Review of Grief and Her Three Sisters

[Caroline Anne Richmond]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Grief and Her Three Sisters" by Jerry Lovelady.]

---

5 out of 5 stars

---

Share This Review

---

Grief and Her Three Sisters by Jerry Lovelady is a collection of poems in 4 parts. The author states his words are from his own experiences and are about those hopelessly driven by love.

Part 1, The River Gods, comprises a collection of poetry exploring nature and its seasons and its comparisons to grief, loss, rebirth, and transitions into something new. Bittersweet memories of the author’s family and touching words of relationships with trees are covered. The author never had children and thinks of trees and the river as offspring that will leave a natural legacy. Part 2 delves into love. The powerful poems describe love, desire, deceit, and longing. Relationship failures and regrets are apparent in romantic relationships, but the author’s true loves are words and a wonderful mother. Parts 3 and 4 explore nature, weather, and the seasons, and we learn about the sisters of grief. It seems grief has a better chance of peace and recovery when the sisters depart.

This beautiful collection compares human experience and emotion to Mother Nature and her changing seasons. I loved the symbolism and metaphors used throughout the book. The words are thought-provoking and left me meditating on life, death, rebirth, and the relationship between man and the natural world. The author is brave enough to write about his personal experiences without filtering emotion and honest thought. The descriptions of rivers, trees, oceans, and weather are fantastic and add power to the meanings of the poems. The ever-changing landscape of nature represents our human lives.

I particularly enjoyed the honesty in the poems. The author speaks candidly about loneliness, longing for love, and grief. I found the poems relatable as everyone can empathise with these feelings and emotions. The book contains powerful messages about grief and finding out who you are. Everyone could take something from the book and create time for worthwhile self-reflection.

Some of my favourite parts of the poems are when the author strikes deals with inanimate objects and nature to live together harmoniously. The author has highlighted the ongoing battle between humans and nature and reflects on which has the true power. I also enjoyed the reflection of how small one human being is when you compare it to the vastness of nature and the universe, despite the vastness of emotion that one individual may feel.

The book is edited excellently. I loved the thought-provoking and heart-wrenching poetry. I found the book gave me a lot to think about. I loved the themes of rebirth, changing seasons, and comparisons with nature. I found nothing to dislike about this book, so I give it 5 out of 5 stars.

******
Grief and Her Three Sisters
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

[Joe Alex 2]

The way the author connects grief, love, and nature really stands out to me. The themes of rebirth and self-reflection seem thought-provoking, and I’d love to explore the honesty in the poems. This collection sounds like something I’d enjoy reading for the depth it offers.

[patricia MGBEMENA]

I like that this book is really sentimental and shares a lot of information about the author's family and I also like that the poems says a lot about love, desire, deceit, and more.