Colleen’s 2018 #Poetry #Book #Reviews – “Songs of Heartstrings: Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude,” by Author, Miriam Hurdle

Posted on December 12, 2018 by Colleen M. Chesebro 46 comments

DECEMBER IS POETRY BOOK REVIEW MONTH

IN THE AUTHOR’S WORDS:

Human beings have the willpower to travel through an exhausting journey, win a tough battle, and heal a deep wound. Strength from hope keeps us going until the light at the end of the tunnel is in sight and striving until the storm is over.
Hurdle in her poetry collection includes themes of personal experiences in nature, difficult relationship, cancer treatment, marriage, parenthood, remembrance, reflection, and inspiration. She reveals the honest self-talk and reflects a heart filled with optimism, faith, and trust. She loves music, photography and watercolor painting and includes photos and paintings to complement the poems.

Goodreads

MY RECOMMENDATION:

“Songs of Heartstrings: Poems of Gratitude and Beatitude,” is a journey into the mind of a woman who has found her voice in this world through her poetry.

Hurdle splits the book into poetic songs categorized by Nature, Dissonance, Physical Healing, Marriage, Parenthood, Tribute, Reflection, Challenge, and Inspiration. These categories lead the reader on a path to understanding her life through times of joy and sorrow. Her photos and artwork are stunning and compliment her poetry.

For me, reading poetry is like walking beside the poet and stepping into their footsteps, connecting with their experiences in a deeper realm of being. Reading poetry is subjective, so I judge most poetry by how it invokes emotions within me and how it makes me reflect on my own human condition.

The poem, “Healing,” touched a deep chord within me. Yet, there were so many more connections I experienced.

I received this book as a gift from a dear friend. That’s the kind of book this is, one to be shared with others, and to be reread many times.

MY RATING:

Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 Fairies

*I follow the Amazon Rating System*

About the Author:

Miriam Hurdle is a multi-genre writer. She writes poetry, flash fiction, and short stories. Her poems are included in Letters to Gaia, Whispers, and Echoes Issue 2, Whispers and Echoes Issue 3, and Outcast and More Words.

She is passionate about poetry and her favorite poets are Robert Frost with his poems “The Road Not Taken,” and Linda Pastan with her poem “To a Daughter Leaving Home.”

Music has rooted in her life. Being a soloist as a teenager led her to taking voice lessons and to have ongoing singing engagements. She continues to sing soprano in choral groups. Lyrics have a major influence in the natural flow of her melodic writing. She writes memoir in the form of poetry.

Along with her brother, she took photos when the films were black and white. Photography is still her enjoyable hobby. Drawing and painting were fun activities as a child. Her favorite was to draw a Japanese girl with big eyes, long hair, small lips and chin. She resumed drawing and watercolor painting several years ago. In her poetry collection, photos and paintings are included to illustrate the poems.

She earned a Doctorate of Education from the University of La Verne in California. After two years of rehabilitation counseling, fifteen years of public school teaching and ten years in school district administration, she retired and enjoys life with her husband in southern California.

For more information about Miriam, please visit http://www.theshowersofblessings.com

How to Connect with the Author:

Blog: www.theshowersofblessings.com

Facebook: Miriam Hurdle

Twitter: @mhurdle112

Experience the magic of Miriam’s poetry! ❤

If you have your book listed on BookBub, I will add my review there also! ❤ Click HERE to follow me! (Colleen M. Chesebro) Let me know in the comments.

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