Review: Linda Marjorie Charles' Collection of Poems: In The Depths Of A Diva: Volume I

Author: Linda Marjorie Charles
ISBN: 978-1-4259-9403-7

Linda Marjorie Charles’s poetry debut, In The Depths Of A Diva: Volume I reads like a personal diary where she invites her readers to have a peek into her life from ages twelve to twenty-two. What is remarkable about her vignettes is the maturity and intelligence she exhibits from her pre-teen days and onwards into her early adulthood. Every word, every image, every line brake of her poetry reverberates with vigor and curiosity that ignites her mental and physical journeys.

At twelve we notice how her physical environment preoccupies her time as she crafts insightful images capturing the world of the eagle, the condor, the hawk, the vulture, clouds, winter, rain, thunder, and lightning. It is here where we observe the simple language of a child who is not afraid to use bold and striking language as in the description of The Hawk: “He descends and sits: His target lying yonder: He pounces; he eats.”

And yet, she still has time to pock fun and mock rich women who walk down the street with their white poodles trotting along, dressed in mink coats and diamonds and noses up in the air not knowing where they are going falling into a mud puddle or as she ends her poem entitled “The Rich (as in Women)”

"But I laugh so hard, While noses are up, they scuttle Forgetting themselves Right into a mud puddle"

Charles’ mischievousness comes into play at age thirteen with her poem about the babysitter where she and her sibling thought it was quite amusing to put a frog down the poor woman’s panty hose. Nonetheless, there is a serious side to Charles the thirteen year old, with her mature philosophy of life as exemplified in “The Pros of Life,” particularly when she verbalizes about charity that had been helpful in giving what was needed and in the “givers we doth find, Loving hearts indeed.”

And the realization that laughter is the best medicine when she states “Laughter is the answer, The jolly noise we make. That doth be the very antidote, To make melancholy break.” These are some amazing perceptions from a thirteen-year old!

However, as is the case with many children in their early adolescence, Charles topics during this era of her life now revolve around loneliness, sadness, despair, melancholia, jealousy, teenage crushes and all that these feelings entails.

The early adulthood themes present a far more severe side of Charles as she does not flinch from confronting the ugliness of racism with her powerful language that lashes out at the bigots who dare to demean the Blacks with their hatred and ignorance.

With a strong melodic voice and using uncomplicated dynamic forms, In The Depths Of A Diva: Volume I is a collection of solid and memorable poems that draws us in with images of gripping resonance that seduces us to read and re-read. I look forward to reading more of Charles’ poetry.

To read Norm's Interview With Linda Marjorie Charles CLICK HERE