!

THIS GUY IS MY ENGLISH TEACHER!
Mr. Simmons is fricken' cool.
He's really funny, and I'm not lying. =]

<3 Corinne

Shawns poetry is some of the best slam Ive seen! He is an amazing poet, and ahs shown me what it takes to be a good poet! His book is great and really hits at some great topics! He speaks the truth, and doesnt care what people think of it...its just great stuff!!!

Shawn is awesome. His performances rock. He was my camp counseler this summer! His stuff is really deep, and it touches me. Some of my favorites are "Welfare Cheese" and "Angels". He is amazing.

I saw this dude at a show in philly. I can't believe the book was as good as the performance. Anyone know if simmons has a new book coming out, i am first in line!

I saw Simmons perform not too long ago and bought this book instantly. He took my breath on stage and on the page. If your thinking about buying this book- stop thinking- buy it. I was a little disappointed that some of the poetry I saw performed wasn't in the book. Looking forward to a second collection...

My children love this one so much they wore it out and we had to buy a second copy...fun to look at right before bed especially with a flashlight, which makes the colors really jump out at you. Starts all kinds of conversations about the ocean.

Like "Moon Dance" which we also own for our daughter this book is so full of vibrant sparkly color which keeps our 10 month olds attention and she can't wait to turn the page to see what's next. Much like "Moon Dance" this book has more of a story to tell. This is one of those books she likes read to her at least 6 times before she pushes it away. Awesome illustrations and a must have for your child's library!! =)

I have absolutely wonderful memories of reading this book to my daughter when she was little. It lasted longer than you would expect with a two year old because of the excellent quality and construction. An absolute favorite in our house, and now I love to give it as a gift!

I purchased this book for my 19 month old son. I was expecting that the "sparkle" would be something different than it actually is. Areas of the illustrations are cut out and replaced with shiny, colored material. The recessed area is quite a bit lower than the printed illustrations making the sea animals more difficult to identify. I bought this book because my son loves fish. He always points and makes a "fishy kissy" sound whenever he sees one, but when I showed him the book I had to point out the fish to him and even then he didn't seem to recognize them. When we got to the back cover (which you can see when you "search inside" on amazon) he became very excited and pointed to the killer whales. If this book were available without the "sparkle" I would trade my Sparkle Book for it in an instant. The sparkle detracts from the beautiful illustrations.

Special note for Lassen and publisher: please make an edition of this book without the "sparkle." The artwork sparkles on its own, without the need for shiny paper.

Masterfully illustrated and well written. The illustrations keep both the parent and child (7 months) in awe. Only negative is it could have larger type and simpler wording.

I stumbled upon Roses & Thorns through a friend and was quickly prompted to buy my own copy. The combination of sonnets, free verse and excerpts from Pride & Prejudice make this collection highly appealing.
The reader will gain a new insight into the minds and hearts of our beloved P&P characters, and there's just a dash of humour scattered throughout.
Altogether, an exquisite and delightful little book!

But Selene Goodman has a fine touch and an ear for the sonnet form. Interspersed are lines taken directly from the text, which support the idea of each sonnet. The entire book is nicely laid out and pleasing to read. The poetry is lyrical and quite beautiful, capturing the nuances of each Pride and Prejudice character, from Darcy and Elizabeth, to flirtatious Lydia, carping Mrs. Bennet and the over-bearing and pompous Mr. Collins. We even have the thoughts of poor, long-suffering Mr. Bennet.

Selene Goodman has done a beautiful job with this little book and I'd recommend it to all!

This little poetry book is a respite for weary 21st century folk, those who long for Austen's time. You are transported back via beautiful sonnets into the Pride and Prejudice world. What a delight!

This is a delightful collection of thoughts and passions written by the characters in Austen's Pride and Prejudice. The sonnets are interspersed with free verse, some of it humorous. Ms. Goodman can certainly write beautiful sonnets and you come away from reading the poetry with a feeling that you've been transported back in time to Austen's world once again.

Selene Goodman's,Roses and Thorns is not only an artistic and intelligent tribute to the writing of Jane Austen, but also a demonstration of the beauty of the sonnet form. Ms Goodman's language is rich in melody and imagery. To read this book of poems is to be transported back in time to a period of romance that one seldom finds in today's writing. I hope that she continues to create and enhance the genre of poetry. I'm looking forward to more.

Santa Mouse is a classic childern's story that still holds up well today. This book is a timeless and wonderful story of a little mouse that thinks enough to give Santa a present. Because of his thoughtfulness Santa asks him to be his helper. Because of his thoughtfulness the story as great meaning at this or anytime of year. The illustration are just as good as the story. If you can find the book buy it. You will not be disappointed. Makes an even better gift and chances are whom you may be giving the book to does not own this wonderful story. Appropriate for childern ages 1-8.

I got this book as a present was I was a kid and absolutely loved it. Now I have a tradition. Whenever a friend of mine has a baby, I give them a copy of this book. That way even more kids can come to love Santa Mouse, just like I did.

This is my favorite Christmas poem after "Twas the Night Before Christmas"! I LOVE THIS BOOK! It is a family favorite. The mouse is so cute. It is a story of gift-giving. How wonderful for Christmastime.

I have been reading this book every Christmas since I was a kid. Every year I leave a piece of cheese for Santa Mouse along with the cookies for Santa Claus. You and your children will treasure this heart warming story for life!

Santa Mouse has traveled with our family for over 30 years. Through joy, triumph, tragedy, births and deaths every Christmas we would break it out. As life has grown and expanded us we have all continued to return each year, gather together and read our beloved Santa Mouse. It has been a missel of love, memories and treasured times that has woven through our lifes like a thread of gold. A wonderful addition to any special Christmas library. Why we just finished it for the 34th time!

This is a darn good book. If you like poetry, and I do, then you will love this book, cause it's filled with it.

When you read it, it makes you feel good, like when you are in your rocking chair sitting out on the front porch. Sometimes it rocks smooth and easy, and other times it rocks hard and really makes you think what life is all about.

"She Rose" is a powerful collection of poetry. The way Venus blends words and emotions into poetic verse is amazing. This is a book every Man will appreciate and every woman NEEDS to read. With pieces like "AMEN" and "I RUN" this book takes you on the journey of a powerful woman's into Godness. Venus is amazing!

Amazing book. I have read it many times and it inspires me each time.

She Rose is a beautiful, inspiring book filled with poetry that touches the soul of the reader. The poems range from magical to commanding. Each poem gives the reader an emotional stroke.

A fragrant rose amongst many thorns, She Rose: On a Journey from Girl to Goddess is entrenched in the tradition. Often, many ask why poets and spoken word artists, who come to us from the margin, must make waves in the societal ocean. Venus Jones clearly answers, "I want...women and the underrepresented everywhere to rise to their fullest potential so they may promise every nation a brighter and more beautiful future." She comes carrying the voices and visions of poets and writers such as Langston Hughes and Audre Lorde. Her words are not the distant and static monologues produced by so many other poets who lack a connection to what is humane. For Venus, poetry is not a luxury. It is a consciousness raising act, a call to be present and heard in a world that seeks to envelop us in the silencing clouds of materialism, sexual violence, racism, homophobia, poverty, war, environmental destruction and blind patriotism. There are indeed depths of wisdom in her metaphor and rhyme. For a new generation of poetic soldiers, Venus Jones and She Rose comes to us right on time.