Book Review: In the Shadow of Rainbows

Posted: January 12, 2024 | Author: kayelynnebooth | Filed under: Book Review, Books, Collection, Poetry, Review | Tags: Book Review, In The Shadow of Rainbows, Poetry, Poetry Collection, Selma Martin, Writing to be Read | 16 Comments

About the Book

Purchase Link: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Rainbows-Collection-Songs-Presence-ebook/dp/B0CB5PLMB6/

My Review

I’m happy to be able to begin 2024 with the review of Selma Martin’s debut poetry collection, In The Shadow of Rainbows. Many of the poems in this special collection have a lyrical feel to them from the poet’s unique style, finding ways to celebrate life and the wonderful things found when you least expect them, lying hidden in the shadows. I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.

I see poems as personal reflections on love, life and nature. They express the unique way that each poet sees the world, and shares them, opening doors for others to view the world in a different way. Poetry can express some amazing things, and make its readers think of things in ways they’ve never before considered. Selma Martin has done just that, opening doors to reveal the hidden world which jumps out and surprises us from the shadows of rainbows.

I truly enjoyed reading through this collection, often going back and rereading poems which resonated with me personally. It is often amazing to view the world through someone else’s eyes, revealing what we might not otherwise see, and this journey offered in Martin’s collection is a truly wonderous one. This delightful collection of lilting, lyrical poetry offers special appreciation for life, love and the world around us.

As with most poetry reviews, the best way to describe the poet’s unique style and perspective is to share some of my favorite selections for my readers to judge for themselves. Because, after all, the poetry speaks for itself better than anything I could say to describe it.

(Martin’s form doesn’t transfer well on WordPress, so I hope I didn’t butcher them too badly.)

Slice of Life

Flanked between two warnings, I live you, planting the light hours with loving acts, for you, for us, for our menage,

and when I meet dusk, filled,

ready for our mingling at the table, where we swap slices of lived moments of the same day, hearts swell replete.

The Lore

Azure and unperturbed is the sky until a little

cloud perches high above me near sunset

I quit my book

glad Cloud stopped for me.

We stare at each other long, me, blanking out toils and troubles, Cloud turning orange and peach until she mauves herself,

Melding with Sky, and follows it.

When I can discern her no more I walk away from my tent-down to the small river that gurgles. I watch it gain speed, and as it snakes into the noble Pacific

I hear her babble me a goodbye.

A salacious wind blows warm air behind my ear but soon disowns me, a moth brushes on my temple and is gone much too soon.

Everyone’s on the move except me- I don’t mind, I have the chant of the river, the bustling of bugs,

puddles of moonlight, silhouetting the beauteous forms of things and best of all, and best of all the seven daughters of Atlas

clustered over me.

What else do I need?

For an Hour

when a colorless day let’s slip a rare irreproachable hour

take it and indulge it for a while sit with it, let it swallow you while

or paint it with shades alluring, dye each section with thoughts of hope

paint your steps from here to the seashore pigment the waves to humor the sun

taint the sun-no wait-don’t paint the sun we need Helios to stay as is

winnow the bulrush color-washed clouds that camouflage Mt. Fuji

and the hawk-just let the hawk be duly, a day will never beam

without bringing you recall

of the sea, laughing with you for an hour

A wonderful way to begin the new year with a lovely collection of poetry. I give In The Shadow of Rainbows five quills.

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Kaye Lynne Booth does honest book reviews on Writing to be Read in exchange for ARCs. Have a book you’d like reviewed? You can request a review here.

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