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Summer Magic: Poems of Life and Love
Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love is a collection of contemporary poetry about exactly that--life and love. The first part of the book features poems about the magic a young boy discovers while camping in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The second part of the book has a sampling of poetry about love, life and death, autumn, and dreams coming true.
- GenresPoetry
45 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 4, 2013
9 people want to read
About the author
Marcia Meara
14 books58 followersMarcia Meara lives in central Florida, just north of Orlando, with her husband of over thirty years and four big cats.
When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she's good with that.
Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it's never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish a book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?
CONTACT MARCIA HERE:
The Write Stuff: http://marciamearawrites.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/marcia.meara...
Facebook Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/marcia.meara
Twitter: @marciameara
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marciameara/
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MARCIA'S BOOKS:
Wake-Robin Ridge
A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2
Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3
Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel
Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2
That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3
The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella
The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody
The Emissary 3: Love Hurts
The Emissary Trilogy
Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love
When not writing or blogging, she spends her time gardening, and enjoying the surprising amount of wildlife that manages to make a home in her suburban yard. She enjoys nature. Really, really enjoys it. All of it! Well, almost all of it, anyway. From birds, to furry critters, to her very favorites, snakes. The exception would be spiders, which she truly loathes, convinced that anything with eight hairy legs is surely up to no good. She does not, however, kill spiders anymore, since she knows they have their place in the world. Besides, her husband now handles her Arachnid Catch and Release Program, and she's good with that.
Spiders aside, the one thing Marcia would like to tell each of her readers is that it's never too late to make your dreams come true. If, at the age of 69, she could write and publish a book (and thus fulfill 64 years of longing to do that very thing), you can make your own dreams a reality, too. Go for it! What have you got to lose?
CONTACT MARCIA HERE:
The Write Stuff: http://marciamearawrites.com/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/marcia.meara...
Facebook Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/marcia.meara
Twitter: @marciameara
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/marciameara/
BIBLIOGRAPHY OF MARCIA'S BOOKS:
Wake-Robin Ridge
A Boy Named Rabbit: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 2
Harbinger: Wake-Robin Ridge Book 3
Swamp Ghosts: A Riverbend Novel
Finding Hunter: Riverbend Book 2
That Darkest Place: Riverbend Book 3
The Emissary: A Riverbend Spinoff Novella
The Emissary 2: To Love Somebody
The Emissary 3: Love Hurts
The Emissary Trilogy
Summer Magic: Poems of Life & Love
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 16, 2021
The poems in the first half of this book centre around a character in Wake Robin Ridge, MacKenzie Cole, so if you've read that series, these verses will mean more to you than if you haven't yet done so.
The poems in the second half are of a more varied nature and cover many aspects of life and the world around us.
A few of the poems that stood out for me are: Ambush, Showers, Star Gazing, Campfire Ghosts, Bruises, and Attitude Really is Everything.
SHOWERS
Drip-drip. / Huddled and sighing / inside the tent / boredom a damp prescence / keeping him company. / While Dad naps to the sound of the rain. / Drip-drip. / Comic books scattered / On his rumpled cot. / Superheroes as powerless / As little boys while / The day spills water / Over all his plans
and
Joy shared / And excitement /Doubled.
and
CAMPFIRE GHOSTS
Dark Clouds / Hide the silver light / From his wide-eyed gaze. / Night reigns / In blackest glroy, / Held at bay only / By the oragne firelight.
Summer Magic gets 5 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
The poems in the second half are of a more varied nature and cover many aspects of life and the world around us.
A few of the poems that stood out for me are: Ambush, Showers, Star Gazing, Campfire Ghosts, Bruises, and Attitude Really is Everything.
SHOWERS
Drip-drip. / Huddled and sighing / inside the tent / boredom a damp prescence / keeping him company. / While Dad naps to the sound of the rain. / Drip-drip. / Comic books scattered / On his rumpled cot. / Superheroes as powerless / As little boys while / The day spills water / Over all his plans
and
Joy shared / And excitement /Doubled.
and
CAMPFIRE GHOSTS
Dark Clouds / Hide the silver light / From his wide-eyed gaze. / Night reigns / In blackest glroy, / Held at bay only / By the oragne firelight.
Summer Magic gets 5 stars from me.
***
NOTE ON RATINGS: I consider a 3-star rating a positive review. Picky about which books I give 5 stars to, I reserve this highest rating for the stories I find stunning and which moved me.
5 STARS: IT WAS AMAZING! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN! — Highly Recommended.
4 STARS: I WOULD PULL AN ALL-NIGHTER — Go read this book.
3 STARS: IT WAS GOOD! — An okay read. Didn’t love it. Didn’t hate it.
2 STARS: I MAY HAVE LIKED A FEW THINGS —Lacking in some areas: writing, characterisation, and/or problematic plot lines.
1 STAR: NOT MY CUP OF TEA —Lots of issues with this book.
June 15, 2022
I loved Meara’s Wake Robin Ridge series, and this short book of 18 poems is written by the main character Mackenzie Cole (not really, but you get the idea). The poems are lovely glimpses of childhood summers and growing up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For this nature-loving reader who spent her summers exploring the woods of Vermont, it was like a trip down memory lane.
The book is divided into two parts: Mac at Ten (about his childhood), and Poems of Love & Life (told from the perspective of an adult). Some of my favorite poems were: The Rope Swing, Star-gazing, and Bruises.
One stanza from Bruises:
Badges.
Attesting to his bravery,
Marking his adventures,
And confirming in his mind
His place among Immortals.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author (ages ago) without any expectation of a review. I’m glad I finally read it. Highly recommended to poetry readers and grown-up kids who remember the magic of summer.
The book is divided into two parts: Mac at Ten (about his childhood), and Poems of Love & Life (told from the perspective of an adult). Some of my favorite poems were: The Rope Swing, Star-gazing, and Bruises.
One stanza from Bruises:
Badges.
Attesting to his bravery,
Marking his adventures,
And confirming in his mind
His place among Immortals.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author (ages ago) without any expectation of a review. I’m glad I finally read it. Highly recommended to poetry readers and grown-up kids who remember the magic of summer.
May 26, 2014
SUMMER MAGIC BECKONS!
It’s Memorial Day weekend, days set aside to memorialize acts of courage and service, large and small. Hard to believe, but we’re almost halfway through another year. So it seems reasonable to stop, reflect, and acknowledge those things that stand the passage of time, like heroic virtue. A call not just to remember specific acts or people, but to honor the more fundamental attributes that inspire us all to be more fully human.
Many of us will do at least some of our pausing and reflecting outdoors this weekend. The unofficial start to summer, millions will head out to parks and beaches for barbecues and picnics. I can almost hear the crack of a baseball bat, or the whiz of a well-tossed Frisbee, announcing summer’s arrival. Let the fun begin, especially after a winter that was, for many, long and harsh.
Here, in the California desert, despite the fact that temperatures are already flirting with triple digits, the sun is shining and blue skies beckon. The lingering aroma of mesquite hovers around me—in my hair and on my clothes—after our celebratory cookout. Chipotle-rubbed, corn-on-the-cob, cooked over mesquite wood. Smoky, tequila-laced salsa made from jalapeno peppers, tossed on the grill alongside spicy turkey sausage, and a mélange of other grilled veggies, guacamole and crispy chips, yum! A riot of colors, textures, and flavors set out to welcome summer, SoCal style. Papaya and other fresh fruit for dessert also signal that summer is about to burst upon us!
Summer is magic! If you want another way to experience a bit of that magic I invite you to read Marcia Meara’s recently released book of poetry, Summer Magic: Poems of Life and Love. It’s a perfect read for a languid summer’s day or a long weekend like this one. Taking a breather from grilling and eating, reading the book is like dangling your toes in a cool, rippling brook. It’s not just her poems that reflect the childhood joy of plunging into cool green waters from a “Rope Swing,” or the ‘drip-drip’ of “Showers” on a rainy day that will give you that creek side, summer experience. “Summer Magic” the first poem, and the one that gives the book its title, is awash in words that conjure summer. My favorite lines from the poem:
There! A thin curve of molten red!
A far away sliver of fiery light
Breaks the horizon.
Part One of the book, “Mac at 10,” contains poems celebrating summer from the vantage point of MacKenzie Cole, lead character in Marcia Meara’s wonderful book, Wake Robin Ridge. As you can imagine, from the glimpse of her poetry provide here, setting matters. In both Wake Robin Ridge and her new book Swamp Ghosts she brings her poetic bent to bear on her story telling.
My favorite of the poems in this part of the book is “Star-Gazing.” Even though I’m still a little annoyed that my late-night effort to catch a meteor-shower this week was such a bust! The “Giraffes” meteor shower was slated to rival Perseid, the meteor shower featured in Marcia’s poem that occurs each August. Perseid has no rival, trust me. Still, star-gazing was a favorite teenage pastime and this poem evoked fond memories of times in my life when I was privileged to witness sky-borne wonders.
Part two of Summer Magic, “Poems of Life and Love,” presents more adult-themed visions of summer. Especially poignant are images of summer waning, as we are dragged, sometimes kicking and screaming into fall, and other seasons of our lives. I love the meter of the first poem in part two, “On the River,” the moody tone of “The Last Rose,” and the wanton disregard for structure in “Attitude Really is Everything.” So true, btw! Here’s to Summer Magic, in Marcia Meara’s book, or wherever we may find it. Happy Memorial Day!
Stop by for a visit at my site: http://www.desertcitiesmystery.com Sign up and I'll share the recipe for the smoky, tequila-laced salsa. Like I said, yum!
It’s Memorial Day weekend, days set aside to memorialize acts of courage and service, large and small. Hard to believe, but we’re almost halfway through another year. So it seems reasonable to stop, reflect, and acknowledge those things that stand the passage of time, like heroic virtue. A call not just to remember specific acts or people, but to honor the more fundamental attributes that inspire us all to be more fully human.
Many of us will do at least some of our pausing and reflecting outdoors this weekend. The unofficial start to summer, millions will head out to parks and beaches for barbecues and picnics. I can almost hear the crack of a baseball bat, or the whiz of a well-tossed Frisbee, announcing summer’s arrival. Let the fun begin, especially after a winter that was, for many, long and harsh.
Here, in the California desert, despite the fact that temperatures are already flirting with triple digits, the sun is shining and blue skies beckon. The lingering aroma of mesquite hovers around me—in my hair and on my clothes—after our celebratory cookout. Chipotle-rubbed, corn-on-the-cob, cooked over mesquite wood. Smoky, tequila-laced salsa made from jalapeno peppers, tossed on the grill alongside spicy turkey sausage, and a mélange of other grilled veggies, guacamole and crispy chips, yum! A riot of colors, textures, and flavors set out to welcome summer, SoCal style. Papaya and other fresh fruit for dessert also signal that summer is about to burst upon us!
Summer is magic! If you want another way to experience a bit of that magic I invite you to read Marcia Meara’s recently released book of poetry, Summer Magic: Poems of Life and Love. It’s a perfect read for a languid summer’s day or a long weekend like this one. Taking a breather from grilling and eating, reading the book is like dangling your toes in a cool, rippling brook. It’s not just her poems that reflect the childhood joy of plunging into cool green waters from a “Rope Swing,” or the ‘drip-drip’ of “Showers” on a rainy day that will give you that creek side, summer experience. “Summer Magic” the first poem, and the one that gives the book its title, is awash in words that conjure summer. My favorite lines from the poem:
There! A thin curve of molten red!
A far away sliver of fiery light
Breaks the horizon.
Part One of the book, “Mac at 10,” contains poems celebrating summer from the vantage point of MacKenzie Cole, lead character in Marcia Meara’s wonderful book, Wake Robin Ridge. As you can imagine, from the glimpse of her poetry provide here, setting matters. In both Wake Robin Ridge and her new book Swamp Ghosts she brings her poetic bent to bear on her story telling.
My favorite of the poems in this part of the book is “Star-Gazing.” Even though I’m still a little annoyed that my late-night effort to catch a meteor-shower this week was such a bust! The “Giraffes” meteor shower was slated to rival Perseid, the meteor shower featured in Marcia’s poem that occurs each August. Perseid has no rival, trust me. Still, star-gazing was a favorite teenage pastime and this poem evoked fond memories of times in my life when I was privileged to witness sky-borne wonders.
Part two of Summer Magic, “Poems of Life and Love,” presents more adult-themed visions of summer. Especially poignant are images of summer waning, as we are dragged, sometimes kicking and screaming into fall, and other seasons of our lives. I love the meter of the first poem in part two, “On the River,” the moody tone of “The Last Rose,” and the wanton disregard for structure in “Attitude Really is Everything.” So true, btw! Here’s to Summer Magic, in Marcia Meara’s book, or wherever we may find it. Happy Memorial Day!
Stop by for a visit at my site: http://www.desertcitiesmystery.com Sign up and I'll share the recipe for the smoky, tequila-laced salsa. Like I said, yum!
December 7, 2018
This book comprises the most beautiful freestyle poetry by Marcia Meara. The poetry is divided into two sections, the first is about the magic of life as experienced by a ten year old boy and the second is about love.
I loved both sections of the book but the poems about the joys and experiences of a ten year old boy were particularly poignant and meaningful for me as I have two sons who were ten years old in the not that distant past.
The two poems in this section that I enjoyed the most are, firstly, The Rope Swing which depicts the freedom and joy of swinging on a hot summer day. The depiction of a young boy of ten is very accurate and brings back lovely memories for me.
My second favourite poem is entitled Moccasins and describes the lovely and understanding relationship moms have with their sons.
The Rope Swing
The first stanza goes as follows:
“Sailing up, up into
Blue summer sky,
Hot rope rough against his hands,
He shouts with joy, and lets go.
For a crystal moment,
He hangs suspended,
Frozen in time
Like a fly in amber.”
Moccasins
“His dad smiles.
Moms are like that, Mac.
Moms always know what
Their children want most.
And Moms always want
Their children to have their
Heart’s desires.”
The poem I enjoyed the most in part two of the book describes the beauty of young love and the joy of watching small children play and develop.
The Sound of Dreams Coming True
“Listen, she says,
Kissing his fingers,
As a little girl laughs,
Chasing butterflies
With her big brother.”
I loved both sections of the book but the poems about the joys and experiences of a ten year old boy were particularly poignant and meaningful for me as I have two sons who were ten years old in the not that distant past.
The two poems in this section that I enjoyed the most are, firstly, The Rope Swing which depicts the freedom and joy of swinging on a hot summer day. The depiction of a young boy of ten is very accurate and brings back lovely memories for me.
My second favourite poem is entitled Moccasins and describes the lovely and understanding relationship moms have with their sons.
The Rope Swing
The first stanza goes as follows:
“Sailing up, up into
Blue summer sky,
Hot rope rough against his hands,
He shouts with joy, and lets go.
For a crystal moment,
He hangs suspended,
Frozen in time
Like a fly in amber.”
Moccasins
“His dad smiles.
Moms are like that, Mac.
Moms always know what
Their children want most.
And Moms always want
Their children to have their
Heart’s desires.”
The poem I enjoyed the most in part two of the book describes the beauty of young love and the joy of watching small children play and develop.
The Sound of Dreams Coming True
“Listen, she says,
Kissing his fingers,
As a little girl laughs,
Chasing butterflies
With her big brother.”
July 28, 2019
I loved this collection of poetry that effortlessly transported me back to the magic of childhood summers. Meara divides her collection into two parts. The first is a glimpse of camping out through the eyes of a character from her popular Wake Robin Ridge Series when he is a ten-year-old boy, the second half a view of love, life, seasons and dreams.
The words and scenarios she weaves throughout are spell binding—camping under the stars, soaring through the air from a swing suspended above a creek, splashing through rain puddles, watching a meteor shower, delivering a final wish to a soul mate—all sheer magic. Read this wonderful book any time of year for a journey to summers filled with love, curiosity, and wonder. 5 stars!
The words and scenarios she weaves throughout are spell binding—camping under the stars, soaring through the air from a swing suspended above a creek, splashing through rain puddles, watching a meteor shower, delivering a final wish to a soul mate—all sheer magic. Read this wonderful book any time of year for a journey to summers filled with love, curiosity, and wonder. 5 stars!
April 2, 2021
“Summer Magic” is a wonderful collection of poetry presented in two parts. The first part was based on a character, Mac, from a favorite series of mine, Wake-Robin Ridge. The poems are an amazing glimpse into his childhood and the mountains he grew up in. The second half of the book offered beautiful images that tugged at my heart or took me on a journey. Here are a few of my favorite passages: “Stars, he thinks, pulled loose/From the fabric of the sky,/And flung toward earth/Trailing silver and gold,/And bringing a piece of Heaven/To those watching below,” “Caught in that space between/Daylight and dusk,/When all things seem possible,/And the ordinary,/Remarkable,” “Reminds me of those early days/When all water rushed clear and cold,/And teemed with Promise so bright/You could almost catch it in your hands,” and “Bees moving slowly from/Flower to flower,/In dance weighed down by heat.” This is a collection I highly recommend, and I’ll definitely be reading it again.
August 6, 2019
For me, a good poem should capture the feeling or the presence of something or someone so that you, too, can see or feel it. Marcia Meara’s anthology, Summer Magic, does just that.
The first section focuses on the relationship between father and son and perfectly captures the movement, appearance and pleasure in everyday things. Parents can readily identify with that balance that’s needed in protecting a child, whilst recognising when to take a watchful step backwards to give him or her the freedom to explore and grow.
The second section is a more personal account of life and love and resonated with me–and there’s no repetition of style or content here –each poem is unique and special in its own right.
The power of Marcia Meara’s language when describing the natural world is fresh and vivid. She sees things in the world around her that most of us miss in the hurly-burly of life but can recognise through the imagery and truth of her writing.
Read the first two poems on Amazon to see what I mean. She perfectly describes not only the boy, but also his reflective sensitivity and his exuberance and delight.
If you’ve been put off poetry by insensitive teachers and twee subject matter, give this book a go and see what you’ve been missing.
March 31, 2015
I was familiar with Meara's poetic flair, which comes across strongly in her fiction work and so was excited to read some actual poetry from her.
It's a very interesting concept to have the first section of poems written from the perspective of one of her characters (though I would point out you don't have to have read the book he features in to appreciate them). They shine with a playful, nostalgic charm that takes you back to your own childhood.
The second section features poems with a more personal touch, which I enjoyed equally as much. The main thread that links the two parts together is the strong influence of the natural world, which is beautifully portrayed.
Favourites in the collection for me were 'Bruises' and 'Promises', though all have something to offer.
It's a very interesting concept to have the first section of poems written from the perspective of one of her characters (though I would point out you don't have to have read the book he features in to appreciate them). They shine with a playful, nostalgic charm that takes you back to your own childhood.
The second section features poems with a more personal touch, which I enjoyed equally as much. The main thread that links the two parts together is the strong influence of the natural world, which is beautifully portrayed.
Favourites in the collection for me were 'Bruises' and 'Promises', though all have something to offer.
Read
October 3, 2016This is a short but beautiful book of poems from a talented series author, Marcia Meara. The first part of the book are poems written in relation to her characters Mac and son from her Wake-Robin Ridge series, which if you've read, make the poems so much more meaningful. The second part of poems are on life and love, encompassing the beauty of nature. This little book is a lovely escape from real life and a nice reminder of nature's beauty.
March 10, 2014
As a publish poet myself I could definitely said that this poems where beautifully written with characters that are so vividly and happily depicted. The first part brought back childhood memories that made me smile, the second part took me to a journey of ponder.
Way to go Mrs Marcia Meara!
Way to go Mrs Marcia Meara!
May 17, 2014
Marcia's poetry is a light and pleasant read.
October 25, 2021
This is my first book to read from this author, and I'm a fan. I loved how she informed the reader that her first set of poetry followed a character from her novel. Though I haven't read the novel, I grew to know and love her character through her poetry. Her poetry oozed of imagery that placed me right there with each scene. The second part focuses and life and love, and I loved these poems just as much. The emotions could be felt through the words on each page. I will definitely read more from this author. :-)
May 14, 2021
My own interest in poetry led me to this collection of poems by Marcia Meara. “Summer Magic” is a poignant read, through moments both intimate and mystical. The poems capture elements of magic from childhood into adulthood, and especially through the summer months. I loved the ease with which stories were captured in verse. I loved the familiarity and natural beauty they embraced. I loved feeling at home with the author.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews