Sacramentals by Ruth Ann Oskolkoff offers 21 poems which are detailed observations of one who seek attunement with life's natural rhythms. The essence of the book arises from Seattle's rain, mist, parks, gardens, and people. Sacramentals offers the reader a close look at the daily elements that make life sacred and spans an eclectic mix: a day at the market, a child at the grocery store, watching rain on rivers...all give insight into the deeper qualities of life. These poems are inspired by a feeling of harmony with the natural world, by feeling that nature is alive with being and part of the wonder of faith. Magic is all around us and these poems invite all of us to listen and try to hear it's humming through observation, feeling, and the life of the city.
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REVIEWS
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Ruth hears poetry in things most people don't even notice. Fortunately for us, it's not too late to notice - she has recorded some of these poems for us in this book.
-Wayne Leman, Commercial Fisherman & Linguist
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A "surreal groundedness" describes the overall tone of "Sacramentals." The poet adeptly describes the beauty found in the "ordinary," those occurrences or things that we easily dismiss or take for granted. In one of my favorites, "A Curve of Boundary," there is an invitation to live courageously and authentically. This poem, in particular, reminds me of the writings of Thoreau and his invocation to preserve what is wild. A must read for all who wish to cultivate a more sensorial engagement and conscious embrace with life.
-Ellen Trump, Pharmacist & Poet
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"Sacramentals" takes you down the backstreets of an author's perspective inherently rich with Pacific Northwest allure. Details creatively describe life in the Emerald City. Several pieces stand out to me; "If Mist Arise," "Where Are the Crows," and from a local who has survived a lifetime of the long grey winters here, "Inhale the Sun." There are many jewels in this book...a truly lovely read.
-Scott Straight, IT Project Manager & Artistisan
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Ruth Oskolkoff brings to these poems a finely honed sense of the mystical within the seemingly mundane. She crafts these word songs out of commonly found experiences, sounds, objects; the sight of an old man hobbling down a street, the distantly heard laughter of a child, an old railroad spike found in a back country town. This is found art. She picks up the pieces, rearranges them, weaving it all into some deeper expression of perception that draws us into a sense of possibility and wonder.
-Corby Ingold, Hospital Staff & Musician
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WHO WILL LIKE THIS BOOK?
* Those interested in spirituality
* People who like traditional poetry (eg Robert Frost)
* If you are interested in Native American themes
* Readers of Nature Poetry
* Those who live in the Emerald City
* Elders who have seen life and death
* Music lovers who look for the lyrical
* Lovers who want to read about what they know
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Buy this for a friend, a neighbor, an elder, a lover, or give yourself a treat and buy this charming book for yourself