Saturday, September 3, 2016

THE SUPERNATURAL and BEYOND WORDS Poems #42-43

42
The Supernatural 

Speaking in tongues
Searching for inspiration
Hands grasping,
Minds laid bare 

Enlightenment nearing fingertips
Yet always just beyond reach
The brass ring,
Unattainable 

The elusive transformation
From human to divine,
Is unfathomable, far
Beyond ability
 

When it becomes accepted belief that it is possible to alter God’s creation to reflect something of man’s own invention, thereby making man (woman) appear all powerful, then not only the molecules of thought are rearranged, but also the raw materials of the soul. This is not about cloning, Hitler’s regime, or IVF, but about the dangers inherent in my own inflated ego.
 
*****     *****


43

Beyond Words

 
 
There are words
I want to build on
And to use as titles
Of poems. Phrases with meaning: 
 
Rendering a Thought Visible
Or
Attempt at the Impossible
 
But my page is blank
Not barren, only empty.
As the leaves of autumn
Shrivel and blow away,
So has my inspiration.
 
Leaving behind only
Possibilities.
 
Inspired by the works of Belgian artist René Magritte and an essay by Marcel Paquet: The Enigma of Poetry.

 
 

Friday, September 2, 2016

My #Goodreads Read and Review Challenge Week-45

Many of my goals are carved in stone. When I decided to read and review 71 books between October 2015 and October 2016, it wasn't "more of a guideline" like some pirates' codes we've heard about. If I didn't read and review 71 books, I would have to walk the plank! With that in mind, and 46 books already read and reviewed by the end of August, I compiled a list of titles that would take me over the finish line.

It's nice to have a list of suspenseful reading material planned ahead of time.
Maybe my next reading goal will actually begin with a list!


CITY OF DREAMS by Harriet Steel

The story advances a bit slowly in the beginning, with a predictable romance that takes the reader from Russia to Parisian high society during the middle 1800s. Once CITY OF DREAMS began its rollercoaster descent, however, the author's assiduous research and knowledge shine through.

Harriet Steel's historical novel unfolds at a leisurely pace, meandering through equally tragic and pleasant scenes with characters that feel authentic in their environment. The pain and sacrifices of war bleed onto the page. My impression is that the protagonist has more than a touch of Scarlett O'Hara in her, suffering and then moving along to the next shoulder to lean on.

*****     *****     *****
 
  
SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC (A Marketville Mystery Book 1) by Judy Penz Sheluk 

The opening scenes of SKELETONS IN THE ATTIC set the stage for an intriguing mystery. I was hooked, immediately wanting to learn what, when, where, why, and, eventually, whodunit. The story is set in the small community town of Marketville situated north of Toronto. The plot, featuring protagonist Callie Barnstable, unfolds around a sketchy history of a mother who left her husband and then six-year-old daughter, Callie. Decades later, with her father now deceased, Callie is tasked with learning why her mother disappeared without explanation or warning.

The cast of characters is colorful. All tackle their roles with spirit and aid in moving the plot forward at a comfortable pace. They also fulfill reader expectation to entertain, some adding a touch of humor, others frustration or suspense. The author’s descriptions of setting and action kept me reading non-stop, along with my desire to learn “who dun what” along the way.
 
*****     *****     *****