Compilation: Poetry

"Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting with the gift of speech." - Suetonius 

What better month to provide a compilation of poetry reads than during National Poetry Month! Here are some links to reviews I've written for poetry books (in roughly reverse chronological order from when read):

1. Winter is Scissors by Kyle L. White
2. Freezing and Thawing by Kyle L. White
3. Prodigals and Those Who Love Them by Ruth Bell Graham (memoir/poetry)
4. These Fevered Days by Martha Ackmann (biography of poet)
5. Things Pondered and Further Still by Beth Moore (memoir/poetry)
6. Footprints of a Pilgrim by Ruth Bell Graham (memoir/poetry)
7. Walking Home by Simon Armitage (more memoir than poetry)
8. The Lost Words by Robert Macfarlane (beautiful children's nature poetry)
9. Runaway by Wendelin Van Draanen (YA novel with poetry)
10. Neighbor as Yourself by Kyle L. White
11. Poetry: Starting from Scratch by Michael A. Carey (on teaching poetry)
12. The Bard and the Bible by Bob Hostetler (devotional with lines from Shakespeare's poetry)
13. Real Love: Guaranteed to Last by Anne Peterson (memoir/poetry)
14. Wisconsin River of Grace by Kyle L. White

As an addendum, I offer up two reviews written for my poetry book, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals:

Here is Rebecca Goldsmith's review in the British War Cry magazine.

Or you can read my blogging friend, Maria Novajosky's review on her blog, La Dolce Vita: The Sweet Life with Three Sons.

Mid-month Mention #2: Lew Wallace Author Fair

If you live in the West Indianapolis area and love to give books as Christmas gifts, have I got a deal for you! This coming Saturday, you can attend the Lew Wallace Hoosier Author Fair in celebration of Crawfordsville's Small Business Saturday. Here's a brief introduction from the General Lew Wallace Study & Museum:

"When Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ was published in 1880, Indiana wasn't known for its literary culture. In the following forty years, however, Hoosier authors became popular. During this Golden Age of Indiana Literature, more best-selling books came from Indiana than from any other state except New York. Writers like Meredith Nicholson, James Whitcomb Riley, Lew and Susan Wallace, Maurice Thompson, and others put Indiana on the literary map. The General Lew Wallace Study & Museum is proud of that literary legacy Lew helped create. We host the Lew Wallace Hoosier Author Fair to honor that legacy."

This author fair takes place Saturday, November 25th, 2023, from 5-8 p.m., on the 3rd floor of the Fusion 54 Coworking Space (101 W. Main Street, Crawfordsville). It is free and open to the public. I attended for the first time last year, selling and signing my book, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals. (Also available from Amazon) Two authors seated to my right, Josh Brewer and Tony Brewer, offered a fascinating, unique opportunity called Poetry on Demand. For a small fee, they composed a poem for you, on the spot. How cool is that! You'll find a variety of genres available from nearly twenty local Indiana authors. Since I'm still in the stages of getting word out about my book, I'll be raffling off a free copy that night.

While in Crawfordsville, why not visit a historic home decorated for a Victorian Christmas?

Maybe you're more into fashion. Attend the Lew Wallace Holiday Tea & Fashion Show:

This December 1st fundraiser event is hosted at the Elston Homestead at 400 East Pike Street, Crawfordsville, Indiana.

Enjoy any of these three opportunities to jump-start the holiday spirit! If you cannot attend any of these, I direct you to a video or two of the lights in London. It always boosts my holiday mood! I often hook my laptop up to fully immerse myself by watching on my television screen. Welcome to the holiday season!

Mid-month Mention: When There Are No Words

I fell in love with Andrew Peterson's work bit by bit - first through his song, "Is He Worthy?", at the Sing Festival. Then I learned about his Rabbit Room blog when reading and reviewing Leif Enger's book, Virgil Wander. I also watched Peterson's address at the 2017 C. S. Lewis Summer Institute on "Calling and the Kingdom of God.". Next, I encountered his books on creativity, Adorning the Dark and The God of the Garden (both of which I highly recommend). Although I knew about the Rabbit Room, I only recently discovered the Rabbit Room Chinwag Facebook group. I joined and now I receive "rabbity posts" every day from like-minded creatives.

One of the members of the group, Michael J. Tinker, is a songwriter with a new album called, "When There Are No Words." I was drawn to this title, since it expresses the same sentiment as my tag line for my book, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals. Apparently, he is starting a podcast by the same name. The podcast offers interviews with artists exploring grief and hope in their work. I listened to the first episode, an interview with Andrew Peterson, and deemed it worth the hour spent! There are already three more interviews available, as well: Sara Groves, Douglas McKelvey, and Jamin Still. I'm so happy I happened upon the Chinwag group and this new podcast in particular. Check it out!

Book Review: Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy - Highly Recommend

It is hard to sit in grief. Despair has a tendency to overwhelm me. But, I think even without a biological tendency to depression, I would struggle with expressing despondency. I fight hard against those who try to tell me that my anguish indicates a lack of faith in God. My opinion is that anguish and faith stand side by side in the troubles of life. Voicing anxiety does not negate a firm belief in God and His goodness. All the while, there was a term for this and a biblical expression of it: lament.

In Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: Discovering the Grace of Lament, Mark Vroegop validates our need for lament and teaches how to lament. Pouring out our complaints to God is NOT sin when we are addressing Him and allowing those complaints to move us to affirm faith. As Vroegop asserts, "Lament is the transition between pain and promise, the path from heartbreak to hope." This book considers several Psalms that express lament and also the book of Lamentations. After studying Lamentations in my Bible Study Fellowship group, I devoured Vroegop's writing on this subject. David, Jeremiah, and other Bible greats pour out their agonies to God. So can I.

Sadly, I've been spurned by other Christians who believed my vehement "why?" was an affront to God's sovereignty. In my opinion, God is big enough to handle my questions. Yet, in two separate struggles with my children, when my parental heart wept and complained to God, others chastised me. They viewed my lament as talking back to God.

In the first struggle, I allowed my grief and anguish to dry up my complaints to God. I went silent. Oh, how I loved Vroegop's insistence that we not go silent. God's ear is the very place we need to bring our despair. He shared the exact feelings I used to have in church. Others sang about God's love, while I wondered why He didn't feel loving to me amid my trial. The silence led to distance. The distance would have remained... but God. He pursued and I returned.

In the second struggle, others again berated me for speaking my despair. They insisted I was allowing my circumstances to dictate my faith. Not so! Why are so many Christians unwilling to sit with another Christian in lament? My trial knocked me to my knees, but this time I did not go silent. I persisted in pouring out my heart's emotions to the Lord. I penned the poems in my book, Watching the Wayward. Even as I expressed deep agony, He wove it into declarations of dependence.

Two phrases will remain rooted in my head after reading this book. When Dr. John Piper heard of the Vroegops' trial, he wrote, "Keep trusting the One who keeps you trusting." So true! We cannot muster the faith and trust we need. We protest and He places our hand back in His own. In the dedication, Mark Vroegop introduces a quote they now live by: "Hard is hard; hard is not bad." May we learn to sit with the hard, speak with the Father, and side with the Sovereign.

========

Addendum: I found this quote on a friend's Facebook page - so apt!

"When we honestly ask ourselves which persons in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving much advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a gentle and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares." - Henri Nouwen

Mid-month Mention #2: Ben's Ranch Barn Bash Fundraiser

I've been fortunate in my life to have benefited from some excellent counseling. Not just the kind where a counselor sits and listens and jots notes on a notepad, expecting the mere act of vomiting forth all your pain to somehow alleviate your mental and emotional anguish. No, my life changed by some grace-based, in-your-face counseling. The kind where you're called on the carpet for your dysfunction and have to look it square in the eye, perhaps for the first time in your life.

But when my son was full of anxiety and seeking all the wrong answers to overwhelming questions, our stab at counseling came up empty. Sometimes traditional therapy and counseling can't make a dent in a problem. For me, I felt a gentle internal nudge to seek something for him in nature and with animals. So, on the heels of our failed counseling attempts, I discovered Ben's Ranch, a non-profit organization in the Indianapolis area that recognizes the powerful elixir available to young people when they connect with nature and animals by working on a farm or ranch. Time with animals is healing. Hard work on a farm is enriching and character-building. My son's internship with Ben's Ranch bore out tangible improvements.

He wasn't riding the horses or even brushing them down, but his work clearing their stalls and replenishing water and hay nurtured a new self-confidence. A sense of accomplishment. He recognized visible results from his efforts. It was hard, outdoor work and required the discipline of heading to the ranch for two hours every weekday morning to muck out the stalls.

Our benefits surpassed individual maturity. Our son was 16 and still learning to drive, so I had to accompany him. I relished those morning commutes because, while he was driving, he was a captive audience. We had many in-depth conversations we might not have snatched were it not for those morning trips to a ranch in a town twenty minutes away. Because of the distance, it seemed a waste of time and gas for me to return home, so instead I brought along my lap-top and began working on a collection of poems about the experience of parenting a struggling teen. When your teen is in a rough patch, the road is bumpy for you, too.

Ben's Ranch is a relatively new non-profit organization. They have a fundraiser coming up and I wanted to highlight many of the ways you and I can partner with them to bring these healing opportunities to anguished teens. Here is the information on their flyer:

My husband and I have purchased tickets to the Barn Bash and plan to attend. In fact, I'll be there selling my book, with part of the proceeds going to support their foundation. It's an opportunity to visit Connor Prairie, enjoy yard games, and maybe even fit in a hot air balloon ride. 

If you live in the Indianapolis area and are interested in finding a helpful non-profit organization to support, consider following this link to the Ben's Ranch website events page.

You don't have to commit to the whole afternoon or dinner. You might wish to simply purchase tickets to the 4 p.m. panel discussion on "Teen Mental Health and Our Schools." Panel participants are highlighted on the above linked events page. Even if you can't attend the Barn Bash, consider making a donation or check out the items up for bid in their silent auction. The silent auction is available for on-line bidders, as well, at this link. The bidding opens 4/24/23 and closes at 5:30 p.m. on 4/30/23. You don't have to attend or live in Indianapolis in order to bid, as they will ship items to winners outside the area. My book is the only Buy-it-Now item available. Why not support this helpful organization?

Mid-month Mention: My Podcast Interview

 

In February, shortly after returning from my FL/TX trip, I embarked on an interview about my poetry book, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals. Heather Hanton, Women's Ministries Specialist of The Central Territory of The Salvation Army, interviewed me for their Prepare Podcast. We discuss the experiences that prompted me to write my first book of poetry. We also discuss the mental health component of addiction. 

If you or a family member struggle with mental health or if you'd like an in-depth view of what prompted my book, follow this link to that podcast interview. I love how Heather pulled all of our conversation topics together to emphasize that, no matter what your journey, God is the source of our strength. He walks through every hill and valley with us. May all glory go to God, in and through this podcast interview.

Late to the Party - Read an E-book Week

On Tuesday, I discovered this is Read an E-book Week. Given this is not a method I generally use, it was exciting to see I had just posted about reading an e-book. Another sad realization from Tuesday? The e-book I mentioned as being available for a limited time at 99 cents, was in fact already more expensive. Sob! I apologize for the outdated information.

To celebrate what remains of this designated week, I thought I might list the last two free e-books that I added to my Kindle for PC account (hopefully still free):

A Light in the Window (Margarete's Journey Book 1 of 4) by Marion Kummerow - billed as "A completely gripping WWII historical novel with a heartbreaking twist." (280 pages)

The Obituary Society (Book 1 of 3) by Jessica L. Randall - Lila Moore inherits her grandfather's house in a small Midwestern town full of tightly guarded secrets. (194 pages)

As a further celebration, to join in the festivities, I will offer a free e-book copy of my book:

Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals to the first 5 individuals who join my mailing list before the end of this week (3/11/23). You can either subscribe to my blog (through the subscription button at top right) or for an additional freebie, sign up for the free 6-page book recommendation list (offered in side-bar to the right).  Or subscribe on my website at www.wendygortonhill.com (by subscribing there, you will also receive a free PDF of either sample poems or a listing of resources for parents of prodigals).

Happy E-book reading!

Christmas Book Sale

For a limited time, I am running a Christmas sale:

Perhaps you wish to skip the autograph -

It is also easy to gift someone a Kindle book on Amazon. Even if they don't own a Kindle, they can upload Kindle for PC (that is how I read most of my eBooks). 1) Make sure you are on the Kindle book page. 2) Click the Give a Gift button. 3) Enter the email address for your recipient (make sure it is the Kindle email address associated with their account). 4) Enter a delivery date. 5) Enter an optional gift message.

Or, if you wish to gift me while gifting a friend/relative, purchase my book from Book Baby (I receive the most return on books purchased directly from my publisher). If you verify your Book Baby purchase, I will send a small poetry print to the recipient/address of your choice.

Ah, Fall!

This has been a tough week. Interest in my prodigal parenting book is tapering off and I've exhausted most of the avenues for securing more exposure. My now-adult son asserted his status and independence in two disappointing ways. Good thing my book doesn't claim to provide parenting wisdom. I have none for parenting teens/adults who are intent on making ruinous choices. My book simply expresses the heart cries of a parent leaning into God amid the journey.

Yesterday morning, I came across someone who mentioned a book about walking as a spiritual practice. This is something I've embraced for a long time. So, instead of my usual time on the recumbent bike and treadmill, I braved the cold (32 degrees) and took a walk. It provided exercise and a great time for prayer and reflection. Thanking God that He's not finished with me yet and not finished with my sons yet, either.

As I approached home, I snapped some photos of the beautiful fall foliage. 

(A photo of our long-time neighbor's property - their trees are resplendent!)

(Our house - I love the orange display behind the house - initially blocked by the front yard tree in the first picture.)

How blessed I am to live on a property with such vibrant colors and soul-stirring transformation. It may be fall. I may feel like I'm in the middle of a drought. But perhaps, as in the story of Elijah (see 1 Kings 17 and 18), God is sending the drought to prepare for a magnificent confirmation of His vast power and purpose. Without the drought, the people of Israel might not have been ready for the heart transformation when they realized (after Elijah's showdown with the prophets of Baal and against incredible odds) that the Lord is the one true God. Elijah had to endure the drought, too. Yet, God was with him every step of the way and met his every need. I'm claiming that for myself and allowing the healing power of nature to soothe my heart and soul.

This and That September 2022

The Queen's death - While it wasn't shocking news, it was certainly monumental news. My first thoughts went to my friend, and former "Page of the Presence," Ray Wheaton. He gave his life in service to a queen who gave her life in service to a country I adore. For me, the queen's passing is sad. For him, it must bring much greater grief.

Of course, I'm just a hanger-on. Pathetic, I know. I revel because I rubbed shoulders with someone who rubbed shoulders with royalty. Through friendship with Ray, I received the unexpected blessing of encountering some of Buckingham Palace (well before they welcomed the public for viewing). It was such a delightful excursion.

I think my favorite image (found on Facebook) is this dual shot of the queen and her husband in the early years and in late. 

Marriage is hard. I cannot imagine trying to do it well while under the scrutiny of an entire nation (no, more than a nation, a commonwealth). The queen was a public figure who carried well the responsibilities thrust upon her. What a different life she might have had if another had not cast the responsibility aside. She seemed to take it all in stride.

A visit from Bryce - I've just returned from driving Bryce to the airport. His company sent him to do recruiting at Purdue again this year. We squeezed in a day and a half with him. He arrived from Dallas late on Friday night and will now pick up a rental car at the airport for his Purdue schedule this week. I was so glad that we attended Sean's junior-varsity football game on Saturday morning. It was a nail-biter and we won. Thankfully, Bryce filled me in on some aspects I didn't understand (no, I'm not the quintessential football mom). Plus, I focused on enjoying the game and the company rather than my usual watching in dread and fearing an injury.

Bryce wanted a photo with Sean after the game (Sean is now as tall as Bryce, at only 15) but he was dripping with sweat, so he declined. I hoped for a photo of all three boys together, but they were never all three together the whole weekend. Bryce took Sean golfing on Saturday afternoon. That evening at dinner, Bryce marveled when Sean ordered two steak and cheese burrito meals and then polished off almost every bite. Finally, on Sunday morning, Bryce had a chance to see Trevor. He is also quite tall and has grown buff and lean (really careful with his diet now and exercising back up to the level he was at before his the cyst in his leg popped in May). It was pouring outside and Trevor was in a time crunch to get to work, so they both passed on a photo for me. I'm quite sad because I don't know when the next photo opportunity will come along. Perhaps not until Christmas.

I have a few photos of the boys at home (taken in August):

(Trevor and Sean)

Sean must dress up for school on game days, so I snapped this photo on the last Friday in August:

My book - In early August, my book rose to within the top 100 for the category of religious and inspirational poetry again. This was an unexpected blessing:

I started September with a handful of reviews. I'm grateful to several individuals who have written outstanding reviews for my book and brought the number up to 12 written reviews. Without readers, a book is impotent. Like a tree falling in a forest with no one to hear, does it make a sound?

To read some reviews, visit my book's Amazon page. Or visit this book review my blogging friend Maria posted on her blog. I feel blessed beyond measure.

 

Celebrating Old Friends and New

When you have good news and few to share it with, you realize how isolated you have become. My first book of poetry, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals, finally released in paperback form on Amazon on June 7th. It has reminded me of the value of friendship. I was hesitant to return to my writer's group to share the news of my book because I had not attended since the pandemic shut things down. It felt wrong to attend now that I have good news to share, but then... if I didn't share it there with like-minded individuals who would celebrate with me, where else could I share? 

My heart is full because one individual bought the book to place in our local library and another wrote a kind review on the Amazon page. In the days leading up to the launch, I promoted the book on Facebook, but since I have less than 400 friends, my net is small. Still, I cannot express how grateful I am for those who posted photos of my book, with links, saying "Look! I got Wendy Gorton Hill's new book." Each extra bit of publicity helps and I appreciate every share.

But, in all of this, I think my deepest blessing is in the connections I am making with other parents on a similar walk to mine. Several of my friends wrote to say, "This book came just at the right time because we're struggling with a wayward child." Now, I'm also receiving words from individuals I don't even know who friend me on Facebook, and when I ask the connection, they reply they are reading my book. How cool is that? Besides gratitude, it opens up a chance for me to extend my prayer list to dozens of names of parents with prodigals. I now keep a running prayer list.

One such person, a pastor's wife, contacted me recently to share her story. Her daughter, sent on a mission, returned home confused and depressed. The daughter rejected her faith and headed down a wayward path, taking the son along in solidarity. These stories break my heart. The world is full of parents grieving harmful choices of rebelling children. They ache for restoration. This mother spoke of missing the fellowship she once shared with her daughter, discussing spiritual growth. She likened it to a "miscarriage." She was bringing her child into God's kingdom, and then the path abruptly stopped with progress aborted.

I will forever be grateful for all the parents who express how the book has blessed them and reminded them that God is watching while they're waiting for their child's return to the fold. It validates my decision to do what was necessary to make the book available. My joy is also full because of renewed friendships. One college roommate, Anne, reconnected and even came for a weekend visit. 

What fun we had reminiscing about those youthful days. We commiserated over shared struggles and anxieties. We took a day trip down to Nashville, Indiana and walked the streets filled with quaint shops. Chatting on the back porch, we caught each other up on years spent apart. Once again, I say, if this book nets nothing else, it is growing my prayer list, reinvigorating old friendships, introducing new ones, and providing connection where my spokes had broken (like this old post from 2011).  

Falls, Fails, Fears, and Favors

FALLS:

Tuesday, May 17th, was an unfortunate day. My father was taking my mother for a walk in her wheelchair when he hit a rut in the road. In attempting to keep my mother from spilling to the ground, he held firm to the handles and flipped over landing on his side, shattering his Apple watch, and bruising his ribs. They wondered if my mom had broken her shoulder in the fall, but x-rays revealed no break. 

They were both quite sore for a while, yet still managed to drive over to Orlando to visit with my sister and her family and my older brother, Mark, and his family, all vacationing there at the time. I was green with envy seeing their little reunion over our favorite pizza, Giordano's:

(My parents, brother, and sister are all at the far end of the table. Look at that pizza! Yum!)

FAILS

Also on Tuesday, May 17th, Trevor had an accident while in his weightlifting class at school. Both Trevor and Sean have been intensely committed to the weightlifting program. Trevor is in the "1000 club" and Sean in the "900 club." Trevor is one of the best lifters at his school and they hound him constantly, wanting him back on the football team. But with a job at Culver's and a girlfriend, he feels he doesn't have time for football.

Trevor was maxing that day, lifting 495 pounds, when he failed. The safety bars were set too low, so he landed on his rear and, in going down, heard his knee pop. He arrived home limping, convinced that it was merely a torn meniscus and nothing to worry about. But, we were concerned enough to take him to the doctor on Wednesday, where he had x-rays.

FEARS

Although the x-rays revealed no bone breakage, the doctor was pretty sure it was a torn ACL or PCL ligament and would require surgery. We were so disheartened, having been through that whole ordeal with his broken leg back in 2018. The prospect of more pain medication terrified us. We immediately began praying over the situation. On Thursday, he had an MRI. On Friday, they called to inform us that the MRI showed no harm to the meniscus or the ACL/PCL ligaments. Apparently, just like in his broken leg, he had a cyst in that spot. The cyst popped and the fluid caused the swelling, pain, and inability to fully straighten his leg. What a praise! No surgery! No 6-12 month recovery time! No lengthy restrictions on lifting. We were so relieved.

FAVORS

My poetry book, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals, has been out in e-book format for almost two months. In the initial publicity, for a week in April, it garnered the #1 new release in Religious and Inspirational poetry. 

Then it dipped, but later rose again to #33 in Religious and Inspirational Poetry. 

Slowly, I've been accumulating a few reviews and on May 26th the book ranking jumped back up to #25. I so appreciate the individuals who took the time to leave a review.

Now, the paperback is set to release on June 7th. The week prior to this release is of utmost importance. Amazon will schedule the book's availability through their site based on the number of clicks and purchases made prior to that release date.

So, the favor I am asking: please take a moment and FOLLOW THIS LINK to the book's listing, to drive up the interest markers and aid in the availability of my book to those who wish to purchase it and have it readily available. Of course, if you are interested, I would love an actual purchase, either from Amazon or directly from my publisher. 

Just a reminder, you can easily access sample pages from the Amazon page or seven sample poems in pdf form from my author website. And, if you know a parent of a prodigal, please pass the word along about this resource. It is an extremely isolating road to walk and just knowing someone feels your pain speaks volumes to distraught parents. If you bought the book and are willing, please leave an honest review on the Amazon page. Thanks in advance for any action you take to improve the prospects of my book launch.

Discount Days - Just in Time for Mother's Day

 My poetry book: 

Available at DISCOUNTED PRICES on Amazon on Saturday, May 7th and Sunday, May 8th:

May 7th - $  .99

May 8th - $1.99

On May 9th, the normal e-book price resumes at $2.99. Why not take advantage of these sale dates and gift a mother you know who may be parenting a wayward child? Amazon makes it easy to gift others with the book - all you need is their email address. 

Perhaps you don't fit the target audience, but are curious. What better time to catch this deal!

Or support me directly by buying the $10 paperback from my publisher, Book Baby.

Author Website & More Free Pdfs

 

WORDS TO FIX YOUR FOCUS AND SOOTHE YOUR SOUL

My first book of poetry, Watching the Wayward: Psalms for Parents of Prodigals, is available now as an e-book. 

In anticipation of that, I battled my technology-intimidation and created an author website. If you visit the site at www.wendygortonhill.com you will find two separate offers for further free pdfs (in addition to my recommended reads pdf offered here, in the sidebar at the right). The first one on offer is a sample of my poetry. The sample pdf provides four of the poems from my coming book, along with three additional poems. The second pdf provides a resource for parents of prodigals. I have gathered a vast listing of blogs, books, open Facebook groups, organizations, podcasts, and prayer support & downloadables.

You can also find links to published work elsewhere (articles) and fresh contact information. If you have a moment to spare, please visit my new website. Thanks!