Wednesday, October 5, 2011

The Lament (Selected Poems and Prose_

Author: Ercell H. Hoffman
Paperback: 118 pages
Publisher: Outskirts Press
(June 20, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1432743465

Book Description:

The Lament captures the full range of emotion that whirl around human relationships. Here are dozens of poems examining the profound joy of those deeply in love, the incredible longing of the separated partner, the intense loneliness of modern working life, and - above all - the indisputable necessity of connecting with people around us. Poet Ercell H. Hoffman casts a penetrating gaze on our everyday emotions, revealing our extraordinary capacity for feeling, empathy, and love.

In "Lost to the Moment," the speaker relishes the irreplaceable first blush of fledgling love that sweeps through her body "like a cool summer breeze." "This Afternoon" explores the painful possibilities of a love that might have been - that "I knew could not blossom." "Stay Heart Stay" is about the undying fire for another that refuses to be extinguished despite considerable hurdles. Meanwhile, other poems examine relationships in the contemporary workplace, revealing a deeply unsatisfying existence: "The Factory" looks at the peculiarly disconnected relationships among underappreciated factory workers, while "On the JOB" tackles the boredom of a career that's anything but busy.

Chock full of penetrating insights into the heart, The Lament is about our most basic needs: finding and keeping love and obeying your inner truth.

My thoughts:

I tend to approach books of poetry with a bit of trepidation, knowing that the poet's soul lies bare within the pages of their collections. I wasn't sure what I would find in The Lament or how I would write a positive review if I didn't enjoy or relate to the work. But I must say that I was very pleasantly surprised with this author. The Lament (Selected Poems and Prose) is insightful; beautiful and emotional; intense yet humble. Ercell H. Hoffman understands the human condition and is able to put into words the feelings most of us are unable to articulate. I especially liked The Birth of a Poem. I will proudly keep this volume alongside more prominent poets. If you enjoy poetry, I highly recommend The Lament. 5 stars*****

(Many thanks goes to the author for my free review copy.)

2 comments:

Kathleen said...

It's been awhile since I've dropped by, so I scanned through the last ten of your posts. As has been my experience during previous visit, I am utterly amazed at your ability to read & glean so much!

Barb Davis said...

Sassy, I love to hear from you and hope you are enjoying my blog. Books have always been an important part of my life, so therefore I get great pleasure in being able to read so many each month. The number I read depends, of course, on the length and genre. Fortunately, retirement gives me time to enjoy my hobby. Thank you for reading the reviews!