Book Review by Kritika Tanvi

Black-Eyed-Susans

---

Earthly Days, Book Review by

Kritika Tanvi

Feel the bubbling love pounding voraciously in every word carved graciously here. From the rhythm of ‘Transitions,’ under the first section ‘Perspectives,’ the strength of the words will leave the reader to acknowledge the happenings of his or her life.

Questions work magic!

_ Abracadabra

&

Courage, friend, as onward we go!

If you keep bailing as I row…

_ This Little Boat

It’s the desire of the poet’s heart which painted these delicate beats into luxurious waves of words. The section, ‘Love’ is enchanting and desperately one would love to have such a love in his or her life.

Your inner strength sustains my fainting heart.

&

When threats of war surround on every side…

vile pestilence, pollution, and unrest,

ambition fades, possessions matter less,

but love endures, a desert rose.

_ A Desert Rose

Introducing her ‘Family’ in the third section, she has shown the warmth which relationships carry. Beautifully unfolding her learnings and feelings from her grandparents, parents, and objects of attachment. In the ‘Blue and White Mugs,’ in the fourth section, ‘Nostalgia,’ she has carried with her and has passed the preserved mug on to her daughter.

Harvey, my dad, was too stubborn to die!

Fifteen-year-old Harvey dodged tragedy.

The cactus-tailed cat was the reason why

they joined the Church…Harvey’s whole family!

_ Cactus-Tailed Cat

Scrolling down to the photo of ‘Mother Nature,’ one could read a nature-lover speaking of the little adventures with concern for preserving the beauty of the land.

We can talk with the animals…

Come, walk the world with me!

_ Walk with Me

Enthralled by the richness of the organization and thoughts, I would say there are many titles which I found a connection with and many which I would come back to.

‘An uplifting journey with the beautiful photographs, Cheryl has given life not only to her poetry, but the readers. The book is a boost which will fill you with energy.’

_ Kritika

Earthly Days is now available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

https://a.co/51DGEok

A Message from Kritika

I am honored to have been mentioned in the acknowledgements, and I know Cheryl will do wonders with her books. I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to read the book and review it.

Hugs and love we share every day in words written with the heart which reach the heart of the person, probably smiling while reading them. What else do we want? This life is small when we calculate the number of days we want to live, subtracting the ones already done. I don’t think one would not wake up now.

All the best, Cheryl.

Kritika

---

Thank You, Kritika

My sincere gratitude to Kritika, yoga professional, poet, blogger, photographer, painter, and digital artist. Poems by Kritika have been published in numerous online forums and anthologies. Kritika is a very creative person and is willing to explore many creative avenues. She is dedicated to excellence, hard-working, and determined to find her own way in life. These are all qualities and achievements I admire tremendously, and I wish her success in all her endeavors. No one deserves it more!

Kritika will always have a special place in my heart because she reached out to me at the beginning of the pandemic. She had “discovered ” my website, and she encouraged me to begin blogging. Blogging became my escape from the isolation of living under quarantine in a new community where I didn’t know anyone.

In Earthly Days, I have have acknowledged Kritika for her kindness, and I have recognized all of my fellow bloggers for enriching my life during that difficult time and continuing to enhance my life in the present.

Check out Kritika’s blog, The Bird in Her Sky, for insightful poems and other posts written in her unique and delightful style. I think you will enjoy her YouTube video,

mixed yog asanas and poetry published 8/23/23.

(https://valorousbird.wordpress.com)

I am not sure whether Kritika knew when she sent me this lovely digital painting that the Black-Eyed-Susan has been one of my favorite wildflowers since childhood. Kritika’s painting is a treasured gift with wonderful associations for me. Photo used by permission.

---

Previous Review of Earthly Days

Kaushal Kishore

gulfcoastpoet.com/2023/08/20/earthlydays/

---

Review Quotes

from the Back Cover of Earthly Days

---

Earthly Days is now available on Amazon & Barnes & Noble.

https://a.co/51DGEok

Earthly Days Update

If you missed Kaushal Kishore’s excellent review you can find it on the previous post.

gulfcoastpoet.com/2023/08/20/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

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!

---

Don’t Worry!

My life has been filled with terrible misfortunes;

most of which never happened.

__ Michel de Montaigne

I have been through some terrible things in my life,

some of which actually happened.

__Mark Twain

There will be an answer…let it be!

__Paul McCartney

Don’t worry…be happy!

__Bobby McFerrin

---

🙂 Good News! 🙂

Robert has undergone a new treatment and is doing well enough that his surgery was cancelled. Yay! The doctor said he could reschedule the surgery if symptoms recur.

My son’s rent had nearly doubled in the last two years and is going up again. There was very little available in Florida that he could afford. He was approved for an apartment, and he and his service dog, BABY will be moving in August to Louisiana, where rents are more affordable. I had hoped that he would be able to live near me, but it is good that where he is moving is within a couple of hours of his sisters. My son will be stopping by for a few days on his way to his new home. I will be happy to spend a little time with him.

❤ Thank You! ❤

A heartfelt thank you to all of my fellow bloggers for your concern and support during this difficult time. Robert and I will always remember your kindness.

Cheryl Batavia

A Halloween Sonnet Fantasy

---

Pact with the Prince of Darkness:

A Halloween Sonnet Fantasy

Forlorn, undead on dying planet earth,

humanity extinct, I curse my birth.

Alas! I sold my soul and cannot die!

For eons, I have roamed the earth and sky

by noxious seas that drowned the firmament,

beneath vile haze that cloaked earth like a tent,

all now restored to lucid sea and sky.

Though void of life, the new-formed land is dry.

Millennia have wiped all stains away.

How slowly life evolves until the day

when humans walk this precious world again!

I dread the evil deeds I must do then,

to serve the Fiend who bought my worthless life.

O Gods, please pardon me and let me die!

---

Copyright © 2021 by Cheryl Batavia

---

Satan, Beelzebub, the Fiend, the Devil, Lucifer, the Prince of Darkness…There are numerous names for the personification of evil. Many classic myths and stories portray a character who promises to serve the Devil in exchange for granting them a favor. In this case, the character sells his soul to live on after all other human beings become extinct. The poem also tells a tale of the destruction and regeneration of the earth.

At approximately age five, I remember marching in a Halloween parade wearing a Devil costume, red with horns and a tail, and carrying a pitchfork! My siblings subsequently grew into the costume.

---

To My WordPress Family

I am often tired these days, I admit.

It’s become impossible to ignore.

I can’t push through it,

don’t have the strength anymore.

Mental clarity waxes and wanes.

Energy fluctuates unpredictably.

Well-being punctuated by pain…

I look forward to a return to normalcy.

I am sorting it all out…

A series of tests is underway.

For now, I have to slow down,

I’ll do the best I can, day by day.

---

Copyright© 2021 by Cheryl Batavia

---

For the last couple of months, I have been having increasingly severe cardiovascular symptoms. I am not sure of the cause, but suspect so-called “long covid.” I had a mild heart attack in 2007 and have two stents in my heart. Maybe one is blocked.

I will let you know when I find out about what is happening. Until then, I will carry on the best I can. I would rather talk about ideas, emotions, family, the environment, nature, culture… and not my health! I just wanted you to know that if I don’t read as many posts as usual, it is not because I don’t want to.