Download or read book Demeter Goes Skydiving written by Susan McCaslin and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2011-03-01 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What if Demeter, the timeless fertility goddess of ancient Greek myth, slipped through a crack into the twenty-first century, shook off her ankle bracelets, corn tassels, and garlands, and began a tour of our improbable culture? Award-winning poet Susan McCaslin exercises the profound mother-daughter trauma forged in the Demeter-Persephone myth with unapologetic modernity. This sequence takes on a novel life all its own: Hades steals away the maiden into a cult/culture of distorted body image, addiction, high anxiety, and rampant consumerism. Mother Demeter must negotiate this alien world of health clubs, paparazzi, and so-called reality shows locked in spiritual winter. McCaslin's lyrics are by turns profound, hilarious, and devastating as she journeys to the heart of a mother's love for her daughter. Here is poetry that seeks ties to the past inside the present, poetry that speaks to us all.
Download or read book Demeter Goes Skydiving written by Susan McCaslin and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2011-03 with total page 137 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Award-winning poet exercises the profound mother-daughter trauma forged in the Demeter-Persephone myth with unapologetic modernity.
Download or read book Little Wildheart written by Micheline Maylor and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2017-01-07 with total page 89 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: See with all clarity, and from way up, what the predator knows. Death already hunts. - from "We Are Entirely Flammable" Micheline Maylor's poems slip effortlessly through topics ranging from what we give up as we age to regrets for love that has passed, the interplay between the animal world and human thought, and the myths we append to ourselves and others. An expansive, conversational voice underscores the poet's technical mastery as her subjects turn from love to hope to fearlessness. Maylor asks readers to perceive how we inhabit our selves, how words construct us. By turns quirky, startling, earthy, and hope-filled, these poems reflect the moods of existence. Little Wildheart is rich with challenge and surprise.
Download or read book Believing is not the same as Being Saved written by Lisa Martin and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2017-02-09 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lisa Martin’s new poetry collection seeks the kind of lyric truth that lives in paradox, in the dwelling together of seeming opposites such as life and death, love and loss, faith and doubt, joy and sorrow. Here readers will find a range of moods, tones, and subjects, as well as both traditional and contemporary forms—from sonnets to prose poems. This is a collection imbued with the light of an enduring, if troubled, faith. With its focus on spirit, ethics, and how to live well, Believing is not the same as Being Saved offers a tender meditation on the moments that make a life. There’s a way of speaking as if the difference matters, as if the road home is finite—everything begins and ends somewhere, like your hand in mine, or how last light fractures in the limbs of pine—while beyond my window, a coyote follows a trail into the dusk that only it can see. — from "Map for the road home"
Download or read book Rain Shadow written by Nicholas Bradley and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2018-03-14 with total page 121 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rain Shadow is a collection of poetry that explores the fraught relationship between the natural world and humans yearning to connect with something greater than themselves. The poems range through destabilized lives and landscapes, fathoming presence and absence, transformation and oblivion. They outline the major questions of our time as the poet crisscrosses western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Witty, playful, serious, and heartsore, Rain Shadow seeks to understand the space in which people and nature are inextricably entwined. I walk like a bear— I have a bear’s gait— but the gate to the bear’s mind is closed. —from “The Bear and the Wind”
Download or read book Arousing the Spirit written by Susan McCaslin and published by Wood Lake Publishing Inc.. This book was released on 2011 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “[This book] is not just for the religious or for Christians, but also for anyone who is alienated from religion but interested in spirituality… It is even for atheists who can’t accept a theistic God who manipulates things from outside on behalf of ‘his chosen ones’ or tribe of ‘true believers.’” – Susan McCaslin These writings by author-poet Susan McCaslin offer fresh and alternative ways of seeing and understanding our relationship with the Spirit. Christian-based, the 14 pieces that make up this collection (on topics such as perfectionism, paradise, the Beatitudes, Revelation, and presence) range beyond the compass of traditional Christianity to reveal universal wisdom and meaning. Written in beautifully nuanced language that articulates her clear thinking and captures her poet heart, the book reflects the central passions of McCaslin’s life: “mysticism (or the direct experience of the sacred) and its place in everyday life; peacemaking and justice;…the relation of spirituality and sexuality; and the significance of Jesus of Nazareth once divested of outworn theology and his sappy Hollywood persona.” McCaslin believes that actions speak louder than words or beliefs, and her pieces encourage us to explore ways to live life as a “mystical dance.” Each chapter is prefaced by one of McCaslin’s exquisite poems, leading the reader into a place of quiet contemplation from which to explore the writing.
Download or read book Acceptable Words written by Gary Schmidt and published by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. This book was released on 2012-08-31 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Acceptable Words offers prayers that correspond with each stage of the writer's work -- from finding inspiration to penning the first words to "offering it to God" at completion. Gary Schmidt and Elizabeth Stickney, experienced writers themselves, introduce each chapter of prayers with pithy pastoral reflections that will encourage writers in their craft. This welcome spiritual resource for writers includes both ancient and contemporary poems and prayers -- some of which were written especially for this volume. A thoughtful gift for any writer, Acceptable Words will accompany writers on their spiritual journey, lending words of praise and petition specifically crafted to suit their unique vocation.
Download or read book Superabundantly Alive written by Susan McCaslin and published by Wood Lake Publishing Inc.. This book was released on 2018-10-19 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Superabundantly Alive: Thomas Merton’s Dance with the Feminine is a unique, unified, multi-genre work that includes dialogue, imaginary letters, poems, and reflective essays by two established Canadian poets. Taking cues from Merton himself, Susan and John establish a playful, jazzy, dialogic tone — superabundantly alive. This book invites participation for those who already know Merton’s work and for those who are meeting this whole and broken, prophetic, whimsical, paradoxical prophet and visionary for the first time. Robert Lax once described Merton’s poetry and the man himself as “superabundantly alive.” McCaslin and Porter prove the truth of this description in their enchanting account of the writer-mystic who now comes into his second century of stature and significance, in the words of Boris Pasternak, “[a]live and burning to the end.
Download or read book Between Midnight and Dawn written by Sarah Arthur and published by Paraclete Press. This book was released on 2016-01-01 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Experience the liturgical seasons of Lent, Holy Week, and Eastertide in the company of poets and novelists from across the centuries. This third literary guide compiled by Sarah Arthur completes the church calendar with daily and weekly readings for Lent and Easter from classic and contemporary literature. New voices such as Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and Benjamín Alire Sáenz join well-loved classics by Dostoevsky, Rossetti, and Eliot. Light in the darkness, illuminating the soul. This rich anthology will draw you deeper into God's presence through the medium of the imagination. Praise for Sarah Arthur's literary guides: "A rich feast." — Lauren F. Winner, author of Still "I may just be a bit smitten with this book." — Ann Voskamp, author of One Thousand Gifts "What a delight, to find so extraordinary a collection." — Kathleen Norris, author of Dakota and Cloister Walk "A thing of beauty!" — the late Phyllis Tickle, author of The Divine Hours "A creative re-envisioning of the traditional devotional." — IMAGE Journal "Once again, Sarah Arthur has provided rich and enriching resources for the recovery of a life of prayer. More difficult, perhaps, than any other truth we may glimpse in the midst of what we know as ‘the time being,' is the efficacy of penitential prayer; most elusive is the 'bright sorrow' that couples our repentance with joy. With this book, many will find their way to this inestimable blessing." — Scott Cairns, Author of Slow Pilgrim: The Collected Poems Other Literary Guides by Sarah Arthur: At the Still Point: A Literary Guide to Prayer in Ordinary Time, and Light Upon Light: A Literary Guide to Prayer for Advent, Christmas, and Epiphany
Download or read book dear Hermes written by Michelle Smith and published by University of Alberta. This book was released on 2012-03-04 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By turns joyous and adventurous, melancholy and nostalgic, Michelle Smith's debut collection of poems showcases a wide-ranging fascination with places, people, and story. Smith's limpid and humane handling of an array of themes, emotions, and styles-her Norwegian ancestry, her Canadian Prairie heritage, the significance of family, the fragility of memory, world travel, ekphrasis, myth, and more-exemplifies the lyric self on a poetic grand tour, or pilgrimage, to meet the world. Framed by imaginative travelogues addressed to Greek gods, dear Hermes... offers readers an escape and an entrance-out of time and into the poet's luminous experience. Readers who appreciate clear lyric and fleet voicing will relish Smith's poetry.
Download or read book Hidden Lives written by Lenore Rowntree and published by Brindle and Glass. This book was released on 2017-06-08 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A revised and updated edition of a collection of personal essays that illuminate what life is like for those who live with mental illness, and how it impacts their family members. More than 4 million Canadians and 57 million Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness, and yet there are still considerable stigmas and a great deal of misunderstanding surrounding even the most common diagnoses—schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder, clinical depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and dissociative identity disorder. Rather than analyze the diagnoses and symptoms, these first-hand accounts focus on the very essence of a psycho-emotional breakdown, and respond to the mental, physical, and emotional turmoil it inevitably causes. What does a mother do when her teenage son's personality suddenly fractures? How does a police officer cope when his employer refuses to provide adequate care until he can prove his PTSD is work-related? How do children grow up under the care of a manic father whose illness lands him in and out of medical and social incarceration? Raw, honest, and painful, these essays communicate disappointment and despair, but also courage and compassion. They offer a lifeline for sufferers and support for their friends and family, and promote new and improved attitudes toward those with mental illness. With a foreword by respected physician, bestselling author, and renowned speaker Dr. Gabor Maté, Hidden Lives gives readers a place to turn, and provides a platform to share their struggle.
Download or read book The Malahat Review written by and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 404 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Song of Wings written by Kris Faryn and published by Nimbus Brands Publishing. This book was released on 2020-09-21 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: I hunt dark creatures. He hunts Sirens like me. We used to be in love… The hunter has become the hunted. The Council of the Gods roped us in to fighting for them, ridding the human world of creatures that belong behind the veil. But now? They've asked too much. Kill my true love turned Siren Hunter. Nope. No can do. Not happening. Meanwhile, my Siren family is growing, I'm forced to work with someone who already betrayed me once, and the gods insist on using me and those I love as disposable chess pieces. It comes down to this. Decide who to trust. Who to save. And who to let die. The quest continues in this dark fantasy series described as "page-turning greatness." Fans of Holly Black and Tahereh Mafi will love Song of Wings, Book 2 of The Siren's Call series!
Download or read book Gods and Goddesses in Love written by Agapi Stassinopoulos and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2007-11-01 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In ancient times, the Greeks created the gods and goddesses to represent the various personalities of human nature. In Gods and Goddesses in Love, Agapi Stassinopoulos tells the stories of the primary goddesses and gods, and how their myths can provide insight into your own romantic relationships. Included are two fun and fascinating quizzes: one for women to determine their own dominant personality type and which goddess she most embodies; and a second that will help every woman understand more about the "god" she is involved with, or searching for. In the book, the seven archetypal goddesses are portrayed in modern terms, highlighting not only each goddess's unique strengths but also the pitfalls or stumbling blocks she is likely to encounter in a relationship with her partner. Also included are interviews with real couples who reveal how they overcame obstacles to find true love. For anyone who desires the self-knowledge and empowerment to find their ideal other, Gods and Goddesses in Love is an uplifting, instructive, and enlightening guide for achieving greater fulfillment in love.
Download or read book Learning to Fly written by Steph Davis and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-11-03 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traces the story of the first woman to free climb the Salath Wall in Yosemite, describing how her husband's controversial goals and related media fallout compromised her marriage and prompted her transition to skydiving, an endeavor that helped her find the courage to love again in the wake of heartbreaking losses.
Download or read book Into the Open written by Susan McCaslin and published by Inanna Poetry & Fiction Series. This book was released on 2017 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Into the Open: Poems New and Selected is both a compendium and compression of the best and most representative of Susan McCaslin's poetry over nearly five decades. In addition, it showcases new work. The explorations of Into the Open begin with McCaslin's intense early interest in mystical Christianity, but expand to include global wisdom traditions from cultures east and west. Her work does not advocate for a particular system of belief, but exemplifies the open-ended probings of an inquiring mind. A selection of her new work in a powerful sequence called Lineage takes up some of her earlier themes but pushes them into new arenas, addressing questions of how to age into elder-dom; how to take one's place with humility and gratitude in a world fraught with pain and loss; how to remain open to wonder. In the words of her editor Katerina Fretwell, "Selecting from Susan McCaslin's eighteen-book oeuvre Into the Open has been a pilgrimage through her poetic and spiritual evolution. Her visionary poetscapes conjure William Blake, Thomas Merton, Greco-Roman mythology, angels, the Canadian mystic Olga Park, John of Patmos, Teresa of Avila, Henry Vaughan, Lao Tzu, Han Shan, Mary Magdalene and other unitive mystics of many cultures, faiths and eras. Such diversity suggests the range and reach of McCaslin's work. Here is a poet at the peak of her powers."
Download or read book Asian Youth Travellers written by Catheryn Khoo-Lattimore and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-03-23 with total page 203 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers a bird’s-eye view of the current trends, opportunities, and challenges related to Asian youth travellers, and it also presents a holistic framework for future research to build upon. Managerial and policy implications are provided for the tourism and hospitality industry and government agencies to better accommodate the needs of Asian youth travellers – a unique and diverse market that is yet to be fully unveiled to the world. The book investigates the key characteristics that define contemporary Asian youth travellers, adopting a broad definition of Asia. While it includes relatively mature markets, it also features emerging markets in Southeast Asia, South Asia, and West Asia. The book looks at different forms of tourism undertaken by Asian travellers, encompassing educational tourism, adventure tourism, working holiday, self-driving tourism, dark tourism, volunteer tourism, and cultural tourism. A wide range of topics are discussed, from history to current trends, from motivations to constraints, from the influence of culture and religion on travel behaviour to the search of social freedom through travel, and from destination choice to destination avoidance. The findings and interpretations are drawn from diverse and novel research methods, such as netnography, visual anthropology, historiography, interview, focus group, survey, and document analysis.
