Smorgasbord Book Reviews Rewind – #Poetry – Minus One: With Haikus and Other Poems: The Story of a Life by Elizabeth Merry

I am sharing my reviews from the first few months of 2021. The focus tends to be on new releases but good books deserve to be in the spotlight too on a regular basis.

This is my review from February 2021 for the poetry collection by Elizabeth Merry...  Minus One: With Haikus and Other Poems: The Story of a Life

About the collection

This collection sums up the life of the poet. It begins with memories of her parents, in The Red Petticoat: “The lighthouse sweep and beam/Of her glad eyes/Lit us all, haloed the room/Where we stood in a row/To admire.” And in Minus One: “Your absence grips my throat/Chokes my breath . . . How much of you is me/Stretching to close the circle?” Other poems cover growing up and speak of friends and lovers, moving forward to parenthood and beyond, to old age in Bones: “Don’t look too close/Disintegration has begun/And death will lend it speed/Until my bones are bare and/Waiting for the second coming . . . ” And to death in Mortality: “Tombstones/Pale and cold/Line up, waiting/For my name . . . ”

Throughout the collection there are sections of Haikus, many with accompanying photographs: “Child of my child, I/scoop you up and hug you, breathe/you in and keep you.” References to the sea and the harbour move through this collection, lending a special atmosphere. These poems are filled with the many emotions of our lives and will appeal to all of us.

My review for the collection February 11th 2021

This is a lovely reflection on the poet’s life, including the loss of a parent, children leaving home, love, relationships and the joys of nature.

Elizabeth Merry has a wonderful flow to her words and even the shorter formats such as the haiku tell a story and draw you in. One feels the emotions released by the words and invite you to keep reading to enjoy more.

Events throughout the year are celebrated such as Halloween, Samhain, the seasons and also the people in the author’s life who have left their mark on her heart.

If I was to highlight some favourites it would be Seascapes that brought back memories of a childhood by the sea and Time Out with a visit to the rural home of grandparents.

A lovely short interlude that you will enjoy dipping into time after time.

Head over to buy the collection: Amazon UK – And: Amazon US

Also by Elizabeth Merry for adults and children

 

Read the reviews and buy the books: Amazon US – And: Amazon UK – Follow Elizabeth: Goodreads – Blog: Embookstuff WordPress – Twitter: @ElizabethMerry1

 

About Elizabeth Merry

Elizabeth Merry was born in Bangor, Co Down in the province of Ulster but has spent most of her life in Co Dublin. She has been writing for many years and has previously published a novel for children and many short stories. The present book “We All Die in the End” is a series of interlinked “scenes” set in a seaside town on the Ulster coast where most people know each other. It is a book filled with miserable couples, meddling siblings, or individuals struggling to survive. Some of the “scenes” are twisted, some are macabre, and more than a few deal with abusive relationships. But there is joy here too, and a lot of dark humour.

Elizabeth is, at present, working on a collection of poetry, much of which has been published over the years in literary magazines.

 

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you will head over to check Elizabeth’s books out in more detail..thanks Sally.