Far From Home: Inspirational Poems of Faith, Grief and Joy - Perfect for Meditation, Comfort & Spiritual Growth

This wonderful collection showcases some of Andrew Lansdown's best poetry. With more than 180 poems, there is something for everyone: from haiku and tanka on nature themes to heart-wrenching poems on grief and loss to insightful poems on Biblical themes.Lansdown is an expert at saying a lot with a little. Among the shorter works, I especially loved the tanka 'Matter' (p. 145):"It wouldn't matterwhether I'm merely matterbut for this matterof the achings that matterto the part that's not matter."His poems surrounding the loss of a loved one are particularly poignant. For example:"It dies quickly, lies lightly like an autumn leaf.But who knows what winds may flick it up again, this grief?" (From 'Grief', p. 115)Lansdown is a keen observer of life and a master of metaphor and simile. His poems about family life show his deep love for his wife and children and his spiritual poems show a depth and thoughtfulness that draw the reader in.The book concludes with a 32-poem suite inspired by the Biblical record of the Prophet Elijah. I found the sequence dealing with the widow of Zarephath and her son particularly moving. As the poems change from the point of view of Elijah, the widow and her son, I found myself thinking about the story in new ways. It's amazing how much the poet was able to glean from three chapters of scripture. The poems end before Elijah's confrontation with the prophets of Baal, which made me wonder if there are more poems in the works.Not only is this a fine collection of poetry, but it's also beautifully presented and would make a wonderful gift. A book to dip into again and again.