Notes from Suburbia

A collection of 64 poems. Through a poet’s eyes and voice, Elizabeth McCallister’s gifts of sight and sound give life and purpose to commonplace events; elevates them to that intake of breath, that deep sigh of satisfaction. From,“In winter’s clear night / the courtyard empty” to, “where end of May sunlight caught / old world lilacs whispering / to buttercups swaying in time.”, this poet holds hands with the seasons, speaks their language. The haiku which introduces each section prepares the reader for the twists and turns, the ah and aha moments present in McCallister’s first collection. A serene and subtle accomplishment from a poet comfortable with her subject matter. For those lighter moments which bring a smile, stroll through, Former Nature Lover, Things You Shouldn’t Think About, and Apple Orchard. Images of home, hearth and love flutter through the poems like sunlight through an open window. “Flannel sheets and your arm round my waist / makes me snuggle even deeper into bed.” Experiencing Elizabeth’s poems; tasty morsel after tasty morsel, the reader has the pleasure of enjoying a full course meal culminating in an appetizing linger over all the items on the menu. Wendy Visser