Poetry that pleases the heart!
348112
What a wonderful gift to a child this book would make! Reading it awakened the little boy within. The poetry that flows effortlessly, the pictures that depict the emotions, and the simplicity that wraps a deep, genuine love.

Thank you Donna for enriching children libraries with this beautiful and meaningful work!

Yaman Saleh
Author of The Stranger, An Extraordinary Journey Beyond The Limits
4232315
Inspired words from a beautiful spirit! This book is filled with poems that will touch the heart and soul of its reader. No matter your walk of life, there is something within these pages that will speak to you.
3119980
Fleeting Heart is a beautiful book of poetry that speaks of the human experience and different kinds of love and hate: platonic, unrequited, familial, etc. It is a poignant and lovely book of poetry. Megan's voice is strong and her poetry resonates. I would compare her to Dickinson and Plath in her craft. It was well executed and lovely. My favorites were Sing to Me, Sand, Remembering You, Soul To Body, The Light Within, Outsider, Tiny Vampire, Kismet, and Wish. Of these poems Outsider probably spoke to me the most because I felt as if it could be me writing this poem. I've always been an outsider but some people are very good at making you feel as if you're even outside of yourself. I'd recommend this to anyone who loves poetry.
126114
This is a marvelous collection of poems. I don't read a lot of poetry, but that which I have read has stuck with me, and like all readers I have my favorites: Frost, Yeats, Shelley, Marvell, Spender, Bukowski, and Keats. What usually stays with me is the superb line, the perfect image, or, as Flaubert puts it, "Le mot juste." Virginia Crawford's collection, TOUCH, has plenty of all three of these.

In poems including "The Physics of Seduction" and "A Personal History of Sex," she explores the sensual in beautiful language, with rhythms that match the subject being discussed. But Crawford also brings out the unseen beauty in everyday life moments; "Grand Opening, Safeway" and "Going to Bed After PBS" are excellent poems that do this well.

In all, the thing I love most about this collection (even more than the language--lines like, "...I remember the moment, the bird's heart/pounding in my palm, its dark eyes/constant, looking for what is lost.") is its honesty. Throughout the experience of reading it, you feel as if Ms. Crawford is whispering all of these poems in your ear, that they're secrets between you and her alone.

With clean and beautiful language, and unblinking honesty, TOUCH is a fine collection of poems--for other poets, as well as the rest of us.
1762642
Beautiful poetry that lifts the spirit and inspires! Met her at a bok signing, and she is SUCH a talented writer, speaker, and singer. Her books stay on my nightstand for frequent reading.
3245233
The poetry in this collection reaches into the reader's heart and twists it, giving us a glimpse into `what if' and `what can never be'. The pain expressed in many of the pieces is filled with regret, longing, and love. Though somber, these poems leave you craving more.

Through her poetry, Shannon Riley allows the reader to enter a hidden realm, a world where sunlight no longer rules, and beings older than time give voice to their thoughts. Her deft weaving with words embraces the reader and brings us into the darkness, then with a gentle push, releases us to breathe in the light once again.

I highly recommend this collection. It definitely left me yearning for more.
3660635
Being a long-time fan of the written and spoken word ever since childhood, where it all started with a volume of some of Shakespeares plays and poetry someone had given me, I have acquired a great regard for people who have the talent to put their thoughts and feelings from pen to paper (or on their word processors).

Regarding Claude Garretsons volume of romantic and erotic poetry, Loveology:  A Soliloquy of a Mans Heart, I have been a fan of his poems for many years and have been hoping for him to put together a volume ever since he had his former poetry website, The PoetTree Caf.  This tome features many poems from that site, as well as some new ones, and the poems are broken down into 6 sections:  Scenes of Love:  Pursuit, Romance, Eroticism, Break Up, The End, You Can Still Smile, and conclude with an Encore, comprised of a longer poem, and one of my favorites from the former site, My Beloved.

I enjoy the flow of the wording of the poems; the depth of feeling:  longing for the one who is there, somewhere, but for now, just out of reach; the dance of romance when the one is at hand, but hesitates to show her feelings; and the passion that is had when both souls come together in mutual admiration and desire; and at the end of the love affair, sadness, but with reflection, for the most part, of good remembrances.

I love how Gods presence and Nature permeates many of the poems, and I also like the musicality in the words, which seems apparent, given the fact that Mr. Garretson is also a musician.  I can even see some of the poems as songs or being presented in a spoken word forum, with a nice jazzy piece, like Patrice Rushens Softly, playing in the background to enhance the mood of the poem.  (Uncharted, for example, is a nice poem for such music to be read quietly or aloud to).  In this, I hope that Mr. Garretson will eventually incorporate his works on CD as well as in print.

If the eyes are the windows to the soul, then the words that Claude Garretson uses as expressions of the many facets of love, is refreshing, and it is a privilege to be allowed into the heart and mind of a man who seems to be very romantic, sensitive, and at times, even humorous.
4471624
A glorious array of emotions written in words. Must read if you like poetry that touches your heart and soul!
1424951
This is a wonderful collection of poems that truly express the joy and sorrows of love.  I felt personally drawn to so many pieces and could relate to the heartfelt words in this wonderful book.  I look forward to reading more.
222187
This beautiful collection of poems is inspired!!! Each one whether long or short speaks volumes to the heart. Look no futher to find etheral,gracefully written words than Coyote Moon!!!!
1964680
After buying the book, I could not wait to share them with my spouse even though I don't think he has ever willing sat through a poem without wiggling.  I bought the book after meeting the author, who read several of the poems from memory and had me hooked.  I wanted to hook others.

Payne's rich vocabulary, her insight into the way life and love works, and the complex rhythms that keep you wanting to read more.  I really enjoyed this book.

She is in the league of all of the great poets before her.  Perhaps she is one of them and she has yet to be found.  Enjoy this book.  I hope that there are many more to come!
4602547
I read this entire collection of poetry in one sitting. Every single poem was fantastic, but my two favorites were The Era of Women and Reflections of Celeste. The former was about the history of women, and how fashions have changed over time, but that there have always been exceptional women throughout history. The latter was about a woman aging, and not being able to really see herself. Both were beautifully written and heartwarming.

There were also several darker poems like A Prayer for Briar's Lot (chilling!) and Marko the Clown (extra creepy). What impressed me most about these poems were the unique rhymes. Inion Mathair's poems are unlike any others I've read. I adore their novels, and No Rhyme or Reason is up there with the rest of their work. Five stars all the way!
3623553
Written from the heart. Very beautiful poetry.
3578226
Excellent poems, very heartfelt. ..would HIGHLY RECOMMEND
2388868
There's enough bad poetry out there to wallpaper the moon, so when you find something great, it's worth shouting about. That's how I felt when I read Ruth Awad's debut collection. This whole book resonates with lyrical craft, an emphatic devotion to image and sound, but what really joins all these poems together is their underlying threads of courage and vulnerability (since any great writer knows you need both to make something worthwhile). Many of these poems are politically charged, but unlike a great deal of political poetry, Awad's poems never surrender their devotion to craft and sound. Nor do they reduce complex situations to a soundbite--even though Awad is also adept at relatively straightforward "snapshot" poems that, upon closer examination, contain masterful line breaks and turns of phrase (not to mention the same vulnerability and guts that permeate her verse). For example, take one of my new favorite poems, "Lessons in Grief," reprinted here in its entirety:

Lessons in Grief

If you're gone I mean
really gone, then whose
voice is that veining through
the shower drain--no, it's
only water, but here I am,
half wet and stung
with the mercy of living
where your robe trailed
like a thought across
the kitchen floor
and my hands are filling
with dirt. Or is it water?
Tell me a well is enough
to hold me. Or is it just
the bats sweeping low
enough to feel like comfort?
I'm a clockwork animal tied
to fading light, but the days
never stop coming.

The unexpectedness of "dirt" and "veining," the tension and double meanings created by "half wet and stung" and "the mercy of living," and that last line (a combination of plea and resignation) are just superb. So, yeah. Stop listening to me and buy this book!
4623364
I haven't read this particular book of Fred's poems yet, (I'm ordering today) but reading his contributors to the Writer's Digest Poetry forums I can tell you his poetry is truly inspirational and spell-binding. It is poetry that is understandable, and speaks to the everyday man and woman. It deals with issues of love and life in such depth that you come away clutching your heart and sighing. It is beautiful!  I just wish he'd set-up the See-Inside feature so you could read some of the poems before you buy, but I promise you won't be disappointed if you buy the book. Oh, I'm so glad he finally has published his work for all to enjoy!

I got my copy of Fred's book and I was right, I have not been disappointed. This book is filled with beautiful poetry. I especially like: (Letters to a) Dear Unknown, Letters Unsent, Marionette (no strings attached), and I absolutely loved, Heritage. :-)  And then there's The Hiding Place which, being my hubby loves to hunt, was a bit of a heartbreaker for me. There is such an eclectic assortment in this beautiful book of poetry that I'm sure it will be loved by everyone who reads it.
4324288
What a read! I enjoyed getting into the hearts of others in their poetry.  Beautiful read!