It’s such a joy to hear from my readers about how my poems impact them. Grateful for this recent note from an old friend I haven’t seen in a while:
“I got your email earlier this year that you had written a book of poetry and decided to buy a copy. When it arrived I was caught up in the chaos of everyday life and put it on the shelf so I could clear out some of the piles accumulating in the kitchen. The past couple of weeks I have been caught up in the whirlwind of working, parenting, and navigating/ preparing for the upcoming holiday stretch and it has left me feeling restless. With all the details of life swirling around in my head I have found it hard to really slow down to ‘be with God’ in the times I have carved out for prayer and quiet time and then that just continues to make me feel restless and anxious. I was moving stuff around last night and your book fell down on the shelf and I picked it up deciding I would try to read a poem or two this morning.
I sat down right after I got the older two on the bus this morning and was intending to just read one or two but ended up getting lost in your words and read the entire collection of poetry in one sitting! I intend to go back at another time to read and absorb them individually but I am also glad I got to read it all as one. The writing in your poetry is so vivid in its unpacking of a moment both visually and emotionally that I could not help but slow down and be drawn in. I loved reading the wisdom and perspective you have gained in all the varied experiences you have had in life. There were some poems that caused me to pause, some that made me tear up, and some that had a line that made me stop and say ‘yes, that, I feel that!’ I think ‘The Exile Speaks of Mountains,’ ‘Disaster Chaplaincy Training,’ ‘Hospitality,’ ‘By Degrees,’ and ‘This Givenness’ are my favorites right now.
Anway, I just wanted to tell you that I really enjoyed reading your poems and I think God knocked that book over last night for a reason because I needed it this morning.”
~ Betsy B.
Learn more about Accumulated Lessons in Displacement here.