by James William Peercy and Jacqueline E. Smith
4/5 stars
Within the Heart of Silence is great ekphrastic poetry, blending images with words that often read like music. I enjoyed the touch of agelessness presented by Smith’s photography and Peercy’s verse. The rhyming did not always work for me, but I appreciated its structure. Definitely a great book to read outside in the woods.
flowers trained to grow
on the stockade
espalier in vibrant hue
keep memories,
erases time.
© Ben Ditmars 2017
Painting by Jacqueline E. Smith
fire-blessed from
gazing on the blue
sky and her eyes
altering the course
of destiny, her fondness
matches mine
with stones to
spare beneath
cigar tree beans.
© Ben Ditmars 2016
Animation by LunaPic
Photograph Courtesy of Jacqueline Smith.
Read her blog here.
dawn before pitch-black
hours of your heart
has cost us hydrogen
and helium, the stuff
of stars
settled into verbal ashes
tears of helplessness,
appeals to God and words
that bleed the most.
© Ben Ditmars 2016
Animation by LunaPic.
Photograph Courtesy of Jacqueline Smith.
Read her blog here.
by Jacqueline E. Smith
4/5 stars
I’m easily distracted, but I could not put Backstage down. There were times when the narration could have been subtler and the antagonist more realistic, yet I loved the story. Much like in other books by Smith, the main characters have remarkable chemistry. Whether it is the adorable lead couple Sam and Mel or the hi-jinks of young boy band, Backstage left me wanting more. I can’t wait to see what drama (and new song lyrics) the next book has in store.
we curve
and dim into
my ruptured
veins
lost ways
phlebotomized.
© Ben Ditmars 2015
Photograph Courtesy of Jacqueline Smith.
Read her blog here.
sharp objects rage
italic, shameless hell
when decaf is the only
devil in your arsenal.
© Ben Ditmars 2015
Photograph Courtesy of Jacqueline Smith.
Read her blog here.
