Book Title: Silence of Islands — Poems by W.M. Raebeck
Category: Adult Non-Fiction (18 +), 170 pages
Genre: Poetry
Publisher: Hula Cat Press
Release date: July 2020
Content Rating: G. this book of poems is 'grown-up' but nothing violent, explicit, illegal, profane or hardcore.
Book Description:
Poetry for the summer day, poetry for the dark night. Poems that cut a walkable trail through the forest of life. Always with a nudge and a wink, “It’ll be okay.” This collection reflects a lifetime of nature, love, travel, death, joy, art, family, and the eternal questions. A potion of emotion to soothe and move you.
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My Thoughts On This Book
I don't read a lot of poem books but I really enjoy reading them. And this one, Silence of the Island: Poems is one of my favorites. It has over 80 different poems, and there is one for about anything you want to read about. I found myself so engaged in reading them, I had half the book read before I knew it. But I'm not one to zip through a book so I went back and re-read several of my favorites.
Among these poems, as I read there are all kinds of emotions flying around, depending on the poem you are reading. This author had me laughing and in tears several many time throughout the book. There were pleasant times, darker moments, sunshine and rain, all within the pages of this beautiful book. And speaking of beauty, isn't thos book cover stunning? This is a coffee table book for me for sure.
If you enjoy poems, Silence of the Islands is for you. If you enjoy reading but don't have the time, this is a great choice for you as well. It only takes a few minutes to read each poem so this is one book you will be able to finish. All in all, I love this book of poems, and I believe there will be many more people that will enjoy them as well. This one get a five stars++ in my book!
A special thanks to the author/publisher for a copy of this book. I am not required to write a positive review, the opinions here are mine alone. I am disclosing this with my review in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.
I hope you will read the Fabulous guest post the author has shared with us. .
Guess Post with Author W. M. Raebeck
What You may not Know about Lemons
In 2004, when I bought a 2-foot lemon tree, I envisioned the convenience of picking fresh lemons, plus beautifying my yard, and augmenting my privacy screen. All I knew about lemons, though, was that they were sour, yellow, and healthy.
In selecting a tree, I wanted one small enough that I could reach the highest branches, but not too small like a 'dwarf.' In Home Depot’s garden department, I encountered a fellow citrus-tree shopper, a second-generation Japanese gent clearly placed there by my garden (guardin') angels.
He told me simply, "Buy a regular tree and never prune it."
"Never prune it?" I thought grooming and pruning were essential to gardening.
"Never prune it," he repeated. "And it will stay shorter. It’s pruning that makes it grow tall."
"But will it bear as much fruit?"
"Yes, it will be fine. You’ll see." He seemed certain.
So I bought a Myers Lemon Tree and never pruned it.
It took about 4 years for lemons to appear. And I was ecstatic—I got a total of 7 that first season!
The next year, I got 21, and was off and running. The following year produced 40 (!) and I was able to become generous with them, plus squeeze them over every salad, piece of fish, and glass of water. But when I got 120 the year after that was when I started learning lemon secrets.
I’d rented out my house by then, for few years (while frequently traveling to visit my ancient dad), so could only pick lemons on occasional visits home. Those times, I’d pick dozens at once so they wouldn’t go to waste. (Tenants showed no interest in lemons.) That’s when I learned lemons can last two months in the fridge and, also, stay perfect on the tree practically forever. They don’t fall off until they’re fully convinced NOT A SOUL in the world wants them. And I found that green lemons are fully edible. On my tree, at least, the lemons stay green for months and months, turning yellow seemingly as a last resort, and can be eaten all through the season in varying stages of growth. Once finally yellow, they still cling to the tree for weeks and weeks, refusing to surrender. May through October or November, through all weather, my tree yields perfect fruit. Lemons, I’ve learned, are a study in patience.
The next year, I got 250. (But who counts their lemons?) Then I got 400, then 750. No end in sight. By now I was entranced with the tree and awestruck that, having never once pruned it, it never grew tall, just fuller and fuller.
Around then, I started marketing my lovely, organic, homegrown lemons—each one perfect. Turns out the thick skin and sour taste ward off pests, too, so there was never competition for the bounty. I also discovered how lemons can sit on a kitchen counter for days, even weeks—drying out a bit over time, but still edible and juicy. Lemons don’t need to be fresh-picked to taste as you’d hope them to. And soon I began dicing the organic peel to add punch to recipes, and I’d toss skin and pulp into my juicer for their health properties.
The next year, I got 1200 lemons. And the tree was now big enough to creep under and recline in the grass to admire the lemons growing above and to inhale the flowers scented from heaven. But I never took shears to the tree.
Eventually, it started creeping sideways toward the southerly sun. Not wanting to lose fruit-bearing branches—lemons were fetching me $.60 each—I had to prop up the heavy boughs with branches cut from my Guava tree. That worked, if you don’t mind a sideways-reaching tree like something from a Mediterranean orchard.
Last year, I harvested and sold over 2200 lemons from my single tree, now dubbed 'my significant other.' And I’ve marketed 1600, so far, this year and counting.
My miraculous tree has taught me the generosity and resilience of lemons, the ease in farming them, and the durability and tenacity of both tree and fruit (come hurricane, drought, or flood). A passing local in her 60’s, who’s lived on this island her whole life, remarked the other day that it’s the most beautiful lemon tree she’s ever seen. It remains gorgeous, pays its way, and…with dozens of fruits still on the tree, the next crop is already ripening! The last few years, I've had lemons year-round.
So, should you cruise by for a glimpse of it or seeking some zest for your next meal, don’t be surprised to see a tousled 'farm lady' crawling out from beneath it. I enjoy quality time with my loved one.
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And now you can enjoy this amazing interview with this author. You don't want to miss what's coming next from her writing desk. There is so much to learn here.
Interview With the Author W. M. Raebeck
1. Q. How did this book of poetry, "Silence of Islands," come together?
1. A. Though I don’t call myself a poet, per se, from age 16 and throughout my life, I've turned to writing poems in times of inspiration, sorrow, frustration, love, and reverence for life and spirit. In certain moments, it won't be a story or a book, not a sentence or a word; only a poem can walk me through and sum up the feelings somehow. When you commit to feeling something all the way through, not knowing your destination, you could end up with a poem.
2. Q. Is writing therapeutic for you?
2. A. Almost miraculously so. I don’t know if I like to be alone in order to write, or if I like to write in order to be alone — but both have served me well. It’s second nature now to approach almost everything first with pen and paper. (I rarely go far without my clipboard and a few pens.) And, unless I’m writing a specific story or editing a manuscript, I’m not thinking about readers during my first drafts. First drafts are more like dreams or meditations or ruminations — private and sacred. But when a piece of writing stands the test of time, re-inspires me or makes me laugh or sigh or cry five or ten years later, it could be worth sharing.
3. Q. Why do you write memoir?
3. A. It’s so intrinsic to me…. And I’ve always found the twists and turns of real life more interesting than made-up stuff. Also, because I have journaled all the way through, I’ve ended up with some colorful first-hand accounts of various epochs and epics. Through my true accounts, I’d like younger people, particularly women (but not exclusively!), to know there's plenty of LIFE aside from motherhood and marriage.
4. Q. What is your next book?
4. A. It’s already written and close to publication (early 2021). "Nicaragua Story — Back Roads of the Contra War" is a log I kept as a journalist during my second trip to Nicaragua in 1986 during its tumultuous trial by fire. "It’s quite a tale," one of my editors said. But I'm still working on dovetailing the historical data into my personal story. I haven’t done a book before where politics and history need to be included just to get the narrative across. But once I’ve entwined it all so readers aren’t distracted or confused by historical references, then I’ll be excited to share this unusual, touching, and powerful moment when a tiny Central American country took on the challenge of the US military.
5. Q. You have five published books so far; is there a sequence in which they should be read?
5. A. Actually, no. Each book stands alone. In fact, each book is so distinctly itself, I sometimes wonder if one consistent voice comes through my whole collection. And, although together they do comprise one huge book recounting a life, each has its own time, place and intention. And each serves the reader differently. "I Did Inhale — Memoir of a Hippie Chick" is pure adventure, audacity and fun; "Some Swamis are Fat" (under pen-name Ava Greene) is more of a spiritual quest; "Stars in Our Eyes" is true stories about Hollywood, the arts, romance, ambition, and coincidence; "Expedition Costa Rica" is a physical undertaking extreme; and of course "Silence of Islands—poems" is a full-on emotional dive. So there’s no required reading sequence, though obviously there was a chronology of events, as well as some maturing of the writer over time. But I’m big on attaching dates to most of my writing—helpful with memoir. But if you did want to read them in actual order, your best bet would be: 1) "I Did Inhale," 2) "Stars in Our Eyes," 3) "Expedition Costa Rica," 4) "Some Swamis are Fat," and 5) "Silence of Islands — poems." 6) And then my next one, "Nicaragua Story — Back Roads of the Contra War," will be out. But it’s just as much fun to grab them in any sequence, knowing each will be its own trip.
Q. 6. Where can people find you?
A. 6. In Hawai’i. : ) Or at "WendyRaebeck.com". They can email me at 'wmraebeck@gmail.com,' can order all my books absolutely anywhere—on line or through book stores, or ask libraries to stock them. All my books are available in paperback and ebook, with audio in the works. I’d love readers of your blog to join my email list! I send out a message every 2-3 months with updates about my new books, and occasional ditties about this or that, along with exclusive offers just for my list.
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W. M. Raebeck's trademarks are humorous candor, spiritual stretching, and frequent exits from the comfort zone. She lives in Hawaii, with regular Mainland visits. Her 5 books to date are true-life accounts, from the misadventures of a sugar-freak hippie chick ('I Did Inhale'), to 20 stories about art, Hollywood, and spirits ('Stars in Our Eyes'), to trekking through the Costa Rican rainforest ('Expedition Costa Rica'), to teaching yoga in Santa Monica ('Some Swamis are Fat'),* and now her poetry collection, 'Silence of Islands.' Before authoring, Raebeck was a film and television actress based in LA, London, and NYC. She went on to freelance journalism, contributing to the then-alternative world of green politics, environmental protection, U.S. involvement in Central American wars, socially conscious investing, and much more. Her articles were always accompanied by her own photography, including numerous cover stories for the LA Weekly and other papers like the East Hampton Star from her former hometown. In Raebeck's personal life, yoga and natural health (sugar notwithstanding) remain institutions. As is maintaining a zero-waste household. Animal rights and environmental activism are lifelong commitments, including all-too-frequent bird rescue. W. M. Raebeck's books are available in print and ebook worldwide, and can be ordered from any book store or library. Audio editions are in the works! For additional info, or to join the email list, visit WendyRaebeck.com. Her next book, 'Nicaragua Story—Back Roads of the Contra War,' takes a hard look at a people's war, and will be out in 2021. * 'Some Swamis are Fat' is under the pen-name Ava Greene.
connect with the author: website ~ facebook ~ pinterest ~ goodreads
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