Title: Tales from the Disenchanted and Wisdom from the Haiku
Author: Diana Leavengood Blanco
Publisher: Bookside Press
ISBN: 978-1778832956
Genre: Poetry
Pages: 260
Reviewed by: Lily Amanda
Pacific Book Review
Tales from the Disenchanted and Wisdom from the Haiku by Diana Leavengood Blanco is a punchy text comprising a lyrical short story collection and contemplative poetry, both charged with mood and energy.
Here, critical elements of clarity and rhythm intertwine as the author ventures into the depths of the human soul, frailty of the human heart, social change, disillusionment, human connections, endurance, and loss. The anthology is rich in both nouns and verbs, with vivid imagery that embraces nature and the mundane. The book is divided into two distinctive sections: Tales From The Disenchanted and Wisdom From The Haiku. The first section is rich in emotion, often evoking poignancy, with the characters ranging from fictionalized animals and humans to real-life characters cited in insightful anecdotes. Still, these vignettes offer much-needed escapist entertainment along with offering impressive takeaways for readers.
This first part provides the perfect springboard into the second section, with startlingly intuitive poetry delivered through a simple yet hard-hitting style. Here, Diana takes us into a different world, allowing us to search into our truest selves, and find ways to improve ourselves. Not one to keep away from sensitive and complex subjects, Laura’s haiku touches on American politics, death, spirituality, the human condition, Black history, love, and friendship. The world is a swirl of disquiet, commotion, and obligation, inundating us with the latest things to mull and worry about. This section addresses this and equips us with helpful morsels for our spirit, going further to make us stop, pause, and reflect on the message she intends to convey.
The book is well-written, with accessible prose that achieves much. Its 200+ pages should not discourage you from reading it, as the brief moments in time that the writer so intimately captures make for an intriguing reading experience. There is something for everyone in this collection, with some pieces demanding to be read out loud and others appearing to be pensive soliloquies for inner reflection. Together, the intricate dance between word and meaning is what gives this collection a high poise, inviting us to look at life with a kaleidoscopic view, ultimately drawing our attention to the things that matter. Not one to be read in one sitting, Tales from the Disenchanted and Wisdom from the Haiku is perfect for a summer or winter read. Interested readers will find much to savor within its pages.
