SWALLOW AND THE FLY

Gently but firmly, The Swallow & the Fly illustrates how life is meant to be cherished. Lisa Shultz writes to heal as she paints hope-filled scenes and describes courageous moments. In the poem "e;A Little,"e; Shultz stands tall as she observes how "e;The world seems to be / Falling apart,"e; only to declare that she's "e;determined / To keep it together"e; for herself and for others. In the eighty plus poems that swoop like swallows down these pages, she captures truth as if it rides on the back of a fly. Shultz urges readers to "e;Forge a pathway"e; as she faces the loss of a loved one and times "e;to let go"e; and "e;Let others think / What they may."e; Time and place, summer and the planets-along with a few tulips-provide occasions to celebrate. Shultz praises her companions-a blue heron, goldfish, apple slices. Not unlike William Carlos Williams, who stressed the importance of "e;a red wheel / barrow,"e; Shultz notes how a bonsai manages "e;To lean so gracefully,"e; adding harmony to the world through its conformity "e;To the strictest / Aesthetic standards."e; Just so, such poems will reward readers of The Swallow & the Fly. Margaret Koger, author of What These Hands Remember and If Seasons Were Kingdoms.