Supplying Salt and Light: Poems by Lorna Goodison

Supplying Salt and Light
Poems

by Lorna Goodison
Paperback, 128 pages

I don't often opt to review poetry books. I do have a few favourite poets, but it takes someone special to really speak to me through poetry.

Lorna Goodison is that special poet. Before I even read a word, I was attracted to the watercolour picture on the cover that the author painted herself. Yes, sometimes judging a book by its cover does pay off.

From there Lorna grabs your hand and plunges in with you in tow. We become immersed in Spain and Portugal, the roots of slavery, the songs of hope and triumph and also everyday noticings of small miracles and lessons. A whole cast of characters meet us on our journey, some familiar yet all seen in new light.

Lorna weaves her Caribbean history and roots into her story and invites us to see through her eyes. It's a wonderful journey.

"Good poetry is like effective prayer, it feeds the human spirit, it nourishes, it puts us in touch with forces far greater than ourselves." Lorna Goodison

Read an interview with Lorna Goodison on Mosaic.

LORNA GOODISON is the author of two collections of short stories, eight books of poetry, and the highly acclaimed, award-winning memoir From Harvey River: A Memoir of My Mother and Her People. She has received much international recognition, including the Musgrave Gold Medal. Born in Jamaica, Goodison has taught at the University of Toronto and now teaches at the University of Michigan. She divides her time between Ann Arbor, Toronto, and Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia.