by Cheryl Batavia

Earthly Days

Book Review by Kaushal Kishore

Photo by Shannon Baldwin from Unsplash

Book Review: Earthly Days

by Kaushal Kishore

Writing on life that we live every day and night is easy, but it’s difficult when you take life as an adventure and illustrate the same with the elements of nature, and this difficult task is effortlessly done by Cheryl Batavia, who weaves her insights into nature with her extensive teaching background, crafting poems like warp and weft.

Nature has its own ways and Cheryl commemorates better in her own unique style. Her inspiration lies in the realm of Mother Nature and wildlife.

I became acquainted with Cheryl by reading her heartfelt blog posts. Cheryl, a proud mother of three adult children, exudes warmth, affection, and positivity, and strives to share her knowledge and life experiences. Additionally, she enjoys expressing her perspectives on current events.

Cheryl, residing in Florida, is a retired teacher who had also dabbled in the world of commercial art. In addition to her pursuits in writing and blogging, her primary focus lies in environmental conservation and protecting wildlife.

Her diverse passions shine through in the depth of her poetry and writings. If you haven’t had the pleasure of discovering her yet, I request you to check out and follow her delightful blog, “Gulf Coast Poet,” available on WordPress. (gulfcoastpoet.com)

She has already authored a total of five poetry books, with three dedicated to wild animals. Her latest work, Earthly Days, has just been received. I’m incredibly excited to delve into the pages of this book, where she eloquently explores every facet of life.

While Cheryl dedicates a chapter specifically to Mother Nature, you’ll also discover traces of nature in four other chapters: Perspectives, Love, Family, and Nostalgia. This magic becomes evident from the opening poem itself, where she discusses transitions:

…as soil welcomes seeds,

so may my mind

be receptive to new ideas…

Likewise, she calls upon Mother Nature to vividly express her perspectives with “barefoot in leaf piles” and “cactus-tailed cat” in other poems.

“Flimflam World” presents a thought-provoking perspective, much like”I Am the Moment,” where she reflects, “I am the pang of regret for a kind word left unspoken” or when she concludes “Tis a short voyage from cradle to tomb” in her matter-of-fact poem, “Message in a Bottle.”

And love knows no bounds, as evidenced by her descriptions of “stolen kiss in summer rain” and “love lights the twilight.” Her emotions become apparent when she pens her thoughts about her “Mother.” Additionally,”The $5 Challenge” proves to be an incredibly captivating piece of literature.

Her nostalgia comes alive in the poems “Candy Box” and “Blue & White Mugs.” These pieces are profoundly moving and contemplative, requiring a complete read to truly capture their essence.

The last section on “Mother Nature” is something that no nature lover should miss. Her desire for coexistence through “Swimming with Manatees,” an appeal to “Save Mother Earth,” and a clarion call to “Walk with Me” are the focal points that may readily capture the readers’ attention.

In addition to the ones mentioned earlier, I also hold “A Desert Rose,” “Great Discoveries of Love,” “Oblivion can Wait,” and “Just the Two of Us” as some of my favorite poems.

Cheryl employs both rhyming and free verses based on the specific needs of the poems. The goal is to convey emotions, not merely words. Her thoughtfully selected images amplify the allure of her sentiments.

I highly recommend this literary piece to each and every one of you, as it is not only for nature lovers, but also for all other lovers.

_Kaushal Kishore

My sincere gratitude to Kaushal Kishore for this review of Earthly Days. I have been a longtime admirer of Kaushal’s work, and I encourage you to visit his blog at

(KK@kaushalkishorewrites )

Kaushal’s writing is informative and witty. He posts on historical and cultural topics and many other subjects, finding perfect illustrations to accompany his posts. I especially like photos of roses from his garden.

Kaushal’s beautiful poetry is always thought-provoking and often heart-touching. He tells stories about ordinary people as well as the great and famous, always empathetic and a champion of human courage, effort, and good deeds.

Earthly Days Update

Earthly Days is a collection of poems written on my blog over the last three-and-a half years, though many have been revised. There are beautiful color photos. This book is in the spirit of Life in Inspiring Places. Excerpts from that book can be found on my website. Watch for more reviews and updates.

Earthly Days is available on Amazon &

Barnes & Noble

https://a.co/51DGEok

Soft cover and Kindle version

46 Comments

  7. Unknown's avatar

    Thank you, Cheryl, for kindly mentioning my name in your comments. This certainly means so much to me. But the credit goes to you for giving me an opportunity to review your book. I’m sure that future reviews will be better than mine, because what matters is not one who reviews, but one who is reviewed. You deserve all accolades for your great work. Tomorrow I’ll post it on my blog as well. All the best, Cheryl 👍💐❤️

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  14. Unknown's avatar

    This review describes the book so clearly. Wow. Love it. Thank you for sharing Cheryl and all the best with the book. May you receive more and more accolades.

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    1. Unknown's avatar

      Oh, Cindy, thank you for your optimism and encouragement! Means a lot to me! ❤
      Kaushal wrote a magnificent review, for which I am grateful!

      All the best to Narnia on Thursday! I'll bet you are wonderful at all things "Grandma!"
      Enjoy! ❤

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  19. Unknown's avatar

    Cheryl, wow! Congratulations on this superb and detailed review! I love how Kaushal has managed to weave so many of your poems into his thoughts about your book, giving a flavour of the scope of your themes and topics. He’s quoted some terrific and memorable extracts! Cheryl, I am so happy for you – are you still on cloud 9?! Hugs xx

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