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The Lava Storyteller is now available to order from Red Mare Press as part of the Red Mare Chapbook Series (#7). Follow the ordering link HERE.
This chapbook has a limited edition print run. It is a work of art in addition to being a poetry collection. Each copy is hand sewn with thread, printed on fine art paper and each cover is hand stamped using a carved wood block art piece.
“This edition features a cover printed on Canford artist's paper, endpapers of Unryo-kozo/chiri rice paper, and binding of Italian cotton-blend fiber, with dancer's bells on the binding knot.”
(front cover)
(back cover)
Sample Poem:
The Lava Storyteller
Island of clay, sand and earth –
liquid lava now silent.
You are the land of trees dripping mangoes
and goats clinging to cliffs.
Bare feet read braille –
ancient explosions –
black crumbs and dust from when earth
was the only inhabitant.
Island of Saba –
the earth speaks of ancestors –
still humming the old stories –
still laughing over a bottle of sweet Malta.
Cristina M. R. Norcross
Copyright 2011
Book Reviews for The Lava Storyteller
“Each poem in this collection is a quiet celebration: of ancestors, of nature, of love. Poet, Cristina Norcross, draws from a rich, deep well of inspiration, layering her work with echoes of other artists’ paintings and poetry. Even a poem about the simple act of eating a mango becomes timeless, sensual and grace-laden. These gentle poems will open your eyes to the beauty in everything you see and experience.”
“Cristina M. R. Norcross takes "deep breaths" in and "long strides" through the "white sand" of time. The Lava Storyteller celebrates Earth and life "still humming the old stories," but also weaving them with the new. "Drink it in," she says. The Lava Storyteller, a collection of seventeen poems, will undoubtedly quench your thirst and touch your heart with a longing to read more.”
~Jeannie E. Roberts, author of Nature of it All, a collection of poetry, and Let's Make Faces!, a children's book, www.jrcreative.biz
“Cristina M.R. Norcross’s latest work: The Lava Storyteller is an inclusive invitation that transports the reader’s mind to experience emotional, spiritual and physical wonderment.
Island of clay, sand and earth –
liquid lava now silent.
You are the land of trees dripping mangoes
and goats clinging to cliffs…
This talented Midwest and worldly poet allows us to peek behind the curtain to discover parts of ourselves otherwise hidden, yet fully acknowledged:
You jump through
the only open window,
because this is how we leave –
with a gust of wind
and the scent of grass
on our breath.
Her words are woven in sensual and intellectual landscapes of lush intersecting worlds that are inspired by her heritage, famous artists, celebration of gender and the beauty of science as seen through the heart of emotion, all of which are Divinely celebratory as well as personally sacred.”
~Kimberly A. Blanchette, author of Layers of Moments (poetry/photography book and audio CD), All Natural (audio CD) and the poetry chapbooks, Naked, The Master and The Student and Lotus on Fire. www.kimberlyblanchette.com
“In Cristina M.R. Norcross's reflective collection of poems, she tells the story of her journey across landscapes of life, both real and imaginary, from the ancestral island of Saba where "bare feet read braille -- / ancient explosions," to those inspired by art. There is a strong feeling of searching in Norcross's poems, of entering a painting to not only experience it, but to understand it with the art of her own words, often finding there is no single answer, but only listening and waiting. The Lava Storyteller gives the reader inspiration to seek her own path as well.”
~Liz Rhodebeck, author of What I Learned in Kansas, Benthos, The Book of Ruth, and soon to be published, Here the Water is Deep. www.waterwriter.com
“Cristina M. R. Norcross writes from the center of wonder, the wildness of nature and the deep waters of wisdom. The Lava Storyteller is a luminous collection drawing from Norcross' love of everyday life, fine art, nature and the sublime magic of existence. Her poems look deep into the heart of everyday life to find the river of meaning underneath. Reading this collection, I was both expanded and brought home more fully to myself — such is the power and beauty found within these pages.”
~Shannon Jackson Arnold, author of Flowering Wisdom: Inspiring Thoughts on Life, Love and Blooming Big. www.shannonjacksonarnold.com
“Readers will experience a life affirming experience when they turn the pages of Cristina M. R. Norcross’s latest collection of poems, The Lava Storyteller. Magic permeates each poem—the magic of being alive and letting the senses inhale life … even the wind knows how to reach me. The narrator of each poem is rooted in nature and the glories of life. From sandy beaches to the bluest skies, she is at home and alive in the moment...breathing becomes a whisper. Cristina’s earthiness, her vivid imagination, and the purity of her writing shine in these poems. Grant yourself the pleasure of reading them. You won’t be disappointed, and life will begin again in a swirling blur.”
~Maureen Hand, author of Write the Snapshots of Life, a book on memoir writing. Maureen Hand’s poems and writings have appeared in literary journals, magazines, and newspapers. www.snapshotsoflife.com
