Title: Lightning Strikes Twice
Author: Mari Selby
Publisher: Of Sticks and Stones
Pages: 86
Publication Date: April 1st, 2013
These poems are dedicated with all my love to Mother Earth - Gaia. May these poems inspire you to live more wildly, love more deeply, and find an authentic voice to express your unique and awesome selves. I am an ambitious crone, an experienced entrepreneur, cancer survivor and a fierce spiritual warrior. Earthquakes, thunder storms, morning fog, buttercups, and snow angels spark a state of wonder in my heart. Daily I strive to walk the line between laughter and tears, and no hope and no fear. That line I describe as fierce grace.
Lightning Strikes Twice is a collection of poetry that is collected into four chapters - one for each of the Elements of Water, Fire, Air, and Earth (presented in that order in the book.) I loved the mini collections of poems, and often dipped into the book based on which element I wanted to connect to, rather than read straight through from cover to cover.
The poems are often raw, dealing with heavy issues such as the author's cancer battle, the misogyny of the world, the absolute complete picture of womanhood. The poem "evergreen" perfectly encompasses the whole feeling of the book, for me - it takes a look at life, the cycles that we all go through, and captures the bare emotions that go with these moments including ritual: "thirteen women under a pregnant moon dance solemnly in a circle around a sacred fire" to birth "a panting woman crouches, pushes a crown through her cervix, one woman at each elbow watches intently"
Each poem has a rawness about it that makes me remember why I love poetry so much. No word is too much in this collection, and the writing has a gentle ferocity that I think many women need. My lesbian heart is happy when I read lines such as "two women press breast to breast slick fingers follow an internal rhythm, sighs swell faster and louder."
I love this collection and I think if you're someone who wants to read poetry that celebrates the small moments, the big moments, and want to celebrate women, then you'll love this one too.
Author Interview
Triquetra: If you had the opportunity to live anywhere in the world for a year while writing a book that took place in that same setting, where would you choose?
Mari: My dream and a bucket list item is to live on the Oregon coast and write for a year.
Triquetra: What has influenced you the most as a writer?
Nature has been my greatest source of inspiration as well as my guide. And by nature I mean the breezes, the sun, the birds in the trees, my garden, nature in her many forms. The list is endless.
Triquetra: If you have pictures on your writing desk, who/what are they of?
One of the photos I have on my writing desk is an ocean scene I captured when visiting the Outer Banks of North Carolina. I can almost hear the waves pounding.
Triquetra How many drafts do your books generally go through before publication?
I went through 3 or 4 drafts of my poetry book before I decided it was finished.
Triquetra What would the logline (one or two sentence summary) be for your book?
What does a radical feminist write as poetry? We write to empower ourselves and other women with a deeper connection to nature. Want to find out what I mean by "Lightning Strikes Twice"?
About the Author
Mari Selby has always been an unruly woman. Mari's unruly behavior began as a child standing up to her bullying father, continued with her years of protesting the Vietnam War, and living communally with women in Oregon. Mari currently writes as a spiritual warrior and cultural subversive. Mari's first poem was written and published when she was seven.
In addition to Lightning Strikes Twice, Mari is currently working on an anthology; Awakening the Hero Within: Stories from the Cancer Tribe. Over decades Mari has published her poetry in anthologies, almanacs, magazines, and newsletters. She has always taught and led writing groups and workshops. Today, Mari is a contributing writer for the "San Francisco Book Review" column, "After the Manuscript", and "Master Heart" magazine.
In a series of anthologies, Of Sticks and Stones Press will be expanding to include women's stories of transformation and courage.
For over three decades Mari has comforted and assisted hundreds of people as a family therapist, astrologer, hospice worker, healer, and spiritual advisor. For the past 14 years Mari has been the director of Selby Ink, a publicity and marketing firm.
You can also find Mari on Facebook, or Twitter @selbyink
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