Official Review: I Water Dead Plants by Heather J. Kirk
Posted: 19 Feb 2020, 09:35
[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "I Water Dead Plants" by Heather J. Kirk.]
Heather J. Kirk, both an author and an artist, is as tough as her namesake shrub. She has been through highs and lows in her life, just like the rest of us, and her poetry portrays the truths she has harvested over time. I Water Dead Plants: A Book of Poetry and Belief will delight the avid horticulturist, the struggling gardener, and all who love plants. The book has a strong Christian theme throughout, but the principles shared are universal and should offend no one. Kirk exhorts everyone to never give up hope, even when surrounded by seemingly dead plants such as failed dreams, broken relationships, poor health, and lost wealth. With God’s overflowing mercy and grace, those plants might yet live again.
The poems in the book, 49 in all, revolved around nature and its beauty, both in season and out of season. Some of the poems focused on peculiar plants, and I relished getting to know those species. I certainly grew in my botanical knowledge. I only wished there were accompanying pictures, so readers could better appreciate the silk floss tree, the Mandevilla, and the Huernia and Opuntia cacti. Several pieces depicted the author’s gardening woes, with many of her plants killed because of her failure to properly care for them. (There were surprising resurrections, mind you!) The walls of her home displayed perfect specimens, though, as she captured the plants in all their grandeur through her camera and artist’s pen. Some animals also figured in the verses, and I particularly enjoyed the villainous fungus gnats. Mountains, forests, and monsoons added drama to the collection. Skillfully grafted into the poetry were relatable tales of broken hearts, clumsy accidents, and busy days. Most of the poems bore fruitful lessons of courage, resilience, faith, and purpose.
Kirk included an appendix of Bible verses that inspired particular pieces; I was likewise blessed by those holy words. Humor was lavishly sprinkled throughout the book. Only an artist can make a tumbleweed fascinating. I will always remember this immortal line from the poem "Talking to My Plants": “Sorry, dude.” (You have to read the book to share the fun.) I also joined the author as she exercised her vocal cords while serenading her greenery with classics like “Argentina” from Evita and “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
The poems made for an interesting blend of pieces. There was one (“Doorstep”) with just twenty syllables, which the author called an inverse haiku. While many of the poems were in free verse, a few had a rhyming pattern. Some pieces were short stories written in verse form, a unique rendition. Most of the short stories are memorable; the titles alone (“Taller than Impossible,” “Blind,” “Gardening at Night,” and “Phoenix Rising Fungus Gnats”) promise lots of pun time. Reading this book was a wonderful and refreshing experience.
I would have wanted to give this bouquet of poems the highest rating but for the thorny formatting and grammar issues. The grammar flaws are mostly slight misspellings like “then” for “than” and “principals” for “principles.” These need to be weeded out, along with the spacing (usually involving orphan and widow lines) and indentation errors. The Bible verses would also be better planted alongside the related poems. A few of the biblical citations are inaccurate, too, so a quick pruning may be in order. The book reaps 3 out of 4 stars. The author’s positivity is invigorating. I am now looking at the dead plants in my life’s garden, and I am considering watering them.
******
I Water Dead Plants
View: on Bookshelves
Heather J. Kirk, both an author and an artist, is as tough as her namesake shrub. She has been through highs and lows in her life, just like the rest of us, and her poetry portrays the truths she has harvested over time. I Water Dead Plants: A Book of Poetry and Belief will delight the avid horticulturist, the struggling gardener, and all who love plants. The book has a strong Christian theme throughout, but the principles shared are universal and should offend no one. Kirk exhorts everyone to never give up hope, even when surrounded by seemingly dead plants such as failed dreams, broken relationships, poor health, and lost wealth. With God’s overflowing mercy and grace, those plants might yet live again.
The poems in the book, 49 in all, revolved around nature and its beauty, both in season and out of season. Some of the poems focused on peculiar plants, and I relished getting to know those species. I certainly grew in my botanical knowledge. I only wished there were accompanying pictures, so readers could better appreciate the silk floss tree, the Mandevilla, and the Huernia and Opuntia cacti. Several pieces depicted the author’s gardening woes, with many of her plants killed because of her failure to properly care for them. (There were surprising resurrections, mind you!) The walls of her home displayed perfect specimens, though, as she captured the plants in all their grandeur through her camera and artist’s pen. Some animals also figured in the verses, and I particularly enjoyed the villainous fungus gnats. Mountains, forests, and monsoons added drama to the collection. Skillfully grafted into the poetry were relatable tales of broken hearts, clumsy accidents, and busy days. Most of the poems bore fruitful lessons of courage, resilience, faith, and purpose.
Kirk included an appendix of Bible verses that inspired particular pieces; I was likewise blessed by those holy words. Humor was lavishly sprinkled throughout the book. Only an artist can make a tumbleweed fascinating. I will always remember this immortal line from the poem "Talking to My Plants": “Sorry, dude.” (You have to read the book to share the fun.) I also joined the author as she exercised her vocal cords while serenading her greenery with classics like “Argentina” from Evita and “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
The poems made for an interesting blend of pieces. There was one (“Doorstep”) with just twenty syllables, which the author called an inverse haiku. While many of the poems were in free verse, a few had a rhyming pattern. Some pieces were short stories written in verse form, a unique rendition. Most of the short stories are memorable; the titles alone (“Taller than Impossible,” “Blind,” “Gardening at Night,” and “Phoenix Rising Fungus Gnats”) promise lots of pun time. Reading this book was a wonderful and refreshing experience.
I would have wanted to give this bouquet of poems the highest rating but for the thorny formatting and grammar issues. The grammar flaws are mostly slight misspellings like “then” for “than” and “principals” for “principles.” These need to be weeded out, along with the spacing (usually involving orphan and widow lines) and indentation errors. The Bible verses would also be better planted alongside the related poems. A few of the biblical citations are inaccurate, too, so a quick pruning may be in order. The book reaps 3 out of 4 stars. The author’s positivity is invigorating. I am now looking at the dead plants in my life’s garden, and I am considering watering them.
******
I Water Dead Plants
View: on Bookshelves
This sounds Ike a wonderful book. Thanks for a great review!
Thank you for this lovely review!