#BookReviews #Poetry #Shortstories

Published on by balroop singh68 Comments

This week I would like to share some wonderful books of poetry and short stories. All three books are a quick read and I really enjoyed them.

Variety is the Spice of Life by Sally Cronin

Look inside

True to its name, this book is packed with a variety of syllabic poetry, pulling at the strings of your heart with poems like ‘Face in the Mirror,’ accompanied by a beautiful picture of the poet and her mother – a reminder of her laughter and ‘The Waltz’ that captures the joy of two hearts. Cronin’s poems are short and meaningful, most of them capture vibrant colors of life. Even drought doesn’t escape her discerning eye. Robins, starlings, bees and butterflies come alive in her poems. If blossoms remind us of fleeting opportunities, bees convey a profound message of diligence and persistence.

Sally’s short stories have always been my favorite, as they bring out the best of human values. I loved ‘The Healer’ and ‘Home Help’ but the winners are the marmalade cat and robin of Miss Lloyd. Cronin’s love for furry friends shines through her stories. I highly recommend this lovely collection to readers of all genres.

Do What You Love by MJ Mallon

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‘Do What You Love’ is a little memoir that captures beautiful moments of life, giving an insight into the author’s experiences, hopes and adventures. A delightful concoction of poetry, photography and flash fiction, imagination and reality merge here to share the stories of her life in a succinct manner.

With the symbol of hibiscus flower, Marje introduces herself as a giggling and carefree child whose mentor is Lachesis – the goddess of future. How creative! It is her innovative style of writing that would capture your heart, as all three “sisters of fate” – Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos remain close to her and offer her friendly advice at each step of life.

With a pang in her heart and tears of pride in her eyes, the empty nester also shares the story of her successful daughters and is reassured by Atropos that they have to take their own path. So relatable! It is fascinating to watch the poet conversing with “sisters of fate” and the moments we cherish come alive through her poems.  

The Christmas Bird by Robbie Cheadle

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‘The Christmas Bird’ is a heart-warming story of love and compassion. Stella and her sisters are celebrating Christmas when they discover a bird’s nest that had been destroyed by their dogs. Stella gently picks up the surviving baby bird and hopes to save it despite her mom’s warning that it may die of shock. They prepare an old basket into a warm nest for the little bird, feed the bird lovingly and get attached to it. The bird seems to be a perfect Christmas gift for the girls.

This short story infuses a sense of respect toward our environment. The natural instinct of caring for all the species is highlighted in a subtle manner. Loving and letting go is also underlined, as the bird grows wings and learns to be free. Written in a simple language, it is a perfect story for children if the superfluous details of the beer making process are brushed aside.

Thank you. Happy reading!

If you like poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope 

Double #Etheree #ThemePrompt

Published on by balroop singh39 Comments

The Gray Scarf

My 
gray scarf
breathes yearning,
holds warmth of love.
Purchased ages ago,
you promised it’s fragrance 
would never fade from our lives.
Then how did winter winds creep in
to divest us of our solemn vows?
Yet it sings familiar strains of summer,
shimmering with renewed rhythm of hope
that just lies at the bottom of sea
never reaching your empty heart.
Memories of gray scarf crawl,
weary shadows follow
on this Thanksgiving
till paths of love
converge in 
the next
world.
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen’s weekly TankaTuesday challenge for the inspiration to create syllabic poetry. Eugi selected this month’s theme: The Gray Scarf.

 I chose Etheree, which consists of 10 lines of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 syllables. Etheree can also be reversed and written 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Thank you.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope 

#Ekphrastic #Poetry Challenge – Crown #Cinquain

Published on by balroop singh37 Comments

I am back after a long, fun-filled vacation, emotional reunions with friends and family after a gap of three years. Though jet-lagged, I am getting inspired by this beautiful challenge. Thanks to David for choosing a thought-provoking image for Ekphrastic poetry challenge this month.

“Ukrainian Figurines” by Kirill Shevchenko (Groder) Image by Кирилл Шевченко from Pixabay

Together?

The day
we all gathered
harmony of colors
depicted the dreams that connect us
with love

that day
we were summoned
by our mentor to show 
the luster of togetherness,
a glow

a show
of diligence,
of emotions that bind. 
our hair color could never change 
the goals

he said:
let’s meditate!
Donna stood tall, erect
Bob stood on his toes to show he’s 
alert 

just few
paid attention
to the artist’s vision
curious Cane watched from the edge
judging!

© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen for the inspiration to craft syllabic poetry. I’ve written a Crown cinquain, a sequence of five cinquain stanzas functioning to construct one larger poem. This poem has five stanzas, each with syllable count of 2/4/6/8/2.

Thank you.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope 

#Success #Troiku #Poetry

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pursuing success
the sole goal of life
looking beyond relationships

pursuing success
stumbling on goalposts
never losing the focus

the sole goal of life
self-motivation ignites
the kiss of dawn

looking beyond relationships
a lonely path on clouds 
destination blurry
© Balroop Singh

Thanks to Colleen ‘s poetry challenge. This week, the challenge is to craft a Troika.

The Troiku is a form created by Chèvrefeuille at https://carpediemtroikuworld.blogspot.com/2015/10/welcome.html. (You can click on the link to understand this form.)

Inspired from haiku, this is a fun form, as it gives freedom from syllables. Yahoo!

Next week, I am traveling and would be away for almost three weeks. Despite the boosters, we have to keep the masks on for a lo….ng international flight!

See you in November!

Image from Pixaby.

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope 

#TankaTuesday #Poetry Challenge

Published on by balroop singh45 Comments

Paradoxical  Pine

I walk into the forest in the month of October – a mosaic of colors, and wonder why it brightens my mood, adds a smile to my face and warms my heart. There is gold in the air but I have an aching desire to catch the drifting leaves – reminders of life passing by! The pine in my backyard doesn’t care. 

Inspired by colors
mother nature’s lantern adds
a charm to its leaves 
each morning it glows orange 
to match the leaves of neighbors.
© Balroop Singh 

Thanks to Colleen’s weekly TankaTuesday challenge, ( taste the rainbow) which has inspired me to create a tanka prose. Tanka is typically written in the 5-7-5-7-7: a five-line syllabic structure. Tanka prose always contains a title. One basic requirement: one paragraph, and one tanka.

Thank you.

Image from my patio.(pine pun intended)

For more poetry: click here to hear Magical Whispers

Here is my latest release  Hues Of Hope