Treasuring Poetry – Poetry collections for Halloween by Annette Rochelle Aben, Dawn Pisturino and Freya Pickard
Posted: October 14, 2026 Filed under: Book Review, Collection, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Annette Rochell Aben, Book Review, Dawn Pasturino, Freya Pickard, Haiku, Haiku for the Midnight Hour, Halloween, Poetry, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 14 Comments
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 as a Halloween treat, I am showcasing three books by poets I’ve featured previously for this series, Annette Rochelle Aben, Dawn Pisturino, and Freya Pickard.
Son of BOOKU Returns: with more Halloween haiku by Annette Rochelle Aben
What Amazon says
As the autumn leaves fall, the creatures heed the call and assemble for a night of fun frolic, and fright. Oh, the preparation it takes to gain the admiration of fans of all walks of life. Yet, the mystical maven of midnight magic will slave away night and day to create the perfect atmosphere. An atmosphere worthy of ghosts and goblins both small and tall.
So, when you find yourself absent-mindedly dancing in the moonlight… If you are drawn to fog-covered bridges because you are curious about what you will find on the other side, then DO get into this book. If for no other reason than to gladden your heart and give voice to your wicked laughter!
My review
Son of Booku Returns is another wonderful collaboration between poet, Annette Rochelle Aben, and artist, Lorraine Parent. The photographs of Lorraine’s Halloween displays are original and creative and I would love to see them in real life. As America is two oceans away from Africa, I must be content with the excellent pictures in this book. My favourite display was a snake with a human head wrapped within its coils and a human hand extending from its mouth. A grave with RIP on it is behind the snake.
Annette has matched each picture with the perfect haiku and every combination made me smile.
The poem that goes with the snake detailed above is:
“Spent most of my life
Clawing my way to the top
That’s no way to live.”
If you are looking for a Halloween creative feast, this book is the perfect dish.
Purchase Son of BOOKU Returns: with more Halloween haiku from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Son-BOOKU-Returns-Halloween-haiku-ebook/dp/B0CLYZW4KC/
About Annette Rochelle Aben
Words are like threads that when woven together with passion and purpose can create a tapestry in which you long to wander. That passion was ignited in me when I was a small child and continues to burn bright even today. I was encouraged by educators who challenged me to try and by career paths that demanded I become a proficient wordsmith. I would like to think I have done them proud. Over the years, I have won awards, been nominated for an EMMY for television writing, and penned a #1 Best Selling book of poetry. My collection of books available here on Amazon include self-help, inspirational, and of course poetry. I have been invited to participate in anthologies and collections, several of which are here as well. Welcome to my world of words. Should you find something in which to lose yourself, I shall raise my glass in a toast to your happiness. Thank you for your kind attention.
Find all of Annette Rochelle Aben’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Annette-Rochelle-Aben/author/B00MSQTGUY
Find Annette Rochelle Aben on her blog here: https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/
A poem by Annette Rochelle Aben
Tune In
Generous is your mind
So much in it to find
Such as, ways to be kind
To yourself and others
©2026 Annette Rochelle Aben
Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino
What Amazon says
“This collection of haiku challenges the traditional Japanese poetic art form. Experimenting with darker images and ideas, I have created non-traditional observations that address the other side of literature and life: monsters, ghosts, natural fears, supernatural forces, fearful gods and goddesses, and whatever constitutes the Otherworld. This book was written for people who like Halloween, scary stories, and being alone in the dark.” – Dawn Pisturino
My review
This is an entertaining collection of micro poems that revolve around the themes of Halloween and ghostly happenings. The micro poems are collected under common themes with headings, for example, Wee Folk and Crystal Balls.
While most of the micro poems deal with the paranormal, there are several that deal with Family and dark events in the home. On such example is Aunt Jane, as follows:
“aunt jane – locked away
in the attic for years – rocks
back and forth in chains”
The poems are clever and darkly humorous. Two of my favourites are as follows:
Jack and the Giant
“jack climbed the beanstalk
with curious intention
a giant backlash”
Purgatory
“purgatory and
punishment clean souls tarnished
by sinful doings”
If you enjoy clever and dark theme micro poems, this is the book for you.
Purchase Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino from Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Haiku-Midnight-Hour-Dawn-Pisturino-ebook/dp/B0DD3SBP6N/
About Dawn Pisturino
Dawn Pisturino is a retired registered nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. She has published five poetry collections, including her most recent release, Ancient Voices: Poems About Ancient Egypt, which achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in African Poetry, History of Egypt, History of Africa, and History of North Africa. The Mystery of the Pink Poodle is her debut children’s book. She is a member of the Mystery Writers of America and the Arizona Authors Association.
Find all of Dawn Pisturino’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Dawn-Pisturino/author/B0CYM7BV37
You can find Dawn Pisturino on her blog here: https://dawnpisturino.wordpress.com/2026/10/02/call-of-cthulhu-short-video/
Vampirical Verse by Freya Pickard
What Amazon says
“This book is for the walking dead who have learnt to live as best they can with hollow hearts and gaping wounds.”
The author says her brokenness comes from nearly dying of bowel cancer, having open surgery to remove the tumour, a uterine fibroid, and her womb. She then had six months of chemotherapy.
I have had several first hand experiences of the emotional, mental, and physical devastation caused by chronic illness, and dreaded disease. It impacts on the patient and on everyone around them. My own experiences include nursing family members through breast cancer, a pulmonary embolism, a venous sinus thrombosis, and chronic and on-going illnesses suffered by both of my two sons. My younger son is a ‘medical mystery’ or a ‘medical miracle’ depending on your viewpoint.
People react differently to chronic illness and near death experiences, but no-one escapes unscathed. The poems in this book are the author’s expressions of the fear, anger, and stoic numbness which accompany different stages of treatment and survival. Experiencing these poems will change you, as the disease itself changed the author. They will teach you compassion, appreciation, understanding, and gratitude.
A few of the stanzas in this book that resonated with me the longest.
From: The Dead
“the dead feel –
I am not in stasis as you believe
I fluctuate between despair and hope
empty days, lonely nights”
From Camouflaged
“if you blink
you’ll catch a glimpse
and wish you’d not;
I am the thought
you didn’t want to think”
and a haiku
“on this side of death
shadows remain long, gaunt, thin
light never expands”
If you know someone who is, or has, suffered chronic illness or dreaded disease, these poems will give insight into their world. I encourage lovers of poetry to read this book and allow yourself to change and grow.
My review
“This book is for the walking dead who have learnt to live as best they can with hollow hearts and gaping wounds.”
The author says her brokenness comes from nearly dying of bowel cancer, having open surgery to remove the tumour, a uterine fibroid, and her womb. She then had six months of chemotherapy.
I have had several first hand experiences of the emotional, mental, and physical devastation caused by chronic illness, and dreaded disease. It impacts on the patient and on everyone around them. My own experiences include nursing family members through breast cancer, a pulmonary embolism, a venous sinus thrombosis, and chronic and on-going illnesses suffered by both of my two sons. My younger son is a ‘medical mystery’ or a ‘medical miracle’ depending on your viewpoint.
People react differently to chronic illness and near death experiences, but no-one escapes unscathed. The poems in this book are the author’s expressions of the fear, anger, and stoic numbness which accompany different stages of treatment and survival. Experiencing these poems will change you, as the disease itself changed the author. They will teach you compassion, appreciation, understanding, and gratitude.
A few of the stanzas in this book that resonated with me the longest.
From: The Dead
“the dead feel –
I am not in stasis as you believe
I fluctuate between despair and hope
empty days, lonely nights”
From Camouflaged
“if you blink
you’ll catch a glimpse
and wish you’d not;
I am the thought
you didn’t want to think”
and a haiku
“on this side of death
shadows remain long, gaunt, thin
light never expands”
If you know someone who is, or has, suffered chronic illness or dreaded disease, these poems will give insight into their world. I encourage lovers of poetry to read this book and allow yourself to change and grow.
Purchase Vampirical Verse by Freya Pickard from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/Vampirical-Verse-Dragonscale-Delvings-Book-ebook/dp/B0CH4Q8KD8/
About Freya Pickard
Pushcart Prize nominee, Freya Pickard is the quirky, unusual author of The Kaerling series, an epic fantasy set in the strange and wonderful world of Nirunen.
A cancer survivor, she writes mainly dark fantasy tales and creates expressive poetry in order to rest the prose side of her brain. Her aim in life is to enchant, entertain and engage with readers through her writing.
She finds her inspiration in the ocean, the moors, beautifully written books and vinyl music (particularly heavy metal and rock). Her most recent relaxation techniques to get her through lockdown include hatha yoga and painting landscapes and monsters in watercolour.
Find out more about Freya and her books at https://freyanrites.wordpress.com/
A haiku by Freya Pickard
Message from Freya about this photograph and haiku: My friend, Claudia Messelodi, is a published poet who also takes amazing photographs when she’s out hiking, skiing, rock climbing, paddle boarding, biking in the Italian countryside. Her photos often inspire me to try and paint them, but this one birthed a haiku! Claudia has a beautiful blog where she posts haiku and photographs of the natural world around her at A Stream of Small Stones. Please visit her there!
More of my haiku can be found in my Poetry Collections!
About Robbie Cheadle
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.
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Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures
Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships
Poetry Treasures 3: Passions: https://books2read.com/u/b5qnBR
Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature
Poetry Treasures 5: Small Pleasures: https://books2read.com/PT5-SmallPleasures
Poetry Treasures 6: Seasons: https://books2read.com/PT6Seasons
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Treasuring Poetry – Meet talented poet, Dawn Pisturino and a review #poetrycommunity #poetry #TreasuringPoetry
Posted: October 16, 2024 Filed under: Books, Collection, Poetry, Review, Treasuring Poetry | Tags: Dawn Pistrurino, Haiku for the Midnight Hour, Interview, Poeetry, Robbie Cheadle, Treasuring Poetry, Writing to be Read 65 Comments
Today, I am delighted to welcome talented poet, Dawn Pisturino, as my October Treasuring Poetry guest. Dawn has a Halloween collection of micro poems which I’ve reviewed below.
What is your favourite style of poetry to read i.e. haiku, ballad, epic, freestyle, etc?
I like any style of poetry to read, but my favorite is the sonnet. William Shakespeare and Elizabeth Barrett Browning excelled in this art form that elevates the mind and captures the soul.
What is your favourite poem in your favourite style to read?
My favorite sonnet is the classic love poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning from her collection, Sonnets from the Portuguese. “Portuguese” was Robert Browning’s pet name for his wife. Her sonnets are so expertly written and articulate such deep love and passion! They are delightful to read and reflect the nature of true romantic love between two people—the abiding love that most people dream about but rarely find.
Sonnet XLIII
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of everyday’s
Most quiet need, by sun and candle-light.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love thee with the passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood’s faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, – I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! – and, if God choose, 2
I shall but love thee better after death.
What is your favourite style of poetry to write? Why?
It’s easier to write in free verse and let the words and emotions flow. Writing in a tight form, like a sonnet or haiku, requires discipline, creativity, and a more extensive vocabulary.
What is your favourite of your own poems?
“Ariel’s Song” is my favorite poem because it was written for my daughter when she was quite small. It reflects our life when we lived in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Ariel’s Song
Ariel sings a lusty song
Of ships upon the sea,
And ere the night is very long,
Her spell is cast on me.
She spins a web of intrigue,
She tells a tale of woe;
And when the sun is waxing big,
I do not want to go, –
No, I do not want to go.
But she folds her wings together
And whispers my release;
For her stories last forever
And her songs will never cease.
Then, she rises from the window,
Winging high into the light,
And I’m left alone in shadow
As she disappears from sight.
Tell us a bit about your latest collection of haiku, Haiku for the Midnight Hour. What inspired you to write this collection? Is Halloween a favourite celebration of yours?
Halloween is one of my favorite holidays. I have fond childhood memories of picking fresh pumpkins from the garden, buying cider from the local apple stand, bobbing for apples at my best friend’s house, and going trick-or-treating with my little brother. Early in the year, I thought about writing a dark haiku collection and decided to finish it in time for Halloween. It was a fun project. I wrote twisted, dark limericks for Underneath the Juniper Tree that were quite popular with readers of all ages. I thought it would be fun to do the same with haiku. Purists may not like non-traditional haiku about monsters, aliens, demons, voodoo gods, and other dark themes, but I’m hoping it will be an interesting introduction to haiku for adults, teens, and young adults.
My review of Haiku for the Midnight Hour
This is an entertaining collection of micro poems that revolve around the themes of Halloween and ghostly happenings. The micro poems are collected under common themes with headings, for example, Wee Folk and Crystal Balls.
While most of the micro poems deal with the paranormal, there are several that deal with Family and dark events in the home. On such example is Aunt Jane, as follows:
“aunt jane – locked away
in the attic for years – rocks
back and forth in chains”
The poems are clever and darkly humorous. Two of my favourites are as follows:
Jack and the Giant
“jack climbed the beanstalk
with curious intention
a giant backlash”
Purgatory
“purgatory and
punishment clean souls tarnished
by sinful doings”
If you enjoy clever and dark theme micro poems, this is the book for you.
Purchase Haiku for the Midnight Hour by Dawn Pisturino from Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0DD3SBP6N
About Dawn Pisturino
Dawn Pisturino is a retired nurse in Arizona whose international publishing credits include poems, short stories, and articles. Her first poetry book, Ariel’s Song: Published Poems, 1987 – 2023, debuted with five-star reviews. Her short chapbook, Lunar Gazing Haiku, became a #1 Amazon New Release in six categories. Her newest release, Haiku for the Midnight Hour, achieved #1 Amazon New Release status in three categories. She is a member of Mystery Writers of America, PEN America, and the Arizona Authors Association.
You can find all of Dawn Pisturino’s books on Amazon US here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0CYM7BV37
About Robbie Cheadle
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.
Poetry Treasures: https://books2read.com/PoetryTreasures
Poetry Treasures 2: Relationships: https://books2read.com/PT2-Relationships
Poetry Treasures 3: Passions: https://books2read.com/u/b5qnBR
Poetry Treasures 4:In Touch With Nature: https://books2read.com/PT4-Nature
