 |
| Name:She of The Dreaming Sky |
| Author:Diane C Randall |
| About Book:We know that the pen is, in fact, mightier than the sword -- and with both CD and book in her work, She of the Dreaming Sky, Diane Randall brings a new question of: “is the voice mightier than the pen?” I wondered if there would be a palpable difference between reading the poems and hearing them being spoken? Of course there would be (certain things have to be said, and others have to be read) but that doesn’t make one better than the other. Me? I opted for the CD (but that’s just my ongoing battle with ADD), only to find that the order of the tracks was not in sequence with how they are in the book. Magnificently brilliant, I say, because I began to read the book first, absorb it, then go back and re-read it with the audio playing. Best of both worlds…
The title put me in the mindset of connecting with my inner “new-age” femininity that appears in many forms, mostly as a dreamy, mystical spirit encompassed within an earthly body. So I was ready for the first section of the book, entitled “Shapeshifting”. In the very first poem (it shares the title of the book); the author connects with a Raven spirit and begins a transformation. Throughout the eight poems that comprise the section, Randall walks you through her intense battles, conquered fears, and triumphant victories. “Dance of the Tiger” (also on the CD) captures the essence of facing a life or death force, and allowing it to transform her in exciting new ways. “Interspecies Negotiation” is a clever story of a young woman who teaches us that love and understanding can break down the barriers of communication amongst all God’s creatures. By taking on characteristics and lessons from her encounters with those creatures, the author demonstrates the necessity and the process of change.
The next two sections --“Shadows, Dreams, and Nightmares” and “Singing over Bones” -- introduce you to the characters and events that shaped the author in her transformation. Wise, old women trying to lead the way, blonde-headed bar girls trying to help, and hallucinations of lovers past—they all are encompassed in the spirit and writing of Dianne Randall. She continues to take you through her process and how her demons are “vanquished” until there are none left—only a strong force compelling her towards Truth and Love. It is a journey I begin to wish more people would have the gall to go on…
“Living and Loving” appears almost as a book within a book, a subtext that comes in two parts—the universal quest for love and a life amongst the living. Through a first-person account of her being, Randall allows those empowering thoughts to become her readers’ mantras—“I am this light. I take this light with me into my human existence and then I am.” Injected into all of this is a persistent reality—as in “Ambivalent Heart”—where I am reminiscing over my own past relationships, wanting to relive what I learned from the ups and downs of love. In both Part I and Part II, I saw the concept of love through Randall’s eyes. And not just love of other people; love of self, love of craft, and love of a righteous power. “Damage Control & Other Clichés” (also on the CD) is something I have always wanted to say to the so-called poets who butcher the art for some ulterior motive, and appreciated Randall’s well-crafted language even more so.
“True love and prayer are learned in the hour when love becomes impossible and the heart has turned to stone.” The quote by Thomas Merton opens the poem on pg. 80, and captures the core of what these life experiences has taught the author. Through the brief “Blue Girl” moments, and the uplifting “Spirit Talk”, the journey is revealed as a rocky, but manageable road that many women can identify with. There is a voice inside us all telling us the same thing It whispered to Diane Randall—“the journey is nothing more than this moment, then the next.” And I take great comfort, as does the author, in constantly trying to connect with those spiritual guides that lead me along my life’s pathways and dreams.
By K. Dayo |
| Price:14.99 |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
