Title: Some of My Seasons
Author: Margaret Netherby
Publisher: AuthorHouse
ISBN: 978-1491811757
Pages: 142
Genre: Poetry
Reviewed by: Jack Chambers
Pacific Book Review
Finding one’s gift in the world, the one thing which makes them stand out and appreciated by others, is a great and powerful thing to have in one’s life. For some, it takes years of study, patience, and work to hone one’s skills and master it in their professional and personal lives. For others however, that skill is a natural and inherent gift from the Universe, and is part of self-discipline that cannot always be taught. As the Dalai Lama once said, “Whether you call it Buddhism or another religion, self-discipline, that’s important. Self-discipline with awareness of consequences.”
In author Margaret Netherby’s Some of My Seasons, the author utilizes free-verse and haiku style poetry to delve into various aspects of her life, from her studies of Nichiren Buddhism, to the powerful emotions felt in her life such as love grief, desire and happiness – and everything in between. A collection of poems, the author and poet takes readers on a journey of her life over the course of four decades in an attempt to make sense of the confusion she has felt at moments in her life, as well as reconcile the emotions she held and embrace the happy moments of her life in the process.
The imagery and wide-range of emotions the author infused into each and every poem was absolutely moving to read. The way the poems not only reflected her own emotions and what she was going through, but took on a chronological order that allowed readers the opportunity to witness the poet’s growth and the weight of those emotions as time went on, and showed how decisions would lead to outcomes in the author’s life. The style choices of poetry between the free-verse, lengthy reads of certain poems and the more pointed and attention-grabbing haikus that really catch the reader’s eye kept the collection flowing smoothly.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy poetry, especially those who enjoy personalized and almost narrative-style poetry that relays a memoir-style story of the poet’s life. As a fan of poetry, I enjoyed getting to feel the authors’ emotions run off the pages as the visualization these poems brought were inspired and memorable to read.
Memorable, emotional, and thought-provoking in their delivery, author Margaret Netherby’s Some of My Seasons is a must-read collection of poetry. The artful and harmonious way the poetry’s narrative and emotional core come together was incredible to read, and the varying styles of poems keeps the book’s collection feel fresh and truly memorable to enjoy.
