Today I'm bringing you a little something different here on the blog. I haven't featured much poetry in the past, but today I'm bringing you my review of Magnolia and Lotus: Selected Poems of Hyesim as part of a blog tour hosted by Pump Up Your Book
Read on to find out more about this book and enter to win your own copy!
Title: Magnolia and Lotus: Selected Poems of Hyesim
Translators: Ian Haight and T'ae-Yong Ho
Publisher: White Pine Press
Published: June 4, 2013
Pages: 108
Format: Paperback
Source: Received From Translator in exchange for an honest review
My Rating: 4 Stars
Melissa's Musings:
This collection of poetry is diverse, but there are also some common themes and elements. I appreciated the introduction to the collection, which gives the reader a glimpse of Hyesim. It explores his beginnings as a nobleman, his path to becoming a monk, and his dedication to spiritual enlightenment. I learned some of the differences between the Korean version of Zen, called Son. It's refreshing to learn a different perspective on the concept of Zen, and to learn more about it in general.
Most of these poems are short, but they pack powerful meanings within their limited space. Nature, and the appreciation of its beauty is one of the most common themes. The moon is featured often, as are ponds. One of my favorite pieces in this book is the poem titled "Singing Moon" (pg. 47) The message makes the reader truly stop and think about the fact that our days/nights are not guaranteed, and we should't take any of them for granted.
Many of the poems that feature ponds focus on the act of self reflection, which is key for personal growth. The beautiful imagery portrayed within these poems elicits self reflection, and makes you think about the things that are truly important in life. I'm happy to have read this poetry collection and to have had the opportunity to do some self reflection.
Are you interested in reading this poetry collection? Enter below to win your own copy of Magnolia and Lotus: Selected Poems of Hyesim
Giveaway Details:
Three (3) winners will receive print copies of Magnolia and Lotus
This giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY
The winners will have 48 hours to respond to their notification emails before another winner is chosen.
The author NOT Melissa's Midnight Musings is responsible for sending the prize to the winner
The giveaway will run from August 7, 2013 August 21 2013 at 12:00 AM PST
1 comment:
Thanks for sharing this, I love Poe and Robert Frost. I guess one of my favorites is the Raven, I love the dark picture Poe paints.
Post a Comment