A Blooming Good Holiday Poetry Book

Blooming Red 
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball 

Looking for a holiday stocking stuffer? Want something to read aloud at holiday dinners, something the whole family can enjoy? Then treat yourself to is delightful collection by poetic collaborators Carolyn Howard-Johnson and Magdalena Ball. This is a delightful little volume, 58 pages consisting of thirteen poems by each poet. I love reading poetry aloud, and this volume is full of delight. A couple of favorites: 

Christmas Magic Wrought by Google’s Keyword Elves 
by Carolyn Howard-Johnson. 

which begins with 

At the stroke of dawn on November first 
gremlins tired from their Halloween 

and ends with 

That’s when Google’s 
keyword elves gave me the gift of all 

Christmas gifts. It’s called 
the make-dinner-reservations 

-at-McCormick-and-Schmick 
system of revenge. 

.You’re sure to recognize yourself in this holiday tale of woe. The poor narrator is having a hard time at the holidays.. Ants attack her turkey, the oven thermometers are on the fritz and the Kitchen Aid has died just as its warranty runs out. And are more disasters to come. I laughed but, like the narrator, we, too, have contemplated just chucking the whole thing and going out to a restaurant. 

And another, this one by Magdalena Ball – fond memories, Six Million Years Ago, from six million years ago, when we were kids. 

Six million years ago 
when we were just kids 
upright in thin desert air 
bi-pedaling in anticipation 
of holiday seasons yet to come. 
Time was different then. 

and ends 

the first law of thermodynamics 
what cannot be created or destroyed 
your burning 
youthful 
matter. 

Do yourself a favor, and create some memories of your own by buying this book and then sharing it with the whole family over the holidays. 

Here’s where you can find it: Blooming Red