The Wither Poems

Poetry is always hard to put a rating on. What one views as beauty another could view as vile or boring.

The Whither Poems had a softness to it that I have come to appreciate. It is almost comforting to read, as the poems speak of light, life, the nature around us, and the beauty of things. The titles of the poems truly intrigued me, and I loved one specifically called "Swallow Heart," and how it talked of the seasons, and endearingly enough talked of having a "hodgepodge" for supper in the summer on a warm day.

I quite liked this poetry book. It had a serene calmness to it, and I loved that all the poems were just short little snippets, generally no longer than a page. This was lovely for me, as I felt no pressure to read so much all at once, you could read a poem here, and a poem there. I also love with this type of poetry that if there is a poem you just aren't connecting with, you don't have to read it. No one poem makes the whole book, and will change everything if you don't read it. The descriptors in this book are also phenomenal, I came across many words I didn't recognise, but upon looking up what they mean I would usually discover that they are perfect when used in that certain context.

The Whither Poems was an excellent read, and I recommend this book to anyone who likes short reads, poetry about nature and life, and just a good book that you can find small connections to.

It's difficult to sum up the sentiments of so many amazingly written poems into one review, but I'll start by saying wow. This is the first time I've read a poem book, and Catherine Edward made me realize how much I love poetry.

The theme throughout this book is the beauty of nature, feelings of change and rebirth. It was written by a septuagenarian grandmother. To quote her, “Whither is an oldish word, with a helpful attitude, I love it for that. The overarching theme of the book is ‘that which cannot be’ while admitting to ‘what must be’. It is in the response to unanticipated, uninvited change that one's mettle is revealed.” While reading this book I felt calm, it gave me the peace that comes with change, almost like the feeling of spring. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to dig deep into withering time and change, and learn about it from a wise perspective.