Finding inspiration in nature, the rainbow, the change of the seasons, her faith, and even junk food, Stern has crafted a volume of more than 100 poems which comes from the heart and finds beauty in many different aspects of life. The book is split into eight subsections, each containing at least a handful of poems. Beginning with the personal “Moods and Dreams,” the topic then changes to weather-related poems in “Out of the Blue.” The next sections focus on the poet’s faith and then the scenes she records from gardens both small and large. A chapter on seasons provides a half-dozen or more poems for each of the four major times of the year. The remaining sections feature poems that provide personal reflections, a celebration of color, and humorous poems designed to be a little silly and light-hearted.

These poems are easy reads, written with a natural style that bounces between lines but still shows careful and considerate structure and word choice. In terms of subject and tone, these are light and fun—not too personal, not overly romantic. The emotions that are captured and expressed are easy to relate to and presented in a way that appeals to the reader’s own feelings. Nearly every selection takes up just a page, and the organization of chapters by subject makes for easy browsing, whether one reads the poems in sequence or at random. The author’s appreciative outlook and generally upbeat written demeanor will likely inspire her readers to take stock of the world around them and be thankful for the things that can sometimes be taken for granted.

Return to USR Home