Tags
arts, Literature, Marie, Marie Marshall, Online Writing, poet, poetry, prose, Writer, writing
The cover image of Naked In The Sea is copyright (c) Marcello Minnia.
Approximately one week ago, a beautiful gift arrived in my mailbox from the U.K. The timeliness of this was a gift unto itself. At a time in my life when I am incapable of reading anything lengthy or time exacting, arrives this book of poetry from a writer friend I “met” on WordPress.com some weeks ago.
Marie Marshall is the poet I speak of and I find it difficult to believe this woman has only been writing since 2004…
A book of poetry like no other I have ever read before, “Naked In The Sea” has lived in my purse since it arrived. I thought I might part with it briefly to share with a friend but I cannot. I must keep this gift all for myself at the ready to nurture me, to remind me of the stages, ages and pages of life we all experience individually and collectively. Most of all, to selfishly savour my two personal favorite sections: The Rustle and Six Poems About Hunger.
Marie’s fresh prose is so engaging, so thought-provoking, that someone may be calling your name in the very room you are in, but the lingering imagery and ethereal sensations of having touched the universes she describes prevent you hearing a thing anyone says. I know this because this happened to me.
From the beautiful cover to the fluid artistry within, this book threatens to consume me and keep me enraptured in the pages of lyrical verse evocative of other times, places and everything I already know but didn’t know I knew at all until Marie made the literal and literary connection in her pages.
Delivered in a contemporary format with a style richly reminiscent of the writer of 100 Years of Solitude, Marie transports the reader to a place they did not anticipate but find themselves, as I did, delighted to discover and difficult to leave. If you were to ask me to do a comparison, I would have to say Marie’s work, to me, is a cross between two of my all time beloved writers: Christina Rossetti and Ayn Rand. The form and beauty are ever-present but grounded in the reality of being that lends itself to having been your own experience or physical sensation.
It is hard to believe this woman has only been writing for a few years and I find myself shaking my head at her literary skills, a mastery of art I both admire and aspire to reach. I marvel at how Marie writes a few lines of otherwise meaningless words, stringing them together so fluently that when you reach the close, a moon over an angled roof stays in your mind as firmly etched as if you had somehow magically narrated the scene yourself.
As a gift for the writer in your life or as an inspirational read for the poet residing within you, this captivating and surprising book of poetry is definitely both treat and treasure, one destined to live next to me in my purse forevermore.
Thank you, Marie Marshall.
Aurora, thank you for this very appreciative review. I can’t really say much more than that.
There are a couple of things I ought to mention, for the benefit of your visitors here. Firstly the cover image is (c) Marcello Minnia. Marcello is a very gifted contemporary artist from Italy, and I was very fortunate to obtain permission to use his painting. Secondly, just by way of extra information, the section ‘The Rustle’ contains poems that have been, or will be, pinned to trees, where they will weather, fall, and add themselves to the mulch of the forest.
M
My pleasure~ and your cover is an absolute credit to Marcello Minnia, it’s a breathtaking work. If you think I should not have posted it, I will remove it promptly.
Also, thank you for adding the note about the trees! I’m still immersed in your pages whenever I can be. I should be thanking you again
I’m sure using the picture above is okay in the context of a review, as long as it is credited. All the thanks I need is your enjoyment.
M
Sounds like such a beautiful gift, and you’re obviously enjoying every bit of your gift. Good for you, Janice
I’ll look around the bookshops here and see if I can find Marie’s book; from your description, I definitely want to read her. 
You will be very glad you did, Katerina
Such a lovely gesture and a beautiful book. See? Life is full of kind surprises.
No kidding! Have you read her pages? She is amazing and only been writing since 2004 – awestruck.