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Good afternoon Saloners - and Happy Mothers Day to the moms out there. Last week Maxine prompted a lively debate when she questioned whether the Salon had moved away from its roots so this week I thought I’d make a conscious effort to write about reading.

I’ve recently been lucky enough to receive some ARCs - mostly novels - but one; “Pardon Us Ms. Writer” is a compilation of poems by Megan Easley-Walsh.

I have to admit that I’ve never really been a big fan of poetry. We read some contemporary poetry at school that I really could not get my head around. We studied a couple of Coleridge’s finest too, and though at the time I didn’t really understand what all the fuss was about I’m surprised to be able to remember some of the first verse of Kubla Khan:

“In Xanadu did Kubla Khan

A stately pleasure dome decree

Where Alph the sacred river ran

through caverns measureless to man

down to a sunless sea”

Or something like that…

Oh and then there was the Ryhme of the Ancient Mariner - now I did like that poem:

“The ice was here, the ice was there,
The ice was all around:
It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,
Like noises in a swound!”

I can no longer remember what the poem is about, but I recall that particular verse because it is so descriptive, you can hear the ice breaking and feel the chill…

It’s been years since I’ve read any poetry - in fact thinking about it I don’t think I’ve ever read any for pleasure - so I’m pushing my comfort zone a bit with Megan’s works.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed some of the poems - here are some of my favourite verses.

From a poem titled; Life’s Not Static:

“Life’s not static

Does not contain itself

In separate capsules

Up on some old shelf”

“Life’s not static

Not left to the confines

Of black and white

Inside the lines”

From Dunmore Ocean:

“Plush carpets of green Eire

Sculptuous clouds in twilight’s desire

Winter landscape so pristine

Ocean dazzling, beauteous scene”

From Uniquely Me:

“You don’t get to decide what I’m worth

You don’t get to reason what can’t be

You simply get to be you

And quite happily I get to be me”

If this has whet your appetite and you’d like to read more of Megan’s poems you can buy a copy of the book at Target.com.

Are there any poetry lovers out there? Am I missing out on some great experiences by sticking resolutely to novels? What are your favourite poems or poets?

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