NH Poetry: SALT

Julia Older recommends SALT by Sylva Boyadjian-Haddad (Finishing Line Press: New Women's Voices Series, #83)

"Some teachers who write often use their academic careers as a ladder to publication and recognition. Institutional constraints can produce technically competent "workshop" poems that fail to resonate with the community at large—and feed the ubiquitous complaint, 'I don't understand poetry.'

Sylva Boyadjian-Haddad has been a Professor of Comparative Literature at New England College for several decades; the creative playground in which she and students immerse themselves is a cross-cultural world of universal mythologies, creation stories, legends. I discovered Sylva is a poet through reading her lone poems at the back of Entelechy International, the "Journal of Contemporary Ideas," which she founded and edits. (Vol. 7 coming soon.)When Sylva told me her first poetry book SALT was selected for publication, I literally had to beg her to let me read the manuscript. From the first poem I knew I'd discovered the real item. Not only does each poem have a strong universal undertow, but the sequence itself is a cohesive whole. I don't exaggerate in saying that this is poetry in the broadest sense. SALT, like dreams, runs deep. Don't be surprised if you wake up and find yourself changed." -- Julia Older

Julia Older's fourth booklength poem TALES OF THE FRANÇOIS VASE (2012. Hobblebush Books vol. 3 Granite State Poetry Series) is based on the dramatic 25-century journey of a real vase in Florence. The book, which includes a CD of her verse play broadcast by The Radio Works over 60 NPR stations, will be featured on the State Arts Poetry Showcase (April 18). Visit http://hobblebush.com to hear The Vase speak and find out about scheduled readings, including April 21, 2012 at Toadstool Bookshop, Peterborough.

This post is part of our celebration of National Poetry Month 2012 for which I asked New Hampshire poets and booksellers to recommend books of poetry by Granite State poets. These titles are generally available from local booksellers and may be held in public libraries as well.