Synopsis "Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter"
The Etruscans named the season, autumn, and the Romans adopted the sound, a tribal habit. Harvest was a better title for centuries until the old returned to common use. Jack Frost bridges the gap into winter. Suzanne Cottrell takes us on a quiet walk through the lesser-favored half of the year. The reader will find pumpkins, geese, and hickory root here, along with the icy moon, and the great horned owl. In our 21st Century comfort, the images may seem simple and even quaint. But if we free ourselves from our devices and get out into the weather, there are some deep snows to be found and long nights. Suzanne Cottrell reminds us that the seasons once held startling beauty and profound mystery and still do. Russell Streur, Editor, Plum Tree TavernThe poems contained in Suzanne Cottrell's debut collection, Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter, are just that-gifts, a feast of vibrant, picturesque offerings to delight the most ardent of nature lovers with pure spectacle. Cottrell's extravagant imagery takes us along wooded trails and mountain streams to the flaming leaves of autumn and the hoarfrost of frigid winter days with their orchestrated swirl of snowflakes. Indeed, a tantalizing read for all.Mary Flynn, Author of her gold medal novel, Margaret FerrySuzanne Cottrell's exquisite poetry takes us on a captivating ride through a wonderland of ingenious images that remain in our memory. With an atmosphere that is quiet and peaceful, she paints canvases of autumn and winter scenes that engage all of our senses. The poems are lyrical in expression and dazzling in language. As in art, poetry asks us to see the world differently and Ms. Cottrell's poems do exactly that. Nature sculpts, sings, and dances and we see and hear flora, fauna, and the cosmos in creative collaboration with her. "Wind choreographs a fusion dance of fallen multi-colored leaves" and "Wind like an artist's knife shapes textured snowdrifts" are just a few of Ms. Cottrell's unforgettable images in this splendid volume. Rochelle S. Cohen, Author, Ode for the Time Being
