literature
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Hundred-Acre Grave
Yesterday, the blue and gray Skies rolling overhead, Sighing, seemed to me to say The rivers had turned red. Treading gentle on the grass, I sought peace but found none. April, she had come to pass, Her faithful weeping done. Musical, the ancient trees Groaned with the bluegray sky. Their duet, a mournful sound, Spoke…
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Poetry
Bottle up your pain In an old, glass jar. Let it sit there for a day ‘Til it’s black as tar. Fall down on the grass, Find a feather there. Take your bottle; feel the sun Shine down on your hair. Use the feather, trace Feelings in the dirt. It would be a shame to…
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Calluses
I am building calluses Around my heart. Nobody can come in To hear my song. She’s losing strength Because I exposed her To empty souls who Did not know, That she is a melody Few have heard, And she is timid. She will hide. I will not forsake her Or sing her to the dark,…
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Flowers
You were never going to see me Among all the other flowers, Watching idle as the strangers Daily passed me by. I am not unlike my sisters, Neither am I just like them; We are gathered as a body Staring at the sky. If you deign to come in closer And, for once, get on…
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The Captain’s Daughter by Jennifer Delamere + Author Q&A!
I enjoy it when historical fiction books are written in different settings. So many seem to take place during the Season or inside of country houses. Though these books are enjoyable, a different setting ensures that I will remember the story. The Captain’s Daughter by Jennifer Delamere provided a new setting. A good deal of…
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The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens
After one month in its pages, I have finished The Pickwick Papers. It is part of my 2019 Classic Novel Challenge, one of the longer ones on the list. I’m unable to critique writing by my favorite author. How can I nitpick the gripping prose, the humorous twists and turns, the delightful poetry? I cannot…
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Netherwood by Jane Sanderson
Netherwood was a side read to space out my 2019 Classic Novel Challenge. Like The Lady and the Gent, it is historical fiction. Though they share a genre, these novels are delightful in their own ways. Netherwood is more sober than The Lady and the Gent. It’s the story of a widow named Eve and…
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The Lady and the Gent by Rebecca Connolly
Last week, I took a break from my strict 2019 Reading Challenge and searched for some historical fiction to provide a quick, happy read. Three books by Rebecca Connolly caught my eye, and in two days I had finished the first, The Lady and the Gent. The book did not disappoint; I was smiling by the time…
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Russian Magic Tales from Pushkin to Platonov by Robert Chandler
My third book in this year’s classic novel challenge, Russian Magic Tales, was a delight. I wandered dark forests, met evil stepmothers, learned riddles, and—happily—found the Russian mermaid, who draws travelers to death with her weeping. More interesting than the stories were the biographies of each featured author. Many lived dank lives, suffering illness and…
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The Story of King Arthur and His Knights by Howard Pyle
The second book in my 2019 classic novel challenge was The Story of King Arthur and His Knights. These stories were released in serial form for a children’s publication; they are characterized by their bold protagonists, as well as their focus on virtue and morality. It is not a novel, but a compilation of tales…
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The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy
The first book I read for my 2019 reading challenge, The Mayor of Casterbridge, is compelling because of its characters. Though there are many, it focuses on a man named Michael Henchard, a man none of us would envy. It is the story of a mistake he made as a young man and how this mistake…
Mariella Hunt & the Tearoom 