Word Craft ~ Prose & Poetry
Crafting Poetry One Syllable at a Time
COLLEEN’S 2020 #BOOK #REVIEWS – “Walk Away Silver Heart, Poetry Inspired by the Amy Lowell poem ‘Madonna of the Evening Flowers,’ BY AUTHOR, Frank Prem, @frank_prem
Featuring Your Next Weekend Read!
About this Book
All day long I have been working
Now I am tired.
I call: “Where are you?”
But there is only the oak tree rustling in the wind . . .
from Madonna of the Evening FlowersDrawing on the phrasing of the early 20th Century Amy Lowell poem Madonna of the Evening Flowers (above) Frank Prem has produced a collection of personal and interpersonal love poems written, as always, in the unique style that allows every reader to relate.
Prem’s interpretations breathe new life into contemporary love poetry and utilise Lowell’s original phrases to inspire a tender immediacy and warmth of response as in the eponymous poem:
silver heart
I look at yousee myself the way
I should have beenbut something pure
was lost
along the way
from walk away (silver heart)Walk Away Silver Heart is the first of three collections that together comprise A Love Poetry Trilogy, with each revisiting outstanding work by stellar poets of the past to produce vibrant new collections. The second collection, a kiss for the worthy, draws on Walt Whitman’s classic work Leaves of Grass, while the third, rescue and redemption, derives from T.S Eliot’s The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.
This is a new kind of poetry that tells stories, draws pictures and elicits emotional responses from readers. Just as the best poetry should.
Amazon.com
MY RECOMMENDATION
“Walk Away Silver Heart,” is the first book in a poetry collection called A Love Poetry Trilogy, by Frank Prem. Using the Found Poetry form, the author chose a phrase from the body of a distinguished poem written long ago. Each line of the original poem inspired a piece of new poetry.
This book is motivated by the poem, “Madonna of the Evening Flowers (1919), written by Amy Lowell. The original poem, including links to Amy Lowell’s background, are provided at the beginning of the book.
What follows is a delightful collection of love poetry that unfolds like a bouquet, each poetic flower as lovely as the next blossom. Each piece is thoughtfully constructed to draw the reader into a private world of the author’s own making. The initial poems read like poetic observations where the poet shares his deep longing for a certain love.
As I progressed through each line of the Amy Lowell poem, I related to the poet’s experiences as he wove his thoughts into a new poem often inspired by the prosaic world around us. Some of these poems felt intimate, like a shared-look between lovers, while other chronicled the feeling of lost love. Many of these poems touched me deeply. I awakened to a new appreciation for the little things my husband does that mean so much to me.
I enjoyed this collection. Many thanks to Frank Prem for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy. I look forward to the additional books in this trilogy.
MY RATING
*I follow the Amazon Rating System*
About the Author
Frank Prem has been a storytelling poet for forty years. When not writing or reading his poetry to an audience, he fills his time by working as a psychiatric nurse.
He has been published in magazines, zines and anthologies, in Australia and in a number of other countries, and has both performed and recorded his work as ‘spoken word’. Frank has released two collections of free verse poetry: Small Town Kid (Dec 2018)and Devil In The Wind (May 2019).
He and his wife live in the beautiful township of Beechworth in northeast Victoria (Australia).
Frank’s YOuTube CHannel is located here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvfW2WowqY1euO-Cj76LDK
Radio interview with Frank Prem 11/01/2019: https://frankprem.com/frank-prem-radio-interview-with-matt-dowling-on-abc-radio-11-01-2019/
Radio Interview podcast with Frank Prem (may require a login to be created): https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/indigofmradio/episodes/2019-01-04T18_47_23-08_00
How to Connect with the Author
BLOG: frankprem.com
TWITTER: @frank_prem
FACEBOOK: Frank Prem
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32 Comments on “COLLEEN’S 2020 #BOOK #REVIEWS – “Walk Away Silver Heart, Poetry Inspired by the Amy Lowell poem ‘Madonna of the Evening Flowers,’ BY AUTHOR, Frank Prem, @frank_prem”
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Blessed BE!
Frank writes fabulous poetry 💜
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Agreed. Very lovely thoughts. ❤️
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Thank you, Ritu.
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I loved this book as well!
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I liked the mundane things he noted. A joyful reading! ❤️
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“Joyful” is a good word for it!
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Yes. Have you listened to his podcasts?
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Yes, every time he posts one!
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Very cool. I’ll have to check them out.
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He is a particularly accomplished reader. Listening to him read adds another dimension to his work.
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Colleen, thank you so much for reading the book and your wonderful review.
I’m delighted that you enjoyed the collection. I very much enjoyed putting it together. There is something very inspiring about these great works from the past, and a relevance for the present.
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I love the creative burst of inspiration from found poetry. I might try this for myself. ❤️
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I sometimes feel that all of my poetry comes from ‘found’ objects, sights, readings etc. Nothing very original about it at all, just reflections of and on what shows itself in front of me.
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That’s what a being a poet is, Frank. The reader gets to see the world through your eyes and perceptions. It’s a rare gift to express one’s self in this way.
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Pingback: COLLEEN’S 2020 #BOOK #REVIEWS – “Walk Away Silver Heart, Poetry Inspired by the Amy Lowell poem ‘Madonna of the Evening Flowers,’ BY AUTHOR, Frank Prem, @frank_prem | Frank Prem Poetry
Just wow! This book looks like a most gorgeous read. I love the whole concept of the writing style and concept, and your review was riveting Colleen. Frank had offered a few of us ARC copies for early reviews and I knew with what was on my reading plate I couldn’t get to it for awhile and didn’t feel it was fair to take a copy knowing I couldn’t read it for a few months. But I fully intend on reading this book. Congrats to Frank on rave reviews. ❤
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Thank you so much, Debby. The offer is still open for you if you find time.
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Thank you Frank. I would love to take you up on it. I’ll message you on FB 🙂
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Thanks, Debby, for your lovely comments. I love the concept of found poetry. It’s like refinishing or repurposing furniture, only using words. Frank’s book is lovely. You get the original poetry with his observations as an added bonus. ❤
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❤
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Wonderful review of Frank’s another great poetry book, Colleen!
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Thank you, Miriam.
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You’re welcome, Frank.
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Thanks, Miriam. Frank has the heart of a poet, and it shows in his writing.
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I agree, Colleen. We followed each other years before his publications. We posted them on WordPress Daily Prompt. His poems often made me laugh.
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That’s wonderful, Miriam. A connection with our readers is always most welcome. ❤️
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Exactly, Colleen. 💖💐
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A lovely review, Colleen. I read this book twice. I love Frank’s writing style.
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Thank you so much Robbie. I’m blessed by the support I receive from such a wonderful group of readers and reviewers.
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I really enjoyed his take on the mundane things in life and his ability to make them seem so much more important. That’s an excellent gift.
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This sounds like a lovely read, Colleen. Thank you for sharing this and your thoughtful review. Always wonderful to discover new authors.
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Thanks, Lisa. Frank has a way with words. It’s a truly lovely read. ❤
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