Thursday, October 1, 2009

Apologies to an Apple- Poetry Book Review

Previously posted on Book of Kells, 9/24/09:



Link to Read. Write. Poem. Blog tour...

Read. Write. Poem. is sponsoring a virtual book/blog tour of Maya Ganesan's wonderful book of poems, Apologies to an Apple and I am lucky enough to have the first day, September 24th, which is also Maya's 12th birthday.

Now, for most people, having a book is remarkable, but having a book and virtual book tour on your 12th birthday is even more remarkable!

And another remarkable thing? Maya has poems in our next issue of Crab Creek Review. She is the youngest poet we've ever published and in that same issue we are publishing 90 year old Madeline DeFrees, who may be the oldest poet we've published. I love that!

You might be wondering, how I learned of Maya Ganesan. A couple years ago a friend of mine asked me if I'd consider writing a blurb for a young author, "She's eleven and publishing her first book of poems." I was concerned and hesitant. She said, "Let me send you her poems and you can see for yourself." I did and I was amazed.

Maya does not write like any eleven year old (now 12!) I have ever met. Her poems offer insight and are rich with the world around her.

Some, like the poem "Sold," even offer a Rumi-like quality:

I have sold time
to whoever
would pay the price for it.


She writes to nature around her:

The sparrows have received
my invitation, it seems--

(from "Invitation")


She write to the details of life:

Ribbons, and Bibles
stolen from chapels.


I trust
every single of a thousand coastlines

(From "Requiem")


This is definitely a book you will want to check out and if you have kids, a great example of how poetry can written thoughtfully and insightfully at any age. I wrote in my blurb for her, "I am amazed by this young poet and can only imagine the wonderful things she will bring to the literary world in her future." And I do.


Happy Birthday, Maya!

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