Poems of the Point

by Lauri Cruver Cherian

Imagine growing up on beachfront property in the Puget Sound where the waves crash a hundred feet from your front door, the seagulls provide the morning wakeup call, and sea lions pop up their heads each day to check on you. Poems of the Point features a walk down the beach, finding an eagle's nest, childhood memories of boating and fishing for cod, searching for Lewis moon shells, picking cherries and raspberries, digging for clams and geoducks, spying orca in the Sound, and even a chance viewing of the illusive Mt. Rainier on a clear day. If a piece of your heart already lies in the Pacific Northwest or you are open to having your heart captured by it, this book of poetry is for you. "Cherian's poems are a delight-filled homing journey to Gig Harbor." --Ann Farley, author of Tell Her Yes "Her arresting verses call us to pay attention to beauty, both material and invisible." --Sneha Abraham Villalva, Executive Speechwriter, UCLA "This debut collection is a heartfelt tribute to the enduring power of place." --Susan Donnelly, poet and teacher "I've long wanted to visit places in the Northwest like Gig Harbor, Washington. Now, via Cherian's beautiful poems, I can." --Ron Rozelle, author of Into That Good Night

50 pages, Paperback

Published October 15, 2022

About the author

Lauri Cruver Cherian is an award-winning writer and an educator, teaching English as a Second Language and Bilingual Education to children and adults for three decades. She is a proud native of Washington State but has been transplanted to South Texas for the last 30 years. Lauri has been a master teacher and a leader of workshops in adult ESL education across South Texas. She is the recipient of several teacher of the year awards including Bilingual Teacher of the Year in Spring Branch Independent School District in Houston, Texas. She enjoys teaching adult ESL in her community, volunteering at the planetarium, participating in community theater, singing, playing the piano, traveling, and writing. She and her husband have three adventuresome grown children. Her poem, Courage (2021), dedicated to health care workers during the pandemic, won honorable mention at the Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest. Pandemic Magazine published her poem, “Coronavirus by 2022” (2022). In October of 2022, Lauri published her debut chapbook of poetry called, Poems of the Point, a tribute to growing up on the beach in the Pacific Northwest and in May of 2023, she published her second book, Brave as Thistles, a collection of poems about becoming brave through life’s adventures and speed bumps. This spring 2024, Lauri published Four Anxious Armadillos, a children's chapter book for ages 7-13. It's a delightful book and Storytrade Book Award Finalist perfect for a family read aloud about adventure and anxiety.

Reviews

[Chris Staudinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply an elegant and poignant expedition through Puget Sound in flashes. Lauri manages to ensnare the essence of the region in a delicate web of poetry. Reading a page feels like feeling the tide rush in beneath your boat as you cruise along the misty shoreline of Puget Sound.

[Robin Pelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book brings up all kinds of feelings about childhood memories and the sweet time we have with family during our young years. Makes me want to go visit the west coast!