Guyleigh Johnson Reviews Poetry Reflecting on the Preciousness of the Moment
Hunger Moon
Deborah Banks
Pottersfield Press
“I am trying to find ways to chronicle the Earth’s story,” writes Deborah Banks in her poem, “Whose Story Is it?”
This line describes the essence of Hunger Moon, a collection of poems that takes us through a journey of seasons, narration of nature in the purest form and pieces of the author’s home (community). The theme through many of the poems is mindfulness, how important and precious it is to be in the moment. The gift of looking closely, paying attention to our environments and the messages we can perceive or receive based on where we are and what we’re doing.
These poems are timestamps of memories. Banks describes so vividly I can picture the words as if they are a place I’ve been or seen, felt or known. Words that flow empathetically, melodic and calm, soft and eloquent in this deep conversation with her inner thoughts of how nature feels and moves in this world.
Reading through many passages, it seems as if she is inspired by what she perceives as nature’s resilience, moments where nature can distract and redirect her to hope regardless of the chaos in the world. Her relationship becomes one with nature bringing her stillness, peace and comfort.
The movement through seasons and different scenery reminds me that emotions range, life changes, things grow, die, adapt and shift and there is beauty in all of it.
Hunger Moon makes me think of the different stories, voices, perceptions, thoughts and inner feelings of all things bridging the importance and purpose of what we deem small, or even what we often forget about. How what we touch, see, taste and hear shapes our experiences in life.
“I am relieved to know that nothing stays the same. It teaches me to love harder.”
These last lines of “These Hands” sum up the writer’s expression to live freely, full of gratitude and fearless of time and what’s to come.
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