Overview

Blue Elegies begins with an homage of sorts to the White Crane Kung Fu School of Martial Arts where Helen Ruggieri studied for 15 years. The poems in the first section honor the white crane. Historically martial arts schools imitate strengths of the animal. For example, a dragon may club, a crane may strike, sharp and accurate. The crane's strengths are feathers and beak. Certain movements exemplify each strength. A sweeping fling of one's left arm with the fingers spread demonstrates the movement of feathers; the sharp strike of the right arm, with the fingers pressed to the palm, the beak. Later sections celebrate common birds of the east--hummingbirds, cardinals, crows, owls, sparrows, etc. and the last section focuses on humans who demonstrate aspects of a bird. For example, they may sing like a bird, fly like a bird, and more. We go about our ordinary lives, unnoticed, as the birds ignore or tolerate us. Sometimes birds live in and off our discards deposited in Walmart parking lots and other desolate portions of human habitats. It's sad to see that bird numbers and the annual bird counts have noted their vanishing.

Full Product Details

9781961864146

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Helen Ruggieri grew up in a series of small towns in New York and Pennsylvania, graduating from Penn State University and continuing her studies at St Bonaventure University. She published her first poem in the English Journal and since has had over 200 poems in magazines and anthologies.With her late husband Ford she edited a little magazine (Uroboros) for five years receiving grants from the National Endowment for the Arts. Between writing poems and teaching she has birthed three children and raised two dogs, and attempted to keep her 100-year-old house from disintegrating.She is a master gardener and has a black sash in tai chi.Since retiring she has led workshops for the Mental Health Association, the African American Center for Cultural Development and organized reading series in bars, libraries, furniture stores and just about any underutilized spaces in the area. The TriCounty Arts Council selected her for a lifetime achievement award.

Tab Content 6

Customer Reviews

Recent Reviews

Countries Available