Month / July 2023

by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Renewal

Vacant wooded lot next to our house before Hurricane Ian. Live oaks and native cabbage palms grew there. Purple Ruellia, probably planted by a homeowner twenty years ago, grew naturalized along the edge of the woods.

September 28, 2022. Hurricane Ian, the worst hurricane ever recorded in Florida, threw the trees from the wooded lot next door onto our yard and house.

Early October, 2022. Fallen trees were cut back to the property line. This is the horrific scene by moonlight…a battered, leafless oak tree and a tangle of fallen trees and broken branches.

December, 2022. Oak trees all over our region, stripped of their leaves by Hurricane Ian, were blooming and sprouting new leaves two months ahead of their usual schedule. The fallen trees were still alive and sprouting hundreds of new branches. Sun-loving wild shrubs were growing on the formerly shady wooded lot.

July, 2023. Nature has blanketed the fallen trees and broken branches in green vines. Beautiful Saint Augustine grass that was barely surviving in the shade of the trees has appeared in our side yard. Purple Ruellia flowers are reappearing along the edge of the former woods.

Nature has a long timeline. If no one builds a house on the lot, it will again be filled with oak trees. It might take 50 years! The largest and most beautiful oak tree that used to be there was probably much older than that!

July, 2023. Broken trees are cloaked in green leaves. Our house has a new roof. Exterior wall cracks have been repaired and walls are freshly painted. Interior hairline cracks still need repair and touch-up paint. It is difficult to find someone to do any work. Contractors continue to be very busy, even with some out-of-state companies still working here!

Our roads have traffic signals again, but, almost a year after Ian, there are many missing street signs. It is easy to get lost! We are still in suspense about how much our homeowner’s insurance may increase due to Hurricane Ian.

Mostly, we are grateful to be living in a comfortable, air-conditioned house as summer heat sets new records here and worldwide. Many people are not so lucky.

Now, is the time to address global warming! If I weren’t convinced of that already, the worsening storms, wildfires, heat waves, and floods occurring around the world this year would convince me!

Renewal

Profound are Nature’s powers to renew,

to hide, to heal, to grow, to colonize.

Transforming somber earth to verdant hue,

so silent does she photosynthesize!

But Nature’s timelines stretch so far ahead,

while human lifetimes pass so fleetingly.

Short-sighted humans know they’ll be long dead

before young oaks achieve maturity!

A green world is a legacy to leave.

Blue skies and seas, life-giving trees, clean air

the younger generations will receive.

Now, show the children just how much you care!

May Mother Nature, gowned in green and blue,

sustain the generations after you!

Copyright© 2023 by Cheryl Batavia

by Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet

Book Review of In the Shadow of Rainbows by Selma Martin

Published by Ingrid Wilson
Experiments in Fiction Publishing

In the Shadow of Rainbows

by

Selma Martin

In the Shadow of Rainbows is a delightful and profoundly thoughtful collection of poems. Selma Martin’s inner light radiates from every sparkling page.

Selma Martin’s lively, colorful word choices enrich her writing. From scientific references to literary allusions, from interntional slang to quaint, archaic expressions, words flow harmoniously in her poems.

Throughout the book, you will find exquisite imagery. Inspiration comes from nature: ocean, sky, sunlight, moonlight, stars, flora, fauna, and of course, shadows and rainbows.

Butterflies appear in many poems. In “Instinct,” a pregnant butterfly becomes a beautiful metaphor for motherhood.

In “Poetry,” the poet writes about nature:

I came out to write a nature poem,

but of poetry writing, I learned this

in attempting to write, I must fuse with it,

for in nature, the poet exists

Selma Martin’s humanity illuminates everything she writes. In a poem about a father’s hopes for his sons, “Compass,” there is a beautiful line, “as for all son’s, there exists hope.”

“Golden Durability” speaks to us about material values vs. spiritual values, pointing out that an heirloom is a legacy of love.

“Little Vessel” is an eloquent, sensitive reflection on the death of a missing child. it expresses a wide range of emotions and ends with heart-touching empathy.

The poet’s words inspire readers to be their best selves and to live a life of purpose and love for others. “Extra” reminds us that we have a personal responsibility for our lives:

On this day given to you by the giver

put the squanderer to rest

call forth the sower of hope

and from within, bring out your best.

“When Death Comes” reveals the author’s personal perspective on how life should be lived:

When death comes

I want to be led into eternity

curious, full of joy

knowing that the world I leave

is better for the love I gave.

In the Shadow of Rainbows is surely one of Selma Martin’s most loving gifts to the world! ❤

Congratulations to Selma on the success of her book, In the Shadow of Rainbows, number one best-seller on Amazon in multiple categories!

Congratulations to Ingrid Wilson and EIF, Experiments in Fiction Publishing!

If you have not yet read Selma’s inspiring new book, a beautiful and moving experience awaits you!