A retired teacher and mother of three adult children, I live on the Gulf Coast of Florida with my soulmate, Robert. Leisure activities include discussing current events with Robert, watching movies, and playing Scrbble. Robert usually wins!
I also enjoy going to the beach and taking road trips with my daughters. One of our favorite pastimes is observing the wonderful wildlife that surrounds us.
I keep busy writing poetry, and I would be delighted if you visited my website!
The Miami Book Fair is one of the oldest and largest in the US. My book, Earthly Days, will be exhibited there by my publisher, Main Spring Books. If you get a chance to attend, say hello for me to my advisor, Chris (Christopher Hernandez) at the Main Spring Books booth.
Bayside is across the street from the book fair. It is a great place to eat with views of the water or walk along the waterfront to do a little shopping.
You may also soon see posts on social media about Earthly Days.
Thank you to my fellow bloggers for their ongoing support. I do not yet have very many reviews on Amazon. If anyone would like to post a review on Amazon, that would be extremely helpful to me. I will repost any reviews to my blog.
Thank you to those who have already submitted an Amazon review. If you have submitted a review and don’t see it online after a couple of days, please let me know. I have one report about someone not being able to post their review on Amazon.
Today I want to entertain you with an interview I conducted with our sweet friend, Cheryl Batavia. Cheryl needs no introduction. We all know and love her. But for the few who still haven’t heard of Cheryl, let me introduce you.
The Interview:
What is your intended audience for Earthly Days?
The poems in Earthly Days are written about the experiences of daily life. Many of the poems are autobiographical, but readers will find much that is familiar and relatable to their own lives. Earthly Days also includes personal perspectives about life and poems about environmental issues that I hope readers will find thought-provoking. In short, Earthly Days is written for a general audience.
What do you hope your readers will take away from this book?
I want readers to enjoy reliving their cherished memories and be inspired to reflect on their lives, relationships, and the environment. I hope that they will have a renewed sense of optimism and be open to new ideas and experiences. Most of all, I want readers to have a good time reading and come away with smiles that linger long after they have finished reading Earthly Days.
What was your motivation for writing Earthly Days?
I have been fortunate to have a fulfilling life with an ample measure of opportunities and challenges. My books are my legacy. As I reflect on the experiences of my life, I search for meaning. Whatever meaning I find, I share in my poems.
Earthly Days is organized by themes into five chapters: Perspectives, Love, Family, Nostalgia, and Mother Nature. What background information would you like to provide about these chapters?
“Perspectives” includes personal philosophy, observations, opinions, and ideas. “Love” is made up of poems dedicated to my soul mate, Robert, but also a couple of poems about men from my earlier life. “Family” and “Nostalgia” are mostly autobiographical stories. Some are poignant, and some may make you laugh. Although “Mother Nature” has her dedicated chapter, she finds her way into poems throughout Earthly Days!
Life on Earth is finite. Our Earthly days are the time we have to enjoy, to learn, to love and be loved, and to accomplish our life’s work. Whatever our beliefs concerning an afterlife, we should make the most of our days on Earth!
Tell us about your writing style and routine when writing.
Earthly Days includes poems about critical environmental issues. Some poems deal with profound ideas about the meaning of life or our relationships with others. Nostalgic poems may tell lighthearted stories and share humorous memories. All of the poems are written in a simple, often conversational style.
Whatever the subject, however serious the issue, the tone of Earthly Days is positive, and the poems end on a hopeful note. It is okay to feel sadness or become discouraged, but ultimately, we must find peace and seek solutions!
I am not a very prolific writer. I write when I have something to say. When I try to write poems on demand, I am not usually happy with the results. I write what comes to me in a dream, won’t let me go to sleep, or is on my mind when I wake. Sometimes I write about current events or old memories that suddenly come to mind.
First drafts are written in my favorite black pencils topped with erasers. The drafts are set aside for a few hours or overnight, then edited, revised, and typed on my computer. Finally, I select photos and add them to poems. You will find many beautiful color photos in Earthly Days.
Dear Cheryl, Thanks so much for sharing this lovely look into the human behind the pencil. And I hope that our readers are enticed just enough to head over to Amazon to purchase your much-awaited book of poetry. What a lovely gift to oneself this good book is!
Dear Readers, I guarantee that you’ll love it as much as I do and will want to purchase it for those people you already know will love Earthly Days as well. I promise you–this poetry collection of nostalgia is an invitation to consciously recall your own treasures. The poems will awaken you to the beautiful world we journey together.
Earthly Days, poems by Cheryl Batavia, is ultimately a love letter to life, a testament written with the youthful exuberance of a life lived in gratitude. I concur that nothing is as beautiful as arriving at retirement and looking back at life with such a grateful heart.
“May your days on Earth be blissful.”~Cheryl Batavia
Earthly Days is dedicated to Robert Snyder. Photo by Cheryl Batavia.
Cheryl Batavia lives on the Gulf coast of Florida with her soulmate, Robert Snyder. A retired teacher, she is the mother of three adult children. Leisure activities include following the news and discussing current events with Robert, watching movies, and playing Scrabble…Robert usually wins!
Cheryl likes going to the beach and taking road trips with her daughters. One of Robert and Cheryl’s favorite pastimes is watching the wildlife that surrounds their home: bobcats, squirrels, armadillos, tortoises, raccoons, dragonflies, butterflies, cardinals, mockingbirds, woodpeckers, hawks, and many other wonderful animals.
The Lightening Bug! What a charming blog title! Both whimsical and inspiring, it is the name of the blog of a brilliant young doctor, Sheereen Fatima. I have followed her on her blog through the grueling, sleep-deprived years on her way to becoming a practicing physician. Shereen shared the beautiful moment of her first experience delivering a baby, and of publishing her first book, Stars and Stethescopes.
Dr. Sheereen Fatima shares a moment with a patient.
Then Sheereen became an oncology resident. What challenging work! It takes a very special person to deal with such serious illness. Sheereen is that special person! She wrote an essay in a competition at her hospital with the theme of “Doctor-Patient Relationship” entitled “Power of Empathy.” Read her prize-winning essay on her blog. It is truly inspiring!
Sheereen says,”I have always believed that empathy and compassion are the core of patient care. However it was an encounter with one patient…” Sheereen has that invaluable “personal touch” that any patient would be hoping for when treated by their doctor.
Sheereen wrote a glowing tribute to each of her colleagues. When presented to them it was enthusiastically received. You can read this warm and lovely poem, “The Oncology Family” on her blog.
Sheereen publishes professional papers and books. Her first case study was published in an international medical journal. “CHEK 2 Gene in Metastatic Prostate Cancer: a cordial check on DNA damage repair pathways.”
Despite Sheereen’s impressive accomplishments and promising medical career, she maintains her delightful sense of humor and her humanity. Best wishes, Sheereen, as you treat your patients and make the world a better place! Wishing you a long life of health, success, and happiness!
Happy Holidays! It is the holiday season. I will be taking time out for Thanksgiving and a vacation with my daughters. When I return, I will share some of the festivities with a post. In December, we will be celebrating Hanukkah and Christmas!
Earthly Days is a beautiful collection of poems that resonates with the soul. The verses capture the essence of life, love, and family with a warmth that makes you smile and reflect. The nostalgia in some poems takes you down memory lane, while the love of nature and concern for the environment inspires contemplation. The author’s words linger in your heart long after you’ve turned the last page.
Cindy, a life fitness coach and author blogger, is one of the most enthusiastic, dynamic, and big-hearted people I know. Her wildly popular blog, Unique Times with Cindy, features delightfully eclectic content.
From fitness session videos, to entertaining stories about her family life, to vivid, meaningful poems, Cindy’s blog captivates. If you like photos of wildlife, cats, dogs, babies, and excursions to interesting locations, you will love Cindy’s blog!
Cindy, one of the busiest people I know, faces the challenges of life with determination and a wry sense of humor. Her wise and whimsical poems appear in several anthologies and online magazines.
Cindy just recently became a grandmother to two gorgeous little girls, and earlier this year, she published a remarkable best-selling book that is the culmination of thirty years of helping people. Recreate & Celebrate guides the reader step-by-step in setting goals for a healthy, fulfilling life and in planning strategies to achieve those goals. Each chapter includes a haiku by Cindy, a nice touch!
Earthly Days in paperback and in the Kindle edition is now immediately available on Amazon, shipping in 1-2 days. It is also available on Barnes & Noble.
The paperback, because of the many color photos, had to be priced at $18.99. The Kindle edition, because it has no printing costs, is priced at $2.99. I priced the Kindle edition as low as possible to make it easy for all my fellow bloggers to enjoy the book. I would be ecstatically happy and eternally grateful for any reviews you submit, and I will share them on my blog as I have shared the review above.
Below is the Preface and Acknowledgements page from Earthly Days. I have recognized my WordPress friends for all you mean to me. Every poem in Earthly Days is better because of the experience, knowledge, and inspiration gained from my fellow bloggers. I am deeply grateful. Thank you so much for your support.
Thank you to those who have generously written such outstanding reviews and interviews. Your work is being used as a resource by my publisher in marketing Earthly Days. Your assistance in helping to launch Earthly Days is invaluable, and will be remembered always!
What a delightful visitor! All the rain has made it difficult for landscapers to keep up with mowing. This gopher tortoise noticed and paid us a visit. Robert found the tortoise grazing on our weedy, overgrown lawn next to the woods.
Gopher tortoises build extensive networks of underground burrows which they use for many generations. Other small animals also use these burrows. Many houses are being built in our largely wooded neighborhood, and the habitat of these endangered tortoises is rapidly disappearing.
Gopher Tortoises Displaced is my first garland shardoma.
A big thank you to David, who blogs at The Skeptics Kaddish, for talking me into writing a poem in this form. It was great fun writing this, David! ❤
A garland shardoma has seven verses. Each verse has a syllable count of 3/5/3/3/7/5 and is unrhymed. The seventh verse is composed of lines taken from the other verses.
War crimes are defined by an international law called the Geneva Conventions, ratified by all member nations of the United Nations. War crimes have been reported to have been committed by Russia against Ukraine and by both sides in the War between Hamas Militants and Israel. This is a partial list of war crimes.
Attacking civilian targets, assaulting and killing civilians
Destroying buildings used for purposes of religion, education, art, science, and charitable organizations. Also, historic monuments and hospitals
Intentional starvation of civilians or impeding delivery of relief supplies to civilians
Kidnapping and hostage-taking of civilians, use of civilians as human shields
Rape, forced prostitution, and sexual slavery
Torture
Threats have been made by Russia to use nuclear weapons. Other forbidden weapons include poison gas and biological warfare.
References
United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsibility to Protect
Topics: Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes, and Ethnic Cleasning
United Nations Commission of Inquiry
This commission is investigating evidence of war crimes committed by all sides in Israel and occupied Palestinian territories since 7 October 2023.
Israel is being investigated for witholding food, water, electricity, and fuel in Gaza.
Hamas is under investigation for gunning down unarmed civilians, taking civilian hostages, and using civilians as human shields.
Gulf Coast Poet 