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Apples
from the Tree of Life  (Book
of Quotes)
Author:
Shirley
Bolstok & Madison Lily Vogel Binding: Paperback
(pp: 53)
ISBN: 978-81-8253-093-5 Availability:
In
Stock (Ships within 1 to 2 days) Publisher:
Cyberwit.net Pub. Date:
2008
Condition: New
Description: I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. My parents are Holocaust Survivors. My father has since passed away but my mother is alive and living in Las Vegas. Writing has always been an integral part of my life. I like writing about the shifting of our existence, whether it is ethereal, emotional or physical. I have had many publications of my work in newspapers, anthologies and online magazines. I have a Volume of Poetry published with Cyberwit titled "Impassioned Soul." Growing up as a child of Survivors of the Holocaust has given me a very different perspective of humanity from an early age. I have many contrasting views of the windows of life. Each has it’s own dimension and density. I have a diverse background and education and have appreciated the variety of insights that it has brought me. We are powerful beings with the ability to create straight from the heart of God. I am grateful for the opportunity of experience and to be able to write about it.
A cold abrasion will burn like fire.
A light at night can save the day.
The signs of love are on confusing streets.
The only thing worse than a bully is a bully of persuasion.
Madison
Lily Vogel was born into this very complex world
on December 22, 2004 in Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
From the moment she arrived life has been turned
right side up. Her ability to understand and
analyze every aspect of life is simply amazing.
When you have a conversation with her its hard to
envision that your talking to a three and a half
year old. Her knowledge and wisdom started at an
early age and her parents can not wait to see what
great things will come from her as the years go
by.
(Only
$12 per copy - Shipping Included)
Impassioned Soul
Author:
Shirley Bolstok
Binding: Paperback (pp:96)
ISBN: 978-81-8253-083-6 Availability:
In
Stock (Ships within 1 to 2 days) Publisher:
Cyberwit.net Pub. Date:
2007
Condition: New
Description: I was born and raised in
Denver, Colorado. My parents are Holocaust Survivors.
My mother is alive and living in Las Vegas. My father
has since passed away. Writing has always been an
integral part of my life. I like writing about the
shifting of our existence, whether it is ethereal,
emotional or physical. I have had many publications
of my work in newspapers, anthologies and online
magazines and now have the opportunity to consolidate
it in a volume of poetry. Growing up as a child of
Survivors of the Holocaust has given me a very
different perspective of humanity from an early age.
I have many contrasting views of the windows of life.
Each has it's own dimension and density. I have a
diverse background and education and have appreciated
the variety of insights that it has brought me. We
are powerful beings with the ability to create
straight from the heart of God. I am grateful for the
opportunity of experience and to be able to write
about it.
(Only $13 per copy - Shipping Included)
Reflections of My Mother
When I look into the coming days
I walk the road of generation's age
When I look into my future, I see the past
For my mothers teachings are in my tasks
I hear her in the phrases that I speak
She gave her strength when I was weak
She is a woman, my mother, and my friend
Her ways will stay with me to the end
In the things that I learn in my life
Her wisdom helps me get through strife
Knowing she's there helps me to cope
I can lean on her when I need hope
So many times she was there for me
Her guiding light always helps me see
I'm taking this day to tell her I love her
For in the mirrors of my life
Are reflections of my mother
SHIRLEY
BOLSTOK
Impassioned Soul: a courageous
first book.
(Published by Cyberwit.net, 2007, ISBN
978-81-8253-083-6, 96 pages, paperback, US$15)
Impassioned
Soul is a courageous first
book by a talented author. Shirley Bolstok boldly
takes up many aspects of life, personal development
and human evolution without preaching ... and
without cynicism or bitterness. Particularly moving
are her poems about personal relationships and
tragic historic events (eg. 9/11, the Holocaust).
Bolstok consistently shows both sensitivity and
vision in her writing, and much of what she writes
about is easy to relate to ... primarily because she
writes with such honesty, and about emotions,
thoughts and life processes that we all have but
perhaps seldom talk about in public. There is great
healing in such.
I do have one criticism regarding her usage of rhyme: in the poems in
which the rhyming words conclude every line or every
other line, I sometimes felt that the inevitability
of the rhyme interfered with my ability to take in
all of the supporting words leading up to the
rhyming word. Simply speaking, the rhyming process
took over too much of my concentration. However, the
poems where Bolstok surprised me by breaking up the
rhyming patterns worked rather well for me. Although, rhyming
poetry is a valid and age-old classical form with
many possibilities, I would personally love to see a
second book by Shirley Bolstok that breaks a bit
more from tightly-worked rhyming patterns.
That being said, Bolstok has written several fine
poems worth mentioning: “Cardboard Cut-outs”,
“The Invisible Storm”, “The Longing”,
“Collective Motion” and “Ventilator” to name
just a few. I would like to conclude this review
with two of her poems:
THE INVISIBLE STORM
Outside my window the sunshine seems darker
I
sit in my living room reading about this or that
Somehow the shadows look deeper and starker
Creating
strange contours with lint on the floor-mat
An odd anxiety clashes with the monotonous TV
The
radio singing with the reminiscence of the heart
All this noise but I can’t hear a thing
I
see lives devastated and torn apart
We’re looking over our shoulders for the unseen
While
the adversary sits in our television and radio
Speaking of war, while we wonder what they mean
While
threats of biological warfare continue to grow
We still don’t know the face of our enemy
Because
voices inside speakers continue to bellow
Screaming, how we must take care but live our lives
But
our imaginations will never let us be free
All the things we fear are spinning into beehives
While
we look for safety and renounce autonomy
Quickly the beehives are developing into a swarm
Now
a fierce, invisible tornado called the, “Media
Storm.”
COLLECTIVE MOTION
These are days
With no beginning and no end
A collective motion
Of events that pass me by
An empty stream of thoughts
Ride my emotions
Stranding me in the stillness
Leaving no cry
I am lost in the sea
That is known as myself
Existing
To re-emerge
After a lonely retreat
I’m blinded
To my own vision
Now a cloud of dreams
Wandering in desperate silence
Outside of myself
Vacillating
In beat
I look forward to seeing Shirley Bolstok’s next
book, and her continuing development as a poet.
Literary
criticism (2008) by Adam Donaldson Powell (based
upon “Impassioned Soul”, published by Cyberwit.net, 2007, ISBN 978-81-8253-083-6, 96 pages,
paperback, US$15)
SHIRLEY BOLSTOK (USA)
has written several individual poems which have been
widely published in newspapers, anthologies and
online magazines. “Impassioned Soul” is her
first poetry book.
ADAM DONALDSON POWELL (Norway) is a literary critic and a multilingual
author, writing in English, Spanish, French and
Norwegian; and a professional visual artist. He has
published six books (including collections
of poetry, short stories and literary criticism) in
the USA, Norway and India, as well as several short
and longer works in international literary
publications on several continents. He has
previously authored theatrical works performed
onstage, and he has (to-date) read his poetry at
venues in New York City, Oslo (Norway), Buenos Aires
and Kathmandu (Nepal).
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