Hard Times Require Furious Dancing: New Poems

alicia — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0000

All too often, words are put together solely to get from one plot point to another. It can be easy to forget that when put together well, they can be transcendent. Luckily, Alice Walker is here to remind us of that fact. With her new book of poems, Hard Times Require Furious Dancing, Walker creates images that stick with you for their simplicity and strength.

Most of her poems are short, made up of a sentence or two, but all the more powerful for their brevity. One poem, called “I Will Not Deny,” takes up a single page, and ends with the very sensible advice “I will deny/me nothing/of myself.” Her turn of phrase makes her very short poems seem much longer, and much better for it. In “You Confide In Me,” she replies, after being told that the subject of the poem is lonely, that “You do not/own/a sofa!” and later, “A sofa is/essential/to all/that/lures/romance/to/your boudoir.” The sentiment is delightfully simple and wonderfully astute. The whole book is approximately 150 pages, which manages to feel complete yet not long enough.

Most of them cover topics on love or loss of love, particularly of family members. Walker discusses that her family history led her to learn how to dance, and that made her an unbridled optimist. That warmth flows freely through the poems. Predictably, they are also unabashedly feminist. She writes in the poem “The Taste of Grudge,” “I do not/regret/that/I am/imperfect./In each crack/there is/an orchid/growing.” In another poem, she warns “There is no/graceful/way/to/carry/hatred.” She writes about the strength within yourself, and how to find it. You can sense her life has not been easy, but her poems give the reader the benefit of her hard work.

Hard Times Require Furious Dancing should be required reading. It is full of beautiful words, gorgeous messages and powerful images. As Walker herself says, “I was born to grow, /alongside my garden of plants, /poems list this one.” Thank goodness for that.

Written by: Taylor Rhodes, January 11th 2011

The Woman’s Belly Book

admin — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 19:58:00 +0000

By Lisa Sarasohn

New World Library

The title made me laugh. After all, I am a woman with a belly upon which childbirth and a lack of exercise have left their marks. Like countless women, I love to loathe it. However, the uplifting tone of the author, Lisa Sarasohn, (also a public speaker, yoga instructor and bodywork therapist) has changed my outlook on my pudgy pooch and may do the same for others. Boosting vitality, releasing stress, revving up one’s sex life and sensuality, plus even increasing confidence are many of the goals Sarasohn aims to accomplish through suggested yoga-based exercises, journaling and crafting. Noting that this is "not a self improvement program," The Woman’s Belly Book celebrates a woman’s curves, the pleasures of estrogen, enjoying food and keying into our "gut" reactions, otherwise known as intuition. While "loving your belly is a strange idea," writes Sarasohn, it is a treasure to be claimed. Readers will delight in the array of activities presented. Directions are easy enough that anyone can invite fellow belly-haters to join her in the "Decorating Your Underwear" prompt, instead of going to the gym to tame the tummy with crunches galore. Particularly inspiring is the "If My Stomach Were Flat" writing exercise where one lists what she would do if her stomach were perfect. This statement leads the reader to explore the core of what her desires truly are. For instance, she may learn that it is not a flat stomach she desires, but rather acceptance and value from those in her circle or beyond. In essence, it’s a self-worth issue, not a belly issue! From toning the perineum, which is the belly’s lower border to developing hara (life energy) power through breathing, many of the physical exercises highlight the medical functions and miracles of the stomach and closely linked organs. The philosophy is that a healthy, loved belly (not a girdled and constrained one) ensures a more pleasurable lifestyle. _The Woman’s Belly Book _uncovers a path to inner-healing, exploring feminine power and honoring just how strong a woman’s belly is. It’ll make readers view their tummies with a smile instead of a pout.

Written by: Ayesha Gallion, December 2nd 2006