The Ceremonies Of Longing (Pitt Poetry Series) - Award-Winning Poetry Collection for Literature Lovers | Perfect for Book Clubs, Gifts & Personal Reflection

"Reaching the window in time to see sunrise:the glowing disk over the gray hill, bisected bycloud, burning gold, whole for moments, nowdisappearing, eaten by gray. After a day of being sad,unearned grace. A small burst of birds goes over,Black fireworks on blue, like last night's showers-rose, green, white on black, -the full moon orangeand low, and over the filed among the trees fireflies'echoing flash, glitter." ~Morning, the Fifth of JulySandra Kohler takes her observations of life and weaves them into a lyrical offering. There is a fluidity of thought and a splash of honesty in the vivid descriptions. She plays with words to explore the inner and outer drama of the human experience."The Ceremonies of Longing" is divided into three sections:THE LIFEIn nearly all of these poems, Sandra speaks of domestic life. Her mind dances in a world of words, selecting perfect partners for her experiences. Poetry becomes a diary of vivid recollections.If you are a worshiper of words, Sandra's poems will make your mind breathless. Many of the poems are written in the first person as she honestly takes a look at what it is to be a lover, a woman, a wife, a mother and a gardener.While reading this section of poems, sentences will trigger thoughts about your own existence. Sandra paints stories and scenes with precision.In her poems, she speaks of her garden, the change of seasons, conversations with lovers and friends, the rain, kissing, birds, her son running through the house, mulberry trees, rivers, love, doctor's visits, music, sleep, moments of mourning, dreams, loss, fear, youth, trees, labyrinths and visiting your previous life."The river moves through like a woman who wants to be anywhere but in the future, the only place she is sure she is going."THE OTHER HOURSandra turns more of her observations to areas outside her immediate environment. She leaves the safety of home and wanders out with her son. She begins to question the inner workings of other's minds. She observes them with an interest and in depth sense of perception. And yet, she is still in her poems: "I can't remember when I've been so heavy with outworn longing." In "Recapitulation" she again speaks of birds, but here the birds are yellow/blue and seem to represent her longing to be free with her lover."Primary Colors" is stunning. Here she uses colors to describe a series of events taking place. As each color appears, the scene changes rapidly in this fast-paced poem filled with moving images.TUESDAYHere, Sandra embraces some of the incongruity and irony of life. Where you are and where you want to be becomes more clear. She imagines her life is endless and yet her "cells lie, every atom, false to the core." She speaks of destiny and being grounded in the real, while she seems to long to let her thoughts trail off into a sea of clouds. She dreams of living under purple skies near a thunderous ocean."Japanese Landscape" has a rather profound ending as she watches a butterfly and says: "I won't die easily." Her image of the orange ghost sun and light washing the horizon are especially beautiful.Her concise style shows an appreciation for the simplicity of experience, while her choice of words shows the seduction of the complexity of the inner world we live while the outer world swirls around us in color, sound and texture. Sandra finds stunning beauty in the ordinary and has been writing since she was 15. She speaks of pleasure, life, death, longing.Sandra Kohler's poetry is the recipient of many awards. This book was the winner of the 2002 AWP (Associated Writing Programs) Award Series in Poetry. Her poems have also appeared in a variety of journals and publications. Ms. Kohler has taught literature and writing courses at levels ranging from elementary school to adult education.The longing I felt while reading "Ceremonies of Longing" was a desire to keep reading every single poem. You can read this collection of Sandra's poems in a few hours. I found these poems to be quite calming, although the world around me came alive in words and colors."The Ceremonies of Longing" will transform a part of your soul into an awakened butterfly. Sandra's poems are an affirmation of what we know to be true in our souls. We should enjoy this life as one passing through on our way to eternity. Sandra's poems truly do encourage me to live as if I was immortal. She has the gift of intoxicating the mind with words.~The Rebecca Review