Paulette I. Anana has released a new anthology of poems that study reality, society and the things that make us human. Here, Orla Neal, businesswoman, mum and poetry lover reviews the 50 strong collection that focuses on human experience, challenges, and is an exploration of each moment we live.
“As an avid poetry reader, I love to hear of a new, modern author and on reading of Paulette’s life, her achievements and her background, I hoped that the collection would be as powerful as the book cover also promised.
“A cover tells you a lot about a book, and this one, A Moment in Time did not fail to draw me in. The introduction is important to read too, as it gives a background to Paulette’s inspirations and her ‘attempt to capture a universal truth about what it means to be alive’.
“Each poem has an introductory photo or image to lead it in, and as a lot of time has clearly been dedicated choosing these, I gave them time they deserved before and after reading each verse. Starting with A Story, this poem is more a question that has you thinking. And just eight poems in, I found one of my favourite elegies yet. Ancestry. A circle with an end….
“Short, snappy but filled with meaning, the poetry of Paulette is easy to read, and to interpret to your meaning. However read the same ode again and you can pick up multiple facets of meaning. These also change depending on your mood. A classic example of that is Our Kin.
“Other poems in this collection that touched my soul, my heart and my thoughts are Being Brave where it concludes that “To be different is to be brave”, Accepting Everything, Letting Go and Home is a Place – if you read no other poetry, please make time to read these. They are solid reminders of what is important, who we can be and where we are safe. Simple, yet amazing.
“Finally, the collection ends with A Moment in Time. How true the words to this sonnet are. Paulette, you brought a moment in time with this book that changes something in people forever, I am sure.
“Paulette says our lives are made up of moments we can never get back … time reading a book is either time well spent, or time wasted and it isn’t until the end you really know. My time on this collection was time extremely well spent. The poetry is a rollercoaster of life that leaves you feeling invigorated, uplifted and even though I am not religious, believing in a purpose of time. Her wish on writing this was to make us realise time and moments ‘leave an indelible impact on who we are’… well done, Paulette. You certainly achieved this; I am inspired.”
A Moment in Time by Paulette I Anna is available on Amazon.