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Sharol
Books is an independent publisher based in northern Michigan,
specializing in works by local writers and artists.
Its
first release, Rainstorms & Fairies,
is a collection of 42 poems by Carol Atkins, each verse paired
with an interpretive full-color photograph by Sharron Lemmer.
The result is evocative and illuminating.
The title of the book comes from a story Carol's mother used to
tell about how every time a raindrop splashes down, a fairy is
born. The accompanying photo shows the translucent shape of a
fairy emerging from the rain, reminding readers that magic never
ceases to exist, as long as you first believe.
Readers be warned, however – the book is far more than a
collection of pretty poems and pictures. It reflects Carol’s
involvement in women’s rights and other activist movements as
well as disconcerting truths that are often left unsaid. The
verses express complex issues without mincing words, sometimes
with humor and other times with a subtle nudge beyond the
obvious.
The poetry also offers encouragement and has the
hopeful tone that things can get better – if we work to make
them that way. A celebration of resilience in spite of
the fact that life is inherently unfair, Carol’s poetry reflects
the essential belief that “the acts of caring people can help
even out the odds.” As the speaker in the poem “Conference”
says, “We meet with hope in check/coming together with bent
pieces/seeking solace and somehow a fit." |
A collection of poetry by Carol
Atkins
interpretive photography
by Sharron Lemmer
"Rarely do two art forms come together,
creating images and feelings as elegant..."
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