book review of barbary chaapel's newest book, Estuary

as you may know, on our travel site, we've been highlighting artists, photographers, and writers. some of our great finds have been my dear friends from gather! how lucky am i? yep.

this week, i was lucky enough to review the latest poetry book by barbary chaapel, a long-time gather friend. what a gift this book is, to even the most clueless poetry readers (like me). such a strong sense of place barbary has, and she's such a wordsmith that the images she writes are still dancing in my head.

here's a part of her interview - you can read the rest by following the link at the end of this article...

WE: Please tell us about your book, Estuary.

BC: In Estuary you will find my intentionally transparent world. Without guile I share my journey with these fifty poems from the small mountain stream to the mouth of the sea: estuary, the end or beginning. The thing is, I don't want ever to look back at this work and think to myself, I could have been more honest. I want to triumph over the quiet withholding of a lifetime.  And I’m hoping you will recognize my words.

Estuary

The tide at crest carries me
To the hard land of my ancestors,
Mountain glen, green onion meadow.

Ebb tide pulls me to open seastead,
Washes from me one poem at a time.

Swirled water teems with life
When the world tilts... falling-off words
Know laughter, salt tears.

There is no way to write this gently:
There may be a plant called
Dead man fingers in the slough, the bog,
The estuary, where my life begins or ends,
Bursting with an unshallow tongue.
Also, common birds of sudden flight,

Glorytime. In spite of all that
Slip under my womanwing...
Plunge like a gull from the infinite

To find harbor in the lee:
I offer contemplation
Of greenbunched daffodils,

Springing,
Or a rudderless leaf riding to the sea,
Home again.

WE: What led you to write your book?

BC: Estuary is my work from an intense year of writing after I had a heart attack.
This is a personal accomplishment for I am truly a woman of few words, (spoken aloud, that is, and why I write poetry) - each poem a microcosm of my own universe.  Estuary is divided into two parts, Earth, humanity, and Fire, relationships.  But it feels altogether  different from No Name Harbor, Poetry of Barbary Chaapel and Journey of the Snow Goose, which is about the journey of 7 1/2 years aboard a sailboat.  I have a feeling Estuary is more gritty, with a more observable knowledge of  the intricacies of relationships, sexual and familial, ageism, illness, longing.  Perhaps I’ve learned the word, finite, in relation to time and have come to speak more forthrightly.

to read the rest of barbary's interesting interview, please follow the link:

http://www.wanderingeducators.com/books-film/books/book-review-week-estuary.html

and thank you, barbary, for the opportunity to showcase your wonderful book!