balancing act

This week I made my customary trip to the local library and discovered a treat. There was an arts display and sale in the community centre. How fun! Of course I slipped in to have a look. And the first table I came to was a table full of books. I was in heaven. And, of course, I picked up a couple to add to my collection (because, like most of you, I don't have nearly enough books in my house). One of the books I left with was a book of poetry: balancing act by Kathie Sutherland. I didn't even flip through it before I bought it. The cover was all I needed to see. (Sorry, I couldn't make it bigger without blurring it out) Well, the inside lived up to the outside. I don't believe I've read a better poetry book in a long time. The pictures drawn by Kathie's words are beautiful, powerful, sad, lovely. I can't describe the emotions they evoked in me. What a joy to read. It was hard to choose just one to share but I finally just opened the book and chose the first poem I saw. Any of them would have been fine.

heart of stone
by Kathie Sutherland

in sleep
we escape to dreams
flee our hearts of stone

eyes closed to fire and blood
ears deaf to tv sounds
of children crying
and mothers keening
with empty arms.

we wake in the lonely hours
our nightmare a passionate plea

mercy, we cry,
mercy on spiritual poverty
in our fat and wealthy world
mercy on our blindness
to collateral damage
and the human costs of war

This short collection was published by Dream Write Publishing in Sherwood Park, Alberta and can be purchased from their site here.