SWAY

Johnson’s poetry collection tells of boundless fields of wildflowers, icy wooded paths, and other earthly delights.

This book places readers directly into the far-removed natural surroundings of rural Pennsylvania, and its four parts—“Wildflower Bloom,” “Pumpkin Decorum,” “Light Captured Hexagons,” and “Melodious”—address the four seasons. The poet writes mostly in unpunctuated, truncated phrases, and frequently, the stanzas offer nature-themed one-word lines, most notably in “Autumn Pause” and this passage in “Glide”: “A bit of hope dawns / Hushed away here at home / Nature / Walk / Leaf / Color.” However, it’s the lengthier, more intricate poetry that truly shines, with sweet, lyrical lines sprinkled throughout poems such as “A Soft Pearl Sky,” “Pumpkin Latte,” and “Johnny Quill”: “The slow warm up sings in the blood of everything.” Most of Johnson’s poems simply describe a rural setting and the speaker’s feelings while doing such activities as swaying in a hammock or gazing at a moon during a cold night. The poet excels in rare moments when she explores deeper themes of transition, growth, and human nature. In “Traveling Between the Two,” she interweaves the experience of sitting in a “striped sling chair,” “one foot on the ground / one foot in the air” with the excitement and uncertainty of being between two worlds. Similarly, “Half of Me” is an exceptional piece of writing that details the speaker’s feeling of being pulled in different directions, set against the backdrop of sparkling spring rain and flowers. Johnson’s grasp on humankind’s sense of wonder at the mystery of nature is relatable and comforting, and one wishes there were more poems that showcase it. Instead, each of the book’s four parts brings readers to the brink of exploration but recedes back into the tall grass all too soon.

A lyrical, charming set of poems but one that may leave readers wishing for more.