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Review by Candice James
https://www.facebook.com/548677701931198/photos/a.647937188671915.1073741828.548677701931198/941652609300370/?type=3&theater Marion Mutala opens the book with 3 poems that open the door to the Ukrainian Daughter’s Dance: “Memories”, “Washboard”, and “Old Farmhouse” focus a soft lens on her youth and open our hearts and minds to the nostalgia of our own youthful days . In the poem “Depression” Mutala compares this intangible disease to a beast stalking her sister: “Stalking beast attacks / Wears mask / Camouflage the blues” And then ends the poem with what seems like a cure “of sorts” which really isn’t a cure at all. “Once a wild caged animal / Medicated / then born again / She acts like a simple child” “Seductress” brings into focus the perils of falling prey to the liquid flames of alcohol of which fallout can create holocausts, tsunamis, and total destruction of soul of a long period of substance abuse. From opening line: “She looks at me with magnetic dark eyes” To the ending stanza “She falls asleep in my arms / My bottle of lust, my sparkling bottle of rum / Slowly, one ounce at a time” My favourite poem in the book is “Effect”, a nature poem, short, sweet and filled with vivid imagery: “Nature encompasses / a sundog / beautifying / the cold sky” And what a fitting ending to end the book with the title poem “Ukrainian Daughter’s Dance”. Mutala proudly displays her heritage in these excerpted lines: “I am what I am I say” “I’ll always be a prairie girl / and daughter of a Ukrainian matya” “And a Ukrainian Prairie daughter will always / dance barefoot in the black dirt" Dancing through the pages to the magical rhythm Mutala’s poetry exudes is enjoyable indeed. About the Poet: Marion Mutala has a master’s degree in education administration and has taught for 30 years. With a mad passion for the arts she loves to write, sing, folkdance, play guitar, travel and read. She is the author of the bestselling and award-winning children’s book trilogy Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Christmas, Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Easter and Baba’s Babushka: A Magical Ukrainian Wedding. Her fourth book Grateful was published in 2014. Ukrainian Daughter’s Dance is her debut poetry book. About the reviewer: Candice James is Poet Laureate Emerita; Board Advisor Royal City Literary Arts Society; Director Pacific Festival of the Book. She is author of eleven poetry books: the first "A Split In The Water” (Fiddlehead Poetry Books 1979) and the most recent is ”Merging Dimensions” (Ekstasis Editions). Her awards include Bernie Legge Artist Cultural award; Pandora’s Collective Citizenship award; Pentasi B Woman of Prestige award. Further info at www.candicejames.com. Comments are closed.
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