Hello, lovely readers. Happy first weekend in December to you.
The poetry books I’ve been reviewing on Amazon lately and sharing with you here on
WordPress have enjoyed a second exposure on the Medium Platform.
Today, I reviewed my first poetry collection on that platform and decided to bring it
over here and do the same on a lovely collection on launch day. Yay!
How excited this makes me! I wrote my review early, ready to post to Amazon
the moment it went live. And I did! But the ‘magic link*’ the author provided me seems,
I don’t know, slow? My review still hasn’t been approved. More on that at the bottom of
the post.
I’ll still post the book review of Author Tree Langdon’s debut poetry collection so you,
too, know it exists. (Please know that I only post when I have something positive to say
about a book).
Congratulations to Author Tree Langdon. Here’s what I told the Amazon
readers/prospective buyers about the book.
Each poem in this collection will touch your soul
I received a digital copy of this book, ARC, but after completing it, I know it’s a book I
wish to have physically in my collection to read again and again. It’s that good!
We Swallow Light — Life Poetry by Author Tree Langdon begins with the mention of
the street where — /water swirls in eddies…/The liquid is the only traffic//
and the silence — /The silence of the streets/unnerves me.//
That setup immediately pulls on my heartstrings, and I’m about to discover a young
woman in a place that’s not her choice. Instinctively, I turn into her protector, though
I’m oblivious to what I’d be protecting her from or where to find her — the street is
endless!
I read the whole book in one sitting but several times to grasp its core, and sure
enough, with each sitting, I discovered more.
Excerpts borrowed from the book:
Towers stand witness…//
The monkey mind/sends greetings.//
…rehearse the mantra./Take care./Protect yourself./Stay back./Survive./Bound by
duty…//
and we a herd of sheep ashamed/to gaze upon the truth revealed//
Their subversive cross stitch/Shows us where to dig our trench/And how to plant the
rebel flag.//
you are slowly dying/of survival.//
…to keep the peace./Free will was given as her bond/Exchanged but for a single life.//
The keepers of the records heard.//
My quiet anger/was excited/by the private wrongs/ inflicted by his words.//
…and I made a solemn vow/of devotion to my Self.//
I’m scared to be wrong.//
I grew up fast and alone.//
I hear them welcome me into the conspiracies.//
drinking deep from the cup of self-loathing.//
…where my shirt is inside out/and I’m walking/naked in the street/and I can’t wake
up.//
I am not them//
…shoes with long green laces/and tokens/to ease my passage,//
Here, I wish to point out that the words street, silence, naked and green set off alarm
bells in my head, and by this point (pg. 40), hardly a third into the story, I cared deeply
about what happened to this person in the rest of the book.
I was fascinated by every poem title in the book, which to me has special significance.
I’ll mention those after page 40:
— A Percussive Surfacing
— Time to Consecrate the Wheel
— Lying is a Practiced Art
— There be Dragons
— Witnessing the Truth
— Wu Wei
— Fifth Month Darkness
— Searching For Solutions
— The Spinning of the Coin
— Forgive, Don’t Forget
— Beneath The Forest Floor
— Stories in Ashes
— The Blessing Tastes of Lost Promises
— The Hour of Cowdust
— The Mind Collage
— The Watcher Emerges
With this listing of titles, I wish to draw your attention to Author Tree Langdon’s
exquisite word choices that should mirror the quality of poetry you will encounter in
this book.
We Swallow Light — Life Poetry by Author Tree Langdon is a book that takes you on
a journey of the past and brings you to the present with words like (quoting from the
book):
Be present in your life.//
New patterns are emerging/in our social distanced lives.//
Go find your truth outside the gate//
Remember where the crosses are.//
Wear your rituals near your heart./Practice every day.//
I am renewed.//
We swallow light./Renew the source./
By the end of the book, the urgent feeling of wanting to save a young woman had
dissipated. The journey was such that the Author deftly did that for her soul.
Excellent storytelling in prose.
An engrossing progression in this book.
I loved the cover and everything about it.
I highly recommend it.
What a gem of a book! I’m grateful Tree trusted me with her lovely collection by letting me read it early and then giving me a magic link* to review it. Until now, I have
purchased every book I review as Amazon only accepts my review then.
I haven’t bought this book as I’m awaiting the results of the ‘raffle’ Tree entered me in
for an honest review. (I might win).
We Swallow Light — Life Poetry by Tree Langdon launched on Saturday, December 3rd.
One more thing, it’s always a challenge for me to access Goodreads — I don’t know why, but if I can manage it, I intend to put this review up there.
I support indie authors. Let me know if I can be of assistance to you, preferably in poetry. xo
My friends, let your souls know that the hope candle
of the advent wreath
was lit last week;
this week,
the faith candle adds more light
to the symbolism.
Please bask in that knowledge.
May your month be merry and bright.
Thanks for reading, and I wish you miracles.
- Share The Wealth: Joy is Our Natural State - May 6, 2024
- NPM Scavenger Hunt – Poems from Around the World - April 30, 2024
- Day 30: NaPoWriMo 2024–Mary Magdalene At The Doctor’s - April 30, 2024
Great review.
So happy you found this review, dear Sadje. I bless you for your continued support. Thank you. I wish you miracles XoXo
It’s always my pleasure.
A great review of what sounds like a wonderful book, Selma! ❤️
Hi, Ingrid, my sweet. Thanks. Yes. It is a wonderful poetry collection that reads like a story. Cool. Thanks for reading.
Hey, my sweet, come listen— I did this one with your encouragement of moons ago when I told you I didn’t like my voice and you advised me to just DO IT. I did it!
Unless you already did. Are you that anonymous commenter?
Here’s the link for ease
https://selmamartin.com/today-the-reed-cutter-remembers/
💗
Very nice book review shar you. Sounded it’s. Have a happy Sunday, Selma!
Thanks, friend. Glad you liked it. Xoxo
You are most welcome friend 🤠
Most welcome friend 🤠
Superb! ❤️
Lovely word you gift me, Jane. Thanks so much.
You are welcome, Selma!
What a beautiful review Selma. I know Tree Langdon certainly appreciates such a thorough review of We Swallow Light — Life Poetry. Wonderful! 👏🏼💖👏🏼
Kym. I appreciate you saying. Tree is a gifted writer. Thanks for reading and commenting. XoXo
Oh Selma, it’s my pleasure and thank you for being so kind to take the time to write about her achievement and sharing her with those of us who didn’t know about her. 🥰👏🏼😘💖🤗 Have a FANtabulous day and week my friend. 🙏🏽
Thanks for heads up. I will have check this book out.
Don, dear friend. Hi and thanks for being here. It’s a wonderful poetry collection. Do check it out.
May your year end celebrations be merry and bright. I bless you. XoXo
Wonderful review, Selma. If I were the author I would be so encouraged and helped by it. Those poem titles you shared are awesome.
Dora, I’m grateful. Thanks for appreciating my efforts. Your words encourage me. Be well my sweet. I bless you. Xoxo
Blessings to you, Selma. Take care. 💞💞
Such a beautiful and heartfelt review Selma. Lovely poetry! 💞
Makes me happy to know, dear Cindy. Thanks for dropping me a comment. I bless you. XoXo
Wonderful review of Tree’s book of poetry
. Well done!
Kathryn, dear. It’s a great collection. Thanks for reading and commenting. Xoxo
Great review!
i appreciate you saying, Belladonna. It’s a great book. xoxo
It sounds like a meaningful book, Selma! <3 Tree should be delighted with your very positive review!
Cheryl, happy New Year, my sweet. I bless you. I hope Florida feels like your beloved Florida. Blessed be!
Seems like a wonderful poetry book. ❤️
Hi, Borntempest. Thanks for reading and commenting. I appreciate you. Yes, it is a wonderful short poetry book.