Customer Reviews

Small Bird

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was familiar with Elizabeth Cunningham's magnificent fiction when I picked up this book of poetry, but even despite my enjoyment of her prose work, I was stunned speechless by the simple and profound beauty of her words. I found myself emailing friends around the nation with various poems, and calling local friends to read special favorites. This book will never leave my shelf!

This poetry is fresh and strong as a good cup of coffee, powerful in its simplicity, sometimes very funny, always meaningful. Everyone will find something to treasure in Small Bird--it is a jewel of a book, with the power to move, to inspire, even to heal. Give it to all your friends: they will love it as much as mine do. All of us have discovered poems here that will be guides and talismans for us, lifelong. Beautiful!

Not what I expected. I had been looking for a book of nature poems - one that celebrated the wonders of nature and pointed out its subtleties in poetic ways that make you think. This book doesn't do that. Most of the poems are written in the first person (e.g. I did this.....my mind does that, etc). There are words and analogies from nature mixed in but its definitely more about the author's predicaments or struggles rather than about the beauty of nature itself. An example is the one entitled Mother's day...."Praise to my mother, who is now the dirt I crumble in my hands as I dig to plant flowers on her grave....." I think the overall theme of the poems has more to do with self reflection, reflecting on the death of her mother, reflecting on childhood, etc. There are a few poems that I liked but it just wasn't the nature focus I had expected.