Colleen Kelly's Latest Poetry Book (2018
)
Dancing for Joy: Poetry
for Today
By Colleen Adele
Kelly
Paperback, 230 Pages
Review by Ann Spencer:
Colleen
Kelly's
third book of poems contains her signature uses of brevity, humor and keen
insight
into the
human
condition. This time around, her book,
Dancing for Joy-Poetry for Today
, is divided into five sections including
"The Daily Joys of Living"
,
"The Joys of Nature"
,
"Our Biggest Joy"
(which contains poems on her visit to the Holy Land),
"Seeking Joy"
(which includes the political scene from commentators, Shields and Brooks, to POTUS), and
"Joy-Filled Places and Faces"
.
As she explores such subjects as the lonely and lost patrons of a soup kitchen, the benefits of retirement, drinking craft beers, our complex universe, and the joy of singing in the church choir, Colleen invites her readers to look inward and be thankful for all the joyys that surround us on a daily basis.
Dancing for Joy presents inspirational poems which reflect on the joys of life and remind all of us to find faith and hope in God's love. Click on the link below to purchase.
Submitted by Ann Spencer
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Publisher's notes:
Flee the daily distraction Life sends, end. In heart and mind and soul Find peace In holy silence. With an optimistic and occasionally humorous tone, Colleen Adele Kelly takes a cue from Pope Francis while sharing a new collection of short poems that focus on contemporary issues and events and paint an inspirational picture with words. Kelly reflects on the daily joys of living, nature’s joy cycles through the seasons, the deepest joys associated with spirituality, cultural and political issues and events, and favorite people and places in life. As she explores such diverse subjects as the lonely and lost patrons of a soup kitchen, the benefits of retirement, our complex universe, a congregation’s joyful noise, and a father’s unconditional love for his girls, Kelly invites others to look inward and embrace all the joys that surround us on a daily basis. Dancing for Joy shares inspirational poems that reflect on the joys of life and remind all of us to find faith and hope in God’s love.
To purchase Dancing for Joy ($15), go to:
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Colleen's autobiographical information:
I taught Social Studies in the Fairfield system between 1968 and 2006, first at RLHS, then at Fairfield HS and finally at Fairfield Warde HS. My subjects were mostly Asian and International Studies. Depending on the schools and years it was with 9-12 or mostly grade 10; however, in the course of my career it is almost “You name it, I taught it.”
When I retired in 2006 one of my goals was to spend more time writing poetry. It has been a lifetime avocation, begun in childhood. Many is the time I would be commuting to work when a poem presented itself to me (perhaps because of a sun-rise, or ducks crossing a road, or some other image) and when I arrived at school I would jot it down. I frequently introduced world poetry into lessons as a means of acquainting students with the culture being studied.
My poems were often published in a variety of small venues, which was quite fitting, as they tend to be brief.
My first book of poetry,
As I Was Saying, was published in 2009. It was followed with I’ve Been Thinking, and now, Observations. The newest wrinkle is a blog on poetry, to be found at
www.colleenakelly.com. It is commentary on poetic influences and inspiration. I would love to hear comments and have conversations with readers.
The publisher (Lulu.com, a self-publishing company) describes my poetry as both “witty and reflective lyrical observations from a seasoned poet…from a fresh perspective.”
There are three ways to access the latest book, including hard and soft cover, but also as an E-book.
On another tangent, I’ll be teaching a little bit with a colleague at the University of Hartford, on India. Also, in November I’ll be sailing down the Danube in company with my sister Pat and some friends. We are both very active in the choir, and are preparing for a Taize service on Oct. 15,2014 at Sacred Heart Church in Southbury. (hope we get some photos of your trip to add to this page, Colleen)
Editor's Note: Here is additional description of Observations published by Lulu.com:
"It is only when we step back to observe life objectively
that we finally learn that each moment experienced comes with its own
challenges and joys. In her third poetry collection, Colleen Adele Kelly draws
upon her personal experiences to share lyrical observations that examine a wide
variety of issues from Zen to Mandela, and the Middle East to Sandy Hook.
Kelly touches on divergent topics that not only expose
others to her wry sense of humor as she reflects on why she dislikes eating
squid and the agony of tax time, but also provide insight into her softer side
as she contemplates the beauty in the change of seasons and the power of God’s
love. While intertwining both traditional and contemporary elements, Kelly does
not shy away from tackling such controversial topics as the death of Osama Bin
Laden, the Sandy Hook school shooting, and the tragic events of September 11,
2001."