The Poet Tree

The Poet Tree

Rochelle Lynn Holt.  THE POET TREE, a comic book..  (Fl:  Rose Shell Press ’06)  Ill. by Wayne Hogan.

The cover illustration with the balloon, “Oh, Well, Of Course, There’s More To This Than You Might Think” reminds the reader to confront the external world with a child’s eyes—a challenge to our inmost gifts.  Holt’s latest release reaffirms her firm command of both poetry and prose and her astute insight into human nature.
In her Preface, she avers the theme of The Poet Tree which concerns “personal effort required for the redemption of grief or loss in any individual life.  (In fact, emotions of despair, helplessness and hopelessness may also be alleviated and even transformed through this modern comic book.)  Active art can return joy, delight, love and purpose, sense of self, nature and even empathy to people who are depressed or in mourning.”  And, to those who are not!
The healing power of her modern day nursery rhymes included for comic relief are readily apparent:
Daring diva met a dancer
walking towards a dune;
demands daring diva of the dancer,
let me see your wound.

Or in “Age:”

One, two, there’s everything to do
as you create a reason for waking.
Three, four, forget the score;
slow pace instead of quaking.
Five, six, light a candle wick
To begin process of raking
dreams & memories turned gray…