Anora Sutherland McGaha "LossSongs" at the Joyful Jewel 9-8-15.

"LossSongs"

by Anora Sutherland (McGaha)

Poems on love lost

I'm on my third reading of this exceptionally touching book, LossSongs, by Anora McGaha​ (Anora Sutherland), and I know it won't be my last.The subtitle "poems on love lost" tells part of the story though I think I also saw poems of love found . . . or love cherished . . .  poems of love enduring.  Anora acknowledges the complications and great span of what love encompasses as well as the yearning which is never really fulfilled and settles as loss.  In the preface she tells of an age 14 love "so resonant, it was like living in an additional dimension -- harmonically rich, complex, beguiling."  I recognize this love as that which must not ever be trivialized as puppy love.  And when her family moves and she is far away from this dimension, there is nothing that can take it's place.  In "When the Rain Comes Down" she says "Where does my heart go . . . I wake up in sweat feeling we're not through . . ." and yet the rain still falls.

Knowing Anora as I do, not as well as I want to, I see her clearly in these words "Each and very gem I find I want for you. . . .Eyes alert for reflected light, Scouting mica, quartz and geode, Crow stones for your window sill."  What a privilege to see through Anora's attentive and marveling eyes the beauty around us.  I hope she won't break the habit of wanting to share what she finds and sees to cleanly, though of course some things are meant just for her -- and I want her to have her share and more of this.

A conclusion of sorts: "In the swoon of bliss renewing that depth of love and adoration, we are lost, and want to continue that state forever. But it is like getting stuck, trying to hold onto a moment, when we need to grow, come into our own and know a freedom and power as great as that adoration, but sourced in our connection with our deep inner spiritual selves."  Let that spirit bring comfort along with the growth, assurance of love along with the longing, and words to bring us together in understanding.

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Anora McGaha/When Women Waken "Grief" journal at the Joyful Jewel 6-19-15

"Grief: When Women Waken"
Anora McGaha, Editor
A Journal of Poetry, Prose & Images
$10, black & white version

I have been perusing the "hard copy" versions of the Journals of "When Women Waken" and have been especially struck by this journal devoted to Grief.  This book contains 171 entries submitted by writers and visual artists from all over the world on this very sensitive topic.  The cover art is by Susan Fulton, a photographer and graphic artist: chosen for the cover "because it symbolized many aspects of grief: the darkness surrounding us; the rough and unsteady ground below us, dizzying; off in the far distance a clearing, a light, some color; but still some layers of purple clouds to walk under." (Anora McGaha, the editor's words).  If you are grieving, come in to peruse through this journal and be understood, be heart-opened, be comforted.  I don't know if any of the submitters to this issue are coming to read tomorrow, but I hope so.  Timely, and we really need each other. 

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Anora McGaha "The Blessing" at the Joyful Jewel 5-31-15

"The Blessing"
Anora McGaha
Book

I have read this book by Anora Sutherland McGaha and today am remembering someone I lost recently and my dear friend who lost him too. A death is a life-changing event for the one who is left. Anora's story is a fairy tale about healing and grief, written to give real attention and compassion to a feeling that often gets brushed aside, especially when the loss if of a pet and the one who is left is a child.  Of course this can be true for adults as well as children -- there is a wish for the grief to subside before it's time. In the book, a child who has been overcome with grief is listened to and helped with sweetness and power to move back in to her life. The emotion's cause and circumstances are not exactly defined, but the feeling is, and in a way that deepens the experience for the reader. Would be a great book for any age person who has lost a pet, who has moved away from good friends, or in any situation where deep understanding and a kind of magic are necessary for a person to move on.  "The Blessing" by Anora Sutherland [McGaha)], Book, 19 pages

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Anora McGaha "Colored Pencil Card - Fans" at the Joyful Jewel 8-11-14

Card "Fans"
Anora McGaha
Original Colored Pencil Card with Envelope
$6

Anora McGaha has many talents.  One of them is illustrated above in this "Fans" card.  Meticulous strokes of colored pencil comprise a design masterpiece.  This card is one-of-a-kind original (not a print) and could be used for many purposes -- even for framing.  I'd like to send it to someone who may need cheering up as I see hope radiating out insistently.  Or . . . to pulse celebration into a new relationship or a new home.  Simply beautiful!

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Books by Local Authors at the Joyful Jewel 12-16-13

Variety of Books by Local Authors
at the Joyful Jewel

Any one of these books would be a perfect gift for the reading pleasure of someone in your life.  Topics just in this small selection include mystical novel, poetry, business success, spiritual biography, murder mystery, essay on death, a fabulous cookbook and an interpreted book of ancient poetry from France!  And . . . these are only A - J!

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