BOOK SHELF
Ear to my Thoughts
by Sherma Cenac Modeste
Book Review by Gyanchand Rayman
Sherma Cenac Modeste
Sherma wrote Ear to my Thoughts,
a book of poetry that boasts a
diversity of themes that are close
to her heart: divine guidance,
love and family, the grandeur of
nature, societal woes (and more).
Whatever appeals to her that she
wishes to speak about, she employs
the vehicle of poetry, which, like a
bird “ignores all frontiers” (Yevgeny
Yevtushenko) and boldly asserts
herself. The one thing, though,
that runs through all her poetry
like a golden thread, strong and
unbroken and shimmering in its
beauty, is her kind and sensitive
nature. This is a poet whose heart
throbs with goodness.
Foremost in the poet’s mind is
the consciousness of the divine
in her life and she affirms that:
“The remedy to all ailments is but
a prayer away”. She never loses
faith, even when she is crushed and
broken, and her “heart bleeds”, she
yet drops to “her knees” and seeks
solace.
The book gushes over with
gratitude to the poet’s parents,
husband, family, friends, colleagues
– and all those who proved to
be deserving of her good graces.
Definitely not an ingrate, the poet
sat them down to feast, to their
heart’s content, with poem after
poem.
In a patriotic turn, the writer tells
that “St. Lucia [is] exquisite on
every lip, enchanting to every eye”
and that we are “mesmerized by
her kiss”. Because she loves St.
Lucia, she is troubled by those
“societal sharks” that prey upon
the innocent and she is further
pained by the senseless violence
and bloodshed. “Life [to her] is as
precious as an angel’s song…” and
should be played uninterrupted to
the last note.
This professional educator is a
robust, dynamic and well-rounded
individual who can be the life of
a party if she takes such a turn,
champion of the weak, entertain,
lead – whatever role yawns open
she can fill it. But Sherma also has
a whimsical side as we can see in
her poem in defense of Lifetime
movies. “I love me a Lifetime…” she
boldly declares, and “learns about
detective work and to cope with
all kinds of psychos.” Ah, can you
blame her? And in another instance
she throws a tantrum like a spoilt
child when she finds herself alone
at home without a phone. “No
Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter or
Instagram. Someone please…help
me!” She asserts that in her cyber
world she is at her best. “It is a dark
world without technology…” she
cries, and that one, of course, gets
our vote.
But all noble things aside, the poet
in Sherma would not be worth
her salt if there was no avenue of
escape from the mundane. “I need
to escape to a magical place…”
she says dreamily, “to fly away on
the wings of fantasy…” And do
what, may you ask? “Let’s walk the
blossoming paths plucking flowers
as we go.” Beauty, contentment,
bliss. Isn’t that what people desire,
whether here or in the hereafter?
Sherma has done a wonderful
job and it is now entirely for your
delight.
Ear to my Thoughts is available
at 758 Saint Lucia Books in the
Gablewoods Mall at Sunny Acres
for only $35.00.
HEALTH TIPS
Take Care of Your
Relationships
Social relationships are incredibly
important. Not only for your mental
wellbeing, but your physical health
as well.
Studies show that people who are
close with friends and family are
healthier and live much longer than
those who are not.
www.slyoumag.com | July-August 2019
SL-YOU | Business, People & Lifestyle 59