Book Review - The Poetry of Home by Cameron Semmens

Reviewed by Dale Harcombe

Occasionally a book come along that captures your heart. That was the case with this book. I fell in love with this poetry collection from the beginning. The poetry is fresh and accessible, and uses interesting imagery. I am always a sucker for poetry with inventive imagery. Imagery is one of my favourite aspects of poetry.

The poetry is at times playful and humorous, at other time serious, but it is always thoughtful and thought provoking. I liked the ideas expressed about home in ‘Being Here and The Sweet Splendour of The Everyday’ and the pictures presented. I liked ‘Routine is a nice frame/ for a spot of spontaneity/ Everything looks better in a frame.’ And I could associate with the love for buttons, and ‘those occasional free-range button days’ where the poet dreams of other places but then puts them into context of the rest of his life.

I like the interposing of the full moon through the window with the boxer imagery of ‘Sting like a beam’ and the humour and clever flowered imagery of ‘The Force of a Thousand Flowers ‘that begins the section ‘My Family.’ Appreciated this thought in ‘The Husband Manifesto - the journey from Boy to Man to Husband, takes guts, guidance, grace and good choices.’ I chuckled at ‘Heat Wave Hot Wife, Bun in Oven and ‘My Pipe- Cleaner Kingdom.’

And loved the honesty of ‘Things I Say When People Ask How It's Going With The Kids’ and sad reality of 'Beat of the Moth’ and silent appeal in 'Make Poetry History' as well as the quiet beauty of ‘I Dream of Ghandi’ and ’The Many Wings of Prayerflies.’ I could go on and on picking out lines and specific poems I liked, but this review would turn into an epic. The best thing is to get a copy and read this book yourself.

As well as the array of poems I liked the quotes from varying people like Maya Angelou, Mitch Album, Lao Tzu, Friedrich Von Schiller, Robert Frost and others that are given at the beginning of each section. I also appreciated the practical suggestions at the end of this collection for ‘how to write your own way home.’ I haven’t used any of them yet. But you can bet I will. I loved pretty much everything about this book, including the cover and the black and white photographs scattered throughout. Most of all, this collection reminded me how much I adore poetry and the power it has to make us look at things with fresh eyes and notice what is around us each day.

I liked both the playful and reflective look at life. I found section 5 ‘The Weird’ for me the least satisfactory poems of the collection but that could be just me and it might just have been my frame  of mind at that time. It certainly didn’t lessen my enthusiasm of what is a wonderful collection of poetry. I was reading this while waiting for a friend at the coffee shop recently and when she read a few poems she declared it ’simply delightful.’ I have to agree. Even those who don't normally read poetry will, I think, enjoy this book.

This book was an entry in the Caleb poetry prize.

Dale writes fiction and poetry. She has had poems published in literary magazines and newspapers as well as in several anthologies in Australia and overseas. She has a collection of poetry, Kaleidoscope which was published by Ginninderra Press. She is working towards another poetry collection as well as writing another novel.

Book review : Exploring the Depths: Poems

Book review : Exploring the Depths: Poems, edited by Janette Fernando

Published by Poetica Christi Press

Reviewed by Dale Harcombe

This is the third poetry book I have read this year and I found more poems that appealed to m in this collection than in either of the other two. This is interesting, when you consider that the other two were The Best Australian Poems 2013 and The Best Australian Poems 2012. Twenty five poems in this anthology were either winning poems from the competition run in 2013 with the theme Exploring the Depths or extra poems chosen by the independent judge. The remainder of the poems which bring the total number to around eighty were chosen by a committee of poets.

Although the initial starting point for each poem was the same, the topics and issues covered are as varied as the poets themselves.  There were so many poems I enjoyed in this collection by a number of poets. Interestingly in this collection there were many more poems written by women than by men.

This is a collection to savour slowly. Some of my favourites were: Oh Hold Me, 1933, Leaving Warrnambool, After the Rain, Of a Photograph, Snow Gum, Immobile, Release, The Dawning, Enduring Love, Guildford Plateau Poplars, La Nuit Blanche, Death of Cold, Winter Solstice, Anon, A Life, Black Dog, (the Winning poem) Nothing but Time, Underwater (winner of the Francis Webb Award,) Until Death, Slow Dancing, Ascending into the Depths, and Jacob and Esau. On another read through I could probably go back and pick out just as many more other poems that pleased me with their imagery, expanded my thinking or in some way touched a chord in me.

This collection explores the depths of many and varied life experiences. You'll find such topics as depression, loss, nature, retellings of biblical stories, everyday life, football, doubt and knowing God. Despite some sad topics this collection is anything but depressing. Rather it is uplifting showing the hope that can uphold a person even in dark times.

A smattering of black and white photographs adds to the attractive presentation of this collection. I am thrilled with the beautiful photo of a jetty over the water and the rising sun that illustrates my own poem Grief.

Book review- God's Panoply

Book review God's Panoply

by Anne Hamilton

 

Any time I read a book by Anne Hamilton I find she makes me confront some ideas I had not encountered or thought about before. I particularly loved the story of the Maori people who initially had no word for forgiveness. But only knew payback and the cultural obstacle this caused for missionaries. The same with the Vikings.

Anne goes on to tackle a verse in Ephesians that manages to get a lot of people, particularly women, offside. The main reason for that is, as she explains, a misunderstanding of what the verse is saying. I had heard the explanation Anne arrived at, once before in a talk by someone else but I felt it was far more clearly and comprehensively explained in this book than in the talk.

The illustration about geese is another one that stayed in my mind, so much so that I ended up writing a poem about geese. Yet it is not really about geese at all, but learning from them. The geese come into play a bit further in the book too as a cheer squad – a great image. Have I whetted your appetite to read this book yet? To my mind it one that many of us could do with reading as it clears up what can often is misunderstandings of verses and concepts.

Anne makes her points eloquently and uses clear illustrations. I loved the one about the gold box of kisses and the way she applies it to Psalm 2. I admit to being challenged to try the Christmas celebration idea with our family.

Anne is very well read and, as anyone who has read her other books will know, she introduces examples from legends, poetry, nature and various sources that invariably shed more light on the Bible and our understanding of God. This book is a treasure trove of ideas. If you want a book that will make you think, that will challenge you and bear, no more than likely require, more than one reading then this book is for you. And how about the cover? Isn’t it gorgeous?

reviewed by Dale Harcombe

Dale writes fiction and poetry as well as bible studies and devotionals. Her current novel is Streets on a Map.

Book Review- Gestures of Love

Book review by Dale Harcombe

Sometimes it can be difficult to be a committed Christian and also be respected by the secular world for writing craft. Andrew Lansdown can lay claim to being a Baptist pastor, an education  officer in prisons, a tutor and also one of Australia’s most respected poets, His poems have won awards and been published in many of Australia’s leading literary magazines and newspapers.

Any new Andrew Lansdown book of poetry is always a cause for celebration. His newest collection of poems collection spans 35 years of fatherhood. I particularly liked: These Gifts, End of Day, Home, Paper Wasps, Freedom and I felt the regret and distance in Aftermath and my absolute favourite Lansdown poem Boat. Into Darkness is another favourite here.

Andrew Lansdown has the capacity to tenderly capture the small moments of everyday family life without reducing them to sentimentality in such poems as Binoculars, Confinement, Mowing, After a Storm, Dialogues with my Daughter,  and Poised on a Premonition, to mention a few.  I could go on and on. There are so many poems to recommend in this book. Even though I have read a number of these poems before in other volumes of his poetry, it is like coming upon a familiar friend to read them again here gathered around this unifying theme. Some of them deal with the Fatherhood of God and the experience of being a child of God as Andrews’ own experience of being a father.

To my mind poetry books are not meant to be devoured in a hurry. They are to be read, re read and savoured which is exactly what I have been doing with this book. Anyone who loves imagery and poetry based on everyday life will gain a lot from reading and re-reading this collection.  It has the capacity to help us to remember to delight in the small moments. This collection is a joy. It is not hard to see why Andrew Lansdown is such a respected name in Australian poetry scene, while his Christian faith shines through his poetry.

 

Dale writes fiction and poetry. Her latest novel is Streets on a Map is currently available as an E book. She has also written children’s books, bible studies, Sunday school material, devotionals, and articles about marriage, home and Christian living. She is currently at work on a new novel, tentatively titled Sandstone Madonna and some new poems. You can find out more about Dale from her website www.daleharcombe.com or her Write and read with Dale blog  

http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

ACRBA Tour of Streets on a Map by Dale Harcombe with interview.

23 - 27 September

Australian Christian Readers Blog Alliance

Introducing

Streets on a Map 

(Ark House Press December 2010)

By 

Dale Harcombe

About the Book

Every choice carries a price as Abby discovers when she marries Joel. If she had known when Joel first walked into Clancy’s what lay in store, she would have stopped the relationship before it got started. However, by the time she found out it was too late. The choice was made. Or so she thought.

But then between her and her one friend in Astley, Laila, they arrive at solution that could benefit Abby and the small county town. A deliberately lit fire and an unplanned pregnancy threaten to bring their carefully laid plans and Abby's dreams undone. Problems of some newcomers to the town impinge on Abby's life too, but it is the arrival of an old resident of Astley that could end up destroying everything and not just for Abby. 

Who else's lives will be affected and changed forever. Will the unwelcome arrivals in Astley destroy everything Abby and Laila have worked to achieve? What is the secret that will have all of Astley reeling?

About the Author

Streets on a Map, was published by Ark House Press. Prior to that Dale has had seven children’s books and Kaleidoscope a collection of poetry published. Many poems in Kaleidoscope have been previously published in Australia’s literary magazines. She has won prizes for her poetry and has been published in several anthologies. 
Along with her husband, Dale was for a time houseparent for a family of twelve boys. She has also been a manuscript assessor and book reviewer and run creative writing classes. She has also written bible studies and Sunday school lessons. For several years she wrote about Christian living, marriage and home related topics for www.families.com. She has a BA in Literary and Australian studies. More information about Dale can be found at www.daleharcombe.com or on her Write and Read with Dale blog
http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

Interview

1.      Can you tell us something interesting readers may not know about you?

I spent a number of years as part of BSF ( Bible Study Fellowship) classes. BSF is an interdenominational bible study class that studies the bible in depth. It was the place where I started to grow as a Christian. During my time at BSF I came to understand the importance of studying the bible in a regular and systematic away. I was privileged to be part of the program as a children’s leader and later as a discussion leader. Plus my children both loved the children’s program. I would be rapt to see a BSF class start up near where I live.

2.      Where did you get the inspiration for your novel Streets on a Map? 

The image of Abby came from a woman I saw years ago, who sat down next to the pianist at Centrepoint Tavern in Sydney and started to sing. She became the basis for the character of Abby and I played with ideas of what if she moved from the city to the country. What would cause her to move? How would she fit in with the locals? How would she feel if she had to give up her career? While I lived in Sydney for much of my life, the background of small country towns comes from having lived in and travelled around to many of them when I lived in the Central West of NSW. 

3.       In your research did you find any interesting titbits that surprised you?

As I wrote about  Abby I found it surprising when her dislike of bonsai suddenly popped up. Yet in so many ways it reflects exactly how she was feeling at the time, stunted and not able to grow naturally to be the person she was meant to be. Another piece of research resulted from the responses of people who have disabled children. Their attitudes came from reading a lot about such cases and how people handled it plus someone I met briefly many years ago.

4.      What would you like readers to take out of reading your novel?

One, is how the choices we make in life affect not just us but can often have far reaching consequences for others around us as well. And I’d like people to think about who or what inform their choices in life and where they stand with God.

5.       A fun question to end, if you were to recommend somewhere in Australia or New Zealand for readers to visit where would it be?

It would have to be The South Coast of NSW which is where I live. With clear turquoise waters and white sand fringed with dark green trees, it is one of the most beautiful spots and popular holiday destination for many people from Sydney and Canberra. For a city location I also still think it’s hard to go past Sydney Harbour.

6.      Where can we find you on the web?

Readers can find me at my website www.daleharcombe.com

            Write and Read with Dale blog  at http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangedale/

            Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4754021.Dale_Harcombe

            Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Dale-Harcombe/e/B004UK1B2C/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

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