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Red Lanterns
Red Lanterns is a collection of new poetry that navigates a borderland between the seen world and the spirit world. Occupying a tangible world is expected of us humans. We have been taught to trust (and trust only) our five major senses, which inform the tangible. Humans, however, possess senses beyond our primary ones, not simply the sixth sense of intuition but also a sense of time, sense of responsibility, sense of being watched, and so on. Some things lie beyond the realm of human knowledge, some things are not as they appear, some places that appear empty may not be, and some things remain wild, secret, and intangible. These poems look at the place where the wild and mysterious joins with the explicable. The poems are about connections, especially spiritual connections - human to human, human to animal, human to land, animal to animal. Many of the poems can be classified as love poems, because love is one of our most primal connections. There is also a thread of fierceness that runs through this work. This ferocity is in seeing disconnection and fighting to restore connectivity. More than anything the book is a manifesto to protect all the connections that allow us to be creatures of spirit as much as creatures of what Flannery O'Connor called "weight and extension," meaning of the body.
- GenresPoetry
82 pages, Paperback
Published April 23, 2021
1 person is currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
Janisse Ray
42 books276 followersis an award-winning and beloved American writer. Her work encourages wild, place-centric, sustainable lives and often calls attention to heart-breaking degradations of the natural world.
She writes the popular Substack TRACKLESS WILD, tracklesswild.substack.com.
Her newsletter for writers, SPIRAL-BOUND, janisseray.substack.com.
She is a sought-after and highly praised teacher of writing. She leads both in-person and online writing workshops, including a summer memoir course online, WRITE YOUR OWN STORY.
You can find more information about workshops and courses at her website.
https://janisseray.com/product-catego...
Check out her book CRAFT & CURRENT: A MANUAL FOR MAGICAL WRITING.
Janisse has won an American Book Award, Pushcart Prize, Southern Bookseller Award, Southern Environmental Law Center Writing Award, Nautilus Award, and Eisenberg Award, among many others.
Her collection of essays, WILD SPECTACLE, won the Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence.
Her books have been translated into Turkish, French, and Italian.
Janisse's first book, ECOLOGY OF A CRACKER CHILDHOOD, recounts her experiences growing up in a junkyard, the daughter of a poor, white, fundamentalist Christian family. The book interweaves family history and memoir with natural history—specifically, descriptions of the ecology of the vanishing longleaf pine forests that once blanketed the Southern coastal plains.
ECOLOGY was followed by many other books, mostly creative nonfiction--often nature writing-- as well as poetry and fiction.
She earned an MFA from the University of Montana, has received two honorary doctorates, and was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame. She has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Georgia Writer's Association.
She lives on an organic farm inland from Savannah, Georgia, where she enjoys wildflowers, dark chocolate, and the blues.
She writes the popular Substack TRACKLESS WILD, tracklesswild.substack.com.
Her newsletter for writers, SPIRAL-BOUND, janisseray.substack.com.
She is a sought-after and highly praised teacher of writing. She leads both in-person and online writing workshops, including a summer memoir course online, WRITE YOUR OWN STORY.
You can find more information about workshops and courses at her website.
https://janisseray.com/product-catego...
Check out her book CRAFT & CURRENT: A MANUAL FOR MAGICAL WRITING.
Janisse has won an American Book Award, Pushcart Prize, Southern Bookseller Award, Southern Environmental Law Center Writing Award, Nautilus Award, and Eisenberg Award, among many others.
Her collection of essays, WILD SPECTACLE, won the Donald L. Jordan Prize for Literary Excellence.
Her books have been translated into Turkish, French, and Italian.
Janisse's first book, ECOLOGY OF A CRACKER CHILDHOOD, recounts her experiences growing up in a junkyard, the daughter of a poor, white, fundamentalist Christian family. The book interweaves family history and memoir with natural history—specifically, descriptions of the ecology of the vanishing longleaf pine forests that once blanketed the Southern coastal plains.
ECOLOGY was followed by many other books, mostly creative nonfiction--often nature writing-- as well as poetry and fiction.
She earned an MFA from the University of Montana, has received two honorary doctorates, and was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame. She has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Georgia Writer's Association.
She lives on an organic farm inland from Savannah, Georgia, where she enjoys wildflowers, dark chocolate, and the blues.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
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March 28, 2021Well, I can't rate my own book, can I?
May 14, 2021
In Janisse Ray’s latest collection of poetry, Red Lanterns, Ray mutually celebrates and mourns the current state of our world—what we should honor and love, what we stand to lose, what we will never get back—and all captured by one of the most talented storytellers of the South. Red Lanterns is a mix of love and protest influenced by Romantic and Beat poets and melded with Ray’s special type of word magic. Most of the poems are what you may categorize as eco-poetry. For those unfamiliar with the term, its main emphasis is to bring awareness to environmental issues, looking at the world in a non-anthropocentric manner, with humankind being part of the problem itself.
There’s a dark romanticism about her poetry, as if she’s discussing being in a relationship with an abuser or even someone who takes and takes, never giving back. Many of Ray’s poems explore the same themes as those in the film Mother!—the one-sided relationship we have with Earth. Ray doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Yet, while she pushes readers to consider their relationship with the planet, she does it in manner that celebrates the simple wonders of nature, which is what a Romantic poet does best.
Along with eco-poetry, dark romanticism, and protest/activist poetry, Red Lanterns is also about grief. There are some very intimate poems; I wondered if they were autobiographical since the narration was so close, honest, and very personal. The collection is well-balanced and approachable. While there are some strong words against humankind and the wounds we’ve inflicted on the planet—wounds we have inflicted against ourselves—Red Lanterns judiciously celebrates the simple pleasures of nature, love, family, friendship, and community, which I’m pretty sure sums up Janisse Ray.
There’s a dark romanticism about her poetry, as if she’s discussing being in a relationship with an abuser or even someone who takes and takes, never giving back. Many of Ray’s poems explore the same themes as those in the film Mother!—the one-sided relationship we have with Earth. Ray doesn’t sugarcoat anything. Yet, while she pushes readers to consider their relationship with the planet, she does it in manner that celebrates the simple wonders of nature, which is what a Romantic poet does best.
Along with eco-poetry, dark romanticism, and protest/activist poetry, Red Lanterns is also about grief. There are some very intimate poems; I wondered if they were autobiographical since the narration was so close, honest, and very personal. The collection is well-balanced and approachable. While there are some strong words against humankind and the wounds we’ve inflicted on the planet—wounds we have inflicted against ourselves—Red Lanterns judiciously celebrates the simple pleasures of nature, love, family, friendship, and community, which I’m pretty sure sums up Janisse Ray.
June 20, 2023
A Captivating Journey of Emotion and Beauty
"Red Lanterns" by Janisse Ray is a poetic masterpiece that takes readers on a profound journey of emotion and beauty. Ray's words paint vivid landscapes and evoke deep feelings, making each poem a unique experience. The collection beautifully captures the essence of life, love, and the human experience.
The author's mastery of language is evident throughout the book, as she weaves together words with grace and precision. Each line is carefully crafted, leaving a lasting impression on the reader's soul. Ray's imagery is breathtaking, transporting readers to different worlds and inviting them to explore the depths of their own emotions.
What sets "Red Lanterns" apart is its ability to touch upon universal themes while still maintaining a personal and intimate touch. Whether reflecting on the passage of time, celebrating the beauty of nature, or delving into the complexities of human relationships, Ray's poetry strikes a chord with readers from all walks of life.
The book's structure is well-balanced, each poem offers a new perspective and keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The pacing allows for contemplation and reflection, as well as moments of sheer awe at the author's ability to capture the essence of fleeting moments.
"Red Lanterns" is a must-read for poetry lovers and anyone seeking a literary journey through the human experience. Janisse Ray's talent shines brightly in this collection, leaving readers inspired, moved, and with a deeper appreciation for the power of words.
"Red Lanterns" by Janisse Ray is a poetic masterpiece that takes readers on a profound journey of emotion and beauty. Ray's words paint vivid landscapes and evoke deep feelings, making each poem a unique experience. The collection beautifully captures the essence of life, love, and the human experience.
The author's mastery of language is evident throughout the book, as she weaves together words with grace and precision. Each line is carefully crafted, leaving a lasting impression on the reader's soul. Ray's imagery is breathtaking, transporting readers to different worlds and inviting them to explore the depths of their own emotions.
What sets "Red Lanterns" apart is its ability to touch upon universal themes while still maintaining a personal and intimate touch. Whether reflecting on the passage of time, celebrating the beauty of nature, or delving into the complexities of human relationships, Ray's poetry strikes a chord with readers from all walks of life.
The book's structure is well-balanced, each poem offers a new perspective and keeps the reader engaged from start to finish. The pacing allows for contemplation and reflection, as well as moments of sheer awe at the author's ability to capture the essence of fleeting moments.
"Red Lanterns" is a must-read for poetry lovers and anyone seeking a literary journey through the human experience. Janisse Ray's talent shines brightly in this collection, leaving readers inspired, moved, and with a deeper appreciation for the power of words.
January 6, 2024
It was the cover art that caught my eyes.
Gorgeous contrast of color on gray.
I found this collection profoundly melancholy.
Not to my tastes.
A sliver of hope presented itself in 'One Fine Day in Illinois'.
Excerpt:
"In the forest, underneath leafless trees as far as we could see, the wildflowers, knee-high, leaves tender in the greening, turned their faces toward the light, their brightness like a ringing, the small blue bells clear and jubilant-- voices of our ancestors, voices of all we've lost and seek to recover."
The author has a strong command of a storyteller's language, painting scenery in emotion.
Gorgeous contrast of color on gray.
I found this collection profoundly melancholy.
Not to my tastes.
A sliver of hope presented itself in 'One Fine Day in Illinois'.
Excerpt:
"In the forest, underneath leafless trees as far as we could see, the wildflowers, knee-high, leaves tender in the greening, turned their faces toward the light, their brightness like a ringing, the small blue bells clear and jubilant-- voices of our ancestors, voices of all we've lost and seek to recover."
The author has a strong command of a storyteller's language, painting scenery in emotion.
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June 6, 2021In Red Lanterns, Ray brings to poetry the acute insight about rural life and human beings' place in the natural world that makes her nonfiction so compelling. Her poems are direct in diction and tone, and they are intimate, pulling us into their worlds, often by drawing images with attention and delicacy. Fans of Ray's memoirs will appreciate in this book how much the same sensibility sings out in the more compact form of poems, allowing a wider range of subjects.
May 1, 2021
Poetry at its best. Her work revels in the physical and ethereal beauty of nature. She also speaks of losses in a powerful, fearless voice expressing her longings and yearnings. My favorite line was “I wish I had a hand so strong it could straighten damaged things.”
August 29, 2025
Absolutely exquisite. This is what I want to read when I read poetry: narrative that makes sense, evocative imagery, unexpected use of language. Ray's poetry is just as powerful and wonderful as her prose writing. Highly recommend.
April 30, 2021
Beautiful collection of poetry. Wild, mysterious, lyrical and evocative, the wonderful Janisse Ray has penned another love letter to the sacred land. The gorgeous cover is created by Raven Waters.
May 8, 2021
Amazing poetry collection! Don’t miss out and order your copy today.
August 31, 2021
Thoughtful and expressive.
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December 14, 2021I always enjoy reading Janisse Ray's books. There is such heart, keen observation, wit and courage in her words.
November 3, 2025
Beautiful, powerful poetry.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews