Smorgasbord Blog Magazine – Podcast #Poetry #Flash Fiction – Waiting for Spring and Good Morning Your Eminence by Sally Cronin

Some more poetry and flash fiction from one of my collections.

Most of us in the northern hemisphere would be happy to see spring sooner rather than later… and when you see a magpie it is unlucky not to pay your respects.

Sally Cronin – Smorgasbord Blog Magazine · Waiting For Spring And Good Morning Your Eminence

Waiting for Spring

Freezing
the wind strips bare
branches of stubborn leaves
and now naked trees stand forlorn
waiting
for magical buds to appear
when the tempest has passed
and sun returns

Good morning Your Eminence

As I pass him on my way to the village, I remember to say ‘Good morning your eminence’. To ignore him is to invite untold misfortune. Wise ones tell of signs of impending death if he is seen close to your window. And should that be open to the spring air, thefts of gold and silver. I laugh at the warnings, for I am young and carefree, but ancient beliefs stir in my blood, for lone magpies bring sorrow. So I pay him respect, wishing him a mate for life, to bring joy to those who see them together
©Sally Cronin 2023

One of the  reviews for my latest collection. 

Lizzy 5.0 out of 5 stars A very special collection – lovely book!

So much to say … I’m not sure where to begin.

Sally Cronin’s latest collection of poetry and short stories is one of the most delightful that I’ve read. First, the poetry. While reading this book, I took notes on every poem, jotting down how I felt and what impressions it gave me. However, now that I’m writing a review, I am finding it difficult to put those notes into one paragraph and make any cohesive sense. So let me try this another way.

What I loved most about the poetry is the author’s gift for nuanced descriptions of nature and its creatures as if we’re seeing them with brand new eyes. Her poem “The Robin – Size doesn’t matter” really resonated with me. In my childhood, robins were abundant where I lived, but reading this poem felt as though I was meeting them anew, just as I felt reading about bees, butterflies, starlings and other creatures.

The author is brilliantly observant and knows how to extract what is most special about the world she sees. And I love the pieces of art she creates with her lines of poetry. Most clever.

I don’t want to give too much away about the short stories, but each one delighted me in a different way. I especially loved “The Secret” and wanted it to go on. But to summarize, all of the stories had connections with nature woven throughout – and I found each one to be touching and heartwarming.

 

Thank you for listening and if you would like to know more about my books and their reviews you can find them on my books page Sally’s Books and Reviews 2022

 

Smorgsbord Blog Magazine Podcast – Flights of Fancy – #love #dogs – A New Beginning by Sally Cronin

As a change of pace I am sharing another story from my Flights of Fancy audio disc that I recorded at the same time as the collection was published 15 years ago. From next week I will be sharing some of the short stories from the other collections to hopefully entertain you through the rest of the summer.

A new beginning in a home in the mountains of Wales with everything before them, a young couple’s dream and the life of a stray dog become entwined.

A New Beginning

Sally Cronin – Smorgasbord Blog Magazine · Flights of Fancy – A New Beginning by Sally Cronin

 

About the collection

Ghosts, romance, friendship of all kinds and revenge form the basis of this collection of short stories. Ghosts hint at a chance of coming back to say goodbye, exact a little payback, or simply to help someone else carry on living. Romance is not just for the young and nor are second chances. As for revenge, well… Never underestimate a group of elderly ladies with contacts from the past.

One of the recent reviews for the collection

Pete Springer 5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Collection of Short Stories Capped with a Delightful Novella Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2022

Flights of Fancy is a marvelous collection of short stories, mainly focused on stories of romance, justice, ghosts, special friendships, and a good dose of humor.

The first section in Sally Cronin’s various pieces includes ten short quick reads. One of the ones I enjoyed the most was The Other Side of Heaven, as Meg and her dog, Jack, prepared their dream cottage for when Meg’s beloved Sam could join them in heaven.

Another delightful tale was Father Christmas, as little Sophie spends her first Christmas without her father Jack after he passed while on the operating table. Sophie’s mother, Jenny, and the neighbors try to compensate by buying Sophie lots of presents. Sophie gets the best gift when her father comes to visit in the form of a spirit on Christmas Eve.

Flights of Fancy is also one of Cronin’s short stories and is a humorous tale of revenge as dashing Robert Brown falls for Helen Jett when he meets her several years out of high school. He thinks she is the beautiful Helen he knew in high school named Helen Graham. Unbeknownst to Robert, the two Helen’s lives have flip-flopped, and Rober falls for the Helen (Jumbo Jett) everybody used to make fun of in school.

The second half of Flights of Fancy features a novella called The Sewing Circle. Readers will delight in rooting for these old friends, all 80 years of age or older, as they plan their revenge on the evil Jackson family. I enjoyed the story the most because I did not expect these friends to develop a plan to outwit their nemesis. I had a delightful evening reading this whole collection.

You can find out more about my books and reviews: Sally’s Books and Reviews

Thanks for dropping in today and I hope you enjoyed the story.