Treasuring Poetry – Poetry collections by previous guests Kevin Morris and Sally Cronin

Posted: November 11, 2026 | Author: robbiesinspiration | Filed under: Book Review, Collection, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Book Review, Poetry, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read |Leave a comment

Treasuring Poetry has been running for several years and its time for a change. This series will be ending in December this year and next year’s anthology will be the last Poetry Treasures collection.

This month and in the lead up to the final post in this series in December, I am showcasing poetry collections by previous contributors to this series: Kevin Morris, Sally Cronin and Colleen Chesebro.

Kevin Morris

About Kevin Morris – Amazon Author bio

I was born in Liverpool on 6 January 1969, a year best known of course for my birth. Well no actually it is better known for the moon landings which certain peculiar conspiracy theorists still maintain never took place (the moon landings that is, not my birth!).

One of my earliest recollections is of eating roast dinners, on Saturday in British Home Stores with my grandfather. Although cooked in the kitchen of a department store they tasted wonderful to a small boy but then again it is easy to look back at one’s childhood with rose tinted spectacles. On Saturdays my grandfather and I would invariably pop into W H Smiths and buy a book. Often he bought Enid Blyton books and I’ve happy memories of him reading to me about the adventures of Julian, Dick and Ann – not forgetting Timmy the Dog (who could!) Being blind, it was a real treat to sit on my grandfather’s knee, hearing him regail me with children’s adventures. It was from my grandfather – a man who had never so much dreamed of going to university that I derived my love of literature.

As I grew older I learned to read braille which opened up a world of independent reading to me. Only a tiny proportion of books are available in braille, however it was still amazing to me, as a young boy to be able to sit with a book on my knee reading for myself. Besides braille I was also a huge consumer of spoken word cassettes, everything from Treasure Island to Wuthering Heights.

I still possess almost all of the many cassettes which I have purchased and had bought for me over the years but many of them have now warped with age so are, sadly unusable. Today it is the text to speech facility on my Kindle and iBooks (using voiceover) on my iPad which is my favourite means of accessing the wonderful world of literature.

I attended school in Liverpool and later went on to read history and politics at university. I must be a glutton for punishment as having obtained my degree

I went onto study for and obtain a MA in political theory (I can see your eyes glazing over already)!

Since 1994 I have lived and worked in London. I live in Crystal Palace, a part of London high above sea level and famed for it’s steep hills. It is very green and the air is much fresher than many parts of London. I like were I live and I’m lucky that my home overlooks a large garden and an historic park.

I began to write seriously in mid 2012. All of my writing takes place in my spare room surrounded by books. Being blind I use a standard laptop with Jaws (software which converts text into speech and braille allowing me to access my computer’s screen).

I can not write with background noise other than the singing of birds, as conversation and other extraneous sounds interfere with my concentration. I do most of my writing at weekends and once the bit is between my teeth I can write for hours sustained by copious cups of coffee!

Other than writing I enjoy walking in green places with my guide dog Trigger, listening to a wide variety of music and socialising with friends.

I hope that you enjoy my books.

To find me on amazon.com please go to: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00CEECWHY

You can visit my website here for regular updates: http://kmorrispoet.com

My review of Shadows and Birdsong by K. Morris

Picture caption: Cover of Shadows and Birdsong by K Morris featuring a woodlands area at sunrise

Kevin Morris is one of my favourite poets. I deeply appreciate how his mind works and the thoughtful and accepting way he accepts the truth of his ultimate demise. I find his approach refreshing and reassuring. There is a peace in acceptance of the inevitable. This view of life and death does not prevent Kevin from relishing the moment and appreciating the small moments of pleasure in nature and relationships.

Kevin’s thoughts and attitude to live shine through clearly in his freestyle poems. I love birds and the first poem in this book speaks to the joy to be found in the song of a blackbird. This is a short extract:
“Were you there with me
You would have heard
The same bird
And our hearts
Would have found art
In its poetry”

Another particularly powerful poem is The Clock on the Wall which goes as follows:
“The clock on the wall
Watches us all
As we eat and sleep.
Sometimes the clock’s
Steady tick tock
Is heard over words.
Or, when alone,
Sometimes I see
Time’s great scythe
Moving closer to me.”

I really enjoy Kevin’s simple forms and style that contain such eloquent truths and messages. Congratulations to Kevin on another excellent poetry collection.

You can purchase Shadows and Birdsong by K Morris from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0HDQ9QK3Z/

Sally Cronin

Our beloved Sally Cronin is currently unwell. Today, I am sharing my review of her poetry and short stories collection, Variety is the Spice of Life. Sally would love it if you picked up a copy and posted a review.

About Sally Cronin

Picture caption: Amazon author photograph of Sally Cronin

Sally Cronin is the author of nineteen books including her memoir Size Always Matters in 2024. This was an updated version of her first book, Size Matters published in 2001 which followed her weight loss of 150lbs and the programme she designed to regain her health. A programme she shared with her clients over her 27 year career as a nutritional therapist and on her blog. This has been followed by another eighteen books both fiction and non-fiction including multi-genre collections of short stories and poetry.

Her latest book is part of a three book series set in a garden in Spain and then in Ireland. Tales from the Irish Garden: The Missing Pieces brings together creatures and people in need of a sanctuary, where they can spend their lives in peace.

As an author she understands how important it is to have support in marketing books and offers a number of FREE promotional opportunities on her blog Smorgasbord Blog Magazine and across her social media.

After leading a nomadic existence exploring the world, she now lives with her husband on the coast of Southern Ireland enjoying the seasonal fluctuations in the temperature of the rain.

You can find Sally Cronin on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B003B7O0T6

And on her blog here: https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/

My review of Variety is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin

Picture caption: The cover of Variety is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin featuring a selection of teaspoons filled with spice against a dark background

This delightful book is a mixture of poetry and short stories. Much of the poetry relates to nature and nature’s impact on humanity, although a few focus on human relationships. All of the poems are syllabic and beautifully written.

My favourite of the poems, and a few lines from each, are as follows:

Kinship –
“sanctuary formed in kinship
there may not always be harmony
but the ties of love cannot be broken.”

Storm front –
“clouds disperse and run for their lives
to seek shelter of night
softer gaze of
the moon.”

Drought –
“grass shoots
vibrantly green
burst thought the ground in days
a miracle of abundance
at last”

The short stories in the book are all typical of the author’s style of writing. Each story pierces the veil of human relationships and behaviour and exposes the good and the bad for the reader’s enjoyment, surprise, shock, and entertainment.

My four favourites were as follows:

Miss Lloyd’s Robin – a short story that has many facets. It emphasizes that people’s looks generally do not define them and gently reminds the reader not to stereotype people based on appearance. Miss Lloyd thinks that Sharon Dawson will never amount to anything because she has unruly red hair that is hard to tame. This story also highlights the damage an unkind teacher can inflict on a student. At the same time, Miss Lloyd, so hard and sharp in the classroom, has a softer side and feeds the birds in her backyard with relentless determination. This is a beautiful, feel good story that leaves the reader believing in the goodness of people.

The Green Hill – this short story has a light paranormal twist and joyfully highlights the beauty of a long and loving relationship and marriage between two people. It also demonstrates the strength of devotion that develops between people and their dogs.

The Secret – another beautifully written story about the potential damage secrets within a close family circle can do. It also highlights the terrible indifference of many people in positions to influence others, especially youngsters, and their complete irresponsibility and selfishness. This story made me glad that most of the girls I grew up with and who my sons associate with are a bit street wise. Modern women who grow up in more enlightened households are no longer naïve to a point where they can ruin their whole lives over a misguided mistake. It was delightful that this story had a satisfying ending.

The Healer – this tale was set in a dystopian future when people with the ability to heal and help the sick are persecuted as charlatans and imprisoned for life. I enjoyed reading about Serina and her gift and discovering how common sense and love for a child will often overwhelm fear of reprisal from a misguided and often cruel leadership. A lovely story with a fulfilling outcome.

Another well written and thought provoking collection from a talented author.

You can purchase Variety is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BMXMVGZ7/

About Robbie Cheadle

Picture caption: Robbie Cheadle author picture

South African author and illustrator, Robbie Cheadle, has written and illustrated sixteen children’s books, illustrated a further three children’s books, and written and illustrated three poetry books. Her work has also appeared in poetry and short story anthologies.

Robbie also has two novels and a collection of short stories published under the name of Roberta Eaton Cheadle and has horror, paranormal, and fantasy short stories featured in several anthologies under this name.

You can find Robbie Cheadle’s artwork, fondant and cake artwork, and all her books on her website here: https://www.robbiecheadle.co.za/

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This segment of “Treasuring Poetry” is sponsored by WordCrafter Press and the Poetry Treasures series.