NEWS

New book of poetry by Barbara Elizabeth Mercer. BOOK LAUNCH at the International Oslo, Norway, Literary Festival and Seminar, Sept. 18-20, 2008.  Forward by Literary Critic, Adam Donaldson Powell, Norway. Publisher Cyberwit.net, price $15:00  A second BOOK LAUNCH will be held at the Arts & Letters Club of Toronto, Oct. 22nd, 2008. As the only Canadian Poet to be invited, Mercer will read from her book to an international audience. Cover painting by Barbara Elizabeth Mercer, Title: Secrets

SECRETS is Barbara Elizabeth Mercer’s fifth book of poetry, and this volume represents both a summarization of earlier themes and a movement into a bolder expression — most easily described here as encompassing the three V’s of poetry: vibrant, visual and vital.

 Mercer is a good craftsman. True to Mercer’s signature style, this book has much beautiful, evocative, unpretentious poetry which is at once lyrical and romantic – not only on its surface level, but also within the many hidden chambers which the reader discovers upon each successive reading. However, SECRETS does not only revisit familiar Mercer themes, such as nature and humanity, with reflection and discretion. Look out readers! Here Barbara E. Mercer begins to ‘bust loose’ and occasionally brings forth a new voice emboldened by mature reflection which at times approaches social existentialism. Barbara uses many everyday situations and reflections to tell short, short stories ... her own style of "flash fiction" in poetry. However, here the seemingly "mundane" quickly takes on mammoth proportions ... almost baiting the reader who thinks that poetry and literature is all just words, and therefore not so dangerous. Think again! Barbara coaxes the reader to strip away layers of preconceived thoughts and judgments, word by word and line for line. Et voilà ... we are naked before ourselves, and feeling quite human – right here, and right now.

 Read these poems however you like: in book order, randomly, to yourself, out loud to others, on the subway or bus, or in your bed at night. You will find new dimensions to this ‘shapeshifting’ poetry with every new reading.

 Barbara Mercer’s poetry speaks best for itself, so I will just leave you with two simple lines from her book ... two lines which ... yeah:

 

               The moon slips silently into space

 

               And you assure me

 

                                             -Adam Donaldson Powell

Barbara Elizabeth Mercer

Author, Poet, Visual Artist

Is happy to announce the publication of a new book of poety.

At the invitation of:

Steve Chering, Author, Poet, London, UK

Co-Author

WHEN POETS COLLIDE

Published January 6, 2006

The book includes half of Barbara's poems and half of Steve Chering's poems

Her poem MYSTIC WILLS was selected to be displayed and read at the 102nd Birthday Celebration of 1971 Nobel Prize Laureate, Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda, Vancouver, July 31, 2006.

Read Mystic Wills book review by Dr. Santosh Kumar

PORTFOLIOS

Gallery #1

My Canadian Icons

Digital Art