A Fate Unwound Too Soon: Glimpses of the Divine

by Anna-Karen Sorensen

I wrote the first edition of “A Fate Unwound Too Soon,” in order to share what I felt and learned as a caretaker of the tiniest of premature babies. One thread has run through the whole of my experience in the NICU--the rise of the unheralded sympathy that is native to all things. What I expect to see in the intensive care setting is the most noble form of compassion, the love of mother for child, but what I witness is much more—the acts of kindness between strangers. At the center of this giving I always find the too early born babe, the angel who brings with it the knowledge and revelation that initiates the rise of sympathy that is expressed as compassion.

In the creation process of the book, the initial configuration that this sharing took was visual, but as time passed, the work that wanted to express itself shape-shifted into a book of images, a gestalt of poesis. Poetry at first glimpse reads foreign, but it is in fact the most familiar of things embedded as it is with the essence of its own culture. In this way, Poetry is the many-skilled tool that enables the Soul to reach the Minds of many readers as the image shifts its meaning to fit each context.

Sadly, if an image is approached with a closed mind, that is to say, with expectation, it will have no power to guide, to create or to heal. If read with an open mind, the text that is heavy with meaning becomes a new experience each time it is read whether it is read by different readers or by the same reader at different times. Image is the tool that the Soul uses to bring Truth to the Mind, but it requires an open mind, one that is allowing
and receptive enough to hear the hint that will bring with it the shift in the imaginary line around which the axis of Reality rotates.

The tiny babe is the axis mundi of my world, the center around which my dream has spun itself out and I hope that I have succeeded in imbedding some of the rich texture of my experiences into this text.

Genres: Poetry

88 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 1, 2019

About the author

Living in the Doctor’s Nest is a compilation of stories about the life of a doctor who cares for extremely premature infants. As the stories unfold, we learn about the challenges that she faced as she began to practice in her field and how she ultimately fulfilled her goal of developing specialized units for the extremely premature newborn. Along the way, we meet her family and friends. We get to know the nurses and respiratory therapists that provided the care, and we are introduced to the "scorpions," the obstacles that lay in wait to derail the process along the way.

Reviews

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Won this as a Goodreads giveaway very sad and depressing but poetry and thought provoking

[Amy Bruestle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book through a giveaway in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the poetry a lot, but thought the overall presentation could have been a bit more thought out and creative in general.

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautiful book of poetry on a tender and touching topic. I enjoyed almost all of the poems. Some of my favorites were "The Love for A Child"; "In Her Manger", and "Plato's Angel." This is a sample from "Plato's Angel": "With the blink of an Eye/Into Time I do fly/and out of the silence of white..." AK Sorensen also has a story at the end of the book titled "The Crack in the Garden Wall." It is a great story too. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys poetry and or who may find comfort in these verses in the loss of a child. I want to give a print copy for I would like to give it to a friend for she only reads print copies.

[Emily Castro · Rating 2 out of 5]

The beginning of this book made me cry the middle of this book kind of got me lost in a little bit confused and ending of this book was the best of the Best

[Caitlynn Akin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fate Unwound Too Soon is a beautiful collection of poem and photographs about premature babies. The poems range from unfeeling medical jargon to flowing imagery with well written metaphors that will move any reader. The photographs of these precious children, speak many volumes s so that hardly any words are needed. Despite the heart wrenching tales conveyed through this book, it is well worth the read. These are stories that need to be told, but are often brushed around. They provide moving insight into the struggles of the NICU families and workers.

[Katherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Fate Unwound Too Soon is a beautiful and thoughtful exploration of premature babies. Sorensen's careful fusion of poetic verse and clinical terminology works wonderfully to create a well-rounded image of fact and feeling. This book is moving in some of the most unexpected ways, and I think will surprise a lot of reader who might not expect to enjoy it. I also enjoyed the use of photography tp supplement the poetry, and thought that the form was very well considered.

Overall, this is a really enjoyable collection.

[Olivia Pratt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful language on a difficult topic. “A Fate Unwound too Soon” is about the premies, parents, and doctors of the NICU where Sorenson herself is an MD. This collection of poetry ruminates on the cycle of life and death and contains images which some readers may find upsetting. I recommend this book for poetry lovers and readers interested in the topic. I took away one star because of distracting formatting issues in the book.

[Robbie Denzelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Fate Unwound Too Soon: A must read! This book sheds light on how we think about medicine involving spirituality. The poetry is captivating and will take you to a place of sadness, happiness, triumph and a journey that is unforgettable and so daring. It’s a remarkable process of healing and hope. This book dives into the deep of life and death for a little one that comes too soon and for a parent that keeps a brave heart.

[Amanda Waters · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of poems centered on premature babies and their caregivers is sorrowful, hopeful, tender, and contemplative. It gave me even greater compassion for not only the families of preemies, but the medical professionals who love and care for them during those earliest weeks. And even though the poems are centered around a specific theme, the author writes about subjects and emotions that are true in many circumstances - life, love, loss, pain, joy, hope, compassion.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vivid pictures showing the most delicate beautiful premature babies. It is heartbreaking to read the poetry along with the pictures, expressing the parents and families deepest, most profound feelings at the time their little ones came into the world.

[Nickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poetry that contains a variety of tones which encompass the many layers of the NICU. Very moving and deeply compelling

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a father of three I found this book powerful and moving. I am thankful for everything the people who work in NICU do every day.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic well written book. Good follow through.

[Robbie Denzelle]

A Fate Unwound Too Soon: A must read! This book sheds light on how we think about medicine involving spirituality. The poetry is captivating and will take you to a place of sadness, happiness, triumph and a journey that is unforgettable and so daring. It’s a remarkable process of healing and hope. This book dives into the deep of life and death for a little one that comes too soon and for a parent that keeps a brave heart.